HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 1989-02-13 MinutesR
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DISCUSSION BY MEMBERS OF THE AD- DISCUSSION 1
HOC INDEPENDENT REVIEW PANEL 2113/89
CONCERNING OVBRTOWN BLUE RIBBON
COMMITTEE'S FINDINGS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS; 1983-19841
_
PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF
MINORITY REPORT IN RESPONSE TO
THE OVERTOWN BLUE RIBBON
COMMITTEE REPORT; ACCEPT
RECOMMENDATIONS (IN THE AREAS OF
t
ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES, POLICE
AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS, AND
COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENTS) FROM
OVERTOWN ADVISORY BOARD AND
t
MIRttZ'RS OF SFRCIAL MEETING OF THE
CITY COMMISSION OF MIAMI, FLORIDA
:ter*
On the 13th day of February, 1988, the City Commission of Miami,
Florida, met at St. Agnes Episcopal Church, 1750 N.W. 3rd Avenue, Miami,
Florida in Special Session with the Ad Hoc Independent Review Panel on a
matter of public import, namely recent disturbances in the City of Miami.
The meeting was called to order at 6:50 P.M. by Father Richard M. Barry
with the following members of the Commission found to be present:
Commissioner J. L. Plummer, Jr.
Commissioner Miller J. Dawkins
Commissioner Rosario Kennedy
ViceMayor Victor De Yurre
ABSENT: Mayor Xavier L. Suarez
ALSO PRESENT:
Cesar Odio, City Manager
Robert Clark, Chief Deputy City Attorney
Matty Hirai, City Clerk
Walter J. Foeman, Assistant City Clerk
x
CITIZENS INDEPENDENT REVIEW PANEL: ,
Elmira Brown
Lt. Franklin E. Christmas
Ofc. Jorge F. Coladas
Leroy Colyer
Rev. Richard M. Barry
Sgt. Alphonso V. Erving
Annie Gooden -
Ofc. Herma V. Justice
Dewey W. Knight
Ofc. David A. Magnusson $;
Rev. Willie Starks
An: invocation was delivered by Father Barry.
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1. DISCUSSION BY MEMBERS OF THE AD -HOC INDEPENDENT REVIEW PANEL CONC$RNING
OVERTOWN BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE'S FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS, 1983-
1984; PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF MINORITY REPORT IN RESPONSE TO THE
OVERTOWN BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE REPORT; ACCEPT RECOMMENDATIONS (IN THE,
AREAS OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES, POLICE AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS, AND -
COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENTS) FROM OVHRTOWN ADVISORY BOARD AND ADMINISTER OATH
a OF OFFICE TO TWO RESIDENTS (LEROY COYLER AND ANNIE GOODEN), AS MEMBERS
OF SAID PANEL. r
------------------------------ ----- --------- -----w------w�---
Father Richard Barry: We would have the roll call by Ms. Burns.
(WHEREUPON Ms. Pamela Burns called the roll and all members of the Citizens
Review Panel were found to be present)
J LAA
Father Barry: We have a quorum. Before I ask the Reverend Rudolph to. c= Y
before us to address us and walk us through the report, the 183 Blue' Ribbon
Committee report, I want to introduce to the rest of the panel and to the
Commission and the community, the independent attorney who has been brought;on
board to guide us through these proceedings, Attorney Harold Long, Jr: That
is he, I want you to be aware of him. As you are aware,"a week, ago Thursd;ey, t
I appeared before the City Commission to give a brief report concern1ng:rthe r9 F
work of the Panel, what we have done, and where we.hope to go. ;It was: at:th�tt -
meeting that I suggested to the Mayor and. the City. Commission that we • a ►ou14-
1 February
not try to re -invent the wheel, but rather we should go back and pick up the
Blue Ribbon Committee's report from 1983 shared by the Reverend Dr. Winston
Rudolph. Also, at that meeting, I suggested that perhaps the City Commission
can meet with this panel to walk through this report. It is...
Father Barry: It is not surprising that some of us were not even aware of
this report. The report contains I think, all of the historical data we need.
Nothing has changed other than the fact that the bottles and rock throwers, as
Commissioner Dawkins has so well pointed out, are a different and younger
generation. I think that the City owes it to the citizenry to deal with the
findings and recommendations of that 183 report, so I have asked Reverend
Rudolph to walk us through that, and I have asked Dr. Perry, who wrote the
minority section to also respond to that. We are looking for rationale and
intentionality in that report. Reverend Rudolph, where are you? We are ready
for you.
NOTE FOR THE RECORD: MAYOR SUAREZ ENTERED THE MEETING AT 6:55
P.M.
Reverend Winston Rudolph: Mr. Chairman, members of the Review Panel, Mr.
Mayor, I would simply suggest, rather than my going through this report, two
things: that one, the Committee would take its copy and peruse it thoroughly,
digest it• and take a look at what happened then over against what happened the
other day. I think that you'll find a tremendous kinship. You'll find that
the figures have not changed significantly. You'll discover that the housing
problem has not improved significantly. The only thing that you'll find
differently in this report is probably the fact that at the time when it was
written, there was no arena. The idea had been conceived, but the building
had not been erected. More importantly, it seems that the only thing you can
do in terms of dealing with just such a report is to deal from a posture that
has to do with an action plan. This report was accepted by the then
Commission, 1983-84, it was tabled and somewhere in the closet or the storage
room, it was lifted. There are some serious items that are in here and if you
have not digested it, it seems to me that you ought begin doing that. The
jobless rate has not changed significantly, nothing has changed. Therefore my
recommendation to you is take it, read it, absorb it and go from there with an
action plan. It has recommendations. Many of the persons who participated in
its development are seated here tonight, and I think it would really be a
waste of time for me to stand here and go through each item, when you have the
instrument in front of you and you yourselves can see with your own eyes the
facts of the matter. And if I may just ask those persons who participated in
the writing of this instrument to at least acknowledge that, I think that they
too would agree. Mr. Dorsett.
Father Barry: But Rudy, what I want you to do... I understand quite well what
you are saying, but I want you to highlight this report for us. I am sure
everyone on this Commission, on the panel, will read this and will digest it,
but I would still like for you to highlight it, tell us what some of your
thinking was, and the committee's, and if you have some of your other persons
from the committee who would like to speak, fine.
Rev. Rudolph: The report then, let me do this. The report deals with a
couple of things, a statement of issues, frame of reference, treatment of
facts, then comes the recommendations. For an example, and let me limited to
one item, Father, if you will. For an example, prior to the eruption of 1982,
there was a police presence in this community to the extent that they were not
in cars, but they were simply on foot. They were available, they were
touchable, they created dialogue, they were even known in some places by name.
