Ogden officials OK Diversity Commission appointments
Image supplied, City of Ogden
OGDEN — The Ogden City Council has approved the reappointment of two Ogden Diversity Commission members and the appointment of two newcomers to the body.
Left off the list was Kevin Lundell, who had hoped to be reappointed to the commission but didn’t get a recommendation from the administration of Mayor Mike Caldwell, who makes the picks subject to City Council consideration.
The City Council had been originally scheduled to consider the appointments at its April 4 meeting but tabled action, without explanation, as Lundell raised his voice about the turn of events. The body took the matter up at its Tuesday meeting this week, unanimously approving the selections as originally put forward by the Caldwell administration without discussion.
Reappointed to the body, which makes recommendations to city officials on matters related to diversity and equity, were Shardae Jones and Kari Harbath. The new appointees are Juliana Woodbury, replacing Jessica Adams, who resigned from the body, and C. Fernando Morales, who replaces Lundell, whose term expired.
Lundell suspects he wasn’t reappointed due to a critical opinion piece he wrote targeting Utah Sen. John Johnson, the North Ogden lawmaker who proposed doing away with diversity, equity and inclusion offices at state universities. Officials haven’t publicly stated a reason. Lundell said he still supports the efforts of the Diversity Commission.
Taylor Knuth, a former member of the Diversity Commission, said he’d like city officials to review the appointment and reappointment policy for all the citizen advisory committees serving the City Council and administration. He’s an Ogden mayoral candidate and backed Lundell’s reappointment.
When he was on the Diversity Commission, Knuth said, the body proposed changes to the member selection process. Under the proposal, which never gained traction, commission members themselves would vet potential new members then pass along recommendations to the administration.
Lundell generated a show of support during the the April 4 City Council meeting.