Subject: Bernalillo County Manager's Recent Decision To Suspend In Kind support of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Multicultural Council

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1 To: Julie Morgas Baca County Manager Bernalillo County One Civic Plaza NW, 10th Floor, Suite Albuquerque, New Mexico From: Jewel L. Hall Founder, Past President and Executive Director of Communications Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Multicultural Council Post Office Box Albuquerque, New Mexico Subject: Bernalillo County Manager's Recent Decision To Suspend In Kind support of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Multicultural Council It is the Council s hope that our efforts and discussions today will be fruitful and we can discuss in-kind support options that will be mutually acceptable and beneficial. It goes without saying that the Council has appreciated the support the County has given to the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Multicultural Council for the last twenty-seven years. The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Multicultural Council has done significant work to promote the legacy of Dr. King. The annual program we organize and present is designed to further enhance diversity as well as recognition of individuals who practice and celebrate the values of Dr. King. The celebration features a keynote speaker and Keep the Dream Alive recipients who have been inspired by the teachings of Dr. King and through their day to day lives have demonstrated a commitment to make the world a place where equality, justice, freedom and peace will grow and flourish. 1

2 The annual event has expanded over the years due to the hard work of the Council Officers, Board Members, Advisors and Co-Sponsors. It is through this collaboration that the number of scholarships awarded has seen a significant increase over the past two decades. Twenty-nine students received scholarships in There have been so many success stories emerging from the scholarship recipients. Many of the students come back to share their stories as to the benefit they received from their scholarships. The community has also witnessed the positive impact of the Council s program. This is evidenced by the level of participation by the community, both public and private sectors. Our co-sponsors include: Albuquerque City Council, Albuquerque Public Schools, Central New Mexico Community College, Congregation Albert, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Center, J. Jeffrey and Karen Pasquier, and the University of New Mexico, Division for Equity and Inclusion. All of the co-sponsors provide different levels of in-kind support with some providing significant levels of support towards the annual celebration. The in-kind support received from Bernalillo County has varied over the last twentyseven years. The support has included: past commissioners serving directly on the board, public information section personnel assisting with all press releases, public information personnel assisting in the design and layout of the annual celebration program, public information personnel assisting in the layout to local newspapers with photos and brief biographies of the scholarship recipients, personnel from the county manager s office coordinating, over the course of multiple years, fiscal agent responsibilities when approximately $500,000 was appropriated by the New Mexico State Legislature, coordination by the purchasing department of RFP s for consulting services, county manager personnel working with the Council and attending meetings to educate the Council on procedures to be followed in securing a consultant, deputy county manager attending Council meetings to provide assistance with possible sites in the county for a memorial to Dr. King, and clerical support to attend monthly meetings, take minutes, distribute minutes, assist Council members with sorting of scholarship applications a day in September, checking in students and sponsors on the day of the reception and on the day of the celebration. The Council was surprised and perplexed by the County s statements to the media that the clerical staff person from Bernalillo County was devoting 80% of her work week doing tasks on behalf of the Council. This is a preposterous assertion and the Council 2

3 cannot imagine how that percentage was calculated. As previously stated, the Council only meets once a month, there are two annual events, sorting of applications and letters to recipients, checking in students and sponsors for both the reception and the holiday celebration, all of which would not involve someone dedicating 80% of their time to provide support. As I have previously mentioned, the Council is strictly comprised of volunteers. Congregation Albert provides a room where the Council meets once a month for two hours as well as graciously hosting the annual event. I don t think I need to remind you or anyone that the County was one of our very first governmental sponsors along with the City, CNM, APS and the University of New Mexico. There has never been any question until now with the legality of your past contributions to us and those of our other benefactors who continue to support us. Needless to say, we as members of the Council have been shocked and perplexed by the position that Bernalillo County has taken. It is our position that the reputation of the organization has been unduly tarnished by the gross misrepresentation of the County s level of support. It is unacceptable that the County acted so recklessly and with such disregard for the reputation of both the Council and our vice-president, Renetta Torres. However, before we can proceed forward all must recognize that, as a direct result of what has happened over the last several weeks: 1. The reputation of our Council has been seriously impugned and damaged. 2. We have heard from many supportive citizens, personally and through social media that the integrity of our Council and its mission has been unjustly called into question. 3. Some members of the community now believe, without justification that our Council has been acting inappropriately and taking unfair advantage of the County and its resources. 4. Even the less critical members of the community have been left to ponder whether the Dr. Martin Luther King Multicultural Council is as ethical and reputable as they had previously believed. We have 3

4 been both ethical and reputable. 5. In fact, our impeccable reputation, which we have worked hard to establish and maintain for the last (27) twenty-seven years, is our greatest asset. 6. That reputation has been undermined and must now be restored. 7. We sincerely hope that Bernalillo County will help us restore the unquestionable reputation that the community has come to expect of the Council as an all-volunteer, non-profit and charitable organization. In order to restore our reputation in the public eye we believe (2) two things have to occur in order to allow us, the County and the Council to move forward. FIRST: We insist that the County issue a public retraction of any allegations accusations or innuendos that our Council has acted improperly or illegally in any manner that might be construed as taking unfair advantage of the County and it resources and in any manner that might violate the anti-donation clause. Particularly, with regard to the following baseless accusations: 1. That the Council has benefited eighty percent (80%) of an administrative assistant in the Human Resources Department work week. The county administration claims she devoted 80 % of her work week doing tasks for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Multicultural Council. The Council is very aware of all in-kind support received from the various organizations and knows that Bernalillo County did not make that level of in-kind support. There simply is not that volume of clerical work to be performed. These accusations are patently false. None-the-less, many people now wonder if this coincides with the disparagement and subsequent resignation of Ms. Torres as a member of our council. 4

5 Over the last (27) twenty-seven years our Council has prominently featured the County as a major governmental sponsor as consideration for any in kind services provided, all in accord with applicable law. SECOND We insist that Mrs. Baca, as the county manager in lieu of any proof offered thus far, issue a public apology to our Council Vice-President, Mrs. Renetta Torres for accusing her of violating the law and using her position as Bernalillo County Director of Human Resources in any way that would take unfair or improper advantage of the County and the resources it has historically provided to our Council. This public retraction and apology must, of course, be accomplished in an appropriate manner so as to disseminate the information to the entire community. A press conference at which all of the local television and print media are invited could serve this purpose. LASTLY The public retraction and public apology should come from you, as you were specifically referenced by both the Albuquerque Journal and KRQE. Once again, we sincerely hope that we can come to an acceptable agreement that will allow both sides to proceed forward in a cooperative fashion. This includes rescinding your decision to withdraw the co-sponsor status that Bernalillo County has had for over twenty-seven years. However, if you do not believe that the Bernalillo County can comply with these conditions, then we will accept your (Ms. Baca s) decision to sever our longstanding relationship. However, please be advised that whichever decision you choose, we will not relent in our effects to restore our reputation and set the record straight. -END- 5