It was an excellent program, but the then sitting Commission decided that it
was too expensive, it was not working, for whatever reason and the program was
snatched out of the process. When the program was snatched out of the
process, we began to feel those tensions and when those tensions erupted on
December 28, 1982, we found that many of the things that had already been set
in place, to curtail what should not have happened, happened because the
Commission was not really committed to the task of making certain that the
dollars were spent in this community. We further discovered in the writing
and the development of this report, that the night shift in particularly, and
many of us came to this community who lived outside of it, to make certain as
to what was written in here was indeed fact. At the night hour it seemed that
white officers were placed again into this community, which created more
tensions. These are the kinds of problems that we address in the report. We
reported that that problem should be eradicated by placing more black officers
in here. It was simply not dealt with, Father. Now, that's just one item.
2 February 13, 1989
Mayor Suarez: Reverend, let me make a suggestion. We criticize The Miami
Herald a lot, all of us do, but for once, and I am just reminded by the Vice
Mayor, they put together an outline of, over the weekend, I think in
Saturday's paper, of recommendations made after the 1982 disturbances, and
what had been done in regards to them and it is as good a summary as any that -
I have seen, of what is contained in this fairly massive report of the panel
that you headed.
Rev. Rudolph: Exactly.
Father Barry: Would anyone else from your committee wish to speak?
Rev. Rudolph: Mr. Dorsett, would you be kind enough to come?
Mr. Kelsey Dorsett: I'll be brief, but Mr. Mayor, other guests, the article
in The Miami Herald only touches the surface of what's in this document,
what's written in the Civil Rights Commission reports, what's written in
reports from the 1980's civil disturbances, and we are talking nothing more
than the same, the same, the same. We're not seeing the kinds of committed,
total committed leadership from the government sector, the private sector, the
educational sector and this is all in this document. It's all said before, I
don't see why we have to rehash it. The breakdown in The Herald was fine,
it's only a beginning. I agree with Reverend Rudolph and what he is saying.
If you take a close look at it, peruse other information that's been happening
in our community, and I was born and raised in Overtown here, so this is where
my heart is, though I live elsewhere at this point, so we care, but we don't
see the total committed leadership from the government sector, the private
sector and those who can make some changes, and that also must include the
community residents, who must take charge of our own destinies, so that's all
I have to say at this point. I'll be willing to help out wherever I can, but
on a limited basis. We have some new ideas and new people, but we've got a
good foundation right here.
Father Barry: Ms. Gooden.
Ms. Annie Gooden: I have a question. In this report on page three, I
highlighted the paragraph. "Residents in the Overtown area have in a perverse
way accepted their plight and suffer from the expense of an erosion of spirit,
and have given up, thereby resorting to self -hatred, destruction and violence
as evidenced by the high incidence of alcoholism, drug abuse, mental disorders -_
and etcetera" I've got a question.
Rev. Rudolph: All right, I'm listening.
Ms. Gooden: Do you feel that the people here in Overtown fit this
description?
Rev. Rudolph: Yes, I fit it.
Ms. Gooden: That we hate ourselves?
Rev. Rudolph: I fit it some mornings when I walk in here and see the human
depravity that has occurred, the fact that I work here lb hours a day, it is
distressing. I've got no problem with this, I've got no problem with this!
Ms. Gooden: Listen Reverend Rudolph, let me just this, OK?
Reverend Rudolph: All right.
Ms. Gooden: Then if we hate ourselves, then those politicians and all the
rich people, they are using cocaine, the "rich man's aspirin," then they must
hate themselves too.
Rev. Rudolph: Oh, I can't deal with this.
Ms. Gooden: How can you submit a report to somebody? I don't want this
report, OK? - because it has been compiled from other reports, but you go and
you get a hand full of reports and you compile them together and you say that
we over here don't care nothing about ourselves, we hate ourselves, so we are
drinking ourselves away. I'm here to tell you, I'm a witness and I'm a living
proof, and there's more than just me, we don't hate ourselves, and when we
have given up, then there will be no Overtown, if we had given up!
3 February 13, 1989
Rev. Rudolph: Do you want me to respond to that paragraph, or do you want me
to respond to the report? Which do you want me to do?
Ms. Gooden: I read this report and you are telling us, you come here before
us and you tell us that you should take this report home and get acquainted
with it. We've had this report for how many weeks, Father Barry? - two weeks.
Father Barry: Two weeks.
Ms. Gooden: Two weeks, and I've read this report, and I look in this report
and I see what you say about me.
Rev. Rudolph: Are you suggesting that that single paragraph is the consummate
report?
Ms. Gooden: I'm not saying that's the whole report.
Rev. Rudolph: All right.
Ms. Gooden: Where is the leg work in the report?
Rev. Rudolph: If you will further...
Ms. Gooden: The leg work that I see in here are a bunch of reports compiled
together to get an answer.
Rev. Rudolph: Well, my dear, you have to look at some basic facts. Now,
let's look at...
Ms. Gooden: Well, let's go through them, because I don't want to seem
adverse, I just want a clearer understanding to it, OK?
Rev. Rudolph: All right, do you think those fellows who are out there
throwing rocks, do you think that they were really interested in developing
any scenario that would create a positive image, not...
Ms. Gooden: OK, well...
Rev. Rudolph: Just let me finish.
Ms. Gooden: Those are children, OK, you got...
Rev. Rudolph: Just let finish.
Ms. Gooden: You got people that were throwing rocks, I don't agree with this.
I don't agree with burning, I don't agree with tearing up your own house,
because you've got to live in your house. I don't agree with that.
Rev. Rudolph: All right.
Ms. Gooden: OK? But you cannot take those people and categorize a whole
entire community.
Rev. Rudolph: I don't think a single paragraph categorizes an entire problem.
It simply does not.
Father Barry: I think that is just one statement
Ms. Gooden: Yes, but it's one statement that hits really, really hard.
Rev. Rudolph: But that's the whole point. At some point, we're going to have
to look at the hard ugly facts of the matter, because it has not changed
significantly. We know it needs to change and until we deal with the ugliness
of it, it will not change.
Ms. Gooden: Are these reports done annually?
Rev. Rudolph: Well if we don't start this one, they probably will be done
annually.
4 February 13, 1989
,r
Father Barry: Reverend Rudolph, we have another question for you from
Reverend Starks.
