MEMBERS: YOUNG, BRONZ

STAFF: ETTERE, CHANG (BOL)

1:00 P.M. GUEST: MATTIE GRADY-SMITH (DIRECTOR –

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION)

1:30 P.M. GUEST: DANIELA INFIELD (COUNTY ATTORNEY’S

OFFICE)

OTHERS: SEE ATTACHED

The meeting was called to order 1:00 pm.

Chair Young introduced Mattie Grady-Smith, Director of the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action.

Mattie Grady-Smith

Ms. Grady-Smith made a presentation. She informed the Board staff of the duties, services, accomplishments and improvements of her office. Ms. Grady-Smith is making this presentation to all Westchester County departments re-enforcing the fact that the County has EEO and Sexual Harassment policies.

MLK Statue

Tony Zano, Department of Planning, informed the Committee of proposed location for the statue. He provided a site plan, which included such details as landscaping, etc. The statue will be placed between the Library and the Courthouse and will face in the direction of passing cars. Construction of the Courthouse is anticipated to be ongoing for the next four- (4) years. The statue will be built off-site and later relocated to this proposed site when the Courthouse is completed. Some aspects of the construction of the project have been included in the new bid for the construction of the Courthouse but it may not be accepted. The Department of Public Works, Planning and the Dormitory Authority are keeping open dialogue on this issue.

COMMITTEE ON MINORITY AFFAIRS

MINUTES – MARCH 28, 2000

PAGE 2

Mr. Milton Sherrill (Artist) discussed the changes he made to the model. There had been concern about the position of the statue’s arm and hand. The model now is showing more of a wave.

Mr. Rob Hoch, Program Specialist, spoke on this issue. He stated to the Committee that he is a life-long White Plains resident, who is also Jewish. Mr. Hoch emphasized that he was only speaking for himself but feels any statue with an outstretched arm will run the risk of offending someone. He asked that the Committee take this into consideration. The Committee held a brief discussion.

Ms. Daniela Infield has been assigned to serve on this Committee representing the County Attorney’s office. She briefly discussed The Great Hunger Memorial. She stated that they created a not-for-profit organization and raised funds to produce the memorial. The Board of Legislators donated the “seed money”. The statue itself would then be gifted to the County.

Open discussion began:

¨ Do we need permission from the King family?

¨ Chair Young stated that the County would be cutting a check for Mr. Sherrill. This money would be taken from the “seed money” which has been allocated in the 2000 Budget.

¨ Roughly $500,000 would need to be raised.

¨ Ernest McFadden and Richard Brown stressed the importance of having a budget in writing, creating a timetable and creating an official proposal to present to corporations.

¨ What will happen after the project is complete? Will there be ongoing costs? Who will maintain the statue? These issues should be “ironed” out.

¨ Legislator Bronz suggested that the next meeting be an organizational meeting.

¨ The Dr. Martin Luther King Institute for Non-violence should be included in this project.

COMMITTEE ON MINORITY AFFAIRS

MINUTES – MARCH 28, 2000

PAGE 3

¨ The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 25 at 1:00 p.m.

MINUTES

Legislator Bronz made a motion to approve the minutes of February 1, 2000 and was seconded by Chair Young. The motion was carried by a vote of 2-0.

On motion from Legislator Bronz, the meeting was adjourned.