AGENDA COVER MEMO
Memorandum Date:
Order Date:
TO:

Board of County Commissioners

DEPARTMENT:

County Administration

PRESENTED BY:

Steve Mokrohisky, County Administrator
DJ Kelly-Quattrocchi, Equity and Access Advisory Board CoChair
Mo Young, Equity and Access Coordinator

AGENDA ITEM TITLE:

IN THE MATTER OF APPROVING A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT
OF THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT AND LANE
COUNTY’S COMMITMENT TO PUTTING IN THE WORK TO
ACHIEVE RACIAL EQUITY

I.

MOTION
In the Matter of Approving a Resolution In support of the Black Lives Matter movement
and Lane County’s commitment to putting in the work to achieve racial equity.

II.

AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
The Board is being asked to approve the attached resolution in support of the Black Lives
Matter movement and committing to putting in work to achieve racial equity.

III.

BACKGROUND/IMPLICATIONS OF ACTION
A.

Board Action and Other History
In November 2009, the Board of County Commissioners passed a resolution
censoring hate speech and displays.
In November of 2016, the Board of County Commissioners passed a resolution
reaffirming the values of integrity, respect, openness and accountability, public
engagement, the pursuit of excellence, diversity, stewardship, and empathy.
In June of 2019, the Board of County Commissioners passed a resolution

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 endorsing recommendations related to the advancement of health equity in Lane
County.
In February of 2020, the Board of County Commissioners passed a resolution
denouncing white nationalism. These four resolutions provide the framework
from which this recommendation stems.
The horrific murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020 has
sparked national outrage. This has created a momentum towards racial equity in
the public and the private sector that is unprecedented.
On June 2nd, 2020, the Board of County Commissioners directed staff to work
with the Equity and Access Advisory Board on June 3rd to draft a resolution that
will be brought back to the Board of Commissioner for consideration on June 9th
(if possible). Commissioner Farr listed 3 points for the resolution:
1. Recognize this moment in time as one where we have a choice to
make as an agency and as a community;
2. List actionable items for Lane County, including the recruitment and
hiring of a diverse work force (especially in law enforcement);
3. The resolution should not focus on property damage.
Although this resolution addresses these three points, it does not go into specifics
such as recruitment and hiring of law enforcement. Lane County continues to
invest in recruitment and hiring and the Equity and Access Advisory Board and
County Leadership are seeking to create additional focus on institutional policies
and practices that we haven’t called attention to – including in law enforcement,
health, and planning – that have resulted in institutional disparities.
B.

Policy Issues
No policy issues to consider at this time. There will, however be policy issues that
are discovered in the months and years after approval.

C.

Board Goals
The recommendation is connected to the Lane County Strategic Plan in the
following ways:
Collective Impact Lens: Collective Impact is the commitment of a group of actors
from different sectors to a common agenda for solving a complex community
problem. The five key elements are to 1) have a common agenda 2) develop shared
measurement 3) engage in mutually reinforcing activities 4) maintain open and
continuous communications and 5) formation of a backbone organization.
Equity Lens: Equity is when everyone has access: to the opportunities necessary to
satisfy essential needs, advance their well-being, and achieve their full potential;
and the information and supports that they need – regardless of age, education,

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 ethnicity, language, income, physical limitations, or geographic barriers – to achieve
health, safety, education, and economic stability.
Safe, Healthy County: protecting and enhancing the safety of Lane County residents
and visitors.
Vibrant Communities: normalizing the understanding of and acceptance for all
people based on the unique background, culture and diversity of our employees and
the people we serve.
Organize and Implement the Equity 2.0 plan and support the Government
Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE) cohort.
D.

Financial and/or Resource Considerations
No financial impact for endorsing this resolution.

E.

Health Implications
When people live in fear of violence connected to racism, anti-Semitism, and
other forms of bigotry, their stress levels are higher. Increased stress levels lead to
myriad health outcomes including cardiovascular disease and higher rates of
infant mortality.
The goal of this resolution is to acknowledge the unequal treatment and
subsequent disparate outcomes that Black people across the Country, in the State
or Oregon, and here in Lane County face every day. In acknowledging this, the
resolution will also serve as a north star for the antiracist work that must be done
in order to begin to address and rectify the years of systemic oppression and the
disparities that exist because of it.
When we work together to create, implement, and support antiracist policies, we
will see a reduction in the health disparities in Lane County.