Reverend Willie Starks: My question is not so much to Reverend Rudolph, but
just to try to help clarify to Mrs. Gooden that maybe she's saying that it
should have said, segments, and I think that's the misunderstanding, because
you know, reading this, there are a section, and because the way it's written,
I think you take it to mean the whole residence of Overtown. I've lived here
for 27 years too, and I understand what Dr. Rudolph is saying, there are a
small portion that has come to this point in time, not the whole Overtown
community.
Rev. Rudolph: The bottom line is simply this. Whether in Overtown, or any
other section of Dade County, wherever there is a sense of hopelessness and
human depravity, the response, the reaction, is always the same. It's, I'm
clustered and I feel that I have no way out. I am going to use the only
resource that I have. If that's a rock, I'm going to pick it up and I'm going
to throw it, and many people in this community have done exceedingly well,
over against the odds which have been afforded them. But at some point we
need to look at those odds and say that those odds need to be changed, because
the odds are painful, and as long as we create an agenda of pain, we are going
to grow a society of pain, and this report is a result of pain. It is not
designed to be a nice little report. The people who were killed, that was not
a nice little incident. Some things caused that and we were not trying to be
nice. We were trying to be realistic. I mean, we are not here tonight
because we are trying to be nicel We want some results.
Father Barry: Well, Rudy, you might be pleased to know that I also feel that -
there is in this community a kind of silent yearning, suicidal yearning. I
see it too, every day. -
Rev. Rudolph: Every day.
Father Barry: I don't know that we can say that it is true of the total
community, but it is certainly true of a lot of people who come to the door
steps of my office. Would anyone else like to ask Dr. Rudolph any questions?
Points of clarification in the report that you've read?
Rev. Rudolph: Father, I will be happy over the long hall to sit with the
panel and provide as much information as possible. There are some high points
in this report, but there are some low ones as well and we need to look at
them for what they really are.
Father Barry: I accept the invitation. We want to bring on the minority
writer, Dr. Perry, Bill Perry? Dr. Perry wrote the minority report of this
'83 Blue Ribbon Committee's report and I've asked him to give us his thinking.
Dr. Bill Perry: Thank you very much, Father, and to the Committee and to the
Commissioners. I was a member of this committee that was appointed by the
then Mayor Maurice Ferre. I'm sure those of you that know Maurice, or knew
him, could have imagined what he had in mind when he appointed this committee.
If you will notice that there were several people appointed to the committee
and many of them refused, simply because of the way the process was set up,
but let me just, you know, Reverend Rudolph wouldn't share the report with
you, or go through it, but I have to take time, just for the record, to read
the letter that I wrote to Dr. Herbert, who is chairman of the Police
Practices Committee. There is a grammatical error in here, but I'll read it
as it is.
"Dear Dr. Herbert: I only had the opportunity to read the first
section of the draft, Overtown Blue Ribbon Committee report.
Obviously it was written by someone with little sensitivity to
factors which caused the disturbances, and no knowledge of what
occurred. The document reads as if written by a wide-eyed
graduate student. As a member of the black community, I resent
its nothingness. Perhaps what is reflected here is indicative of
the Committee's value of the subject. The recommendations are
extremely weak, with an apologetic flavor. As a taxpayer, I wish
to know who wrote the report, and how much of our tax dollars were
given to this report, this person. I'm advising you that I will
submit a minority opinion along with recommendations to be a part
of this report. However, the proposed time frame, by April 23rd,
5 February 13, 1989
seems totally unreasonable. Thus, the minority opinion and
recommendations should be readied by May 14, 184. Furthermore, I
am of the opinion that this report should not be submitted to the
City Commission."
Now, I wrote that letter back in 1984, and I still have the same opinion of
this report that I had back in 1984. 1 don't question some of the studies
that were made, and some of the information that came forth out of those
studies. I question the recommendations. Before I get into questioning the
recommendations, some comment was made about the article that appeared in the
The Miami Herald, that summarized that report. I have a copy of it here for
those people who would like to see it, did not see it, because The Miami
Herald did something that I'm unable to do. They went into this report and
found some recommendations that I could not find. See, The Miami Herald
claims that this report recommended a civilian review board. The report does
not recommend that. If I recall correctly, the report stated that we already
have an excellent process of civilian review, which happens to be the Grand
Jury. That's what the report says, so The Miami Herald is incorrect in that.
When The Miami Herald refers to the increase in the drug scene, but I won't
get into that, but while I'm dealing with The Herald, let's do this real
quick. I don't know if you saw this article in the paper this morning with
the caption, "No racial pattern of police shooting." This is the kind of
trick The Miami Herald runs on us. Nobody is questioning police shootings.
People are questioning those incidents where African -American males have been
executed by police. No one is talking about, let them deal with that. See,
this is the kind of game they run to get your opinions off on a wild goose
chase. We are raising hell because police are shooting some of our men
unjustifiably. Can you tell me Nevell Johnson, who is an expert in playing
little games in the Penny Arcade, do you believe that brother knew a cop was
standing behind him, and attempted to turn around and found him? Do you
believe that a young riding a motorcycle, was already being pursued by another
cop, would see a cop standing on the street and try to run him down? With a
motorbike? Do you believe African -American males are insane? Those are the
kind of incidents we're talking about, and not these. But let me get to the
report. I question the... the report never mentioned anything about public
policy. I believe that before an elected body could take a position and
instituted changes in a given community, there must be some public policy that
directs staff to do something. Nowhere in this report is there any mention of
any public policy coming from the Commission to change the conditions in our
community. If you look on page five, and I'll just do it real quick, if you
look at the public sector recommendations, and I underlined the phrases like,
"Take all steps necessary." What the hell do they mean? What kind of steps
are they talking about? Take all steps necessary, how do you measure that?
How do you know when you've taken all the steps? Look at another statement -
"Willing to encourage businesses." Well, my God we've been encouraging them.
school system to desegregate for years and we are still encouraging that.
