Image Credit: Mayor Tim Kelly / Facebook
The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –
Some departments will be restructured at the Chattanooga Mayor’s office as they are now out of compliance with the state’s new Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) laws.
The Dismantling DEI in Employment Act was passed by the Tennessee General Assembly earlier this year.
The legislation prohibits government at the city, county, and state level, as well as LEAs and public institutions of higher education from making employment decisions based on race, ethnicity, sex, age, or any other demographic characteristic, rather than individual merit, qualifications, veteran status, or lawful eligibility criteria.
Another law that went into effect earlier this year, the Dismantling DEI Departments Act, prohibits a department, agency, or other unit of state government or political subdivision of the state from maintaining or authorizing an office or department that promotes or requires discriminatory preferences to increase diversity, equity, or inclusion.
Mayor Tim Kelly’s Chief of Staff, Kevin Roig, told the city council on Tuesday night that he had a plan to move some departments underneath another umbrella within the Mayor’s office, while others would be eliminated entirely.
A department focused on the Latin community in Chattanooga – the Office of New Americans – will be getting axed, along with the Office of Equity and Community Engagement.
Created two years ago, the Office of New Americans worked to connect refugees and immigrants to city resources and other opportunities.
The Department of Equity and Community Engagement, which included the Office of New Americans hosted a series of bimonthly workshops beginning in November of 2023 called Bridging Communities while also engaging partner organizations which included the Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition, Bridge Refugee Services, the office of Republican Congressman Chuck Fleischmann, and Volunteers in Medicine, among others.
Touted as a partnership of nearly 50 service providers and nonprofits aimed at exploring the best practices in serving immigrant and refugee communities, the program included translation services, as well as English as a Second Language classes, and trained organizational partners in interacting with immigrants and refugees.
The registration form for the meetings stated that the purpose of the workshops in part was an effort to integrate the city of Chattanooga through an equity lens by enhancing access to resources.
Legal immigration status was not specifically mentioned in any of the promotional materials for the workshops implying that all migrants, regardless of legal status, were welcome.
In the wake of the shuttering of the Office of New Americans, Councilmember Ron Elliot expressed disappointment on behalf of the immigrant community. Roig stated that members of the Latin community will still be able to access help from the city, and translation services will be available if needed.
Going forward, Neighborhood Services will be overseen by the Office of Constituent Services, while Community Engagement Programs and Activities will be moved to the Department of Community Development.
In addition, Chattanooga’s Equity Board will be revamped into the Community Engagement Board, while Community Development will take in both Community Health, and Community Safety and Gun Violence Prevention Division.
The restructuring will not affect the budget, said Roig, as most employees will remain with the city, albeit with new titles. However, the position of Chief Equity Officer has been eliminated.
Some complained about the new laws eliminating DEI, likening it to a “nightmare” but Roig reassured disgruntled councilmembers that Kelly’s administration is one that remains committed to both fairness and access.
The City Council will hold a public hearing next week before taking a vote on re-allocating the funds originally set aside for the now eliminated DEI offices.
About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
4 Responses
Must be a slow news day.
The Chattanooga Mayor is the Gavin Newsom of TN. Even looks like him. A rich kid who went to Columbia and got a degree in German Literature. What’s wrong with Chattanooga!!!!!
Women elected him.
The Chattanooga mayor needs to be removed from office, just as Newscum needs to be removed from office in Commifornia (he was not voted in{ he was installed since his aunt is Nancy Pelosi). Any mayor in this state that is not complying with the dismantling of hateful and discriminatory DEI programming needs to be recalled and/or primaried. There is no place for these anti-American, anti-God dirtbags who are on the side of those working to destroy the US, and in particular TN, from the inside out. They are not helping the commuities that pay their salaries, they are pandering to illegals and special interest, including the mentally ill with identify issues. Ethnicity has no place in the decision of hiring, not does sexual preference. However, you must be a legal resident of the USA.