F.

Analysis
It’s no secret that Lane County, the State of Oregon, and the United States have
racist history, but that does not allow us the privilege to stay silent when so many
are being targeted, harassed, and murdered across the nation. These histories
include the forcible removal of indigenous communities from their ancestral lands
and continued refusal to recognize Tribes, Oregon entering the Union as a
"whites-only" state," the state’s refusal to ratify the 14th and 15th amendment to
the U.S. Constitution, and enacting Black exclusion and sun-down laws.
There are countless Black people across the United States that have been
murdered by law enforcement officers and by vigilantes who saw a black body
and equated it with a threat. The fact that these murders and so many others are

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 shown and shared over and over again on social media tells Black people that
their lives are not as precious as the white lives that are lost and never ever shared
online.
It’s important to know that it’s not just blatant racism that harms Black people in
unequal ways. It’s all of the systems – health care, planning, business, education,
and more. It is also important to remember that COVID-19 is disproportionately
affecting black and brown people across the nation and in Lane County.
These systems are here in Lane County and we have an opportunity to make real,
antiracist changes that will make Lane County the best County in which to live,
work, and play for everyone.
When we say #BlackLivesMatter, we are shedding light on the fact that the
system does not treat Black people as fully human. We are shedding light on the
fact that black bodies are often equated with being a threat. We are shedding light
on the fact that Black lives are beautiful and complex and layered and full of love.
We are shedding light on the fact that Black lives indeed do matter. Words matter.
Who we say them to and what words we choose matter.
Now is a time of action, and we cannot be inactive in addressing this issue
G.

Alternatives/Options
The Board could do the following:
1. Approve the resolution recommended by the Lane County EaAB.
2. Request that staff return with an amended resolution.

IV.

RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends approving the resolution as written.

V.

TIMING/IMPLEMENTATION
This resolution would go into effect immediately.

VI.

FOLLOW-UP
No follow-up needed at this time.

VII.

ATTACHMENTS
None

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 BEFORE THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF LANE COUNTY, OREGON
ORDER AND RESOLUTION
NO:

In the Matter of Approving a Resolution In
support of the Black Lives Matter movement
and Lane County’s commitment to putting in
the work to achieve racial equity

WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners acknowledges that Black Lives Matter; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners acknowledges that over the course of the past
few weeks, we have been again reminded that police brutality and general disregard for Black
people’s lives is prevalent within the United States; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners acknowledges that this continued assault on
Black people has caused the loss of numerous lives for no reason other than racist biases; and
WHEREAS, incidents such as the murders of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery and all of
the other countless Black people who have been murdered by vigilantes who saw a black body and
equated it with a threat; and
WHEREAS, incidents such as these show that there is systemic and a prolific nature to
racism built into the foundation of the United States and as such these actions go on without
proper recognition, adjudication, or conviction; and
WHEREAS, racial profiling and abuse of power happens here in Lane County; and
WHEREAS, Lane County shares the pain and anger of Black people in our county,
state, and nation; and
WHEREAS, We stand in solidarity with the Black community, and strive to hold our
county departments and ourselves to the only standard that will begin to protect us - one of
equity and justice that centers all people, not just those with the most privilege; and

WHEREAS, Now is a time of action, and we cannot be inactive in addressing this issue.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Board of County Commissioners of Lane County ORDERS
and RESOLVES as follows:
1. To work with community members and staff to acknowledge and address the root
causes of inequities in Lane County services and outcomes.

 2. To work with community members and staff to invent or find antiracist policies
that can eliminate the racial inequities that exist.
3. To use an antiracist and racial equity lens to assess current and future policies
and programs.
4. To communicate with the community, including county employees about the root
causes of racial inequities as well as the corrective action that has been or will be
taken.
5. When policies fail, Lane County will wholeheartedly and enthusiastically start
over and seek out new and more effective antiracist policies until they work.

ADOPTED this ___ day of_________________, 2020.

____________________________________
Heather Buch, Chair
Lane County Board of Commissioners

APPROVED AS TO FORM
Date

LANE COUNTY OFFICE OF LEGAL COUNSEL