COUNCIL ON THE SOCIAL STATUS OF BLACK MEN AND BOYS Meeting Minutes

Transcription

1 The Florida Council on the Social Status of Men and Boys held a Business meeting, Thursday, February 5, 2015 at Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Performing Arts Center in Daytona Beach, Florida. The meeting took place at 9:00 a.m. Members Present: Gilbert Barnes Thad Fortune William Hardin Edison Jackson Eddy Regnier Damon Rich (phone) Argatha Rigby-Gilmore Lois Scott Albert Simpson Malone Smith Craig Swain Shawn Thomas Paul Wilson Members Absent: Florida Senator Rob Bradley (In Committee) Florida Senator Oscar Braynon, II (In Committee) Rod Duckworth Mike Mason House Representative Alan Williams (In Committee) House Representative Charles Van Zant (In Committee) Guest: Reverend John Baldwin II, B-CU Policy Advisor to the President Dr. Willis Walter, Jr., B-CU College of Education Dean Benny Hudson (Jacksonville, FL) AG Staff Present: Blaire Burley Tim Frizzell, Attorney Tawanna Leven Rick Nuss Takiah Riggins First Agenda Item: Welcome Edison O. Jackson, president of Bethune-Cookman University and 1st Vice Chair of the Council welcomed and thanked the members and guest for attending the meeting. He reassured members that the doors are always open with the resources they need, and also expressed his excitement for the completion of the Day of Dialogue and how the Council is doing the right thing. Dr. Jackson stated that we cannot move away from our founder Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, she was about the beloved community, and we have to keep that legacy alive. Page 1 of 5

2 Second Agenda Item: Opening Invocation Reverend John Baldwin provided the invocation. Third Agenda Item: Roll Call Roll call was executed by Tawanna Leven. Fourth Agenda Item: Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 9:37 a.m. Fifth Agenda Item: Opening Remarks Chairperson Eddy Regnier opens with we have been working on the Day of Dialogue for over a year and it was such an excitement yesterday. Chairperson Regnier gave special thanks to Dr. Jackson and Reverend Baldwin for a job well done. He extended thanks to the Bethune Cookman staff and students. Chairperson Regnier stated that the day of dialogue far exceeded many expectations. He spoke about how information received from the day of dialogue's could provide years of work for the Council. Chairperson Regnier expressed how the superintendents were so eager to share traits and information about what they are doing to change and turn their school districts around. Sixth Agenda Item: Adoption of Chairperson Regnier motioned that the meeting minutes for November 20th-21st, December 4th, December 5th, December 16th 2014 and January 8th and January 20th 2015 be accepted with editorial changes if needed. Seconded by Edison Jackson, and Seventh Agenda Item: Day of Dialogue Discussion As follow-up to the Day of Dialog held Wednesday, February 4, 2015 on the campus of Bethune-Cookman University, the Council on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys would like to conduct the following: Produce a report that reviews what occurred during the Day of Dialogue The report will include a list of recommendations derived from outcomes discussed during the Day of Dialogue Recommendations to the Governor, Department of Education, and Legislature consisting of three (3) key things to be put in context: Addressing the statewide policy on civil citation Code of conduct such as 10 day suspension/disciplinary Actions/Parent Academy Incentives to get more African American males in early education Decide how to present the information highlighted in the report to legislators and Florida department leaders Information to be given to policy makers to get a global reaction Edison Jackson motioned that Pam Stewart, Commissioner of Education be contacted immediately for her absence. o Seconded by Craig Swain, and Page 2 of 5

