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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-03-2019 Minutes CITY OF OCOEE Minutes of the Human Relations Diversity Board Regular Meeting Held October 3,2019 I: CALL TO ORDER HRDB meeting was called to order by Member Maxwell at 6:15p.m. in Room 109 of Ocoee City Hall located at 150 North Lakeshore Drive,Ocoee, Florida. A. Pledge of Allegiance and Moment of Personal Reflection: Member Carr led the Board in the Pledge of Allegiance to the U.S. flag;followed by Member Maxwell asking for moment of personal reflection. B. Roll Call and Determination of Quorum: Clerk Mieras performed roll call and declared quorum (7) not met at 6:17 p.m. Quorum met 6:19 p.m. In Attendance (8): Members: Maxwell, Calloway, Carr, Dorsey, Bonzil-Juste, & Poter-Smith. Member Foster arrived 6:19 p.m. Member Anderson-Robinson arrived 6:28 p.m. Non-Voting Present: Clerk Mieras, Commissioner Brinson, &Support Services Director Al Butler. Absent (4): Member(s): Dawkins, Crown, Daily, Hart. C. Review of Excused Absences: Chair Dawkins was an excused absence. D. Review Agenda for Tonight's Meeting: Member Maxwell reviewed the agenda for tonight. Director Butler asked to add update on marker text under Marker Dedication Ceremony to the agenda. Member Carr asked for time to present an update on state road designation and voice concerns about bylaws. All additions were accepted. E. Review of Minutes: Minutes from the September 12th meeting were reviewed. Discussion ensued. Motion made by Member Calloway, seconded by Member Anderson-Robinson, and unanimously passed to approve the September 12th Minutes as amended. II: BUSINESS FOR DISCUSSION A. Comments from Citizens/Public: None. B. Marker Dedication Ceremony: Member Maxwell described the subcommittees proposed theme for November 1, 2020, Marker Dedication Ceremony. He outlined a two-part ceremony starting with a eulogy service inside the Lakeshore Center followed by the marker unveiling outside. The proposed eulogy is a somber event inside the Lakeshore Center opening with a 100 candle, candle light service, representing the 100 years that will have passed since the massacre,while an orchestra softly plays"A Yuletide Celebration" followed by "Lift Every Voice and Sing." Director Butler explained the City needs the program recommendations well in advance in order to incorporate these items into the ceremony and advised flame candles are a fire hazard and not allowed inside public buildings. Member Maxwell advised he could present a full program at the December meeting. Director Butler explained his call with the State Monument Marker Coordinator who advised that instead of having both sides of the marker with the same text the City should use one side to talk about the election day event and the other side talk about the massacre. Director Butler presented a revised marker language consistent with the States recommendation for the Board to review and approve. Motion made by Member Calloway, seconded by Member Anderson-Robinson, and unanimously passed to authorize Director Butler to move forward with the maker wording as revised by the Board tonight.The revised wording is as follows: "Election Day Violence Rallies and parades conducted by the Klu Klux Klan and the United Confederate Veterans in the days before the November 2, 1920 election were designed to warn African-Americans to stay away from the polls.To actually block African-Americans from voting, officials arranged for the local notary public to be out of town so that there could be no legal affirmation of voters having paid poll taxes.Only African-Americans were challenged to prove they had paid the tax. One African-American, Mose Norman, did attempt to vote at the unincorporated Ocoee polling place. He was initially refused entry and left. When he later returned, he was beaten and driven away.An armed white citizens group sought to arrest Mr. Norman and went first to the home of Julius"July" Perry, a prominent African-American businessman. (Mr. Norman had already fled the community.)The Perry family resisted the group's attempt to enter the home. An ensuing gunfight left two whites dead and Mr. Perry gravely injured. He was subsequently taken to the Orange County Jail, where a white mob secured his release and lynched him near the home of Judge John Moses Cheney. Perry's body was buried in an unmarked grave at Orlando's Greenwood Cemetery. Ocoee Massacre and Exodus The Ocoee area of 1920 included two African-American settlements. A white mob reported to be over 100 persons entered the Northern Quarters settlement on the night of November 2, 1920. During a long house-to- house gun battle, they set fire to the homes, businesses, schools, churches, and a lodge owned by or serving African-Americans. Any person attempting to flee a burning building was shot.Those who remained died in the fire. Estimates ranged from 6 to well over 60 killed; the exact number is unknown. Residents of the Southern Quarters were told to abandon their property or face the same fate. Based on 1920 Census data, about 500 African-American residents were driven out.Their abandoned property was confiscated by local authorities, who subsequently divided it among white residents.The records related to property sales were lost.African- Americans did not reside in the area again until the 1980s, as Ocoee's population rapidly grew and diversified with the housing construction boom. As a means of acknowledging the past,the Ocoee City Commission formed the State's first human relations diversity advisory board in 2003 and, in 2018, issued a proclamation acknowledging the terrible events of November 1920. " C. Street Road Designation: Member Carr explained a designation does not change the road name but does provides signs notifying of the designation at the start and end of the designated area.The Board asked to look into add additional signs at Bluford. He explained the State road options are Colonial Drive and State Road 438, aka. Silver Star, and he is looking at the area of Clark Road going West to Ocoee Apopka Road for the designation.The next due date for State street designations is in March 2020. D. MLK Speaker Topic: The Board discussed possible topics for the speaker and essay contest. Motion made by Member Calloway, seconded by Member Anderson-Robinson, and unanimously passed for the theme of the 2020 MLK Ceremony and the 2020 Essay contest to be "The Vision of Hope." E. Other Business: Member Carr explained he believed the lack of a City Staff representation on the Board was a violation of the bylaws. Director Butler explained he is the appointed City Staff member for this Board and the Mayor is the City Commission's representative. Director Butler explained he attends meetings as needed and advised that the Board members are also able to contact him outside the meetings with any concerns. Member Carr expressed concern that he felt Member Maxwell presented himself as represented of HRDB at the last City Commission meeting without the Board's approval and represented views not unanimously shared by the Board. Member Carr asked Member Maxwell if he received permission or direction from the Board to speak as a representative of the HRDB at that meeting. Discussion ensued. Member Maxwell acknowledged Mr. Carr has Member Maxwell's comments to the commission out of order. Member Maxwell mentioned he aims to schedule the next subcommittee during the second week of November. F. Set Next Agenda: Member Maxwell,along with input from the Board, set the agenda for the next meeting, which will be held on November 7th, 2019*, said Agenda was established as listed below: I. CALL TO ORDER A. Pledge of Allegiance and Moment of Personal Reflection B. Roll Call and Determination of Quorum C. Review of Excused Absence(s) D. Review Agenda for Tonight's Meeting E. Review of Minutes from October 3rd, 2019 II. BUSINESS FOR DISCUSSION a. Comments From Citizens/Public b. Marker Dedication update c. Grand Marshal Discussion d. Other Business e. Set Next Agenda For December 5th, 2019 III. QUESTIONS/COMMENTS IV. ADJOURNMENT III: QUESTIONS/COMMENTS: Member Foster commended the work Senator Bracy and his office has done. IV:ADJOURNMENT: Meeting adjourned at 7:29 p.m. AUTHENTICATION: These are the official minutes of the Ocoee Human Relations Diversity Board, as accepted by the Board at a meeting held on the date shown below. Any amendments to the minutes as originally prepared by the Secretary are indicated above. L2i*U. /D--/7 Presidin: • •ic= Date