Washington County's auditor won't revisit two unfinished diversity-audit recommendations until June 2027, leaving residents who serve on or apply to county advisory boards without a clear answer on how the county defines diversity when filling seats.

The third follow-up assessment, released July 10 by County Auditor Kristine Adams-Wannberg, found that neither of the two outstanding recommendations has advanced in two years. Both ask the Board of County Commissioners to clarify its Equity Resolution language and set concrete goals for board and commission diversity.

For residents of Tigard, Tualatin, and Durham who volunteer on panels like the Planning Commission, Housing Advisory Committee, or Advisory Council on Racial Equity, that means continued uncertainty about how the county weighs race and ethnicity in appointments.

Status of all eight recommendations

Of the audit's eight original recommendations, published in November 2022, five have been implemented and one was closed. The implemented changes include revising board bylaws, providing commissioners with race and ethnicity data on applicants, and encouraging applicants to share demographic information about themselves.

The two still-in-progress recommendations are broader policy questions: clarifying what "diversity" means in the county's Equity Resolution, and setting concrete goals for board composition.

Why the county paused

The auditor's office stated that the county "paused in 2025 to respond to changes over diversity at the federal level." Federal policy changes under President Trump targeted diversity, equity, and inclusion programs across government.

The Oregonian reported in April 2026 that Commissioner Nafisa Fai led the push to defend the county's existing equity policy. The Board of County Commissioners ultimately approved a separate resolution preserving that policy while shielding federal funding.

Auditor's office stretched thin

Adams-Wannberg's office operates on a $793,599 budget for fiscal year 2025-26 after absorbing a 17 percent cut. The office runs on 2.8 full-time equivalent staff, or 0.5 FTE per 100,000 county residents, according to the auditor's 2025 annual report. That is half the Oregon and Southwest Washington average.

What comes next

The auditor's office will not check on the two outstanding recommendations again until June 2027. Washington County has more than 25 advisory boards and commissions open to resident volunteers. Applications are accepted online through the county's boards portal at washco.granicus.com/boards/forms/424/apply.

No spokesperson for the Board of County Commissioners responded to questions about the timeline for completing the two remaining recommendations before publication.