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DRAFT MINUTES COMMITTEE ON MINORITY AFFAIRS OCTOBER 1, 1996 12 NOON
PRESENT: Chair: Clinton I. Young, Jr. Members: Lois Bronz, Bob Darcy Staff: Lynne Creighton George Gretsas
OTHERS: African American Advisory Board: Karen Hill, Dr. Benjamin Dyett, Albert Williams
The meeting was called to order at 12Noon by Mr. Young.
The minutes of September 10 were moved by Mrs. Bronz, seconded by Mr. Darcy and approved by a vote of 3-0. The minutes of September 17 were moved by Mrs. Bronz, seconded by Mr. Young and approved by a vote of 3-0. The minutes of September 24 were moved by Mrs. Bronz, seconded by Mr. Young and approved by a vote of 3-0.
Mr. Young said he received a call from the County Executive and would be meeting with him at 2:30 today and would inform the committee of the items discussed and whether they reached an agreement on the points Mr. Young feels are necessary.
Mr. Young said he would ask Mr. O’Rourke everything that he had put in writing having to do with receiving information, the status of minority and women-owned participation in receiving, bidding and awarding of County contracts. Mr. Young will also ask Mr. O’Rourke why there has been a lack of cooperation on the part of the administration in providing information to the committee .
Mr. Young also stated that there was an article in the Westchester Business Journal regarding the committee’s September 24 meeting, and said that he felt the article was fair and accurate in what transpired at the meeting.
Mr. Young open the floor to discussion and Mrs. Bronz reported attending a seminar hosted by Westchester Residential Opportunities.
DRAFT PAGE TWO COMMITTEE ON MINORITY AFFAIRS OCTOBER 1, 1996 12 NOON
Mrs. Bronz said the discussion of the meeting centered around the distribution of the the ethnic population in the County and the fact that there has not been a significant change in the last 20 years.
The second event was hosted by the State Attorney General’s Office, which was a forum on hate crimes. Minorities were very well represented in the audience and two judges of color were on the panel. Mrs. Bronz felt the session was interesting but not as factual as it might have been.
Mr. Darcy had questions about the Directory on Minority and Women-Owned Businesses and the bidding procedure and whether these firms can meet the requirements under the category pertaining to their business.
At this point the members of the AAAB arrived and Ms. Hill took the floor, saying that she was trying to get community-based organizations, sororoties and civic organizations to respond to the County Executive’s budget and provide the County Executive with community-based program ideas and initiatives and will request that these organizations follow up with their local elected officials.
Ms. Hill also said that the AAAB is concerned that there is not enough public knowledge regarding the further change in the Office of Affirmative Action and wants to send the community a draft of the policy that was enacted May 1, 1996 by the County Executive and seek useful comments from the community.
Ms. Hill said that the AAAB has no budget and that whatever outreach they did was paid for out of their own pockets. Ms. Hill feels that since the AAAB is a chartered commission responsible for advising the County Executive and the Board of Legislators on a broad sprectrum of issues that the budget and the County’s policy on Equal Employment Opportunity are critical items that the African-American community should be aware of.
PAGE THREE COMMITTEE ON MINORITY AFFAIRS OCTOBER 1, 1996
There was further discussion about who should be responsible for the mailing of the AAAB correspondence. In response to further comments from Ms. Hill, Mrs. Bronz said that the AAAB should pose their questions to Administration.
Ms. Hill said that she needs a comprehensive listing of voluntary organizations and would bring it up at the AAAB meeting.
Mrs. Bronz recommended the Westchester Martin Luther King Institute for Non-Violence, which compiled a directory of human service and ethnic institutes.
After further discussion Mr.Young entertained a motion to adjourn at 12:45 bpm, moved by Mrs. Bronz and seconded by Mr. Darcy. |