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NAACP Nomination Committee Prepares For Candidates Interviews
Tampa Presbyterian Gone, Oakhurst Square And North Boulevard Homes Next
The Hillsborough County Branch NAACP Nomination Committee announces the Oc- tober Candidates Interviews for all members in good stand- ing who wish to run for office. Each candidate must call, text or email the Committee Secre- tary to schedule an inter- view. When arriving for the interview, bring a completed Candidate Consent Form. Every office is open for mem- bers in good standing to have the opportunities to compete to serve this historical organi- zation.
The offices are: President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Secretary, As- sistant Secretary, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, and Exec- utive Committee Members. The interviews are scheduled for October 11, 2016 at the Branch office, 308 E. Dr. Mar- tinL.KingJr.,from5–8PM.
The Nominating Commit- tee composed of: Joseph W. R. Robinson (Chair), Car- olyn Hepburn Collins (Sec- retary), Pat Cruse, Ray Campbell, Julia Jackson and Kathy Henry will pres- ent the recommended slate of officers for the Hillsborough
County Branch NAACP 2017- 2018 term.
Be sure to give the consent form to one of the committee members noted above. NAACP members that are eligible for office must have been a mem- ber in good standing since April 1, 2016. Each candidate must have a NAACP CANDI- DATES CONSENT FORM (pe- tition). For the purpose of signing the petition, one must be a current member in good standing, 30 days prior to the October 20th meeting. Each consent form (petition) must bear the signature of three or more members. Candidates may be nominated from the floor for an office or an at-large executive committee member at the October 20th meeting.
The Nomination Commit- tee will present a slate of offi- cers at the October General Membership Meetings which is open to all members and in- terested residents of Tampa/Hillsborough County. You are welcome to attend on: Thursday, October 20, 2016, with the Nomination Committee available for ques- tions, 6 p. m. The Branch meeting starts at 7 p. m.
COUNCILMAN FRANK REDDICK
BY LEON B. CREWS Sentinel Staff Writer
Once again, an African American community has been targeted for massive redevel- opment projects, and as evi- denced in the past, that means the displacement (removal) of thousands of African Ameri- cans.
West Tampa has a deep African American history, and was the first heavily Black pop- ulated area of the city.
West Tampa Community Activist, Dwight Bolden, West Tampa Alliance (WTA) President, Heem Baisden, and other West Tampa nota- bles are trying to convince planners and Mayor Bob Buckhorn that they shouldn’t be pushed out of their homes for the sake of new develop- ment.
“The people coming in promising all these great things are not a part of the his- tory of West Tampa, and they aren’t interested in finding out. Developers and city officials only see an opportunity to make money,” said Baisden.
“We’ve got to get this com- munity united, because the Riverfront Park is gone, Pres- byterian Village is gone, and soon North Boulevard Homes and Oakhurst Square will be gone. If you add that up, you will find thousands of African Americans who will no longer be able to vote for their District 5 representative.”
Baisden added that he thinks the vast majority of West Tampa residents don’t know what’s going on.
“I think this gives the WTA an excellent opportunity to work with residents and busi- ness owners to get things sta- bilized. A lot of us just don’t know what lies ahead and when Housing didn’t get their funds that gave us more time to talk to the residents.”
Bolden said the power lies with the residents and busi- ness owners, not the outsiders trying to take everything away.
“There’s a lady in West Tampa who lives in the same house the man MacFarlane Park was named for grew up
HEEM BAISDEN WTA President
in. You can’t get more historic than that.
“There’s too much history in West Tampa that’s been either ignored or misrepresented. If we’re not careful, our history will be thrown under the same bus as the history of Central Avenue.”
Baisden, Bolden, and others have been working feverishly to get people to talk to each other and look for out for each other.
Frank Reddick, District 5 Councilman, said as far as the Oakhurst Square complex is concerned, he’s happy the new owners finally make it know about the future of the com- plex.
“This was my first opportu- nity to talk to the developer, and he said in 3-to-4 years, they would be tearing down the Oakhurst, and the resi- dents would be relocated. They want to tie into the West River development project.
“I expect more developers will be coming into that area to buy homes and property. That’s something the residents need to be prepared for.”
Councilman Reddick
also said he’s disappointed over the tactics being used by a new West Tampa business owner to clear the way for his clientele.
“Robert Morrison, the owner of the Art Studio on Main Street, could have taken a different route to get African American business owners on his side. Instead, he enlisted the help of law enforcement, and all that’s done is drive a deeper wedge between himself and the community.
“I think any improvements to West Tampa would be ap- preciated. No one is being forced out right now, and if they are, I want to know about it.”
Councilman Reddick
said he’ll be asking his aide to set up a community meeting where he can address residents and business owners on what’s going on in West Tampa.
“I also want some city per- sonnel to attend this meeting so a lot of questions can be an- swered.
DWIGHT BOLDEN West Tampa Community Activist
“Since THA didn’t get their money, this will be a major blow to the redevelopment plans for the area. Now, they will have to find another source for that $30 million. I also think moving residents into another area planned for future redevelopment makes little sense, and the need for funds will still be there.
“I wish they had gotten the funds before President Obama left office, but now it looks like N. B. Homes will sit vacant like the ones at Central Park did for about five years.”
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2016 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 13-A