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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Photos Videos Blogs Business Business Services NEWS NOW SOU launches 89th graduating class ... Herb Rothschild Jr.: How we treat animals ... Overcoming the odds ... SOU launches 89th graduating class ... Herb Rothschild Jr.: How we treat animals ... Overcoming the odds ... OUR VIEW Our View: A worthwhile goal Comment DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Jan. 8, 2015 at 12:01 AM Posted Jan. 8, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News Former City Councilor Eric Navickas says the city isn't living up to its goal of race and gender diversity in hiring staff, and he and some like-minded folks will be watching closely as the city looks for a new police chief. We haven't always seen eye-to-eye with Navickas, but when he's right, he's right. Navickas notes that all of Ashland's city department heads, as well as managerial staff, are white men. That wasn't always the case. Martha Bennett was city administrator from 2006 to 2011. Paula Brown headed the Public Works Department for 10 years, leaving in 2007. But since then, Navickas notes, the city's hiring record doesn't match its stated policy. He points to Ashland's affirmative action policy, which says the city's goal is to "employ qualified women and minorities in all job categories in proportion to their availability in the labor market." While some fields may attract more men than women, it's probably fair to say the number of women and minorities available in the labor market is not zero. Where we part company with Navickas this time is when he calls the city's hiring practices "racist and sexist." That's a stretch. Three of six City Council members, as of this month, are women, and only one of them is new to the office. We doubt those councilors would be silent if they thought city staff were deliberately passing over women or minorities in hiring decisions. But the council should also speak up now and ensure that every effort is made to build a diverse management staff. DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Jan. 8, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. DailyTidings.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501