Look at the next statement, item three. "The public sector should make all
efforts to secure." Make all efforts to secure! How can you determine when
someone has made all efforts to secure? And I could go right on through the
report and pull out loose kind of statements like that that are not
measurable. On page six, private sector recommendations, "Should make all
attempts to..." How do you know when someone has made all attempts to? Those
are the kinds of things that I talk about that I think this report isn't worth
the paper that it's written on. Then if you go to page 18, top of the page,
the last item two, the last sentence. "The Committee recognizes that we do
have a very powerful civilian review board, for criminal conduct, the Grand
Jury. They never mentioned, recommending, a civilian review board. Look at
page 19, the next page, in the middle of the top statement, community
policing. "We hope to see more storefront type police stations." That's the
kind of thing that John Dew do and I condemned in our minority report. We
don't want second -handed, hand me down police stations, we want a quality
police station in our community. I could go on through the report, but I am
not going to spend my time going through this thing. Reverend Rudolph told
you to read it, digest it and then get indigestion like did. But let me share
with you some of my concerns, some of the things from my point of view to try
to update this report. We have been struggling with some recommendations,
we've been talking to people in the community, the kind of thing that we've
put together, take economic opportunities. We said, open the Overtown
shopping center, including the supermarket and do that immediately. We said
expedite the construction of the Overtown Historic Village as a mini -
entertainment district, that by allowing employment opportunities for the
people of Overtown. We said leverage private sector support for the St.
6 February 13, 1989
John's Community Development Corporation, in order that it may play a lead
role in rehabing and constructing new housing. We say initiate an elected _
patronage campaign in reference to banks engaging in red -lining and investors
refusing to invest in Overtown, and you know what I'm talking about. You know
that all of the projects in Southeast Overtown/Park West, whatever that is,
downtown, that not a single banker in this community would invest in it.
You have the capability to leverage your dollars, to leverage your ability to
control land, to force those guys to make some investments in Overtown. We _
ask you to do that. We ask you to determine the financial, and other needs
that exist in Overtown businesses and secure support. We ask you... and
thanks to Miller Dawkins for this, we ask you to expedite the Facade Treatment
Program. We ask you to work out a bonus system for major developers who will
joint venture with St. John's.. You ask you to make demands of the Miami
Arena and the Heat to support community ventures in Overtown, and not just
give out tickets to kids to go to a basketball game. We ask you to establish
a real employment and training program in conjunction with Greater Miami
Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Business Association, the DDA, and community
based organizations, labor unions and developers. Under police and community
relations, I ask that you review the cases where African -American cops have
-- been terminated due to policy infractions and I know of two young men that
were terminated because of ridiculous policy infraction practice. They were _
two of the best cops we had in the City of Miami, and guys are still on the
force for doing things worst than that. We ask you to initiate a police cadet
training program, similar to the ROTC in City high schools. We ask you to
extend the hours of operation for the Overtown mini -station. We ask you to
organize police community rap sessions with young black males in the community _
and establish a civilian review board. We ask you to design and implement
policy calling for all cops assigned to Overtown, to devote "V number of
hours walking the beat. We ask, you to use the same manpower utilized for _
reverse sting operations to have intensive street mobile patrol of specific
_ areas. We ask you to significantly increase the number of African -American
cops assigned to Overtown. We ask you to organize police community street
councils, and we ask you to assist the Dade County public schools and Overtown
Advisory Board in implementing youth speak -out sessions in schools where
Overtown students attend. Relative to community improvements, we ask that you
established a youth development center, including child care. We ask that you -
work with the Dade County Public Schools and the Overtown Advisory Board to
implement a clean neighborhood and environmental conservation programs, and
Joe Ingraham is already on the case. We ask you to work with Little HUD to
design and implement a housing program calling for tenant management and
ownership. We ask that you assist OAB and the Camillus House in creating a
free walk-in health clinic in Overtown. We ask you to condemn and take over -
property belonging to slum landlords. We ask you to urge Dade County to back
off expansion of the rapid transit and people mover system and direct all new
UMPTA monies to expanding and improving the existing bus system so our folks
can get back and forth to work. We ask you to seek and hire a person with
mom
community organizing skills to work in the Overtown community and we ask you, -
and I don't say this facetiously, I say it serious, we ask you to recommend
the Postmaster General, to recommend that the Flagler Station be renamed the
Overtown Station. We recommend to the Dade County public schools to help
maintain neighborhood integrity by allowing Overtown residents, or students,
to attend schools located in Overtown. We recommend that Dade County schools it
incorporate African -American history in the regular curriculum, with free
slavery, through slavery, the DIASPARA, reconstruction and the Civil Rights
movement. We ask for the operation of community based and controlled after
school educational programs. Those are the kinds of things that we ask for
and ask that they be included. I'll leave copies with all of you, commencing
in whatever reports you come up with. In our dialogue with people at the
Downtown Development Authority, and the Sports Authority, we've come up with a
problem that we think that you can immediately begin to address. There are so
many pieces going on in Overtown, we even got people coming from out of the
country looking at Overtown, wanting to solve Overtown problems. See, I
- maintain that those of us that reside and work in Overtown have the best
interest of Overtown at heart and we could do a better job. We appreciate all
that outside help, but we could do it ourselves, given the resources. What
we're asking for, is we have three dynamite young African -American males that
work with the City of Miami, a brother named Shawn Topps, another brother
named Clyde Judson, and sister - I'm blowing it - Sabrina Bouie, who we ask
_ that you form an internal task force to begin to look at all the pieces that
_ need to be put together in Overtown, to begin to relate to this committee as
_ an internal task force, seeing the kinds of things that they could come up
with that could be at least implemented immediately. We think they have the
7 February 13, 1989
wherewithal to do it. We think they have the commitment in this community to
do it, and we trust them to be able to do the job, so we encourage you to do
that. In addition to that, we ask that you identify a position within the
Manager's office. See, we're going for big stakes now. We ask that you
identify a position that would be a person that reports directly too the
Manager, that for lack of a better term, that becomes an Overtown coordinator.
That person will be responsible for "honchoing" and all of those things that
happened in Overtown. You know, we got so many agencies in there that they
are falling all over each other. We got so many people walking around with
plans, one planner doesn't know what the other planner is doing. Some one
should be able to coordinate all of that, call the shots, have the authority
to call anybody's office and say I want this tomorrow, but the Manager has to
give that person the authority. We highly recommend that you do that, and in
concluding, I know I've said a lot, I trust this panel, I'm not one of those
people that's outside picketing the panel. You gave us a panel, we didn't ask
for some cops to be on it, but we got cops on it. My posture is, take what we
got and go with it. I think that we have an opportunity for this panel to take
recommendations coming from this community. Oh, by the way, another criticism
of the Blue Ribbon thing. Do you realize that they had about 60 some people
who came before that Blue Ribbon panel to testify, that did not live in
Overtown, did not work in Overtown, did not have anything to do with Overtown!
And only five people who reside in or work in Overtown came before the panel
to make presentations. We certainly hope that this group will do differently.
