Pittsfield Considers Restructuring DEI Department
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Pittsfield might restructure its Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
On Tuesday, the City Council referred a request to amend Chapter 2 of the City Code, renaming the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion the "Office of Equity, Access, and Opportunity" to the Ordinances and Rules Subcommittee.
The EAO Office, through the chief equity officer and supporting staff, would develop and implement the policies, programs, and initiatives of the city and Pittsfield Public Schools related to equity, access, and opportunity. The proposed ordinance also establishes the Equity, Access and Opportunity Commission to replace the current Human Rights Commission.
There was some deliberation, as Ward 2 Councilor Cameron Cunningham moved to waive Rule 34; it was later unanimously opposed.
Rule 34 states that any new ordinance or amendment must be referred to the Committee on Ordinances and Rules and reviewed by the city solicitor before the council can consider it.
Councilor at Large Peter White said this needs to go to O&R for a full vetting.
"It's a lot of changes, and it's been a hot topic, so I think that we need to really do our due diligence on this," he said. "It's five pages of changes, eliminations, and it's just too much to do during a summer meeting."
Ward 6 Councilor Dina Lampiasi pointed out that the DEI and HR department heads were not at the meeting; she did not feel comfortable voting on such changes without their presence. Mayor Peter Marchetti said he had advised them not to attend this meeting because the conversation was expected to take place in O&R, "as would be the normal practice of this council."
Cunningham questioned Marchetti on his recommendation to have the changes go through O&R before a final vote. He asked the mayor why it was "dropped in our lap to figure out the intricacies."
"I think this is a really bigger issue than let's surprise attack and do something at a meeting and have everyone there. I think this is a much longer explanation. I think there are some who may want to merge this into HR. I think there are some who want to eliminate it altogether," the mayor said.
"And for me, I'm trying to create something — when I look at what the problems are in the city of Pittsfield, poverty is the No. 1 piece, so where is someone's socioeconomic status in what we do for DEI?"
People born into poverty in this community experience it as a cycle, he added, and if Pittsfield doesn't work to address that, people won't be able to climb out of these economic situations.
"So I'm looking at a much greater conversation about what this commission does," he said.
The intent is not to delete the department and ask the council for permission to create a new one. At one point in time, the city transitioned its department of personnel to the current Department of Human Resources, and Marchetti is looking to do a similar thing and "change what the department does on a regular basis."
He reported speaking to the chair of O&R that day to ensure there would be a meeting on the fourth Monday of the month so this conversation could continue.
"So I don't think anything is being shotgunned. The only one who doesn't want to have a conversation is you because you want to eliminate the DEI office and you want to start that process today," Marchetti said.
Cunningham responded that if he wanted to do that, he would petition it. He said he doesn't see it as an ideological debate, but a procedural thing.
Pittsfield's DEI Office was established in 2021, and Michael Obasohan was appointed as chief diversity officer a couple of months later.
During fiscal year 2027 budget hearings, $5,800 was reduced from the DEI Office — $4,800 from the DEI ambassador line and $1,000 from travel and dues.
Ward 7 Councilor Kathy Moody asked Marchetti at the time to consider merging the department with Human Resources, and other councilors supported exploring restructuring the department, though not during budget season.
Tags: DEI,
