Columbia Ward 2 candidates discuss DEI practices during NAACP candidate forum Tuesday
Nia Hinson
COLUMBIA, MO. (KMIZ)
Columbia Ward 2 candidates talked Diversity, Equity and Inclusion practices in the city on Tuesday.
The Columbia NAACP hosted an election forum at Second Baptist Church downtown. Ken Rice and Vera Elwood are both vying for the seat, after former councilwoman Lisa Meyer announced her resignation in May.
The special election for the open seat is Aug. 5. Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon told ABC 17 News Tuesday morning that roughly 900 people had already cast their ballot in person, while another 800 had returned a mailed absentee ballot.
Lennon said she’s expecting between 8-9% turnout.
Community members were invited to ask questions to each candidate during Tuesday night’s forum. One of those questions was centered around DEI practices in the city. The Columbia City Council voted to keep its mission and vision statements intact during its June 16 meeting.
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey launched an investigation into the City of Columbia’s practices related to DEI. The investigation will focus on “decision-making in city programs, hiring and funding,” according to previous reporting.
Bailey also submitted a request for public records and electronic communication for terms related to DEI.
City spokeswoman Sydney Olsen told ABC 17 News via text Tuesday afternoon that the city is still working to provide those documents.
“We sent an initial cost estimate for the original request. Following that, their office narrowed the scope of their request. We’ve sent an updated cost estimate which has been paid. We’re now working to provide documents responsive to their revised request,” Olsen said.
According to Olsen, the original estimated cost was $964.24. The revised estimate was $131.49.
Vera told residents Tuesday night that she would have voted “yes” to keep the DEI policy as it stood, if she was the ward 2 leader at the time the vote occurred.
“The language that it was utilizing wasn’t just randomly invented here in Colombia. It is the standard DEI language that is used by the National Association of Counties that they were relying upon,” Vera said. “I would absolutely uphold that. I would also hope to do further work to see that policy actually come to action, to see more work, to watch the strategic plan and the indicators that they’re using to see more significant change.”
Rice told ABC 17 News ahead of Tuesday’s forum that he doesn’t believe anything will come out of the investigation.
“We have a statement that’s performative,” Rice said. “It means nothing. We talk about we want to do stuff for DEI, we hired a DEI director but there’s no significant show of outcomes that have made any significant community better because of that statement or the hiring of the DEI person.”
Bailey has also threatened to sue the City of Columbia if found in violation DEI compliance and take it to the White House. Pamela Hardin is the president of the Columbia NAACP and moderated Tuesday night’s forum.
Hardin said she doesn’t believe the investigation is unneccesary.
“I think they’re digging in a place that they don’t need to dig. The city is happy with the way things are going here. We are happy being inclusive. We’re happy with our equity and our diversity,” Hardin said. “I just think it’s a waste of time, funds, money, ability, people and resources for him to launch this investigation to find nothing but to look for something because they’re not happy with the choices that the constituents actually have made in this town.”