Another thing that this panel has as an advantage over the other is that you
have subpoena power. And we know we got problems with housing, we want to
know where some of the money went. I'm sure that with Harold over here, and a
little subpoena power, we can get some records and some information. We can
find out a lot of stuff that's been going on and bypassing us, so that's why I
say, I hope the panel can get about the business of doing some work and taking
a hard look at what happens in this community. What other advantage we have,
is we got an election year and we've got three of you all running for
reelection. We don't need but three votes to get any kind of movement in this
community, so with three of you up for election, I'm certain of it. I know
you are going to do it out of your good conscience, but I'm certain with three
of you running for election, we can count on you to support whatever this
panel and this community comes up with. I'm thankful you for the opportunity
to talk with you, and if anybody got any questions they want to ask me, I am
here to deal with that too.
Father Barry: Dr. Perry, that was indeed a mouth full, even with a little bit
of ranting, blackmailing there, but I think all of that's important too. You
are going to give copies of that to us, right?
Dr. Perry: Yes.
Father Barry: Do any of you have questions for Dr. Perry, or Dr. Rudolph?
No?
Dr. Perry: Father, can I make a closing comment? I mean, I don't know how
else to say this and I realize that when we chose the members of this panel -
and there was a lot of heat in the community, there's dissatisfaction, but I
ask those members of the community, you know, to join ranks with us. Let's
not blow this one, let's pull together and make this thing work, because I
really believe that there's some folks in positions of authority and power in
this community that don't want it to work and my position is, let's fool them
and make it work. Together we can do that.
Father Barry: Well, any response from the Commissioners, from the panel
members?
Mr. Plummer: Are we now into the open area?
Father Barry: Yes, sir.
Mr. Plummer: In listening to all of the comments and fully recognizing name
of the panel and it was chosen, I think that we're missing a great deal. The
same problems that exist in Overtown exist to a more or less degree in Coconut
Grove, and also in Liberty City. Now, all of the solutions which I have heard
here today, and rightfully so, address as the name of this panel, the Overtown
panel. Yet, I don't hear one word or see any other committee or any other
recommending solutions to the areas of Liberty City and to the areas of
Coconut Grove. They are entitled, whether by a separate committee, or as a
8 February 13, 1989
joint committee, to the same amount of ears of elected and private officials
and also in the hopeful solutions. Yet, I have not to this point heard one
word that that kind of a committee was going to be formed for input as this
committee has.
Mr. Dewey Knight: Commissioner, let me respond.
Mr. Plummer: Yes, Dewey.
Mr. Knight: Commissioner Plummer, I think there are several things you should
keep in mind. I realize that you and the Commission and the Mayor have
responsibility for areas other than Overtown. This panel, as I understand it,
has specific responsibility for Overtown.
Mr. Plummer: And I find no fault with that.
Mr. Knight: And hopefully will be confined to that. Why do I say that? I
say that because we had panels before and we immediately transitioned to
Liberty City, Coconut Grove, and who ends up at the bottom rung of the ladder,
getting the least done, Overtownt If we are talking about action and
accomplishing something, and I'm sure we all are, then it seems to me that
Overtown offers an opportunity because of it's geography, the number of
people, to really move and accomplish something. We can spread this all over
and we'll be sitting here several years from now, saying the same thing, we
have a report and nothing done. What we need, it seems to me, is to take
Overtown, develop action items which you buy, which the County buys, which the
State buys, everybody, and move forward on a timetable so that we can
accomplish something on a timely basis that is meaningful for the people of
Overtown.
Mr. Plummer: I have no problem with that, and I understand exactly, as I said
from the beginning of what I had to say, that this panel is Overtown, but —
there are problems that can't be denied that exist in Coconut Grove and in
Liberty City and are we not basically, or maybe derelict by not having a
similar panel representing those people?
Mr. Knight: The other side of that coin is, maybe Overtown is an opportunity _
to demonstrate what and how things can be done, and can be used as a model for
Coconut Grove, Liberty City, Little Havana, and any other place where there is
need.
Mr. Plummer: Well, OK, I'm just questioning whether or not the scope of the
overall situation, the problem, is being addressed by the committee. -
Mr. De Yurre: J.L. it seems... I agree with what you are saying, but the
point of the matter is also that whatever findings we are going to have with
this report or with this group, I think they are going to be applicable to
Liberty City, and they're going to be applicable to Coconut Grove. I think
that we are dealing with an area that needs resolved, but by the same token,
the solutions that we're going to find here are equally as applicable in the
other areas, and can be implemented in those areas too.
Father Barry: The only problem, it seems this is the wrong time to raise the
issue. The time when the issue should have been in the mind of the Commission
is when this panel was formed by resolution. Now, we don't want to muddy up
the waters and talk about anything now but Overtown.
Ms. Annie Marie Adker: Amen.
Mr. Plummer: I understand fully this panel is for Overtown. I understand
that.
Father Barry: Whether people believe it or not, all of us are not alike, OK?
Mr. Dawkins: OK, I think Attorney Long was trying to get the floor first.
Mr. Harold Long: Yes, just on two things. First, along the lines of what Mr.
Knight had indicated, from a legal standpoint, what this panel must do, is
follow even pursuant to its subpoena powers and its investigative powers, we
must follow the charge that was given us and Commissioner Plummer, this charge
is specific as it relates to Overtown and no other area; specifically we are
charged with the responsibility of investigating and reviewing the community
9 February 13, 1989
relations between police officers and the residents in the Overtown area.
Nowhere in our charter, in our charge, are we authorized even, to do anything _
outside of what's going on in Overtown. Perhaps, I'm simply suggesting,
Commissioner, that if you think we should expand beyond that point, it's
perhaps something that ought to come specifically from the charge, or
expansion of the charge, but as it's presently constituted, that's the area
that we are confined to as a matter of law.
