Bainbridge Race Equity Task Force to meet this week

Bainbridge Island’s new Race Equity Task Force will meet this week for a retreat and study session.

The meeting, the second for the task force, is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 11 in the council conference room at Bainbridge Island City Hall. The meeting is open to the public.

At this week’s meeting, the group will talk about its charter and mission statement before determining the task force’s next steps. Task force members will also talk about how to collect and report cultural/race incidents.

Included on the agenda is a proposal about accepting public comments in written form only, and the group will also discuss holding two meetings per month.

The task force held its first meeting on March 7 and elected officers for the seven-member body. James Friday was named chairman.

At the previous meeting, members also discussed a proposal to create a Youth Outreach Committee to look into incidents of harassment on the island.

The task force was unanimously formed by the Bainbridge council late last year, and has been asked to provide advice to the city council “on matters of identifying programmatic, community and legislative options to ensure that Bainbridge Island lives up to its commitment of an open and welcoming community for all.”

Other members of the task force are Kian Ashabi, Vyette Bronalenior, Brenda Fantroy-Johnson, and Savanna Rovelstad. The council liaisons are Councilman Matthew Tirman, Councilman Joe Deets, and Councilwoman Rasham Nassar.