Wash. diversity council can't get quorum

The Wenatchee Diversity Advisory Council that was established by the city's mayor in 2004 in response to allegations of racism by conference attendees is struggling to get enough members to attend a meeting.

The 12-member council has two vacancies and hasn't had a quorum since July. In November, only five members and a city staff representative attended a meeting.

The city's executive services director told The Wenatchee World the council was having difficulty trying to set a meeting day and time that most of the members could attend.

Allison Williams says, "Sometimes people come together when there's a big issue. Then it just kind of fizzles out over time."

And there are some new racism allegations facing the city.

Mayor Dennis Johnson recently wrote a letter of apology to the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Johnson says he was "stunned and appalled" to learn of complaints by women who said they had seen and experienced discrimination at businesses while in Wenatchee and East Wenatchee attending a domestic violence conference.

One woman said she was the last to be served dinner at a restaurant because she is black.

---

Information from: The Wenatchee World, http://www.wenworld.com