This official wants to join the group his anti-Latino meme spurred to life

A routine report from a Kennewick commission led to some startling news from two of the city’s top leaders Tuesday.

Kennewick Councilman Bob Parks declared his intent to join the city’s diversity commission once he leaves office this month, presuming it continues to meet in 2018.

Mayor Steve Young said he won’t seek another term as mayor.

The disclosures came as the group gave its long-awaited report on the state of diversity in Kennewick.

The city formed the commission more than a year ago to stave off a possible Latino boycott of Columbia Center mall after an uproar stirred when Parks shared a meme on his private Facebook page.

The commission recommended the city update its communication and outreach strategies to better interact with the community.

It also asked for another year to implement its recommendations, which led to the unexpected disclosures from Young and Parks.

The council opted to leave the decision until next year, when there will be a new mayor.

There also will be two new councilmembers — Steve Lee and Bill McKay — succeeding Greg Jones and Parks, respectively.

Young’s two-year term as mayor expires in January, though his council seat is not up for re-election until 2019. Young was a defendant in a discrimination lawsuit against Department of Energy contractor Mission Support Alliance.

A former MSA employee sued after she was forced to resign in 2013. In October, a Benton County Superior Court jury awarded her $8.1 million.

The verdict inspired an ethics complaint against Young for using MSA resources to conduct city business.

Tuesday’s session was emotional and occasionally hostile.

“(Diversity) is a subject that brings forth a lot of emotion,” said Uby Creek, the commission’s vice chairperson.

Creek presented the brief results of the group’s year of work. Its chief accomplishment is a 13-question online survey that received 700 responses.

Creek, at times tearful and shaking, said several respondents called the commission a waste of time and resources, and disparaged its work.

Commission members are not paid, and the commission received no financial resources beyond the assistance of city staff.

The commission nevertheless asked the city to make it a permanent fixture alongside the city’s other commissions, such as planning and parks and recreation.

Member Clarence Hill said having a group dedicated to diversity sends a strong message to the community. Hill, who is black, said just hearing that the city was forming a diversity commission made him proud.

“We can try to encourage better behavior,” he said. “The city of Kennewick has an opportunity to shine.”

Kennewick created the commission in 2016 and gave it a year to make its report.

Seven people were seated. One moved away and was not replaced.

The group met monthly. Its meetings were public, but not recorded.

In keeping with the crisis that birthed it, the commission’s modest recommendations and request for more time generated fresh conflict about the need for the group.

Councilman John Trumbo, said it’s unclear if there is a problem that can be addressed by city government.

If the commission continues, it needs to take public comment at its meetings, make quarterly reports to the city council and record its sessions. He also said it needs defined tasks.

Councilman Matt Boehnke generally agreed with Trumbo.

But Mayor Pro Tem Don Britain and Councilman Paul Parish said they’re inclined to let the commission continue.

Young did not indicate which way he leans.

Parks said he wants it to not only continue, but he wants to be a part of it. His comments could have been construed as lighthearted, but he followed up with a phone call to say he’s serious.

There’s still work to do, he said.

The online survey results were likely skewed by non-Kennewick participants, he said. Parks tested the system by asking a dozen Richland residents to complete the survey.

Participants were asked if they lived or worked in Kennewick.

Those who said “no” were not allowed to proceed, but there was no independent verification.

“I was hoping we would have a better outcome with the survey and open house,” he said.

Correction: This story has been corrected to state that Councilman John Trumbo voted to support the commission formation. The initial story incorrectly stated he did not.

This story was originally published December 13, 2017 at 7:37 PM with the headline "This official wants to join the group his anti-Latino meme spurred to life."