Keizer — At a joint Feb. 10 work session, Keizer City Council and members of the Community Diversity Engagement Committee (CDEC) reviewed the city’s annual proclamations calendar and recommended several scheduling and process changes for 2025.

The group examined an adopted list (cited in the meeting packet as Resolution 2021‑30215) and a set of additional recommendations that CDEC had prepared. Staff and committee members walked through month‑by‑month items, and the discussion covered which proclamations are recurring, which are one‑time, and how to fit them into the council meeting schedule without unduly lengthening meetings.

Key clarifications and scheduling directions recorded in the session included:

- Volunteer Appreciation: Councilors reinforced that National Volunteer Week (observed the third week in April) is a recurring item; councilors and CDEC recommended adding “Volunteer Appreciation Week” as an annual proclamation and aligning the proclamation with the third week in April. Council President Starr and others said the Volunteer Coordinating Committee will continue to coordinate recognition at committee meetings.

- Foster care and Older Americans: A proclamation for Foster Care/Foster Youth Awareness was discussed; staff clarified that Foster Care Awareness Month is conventionally in May and recommended moving the item to May where indicated. Older Americans Month (May) will be coordinated with Salem Area Seniors for a community presentation rather than at council chambers.

- Disability proclamations: CDEC recommended combining National Disability Employment Awareness items with the Developmental Disabilities Awareness recognition, moving both into March under a combined proclamation; CDEC recommended a single proclamation wording that covers both awareness goals.

- September scheduling: The committee recommended adding Suicide Prevention Awareness Month in September. Several local groups annually request Constitution Week (the local DAR submits a request each year) and National Hispanic Heritage Month begins Sept. 15; councilors discussed whether to present more than one proclamation at the same meeting. The council directed staff to allow up to two proclamations at a single meeting in limited circumstances but to enforce strict presentation time limits.

- Time limits and process: Citing past meetings in which proclamation presentations lengthened council agendas, councilors and committee members agreed to a general rule of one proclamation per meeting, with limited exceptions. Presenters will be asked to limit remarks to five minutes and to provide materials and resources for the city website and social channels. Councilor Cross suggested recording or posting presentations and using social media and the city website to host longer community‑facing material.

- Other recurring items: The committee recommended keeping Indigenous Peoples’ Day (October 13) as a locally requested proclamation; members said a local native leader had asked specifically that the date not be moved. Filipino American History Month was noted as issued annually upon request (typically no council presentation). The group also discussed Veterans and Military Families recognition and Small Business Saturday; councilors suggested some recognitions could be delivered at other local venues (for example, Chamber greeter events) to reach more directly affected audiences.

No formal council votes were taken on the proclamation schedule; instead staff was asked to prepare a consolidated, revised proclamations calendar and to return it to council for formal approval. Councilors also asked staff to communicate the new expectations to groups that typically request proclamations, advising them of the five‑minute presentation limit and offering alternatives such as recorded presentations and website resource pages.

One councilor suggested the CDEC and council hold joint check‑ins several times a year to coordinate outreach and streamline the proclamation process. The council recommended targeting a follow‑up joint session in June.

Ending: Staff will prepare a revised, consolidated proclamations schedule for council adoption and will distribute guidance to prospective presenters about the five‑minute rule and alternatives such as recorded content and website resource pages.