Posted on 06/09/2002 9:05:25 AM PDT by Malichi
Racial dispute overshadows board action
By STEVEN G. WATSON Managing Editor CANTON — A successful attempt to reorganize the Planning Commission erupted into a discussion over race Tuesday before the board was trimmed in half, with one alderman claiming he “didn’t get the white vote” and therefore was responsible only to his African American constituents.
Planning Commission Chairman Miriam Buttross Kuory came before the board asking aldermen to reorganize the city’s 16-member Planning Commission, saying it was to large.
As Kuory made her proposal to the board, Alderman-at-Large William Truly expressed his opinion that the Planning Commission did not represent Canton well because its members were not predominately African American like the city itself.
He went on to say it was his responsibility to speak out about it because African Americans were the voters who put him into office and that he feels they are being left out when it comes to the development of the city.
Kuory disagreed with Truly’s assumption saying she doesn’t “care what color they (the members) are,” as long as they are willing to work with the commission for the betterment of Canton.
“All I want is what’s best for the city and that we see growth in a managed way not in a manic way.” she said.
Kuory says there are too many members as dictated in the ordinance creating the planning commission and that it is hindering the effectiveness of the group.
She proposed that the board amend the ordinance to decrease its size to only nine positions instead of 16, a number she says will be much easier to manage allowing for the commission to hold more effective meetings.
Truly objected to the move saying the board would not be diverse enough and did not represent Canton which he said was more than 82 percent African American.
The alderman addressed the board and Kuory, saying that he felt it was his duty to express the feelings of his constitutes at which time Kuory interrupted saying, “Which is the whole city.”
“No, not the whole city,” Truly responded.
“But you’re the alderman-at-large,” Kuory interjected.
“I know, but the whole city didn’t vote for me, I didn’t get the white vote,” Truly explained.
“But you represent the whole city, I’ve been thinking all along that (as the alderman-at-large) you represent the whole city,” she continued.
“I do, but I’m telling you, the white vote went to Sammy Brown,” Truly said. Brown is black as well.
Kuory then backed away, “Let’s not get into that.”
Truly said, “I don’t want to get into that, the point that I’m trying to make is in this city, you always have situations where people forget that black folks live in this town, and we’re not represented. And I’m trying to sympathize with everybody and hopefully they can remember that in order to plan as we go towards 2020, we need to include African Americans.”
In July of 1998 the Planning Commission was created to “preserve and promote the public health, safety, morals and general welfare of the inhabitants of the city of Canton and the public generally and to encourage and facilitate the orderly growth and expansion of the municipality,” according to the ordinance.
Many other cities, such as Ridgeland and Madison, have similar commissions or boards who basically oversee developments and help the the mayors and boards adopt codes and ordinances by which growth is managed.
In Ridgeland there are eight members on the Planning and Zoning Board. Each of the city’s aldermen and the mayor get to appoint a representative.
In Canton, in the original ordinance the membership of the planning commission is as follows: the public works director, police chief, fire chief, parks and recreation director, CMU general manager, redevelopment director, tourism director, school superintendent, housing authority director, zoning commission chairman, chamber of commerce director, architectural review board chairman, city clerk and two members specially appointed by the Mayor and Board of Aldermen.
Kuory asked the board to cut the number of members to allow for only the public works director, parks and recreation director, CMU general manager, redevelopment director, tourism director, chamber of commerce director, the city clerk and the two board appointees.
After the discussion the board approved the changes as proposed by Kuory, but also removed the city clerk from the list to allow a third appointee to be named by the board.
If the black population isn't being represented, it's because the d*mn fools don't vote. Oh, but G*d forbid they take responsibility for their own apathy. Oh no. We can't do that now can we. "The white man be oppressing us and sh*t. He be holding us down."
Well I ain't buying it. If the town is 82% black and they aren't being "represented", then the only solution is for them to get there ignorant butts out of the bars and crackhouses and vote. If they choose not to do that, then piss on 'em.
The 18%'ers, should move out and let them go down the tubes. Why fight ignorance of this magnitude?
Who says they don't?
Their policies for economic development seem more geared toward benefiting Third World nations than our own inner cities.
I drove past the local immigration welcome-wagon center last night. There was a whole crowd of Africans "fresh off the boat" milling around outside.
Until about 5 years or so ago, there were very few black faces seen around here. Then the UN directed the US to start taking in black Africans. The US obeyed their marching orders. Now, places in America that previously were almost totally white in population now have sizable and growing numbers of black Africans. Diversifying can be interesting, indeed.
The impact of growing numbers of black Africans on American society will not be interesting.
Alright jerk-off remember your words when Ari says: "Well, you know Mr. Bush doesn't feel any particular obligation to black Americans, after all their votes went to algor 95% of the time."
I am so sick of this pretend game we play where blacks and whites have nothing in common and by nature must constantly be at odds.
We all want many of the same things, can't we just focus there? This snake and mongoose garbage is insulting to everyone and it's a monumental waste of time and energy.
(memory leak maybe? eh?)
If you want on (or off) of my black conservative ping list, please let me know via FREEPmail. (And no, you don't have to be black to be on the list!)
Constitutes, constituents, who cares?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.