Mr. Dawkins: Being the one who initiated the charge for this review, being
the one who felt initially and convinced four other members that we needed to
do something about police -black interaction, and that regardless of how
anybody else feels, I voted my convictions and I felt that it was impossible
to talk about police interaction without having police talk with me. So that's
why there's five policemen on there, and five citizens. Police have some
things that they know of that they don't like about people in the streets,
just like people in the street have some things they don't like about police
and until they can dialogue and express that among themselves, we will not
have anything going for us. Now, in the event that this Commission should
decide to have a similar panel for Liberty City, a similar panel for Little
Havana, one for Coconut Grove, I for one, would recommend that the same as we
_ have citizens from Overtown who could deal with the problems in Overtown on
our committee, then any committee made up to deal with problems in Liberty
City should have Liberty City residents and not Overtown residents. Anyone -
that's dealing with Coconut Grove should have residents of the Grove on it,
and not me, or somebody else who live in over there with Dewey Knight in
Allapattah. But, so I agree that we got problems, but you've got to start
some place and I'm hoping that this is a start, and J.L. Plummer knows that we =
would love to have a panel in every community to deal with these problems, but -
we do not have the money. _
Mr. Wallace: Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm here today, I'm going to lay the cards
out on the table and I haven't heard anything said, since this whole thing
happened. Number one, you five Commissioners were elected by the people of
the City of Miami. There are people, over you all, who spends the money
besides the taxpayers. You all know who runs that downtown development and
you all know you have got to get your hat in order because when this incident
happened this time, it touched everyone's pocket where it hurts. You all know
for the first time in history of this country when a national game was
cancelled. You know we depend on tourism and this is the time of year that we
depend on it. Overtown is a vital part of Miami and revitalization. This is
my home also. I don't live there, but this is my home and I always come back.
My people are still here and I want to say something that hasn't been revealed
- to you all. I'm talking about the citizens of Overtown, that now, Father
Barry, that Overtown for the last ten years and the next ten years, is not
even for black folks. Now, you can see all around us, you can see when you
have a game in the Miami Arena how they treat blacks. If that was a black
game over there, they wouldn't do that! What I'm saying, the reason we should
deal with Overtown first, this is where... this is the hotbed of the killing
of our citizens, and we are going to have to stop this now, because we have
i the whole nation watching us. If this is not done now, what do you expect the
other big cities in this country will do? OK, I'll tell you where the trouble
started at. The trouble starts, and I haven't heard it mentioned, in your
Police Department. It needs upgraded...
Father Barry: Mr. Wallace, we have not yet begun to take from the community
testimony, and I think at this point, this would be out of place. The purpose
of the meeting tonight is to get a reaction from the architects of the 183
report. We have I think, done that and following our digestion of this, we
will be sending out public notices, asking people who are interested in coming
before the panel to come and sign up. OK7
Mr. Wallace: Thank you very much, OK, thank you.
Father Barry: Thank you so kindly, sir. After Dr. Rudolph, he had his hand
up first.
Rev. Rudolph.
Father Barry,
perhaps the
salient point that this panel needs
to understand
is that unlike
the 1983-84
panel, you have subpoena power. We
-
did not have
that kind of
power, and
therefore we were limited, gravely
limited to the
kind of things
that we could
do, the kind of folk that we could
interview. We
could not talk to police,
we were not even privileged to talk
in general with citizens of the community.
10
February 13, 1989
9
Father Barry: That's why I think your report was good, because you didn't have
that power, and yet you did, but you did get some things done.
Rev. Rudolph: And I hope that you will utilize that power in a very real way
to make certain that there is a full discussion of the coalition.
Father Barry: I give you my assurance of it, it will be used to the fullest.
Ms. Gooden.
Ms. Gooden: Can I ask a question? With the recommendations in this report,
Reverend Rudolph, who was placed to follow up these recommendations, you know,
step by step to see what is being done? - because we're looking at a 183-184
report and this is 189, six years later and I need to know if someone within
that committee was assigned to follow up this report to find out what
recommendations were being taken care of or considered, or if you know...
Rev. Rudolph: Yes, the Honorable Mayor Maurice Ferre bravely said, "this
report," and you'll remember some of you, contains both pasta and steel. We
will assign this matter to the City Manager to weed out the and to deal with
the steel, and by the time we had dealt with steel, there had been a
transition in the County Manager's office, City Manager's, thank you very
much. —
Ms. Gooden: So before we do anything, we are going to find out what's been
done and what's not been done?
Rev. Rudolph: Let's make sure that's City rather than County! Forgive me.
Father Barry: Basically nothing really happened with your recommendations,
that's what he is saying.
Mr. Kelsey Dorsett: Mr. Mayor, Mr. Chairman, the thing that Reverend Rudolph
is not saying is as counsel has pointed out, they were given a charge, ad the
charge was simply to prepare the report, so therefore when Reverend Rudolph's
panel prepared the report and submitted it, their job was done.
Rev. Rudolph: At that point, it became a matter of the Commission to make
certain that the public laws would be impacted on the recommendations to make
certain that they were carried out and that process is very clear. The Mayor
passed it on to the City Manager and there is no exception tonight.
Father Barry: The Mayor had his hand up.
Mayor Suarez: A couple of things have come to mind that are very important.
Some of them were addressed. If you drive north from where we are, you will
note on one side a public housing project and you will note the kind of shape
that it's in, and this is directed specifically to the committee because I
hope that they spend a great deal of time investigating what has been done
about public housing in this area. On the other side of the street is a
fairly nice neighborhood. Housing, I don't know if it is scattered -site
housing or some of the units are owned individually, but they have nice
fences, their lawns are well kept. There is a lot of pride on the one side of
NW 3rd. That project, Rainbow Village is probably the worst public housing
project that the nation has seen, certainly the worst that I've ever seen and
unfortunately, it is not within our jurisdiction, but you are not precluded,
by your charge, in making recommendations only to the Miami City Commission.