3 o Carried unanimously Lois Scott motioned that the Council s researcher create a document with recommendations and work with the Education subcommittee o Seconded by Craig Swain, and o Carried unanimously Special Note: The Education sub-committee is to work with the Council's researcher to create a document on recommendations and given to the executive committee to speculate, modify, or reject. Other discussion included: Civil Citation Parent Academy Suspension Superintendent to continue to discuss best practices Code of Conduct Review Incentives for African American males to become educated Eighth Agenda Item: Sunshine Law Overview The Sunshine Law overview was given by Tim Frizzell. He stated that the Florida s Government in the Sunshine Law provides a right of access to governmental proceedings at both the state and local levels. The law is equally applicable to elected and appointed boards and has been applied to any gathering of two or more members of the same board to discuss some matter which will be foreseeable before that board of action. Meetings of public boards or commissions must be open to the public Reasonable notice of such meeting must be given Minutes of the meeting must be taken, promptly recorded and open to public inspection Board members may not use or the telephone to conduct a private discussion about board business Members may send a one way communication to each other as long as the communication is kept as a public record and there is no response to the communication except at an open public meeting One way communications should be distributed by the board of office so that they can be preserves as public records and ensure any response to the communication is made only at a public meeting Ninth Agenda Item: Nominating Committee s Report Gilbert Barnes, Nominating Committee Chair provided names of committee members: Thad Fortune, William Hardin, Mike Mason and Albert Simpson He stated that the committee had a teleconference on January 29, 2015 and provided the Council with the results of nominees via . Thereafter, Mr. Barnes submitted the report to Ms. Leven. The Nominees Included: Council Chair Eddy Regnier Vice Chair Lois Scott First Vice Chair Edison Jackson Second Vice Chair Argatha Rigby-Gilmore Chairperson Regnier opened the floor for further nominations. There were none. Page 3 of 5

4 Albert Simpson motioned that the Nominating Committee's report be accepted Seconded by Paul Wilson, and Carried unanimously Tenth Agenda Item: Elections Chairperson Regnier asked if there were any discussions before proceeding with the elections process. There were none. He asked that the voting process be made by saying "yea" or "nay" and those on the phone to state their names before they respond with their vote. Eddy Regnier accepted the nomination as Council Chair There were no oppositions The vote carried unanimously Lois Scott accepted the nomination as Council Vice Chair There were no oppositions The vote carried unanimously Edison Jackson accepted the nomination as Council 1 st Vice Chair There were no oppositions The vote carried unanimously Argatha Rigby-Gilmore accepted the nomination as Council 2 nd Vice Chair There were no oppositions The vote carried unanimously The Executive Officers effective as of March 1st are as follows: Chairperson: Eddy Regnier (accept) Vice Chairperson: Lois Scott (accept) First Vice Chairperson: Edison Jackson (accept) Second Vice Chairperson: Argatha Rigby-Gilmore (accept) Eleventh Agenda Item: Website Update The Council s website will be active as of February 6, Twelfth Agenda Item: Councils Future Plans The Council's future plans consist of the following: Present documentation to take to Senator Montford that contains a review of what took place at Day of Dialogue, recommendations and concerns Would like to conduct more Day of Dialogues Deans of Education to come together and speak on this issue under the Leadership of the Council (host BCU) Would like to create a subcommittee how to communicate with Law Enforcement across the state Faith-base programs through churches Educational format Look for active clergy in the community Page 4 of 5

5 Project on Skype Video for those imprisoned to contact their families Argatha Rigby-Gilmore motioned to take on the action of implementing "how to communicate with Law Enforcement across the state" Seconded by Craig Swain, and Thirteenth Agenda Item: Upcoming Meetings Upcoming Meetings are as follows: February 24, 2015 Full Council Teleconference Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. March 5, 2015 Executive Committee Teleconference Thursday at10:00 a.m. Fourteenth Agenda Item: Public Comments John W. Alexander (Gainesville, Florida) Police Department presented Reichert House before the Council which is a diversion program that equips young males for life. It provides services designed to give youth opportunities to learn about themselves and to assist them in achieving a lifestyle that is free from substance abuse, violent crime, and incarceration. Fifteen Agenda Item: For the Good of the Order & Adjournment Chairperson Regnier asked for a motioned to adjourn the meeting. Edison Jackson motioned that the meeting be adjourned Seconded by Lois Scott, and The meeting was adjourned at 2:52 p.m. Page 5 of 5