PITTSFIELD, Mass. —  After hours of testimony across multiple meetings, the City Council has approved a renaming of the DEI office. 

Mayor Peter Marchetti's request to rename the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion the "Office of Equity, Access and Opportunity" was approved on Tuesday.

This also merges the Human Rights Commission and Affirmative Action Committee into an "Equity, Access and Opportunity Commission."

"Everything that I've done so far for being mayor, what it comes back to is, ‘Well, if you can solve poverty, you can solve all the rest of the problems.' Well, here's our opportunity to begin that process," Marchetti said. 

"I'm really now regretting not asking the former city solicitors to get the job done, because I don't know that we'd be even having this conversation if this ordinance was put forward two years ago."

The meeting adjourned just before 10 p.m., when councilors would have needed to take a vote to extend it for an hour, a limit that was put into place during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Basic facts about the Office of Equity, Access and Opportunity:

• Upon adoption of the article, the chief diversity officer became the chief equity officer, and the budget and personnel of the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion were assigned and transferred to the Office of Equity, Access and Opportunity.
• The Office of Equity, Access and Opportunity will develop and implement policies, programs, and initiatives related to equity, access and opportunity.
• The chief equity officer will:
  • Outline equity and engagement objectives for the next year, opine and provide input on city ordinances, rules, and policies upon the request of the mayor, city council, or department head. 
  • Be responsible for posting information regarding equal employment opportunity and nondiscrimination laws.
  • Act as a liaison with employment sources and organizations serving protected groups.
  • Share resources, reporting, and best practices with the Pittsfield Public Schools.
• The chief equity officer will annually file a written progress report with the commission, mayor, and the City Council, indicating the progress toward achieving equity and engagement objectives.
• Discrimination complaints can be filed with the chief equity officer or the director of human resources; the chief equity officer or mayor's designee will investigate the allegation. 
• This also established the "Equity, Access and Opportunity Commission." 
• One training per year is mandatory for all city employees. 

The Ordinance and Rules Subcommittee supported the changes in August; in September, Ward 2 Councilor Cameron Cunningham delayed the vote with a charter objection, wanting more data and proof of impact. 

The rename passed on Tuesday with Ward 7 Councilor Katherine Moody, Ward 1 Councilor Kenneth Warren, Ward 3 Councilor Matthew Wrinn, and Cunningham in opposition. Fourteen community members took the open microphone stand to speak in support of DEI.