You should go beyond the recommendations to us and make recommendations to
Little HUD and to the County, believe me, there are many to be made on that
issue, and that will of course, affect the way the people feel about
themselves, which is what Reverend Rudolph was referring to before. The area
of police community relations I think should be the principal charge of this
committee. The committee was impaneled in Overtown as a result of an incident
where a person, two person's lives were lost. We want to know your opinion of
that incident, similar incidents. We want to know your opinion of what Bill
Perry was referring to when he had a certain correlation done by The Miami
Herald, which never, ever answers a specific incident, only tries to do a
global analysis. We want to know about specific cases to the extent that you
can legally, and if you are frustrated in that endeavor, you have to report
back to us on that too. It is very important that you do have subpoena
powers, not only to ask questions of let's say, the police, as was stated by
Reverend Rudolph, but of a specific police officer. You technically can ask
11 February 13, 1989
any specific employment. You will note, and we Commissioners have this
frustration sometimes, that when we ask for an explanation from a department,
a lot of times the Manager will give the explanation, a lot of times the
department head will give the explanation. Sometimes we wish to hear from a
particular person, you will see that in Commission meetings. We have that
authority implicitly and the Manager shares it with us rather well, and I
thank him for it, because he never keeps us from doing that, but you have that
authority by specificity. You can specify who specifically in the City you
want to talk to about a particular issue and we have not constrained you in
that. We would, I think I reflect the feelings of the entire Commission, hope
that you pay particular attention to police community relations, some of the
issues that have been brought here today on deployment, some of the issues on
foot patrols, some of the issues on why we don't see as many black officers as
we expected to see, with almost 20 percent of the department patrolling these
areas, etc. Finally, I want to say, it will always be up to the Commission,
of course, I hate to agree with my predecessor, but it will always be up to
the Commission to try to find the resources to implement what has been
recommended here. I think Commissioner Dawkins made that point too, and that
is correct. We have to figure out, and by the way, we're not going to wait
_ for your report to figure out where the resources are going to come from,
because we're involved in looking for those every day. We have scheduled
meetings in Tallahassee last week, we have scheduled meetings in Washington,
D. C., coming up, I forget when our meeting with the Secretary of Housing and
Urban Development, and we will look for all the resources that we can find. I
have never seen, never seen a government so committed to try to find the
resources to address the problems mentioned here. My final point is the
following, if it were up to me, I would take up almost... I don't think I
disagree with a single one of the recommendations made by Bill Perry. They
have a great deal of specificity, they have more specificity than the other
report, maybe because he has chosen to do so, maybe because he is more
optimistic about what can be done, maybe he is more pessimistic, I don't know,
but each and every one of them, as far as I can tell, I'm ready to adopt.
Now, however, they should go to the committee, and the committee should make
recommendations to us as to those recommendations, as to those plans of
action. They are very specific and we need specificity, God knows we need
specificity) I've already instructed my staff to begin looking at which ones
we can try to implement that don't require the entire Commission action. Some
of them do not, and when you talk about putting pressure on the private
sector, that can be done by any single member of this Commission and there is
quite a few other things mentioned in there that could be done by members of
the Commissions, so if that clarifies in any way the charge to the committee,
I hope that it does, and I hope that finally, we hear back from you as quickly
as possible, because we are engaged in the process of making reforms and
making adjustments. We agreed to do one just last week on Thursday, which is
single member districts, and by the way, I think the County will be also
making that recommendation very quickly, I'm informed of that, so, there are
many, many things happening. This is a time of a great deal of effort being
put, a great deal of interest by the private sector who recognizes that their
downtown is indeed affected by what we decide and what we do about Overtown,
and this is the time to act. There's many, many opportunities now and we
intend to do that, but please get us those recommendations as quickly as you
can and move as quickly as you can in your collective abilities.
Father Barry: One of the things, Mr. Mayor, that I don't want you to leave
here feeling, and that is that this panel does not only want to hear
recommendations from one person, it wants to hear recommendations from the
total Overtown community. There might be some better recommendations than
those we've heard tonight, so I don't want to rush to adopt anything that has
been said here tonight. I want to listen to what the little guy who lives in
that rat infested HUD project has to say. I don't have to live there, you
know, and I want more people from Overtown to come before us with their
thoughts, feelings and recommendations. Ann Marie.
Ms. Anne Marie Adker: Thank you very much, Father. Good evening. In the
first place, I'm happy that the elected officials saw to put this talent
together. Now, we who have watched the process in the past know that they
expect you to act as lemons, but I have hope that you won't. I want to remind
you of this Overtown area that has brought in that community development block
grant allocation for both Dade County and the City, and as you can look out
there and see, we got ripped off. We have many service oriented agencies in
here that draw salaries and do nothing, OK? - one of those things. The other
morning, on my way to Gibson Park to kind of monitor the brainstorm that our
12 February 13, 1989
City Manager had, "Jobs," I saw where again just walking from 5th Street to
13th, where he could have hired at least 25 people, just to clean the area up.
You know, we can pay for one day, I've heard something like $98,000 for police
services to corral me into my community, then you can at least temporarily put
some bread on some people's tables. Now, you said that you are going to allow
me the opportunity to come before you to give testimony?
Father Barry: That's right, not tonight though, Ann Marie.
Ms. Adker: I won't attempt it tonight.
Father Barry: OK, sweetheart.
Ms. Adker: Those things will last until after June, I'm quite sure, but I
really want this panel to get angry, angry enough to do something about this
community! We are downtown, I want you to remember that. It was
intentionally deteriorated and left for us to move out. I have no place to
go, and I'll pitch a tent in Flagler Street before I leave, and that's for
sure. So I want to really give you all the support that is needed, and of
course next time I'll bring Overtown with me. Thank you.
Father Barry: Thank you. Mr. Dorsett, I think we're going to have to bring
this session to a close.
Mr. Dorsett: Father Barry, just a couple of final comments. In our work
several years ago, we spent a lot of time and effort. We talked to a lot of
people. Bill is a good friend of mine, we have our differences on approach
and so on, but one of the main things I hope that we look at now, that this
process can serve as an example for anywhere else, that we have total moral
commitment and leadership from our elected officials, the private sector and
the educational sector. By that, the reports been sitting in dust, I almost
just threw my copy away about three weeks ago. I said no, I always
keep these things around, but I flipped through it, there is a wealth of
information in there. It may be only foundational, but it is something you can
build on now, but everybody, and that includes everybody in this room, must
make a total commitment to fight institutional racism in the Police Department
and the private sector banking downtown where they are supposed to serve the
community, where they collect billions of dollars in assets and so on, but the
small business people can't get a few thousand dollars to do what has to be,
or needs to be done to serve the people that live here, as well as elsewhere,
so Mayor Suarez, and the rest of the Commissioners, please, you've got to be
bold, get out there and make that commitment and don't apologize to the
downtown community, or whomever else says, well, our pocketbook is hit now,
we're embarrassed. The game is on, the world is watching us. You know, I
think that's a good omen. It's about time we got some people to really stand
up and say, we're going to make some changes, we're going to take some action
steps, and we're not going to apologize to anybody and keep saying, well, I'm
sorry this happened, we're embarrassed. We don't have to keep doing it. My
family's been here for over 90 years, Overtown here. We're been spread out
and splintered, I-95, I don't want to go through the whole history, but I
think we can make a difference in the 1990's and beyond if we make a total
commitment to do what we have to do now, because we are all suffering. I have
kids, most of us have kids. I don't want to see my kids have to go through
this racist society that we are confronted with daily, every day, and I feel
badly when I have someone tell me I ought to go back Overtown. All right,
well, I had somebody of a different heritage say, well, why don't you just go
back where you came from? I was born and raised here, all right? That's the
part of the racism, the institutional racism throughout this community as well
as all around that we're confronted with, so let's not forget the big "R."
