Dover Forms Racial Equity and Inclusion Committee

An 11-member committee has been formed by the City of Dover to eliminate racial inequities, the city announced.

The Dover Committee for Racial Equity and Inclusion was ratified at an Oct. 28 meeting. It will consist of nine regular members and two alternates.

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The committee will "identify and make recommendations to eliminate any potential relics of past systemic racism in municipal operations in the City of Dover," according to a statement from the city, as well as "review data, holding listening sessions, and recommend to the City Council an action plan outlining existing and new steps to be taken to work to eliminate any potential relics of past systemic racism in municipal operations, including board and commission."

"The best time to have worked on this would have been about 401 years ago," Dover Ward 5 City Councilor Dennis Shanahan said at the meeting. "The second-best time is today, and it's good that we are doing it. What this group can do for the city is probably most of the important work that really can be done."

The nine members recommended by the City Council and ratified by the council include Luz Bay, Mark Brave, Lauren Conley, Maggie Fogarty, Timothy Mainella, Daniel Pontoh, Cora Quisumbing-King, Oscany Rodriguez DeJesus and Lina Shayo. The two alternates are Tess Beem and Jill Braceland.