Page 9 - Florida Sentinel 9-1-15 Edition

Local
Residents Respond To Creation Of Citizens Review Board
FRANK REDDICK City Council Chairman
MS. JOANNA TOKLEY Member of former Citi- zens Review Board
JAMES TOKLEY Member of former Citi- zens Review Board
MS. CONNIE BURTON Community Activist
JOE ROBINSON 2nd Vice President, Hillsborough County Branch NAACP
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
Last month, City Council Chairman Frank Reddick initiated dialogue to create a Citizens Review Board in Tampa. At the time, Chair- man Reddick said creating such a board would was nec- essary because the city is cur- rently under an investigation by the U. S. Department of Justice.
On Friday, Mayor Bob Buckhorn announced the creation of a Citizens Review Board, criteria for its mem- bership, qualifications to serve on the board and its role in the community.
When contacted by the Sen- tinel, Chairman Reddick said, “I felt that because we are under a U. S. Justice De- partment’s investigation, if they came back and decided that we needed such a board, then they could mandate its policies and procedures. I felt if we created it ourselves, we could have a board without their interference.
“My biggest concern was that we wanted an independ-
ent board and have each member of City Council ap- point a member and the Mayor appoint the other members. What the Mayor has done will not be an inde- pendent board because he is the Chief Law Enforcement Officer for the City of Tampa. The members on the board are going to do what he wants doe and it won’t be independ- ent, and I have a problem with that.”
Mrs. Joanna Tokley was a member of the first Citizens Review Board. Her response
to the new was, “I think it is great. I was very happy when I heard the news.
“The meetings for the board I served on were held in con- ference rooms with a few po- lice officers there, but it was not open to the public. These meetings will be open to pub- lic view and I’m happy about that.”
Community Activist Con- nie Burton said, “I’m op- posed with its direction being taken from City Council and going to the City. Council di- rected the City Attorney’s of-
fice to see what powers the board would have and report back to them. With the Mayor creating the board and select- ing the members to serve ulti- mately gives the Mayor total power.”
James Tokley, also a member of the former Citi- zens Review Board said, “It’s about time and I think the Mayor made a wonderful choice. Now, here’s hoping the members will be given cases that can help the com- munity in terms of the deci- sions they make.”
Joe Robinson, 2nd Vice President, Hillsborough County Branch NAACP said, “The board Mayor Buckhorn has created has no subpoena powers and the majority of its makeup is appointed by the Mayor instead of City Council. I think the Mayor should ap- point 5 and City Council ap- point 4.
“It appears that all of the ef- forts of the Hillsborough County Branch NAACP, the ACLU of Florida, and others has gotten the attention of Mayor Buckhorn.”
Businessman Urges Community To Attend Aviation Meeting
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
On Thursday, the Hillsbor- ough County Aviation Author- ity will host its meeting to discuss the Disparity Study at the Tampa International Air- port. Tampa businessman Joe Robinson, President and CEO of RHC and Associates, is urging members of the com- munity to attend.
The meeting will take place on Thursday, September 3rd, 2 p.m., at the Tampa Aviation Authority Boardroom, Third Level, Blue Side, 4100 George L. Bean Parkway.
“It is very important that members of the community at- tend this meeting. This Dispar- ity study proves that RHC & Associates are correct and that there is under utilization of W/MBE firms at the Tampa In- ternational Airport. And, this has caused our firm economic hardships by being blackballed over the years.”
Robinson further said that information to be discussed at the upcoming meeting is not being provided in a timely fash- ion. “They are going to have a segment for public comment, but the information about the meeting is not ready yet. Peo- ple will not have enough time to study it before the meeting,” he said.
Last month, County Com- missioner Victor Crist, who is also a board member of the Tampa Aviation Authority, asked their attorneys to review the allegations made by Robin-
JOE ROBINSON President and CEO of RHC and Associates, Inc.
son and to report their findings back to the board.
Attorney Scott Knight, of the Tampa Aviation Authority said that the Chairman di- rected the attorneys to research the issue and to get back with them. He further verified that Board Member Crist made the motion, and that Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn sec- onded it. It passed 4-1.
Robinson said, “I’ve been fighting this battle since 1998, in pursuit of fairness and jus- tice and for the opportunity for W/MBE (Women and Minority Business Enterprises). This policy for W/MBEs is flawed in its definition of W/MBE as well as unfair and in our opinion, il- legally defines a DBE as a W/MBE.”
He further said that a DBE (Disadvantaged Business En- terprise is a Federal definition based on net worth, not neces- sarily gender or race). This is different, by definition, from a W/MBE.”
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