Mayor Suarez: Can I say something very quickly, Father. Kelsey, just a
second, please. Let me clarify something to the community that's very
important. We're talking about the private sector in addition to what
government has to do and must do, and I think this Commission is committed to
do. I have found, and you're in the private sector and right now I'm in the
public sector in this particular hat, although this public sector doesn't pay
us very much, but we also have to be in the private sector at some point in
the day to get paid, which is another problem that we maybe ought to
straighten up at some point. The private sector is essentially on its own.
Now, I always want to clarify that we have a great responsibility with the
resources that we manage, and how we get the private sector to do what it's
supposed to be doing is something that I break my head about all the time.
13 February 13, 1989
You're in it, the private sector, and one idea that came to mind as you spoke
is the following, and Mr. Long, I want to make sure that we get a not
necessarily on the spot legal opinion, but at some point a legal opinion. I
wonder if one of the first groups in one of the first sets of hearings
participants you should have would be precisely the Greater Miami. Chamber of
Commerce. We, on the Commission, a lot of times make comments about the
Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, and what they're doing and what they are
not doing about the banks. Would it not be proper to ask them, initially
maybe on a voluntary basis, and maybe a not so voluntary basis, to attend the
hearings and explain how they are or not red -lining and explore as a committee
what tools we can use, because I've sat there...
Father Barry: Mr. Mayor, you're setting the agenda for the panel. We're not
going to let you do that.
Mayor Suarez: I thought that is what you wanted us to do is to give you a
charge.
Father Barry: No, you've given us the charge. Now you are telling us who we
should see: No, we don't want you to do that, no, no.
Mayor Suarez: I thought that you wanted suggestions. But, I just want to
make one last statement, because I've seen that man that sits over there with
the glasses, the older man with the white hair, there, I've seen battling the
issue of red -lining on the Commission and I've seen him come up with some
pretty creative ways of battling the banks downtown and...
Mr. Dorsett: How many billions of dollars does this City control, sir, in
deposits and things all around the banks.
Mayor Suarez: I wish Kelsey, that it was billions of dollars, I wish it was
billions.
Mr. Dorsett: OK, but whatever it is, you have persuasion...
Mayor Suarez: But I've seen him try that, and we're open to...
Mr. Dorsett: ... You guys have persuasion to make a difference.
Mayor Suarez: Right, and we're open to new ideas as to how carry that out,
because we tried awfully hard on joint public and private projects. We've
tried awfully hard on public projects, and if you have any idea how we can do
it as to their own franchising, as to their own simply private doings, we'd be
very interested in hearing about that.
Mr. Dorsett: Start with the community reinvestment, the CRA reports that each
bank is required by law, take a real good look at it, and see who is investing
where. OK, that's one step. I'll talk to you later, though.
Father Barry: OK, I just want to say one thing before I ask whether or not
there are any other comments from the Commission members and the panel. There
is a commitment by some of us who have been born here, those of us who live,
work here. I think the commitment was seen when Mt. Zion Baptist Church, who
was on the way out of Overtown, decided to stay. I don't know what some of
the thinking might be, but St. Agnes Church isn't going anywhere! We've been
here since 1896. We aren't going anywhere. You look around this property.
You can see that we aren't going anywhere, and we want Overtown to continue to
be an historic black community. We don't mind the City of Miami, downtown
Miami, impinging on us somewhat, but we still want to have our community. We
are not running this time and I'm hopeful, the signs are there, and I think
whether we believe it or not, the bulwark for this community will be the black
churches. I hope that members of the committee, of the Commission, persons
who live in this community, when they receive notice from us, that they will
come before us and really let us know what they are thinking and feeling. Is
there anything else to be said this evening?
Mr. Dawkins: I would have liked to have had more input from the panel
members, but since they're not ready, I will wait for the next meeting and
hear something if it's wrong.
Rev. Starks: To the Chairman, and the members of Commission, one thing I
would like to say, you know, we can play politics here and we can deal with
14 February 13, 1989
things that can be handled down at City Hall, but this panel was impaneled to
investigate, first of all, the cause of the riots and that was the shooting of
Mr. Lloyd, and I would wish that at the very next meeting of this panel that
we could get down to business and stop the rhetoric. The business of the
investigation, I understand the recommendation, the step that was made, that's
part of our job. First of all, I think we should really get down to
investigating the incident what caused the riot and move from there, that's an
opinion of one member of this panel.
Father Barry: Reverend Stark, that is certainly possible now that we have an
attorney to direct us through that procedure. Ms. Gooden was not here for the
swearing in of the panel at the last meeting. I've ask the Mayor if he would
be so kind as to swear you in this evening and that would have all of us sworn
in. Would you be so kind as to stand, Ms. Gooden. You were not here? That's
right, Colyer was not here either.
Mayor Suarez: What is the form of oath that you've been using, Father? What
is the form of oath that you've been using?
Father Barry: The City Manager just used the Charter, the resolution.
Mr. Dawkins: They live in America, and they are black Americans... That's the
basis, put it any other way you want it.
Father Barry: But any one you use I'm sure will be legal.
Mayor Suarez: OK, Madam City Clerk, if you have a form that we can administer
to them. Is it basically to swear to abide the charge given by the
Commission?
Father Barry: By the Charter, yes. Mr. Colyer and Ms. Gooden.
Mayor Suarez: I'm going to ask you as a question, and you can say, I do, at
the end. Do you solemnly swear that I will in all respects faithfully
discharge the duties of a member of the Ad Hoc Committee established by Miami
City Commission through resolution number 89-84 adopted January 18, 1989?
Mr. Colyer: I do.
Mayor Suarez: Can we get her on the record?
Ms. Colyer: I do.
Mayor Suarez: Is there anyone else who was not sworn in before, counselor, or
Father Barry?
Father Barry: That's it.
Mr. Dawkins: I'd like to just close by saying, Rosario Kennedy, J.L. Plummer
and I would have did it differently, but since the lawyers, Suarez, and De
Yurre, see, they have to do it by the numbers because they're lawyers.
Father Barry: I want to thank the Commission for giving of themselves this
evening to come out and be with us. Some of us might leave here thinking that
nothing was accomplished, but I think a lot was accomplished. At least we
know that we have this community behind us and we are being watched, and that
in itself, I think, will be enough to keep us honest.
Mayor Suarez: This Special Session of the Miami City Commission is adjourned.
15
February 13, 1989
Natty Ural
t i
Walter J. Nwoan :
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