COLUMBIA — The Columbia City Council is set to vote Monday night on an ordinance that would eliminate all diversity, equity and inclusion language from the city’s strategic plan. The council was previously set to vote on this ordinance May 5 but tabled the proposal. The revisions to the city’s strategic plan will follow President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14173 . The executive order states that all "executive departments and agencies to terminate all discriminatory and illegal preferences, mandates, policies, programs, activities, guidance, regulations, enforcement actions, consent orders and requirements.” According to the council memo, the language would match language included in the Strategic Plan highlight report in January. The staff is proposing changes to ensure compliance with Executive Order 14173. The change will modify the city’s vision, mission and Core Values. The city risks losing federal funding if it doesn’t comply with these changes. Currently, 90 city employees are funded partially or fully by federal funding, including 80 in public health and human services. Current health programs that use federal funds and could be at risk without the change to the strategic plan include the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration grant, which funds the community paramedic program, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's WIC program, case management services for 400 individuals living with HIV and summer lunches for kids. Go COMO's free transit is also federally funded.
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