HAAB Minutes 02/08/1995
Minutes
Hispanic Affairs
Advisory Board
Meeting
February 8, 1995
HISPANIC AFFAIRS ADVISORY BOARD
ORDINARY MEETING
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 8, 1995
MINUTES
LOCATION:
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSION ROOM
HOUR:
7:20 PM
ATTENDANCE:
ANNA I. RODRIGUEZ, CHAIRPERSON
DON PRICE,
YOLANDA DUSTIN
PEDRO VAZQUEZ
ANGEL GUTIERREZ
VISITORS:
MELINDA RIDDLE, ATTORNEY
FRANK RODRIGUEZ, COLLIER COUNTY BANKING PARTNERSHIP
AND DIRECTOR LABPA
W. JAY HERING, JOHNSON-PITTMAN FUNERAL HOME
DEBORAH DIAZ THOMAS, .. ..
PAUL E. THOMAS, .. ..
..
..
After determinig a quorum the meeting was called to order at 7:20PM
Since there was no secretary, it was unanimously accepted by the
Board to ask one of the visitors to volunteer time and help take
the minutes of this meeting. It was approved without opposition and
Mr. Frank Rodriguez offered to volunteer time in that capacity for
this meeting.
CHAIR:
Introduced for the consideration of the Board a letter of intent to
join the board from Mr. Neil Morales. After reading the same, and
a brief discussion, the Chair called for a motion and Don Price
moved a motion to favorably recomend Mr. Morales to be appointed to
the HAAB by the County Commission. It was seconded by Ms. Yolanda
Dustin and the Board approved the motion without opposition.
CHAIR:
Reported that the County approved the installation of a telephone
line to be identified as "The Spanish Hot-Line". The number
assigned to such line is: 813-774-8880 and it will have a message
recorder to allow messages to be retrieved and answered. The
purpose of this line is to open lines of communication with the
Spanish community of Collier County and collect data at the same
time.
YOLANDA Dustin indicated
available to the office of
will be only a referral
servicing.
that all infomation would be made
Congressman Porter Goss and that this
service and not a case working or
CHAIR:
Inquire as to what would be the time frame within which this line
will be active before evaluation.
YOLANDA:
Suggested that it is necessary to run this line for not less than
a year, to allow for the seasonal population to go through a
complete cicle.
CHAIR:
Reminded the Board that there will be sometime at the beginning,
when nothing will happen, until the Community learns about this Hot
Line.
It was of general consensus that the Chair and Yolanda will
retrieve messages from the recording until the need granted other
posibilities; and that the effective Date for activating the Hot
line will be set for February 22, 1995 for a period of 12 months.
DON PRICE:
Reminded the board that planning how to carry the message into the
community was necessary. Some means to consider would be without
limitation; flyers and press releases. Outreach could be done
through Latin Markets, Yo-Tech adult education, Churches, and in
the areas of Immokalee, Everglades City, Bonita Springs, Packing
Houses etc.... It was suggested the design of a form to gather
information when contacting callers.
Some open discussion took place around the subject of what greeting
message to use in the recording but it was unanimously agreed to
let the CHAIR create the message and do the recording.
DON PRICE:
Brought up the subject of how much the HAAB should get involved in
the Spanish Community and suggested some ways to better interact
with different sectors in Collier County.
1) Set a Schedule of Town Meetings
2) HAAB to get data from Collier County to bring into the community
3) Show the Commmunity that HAAB is getting things done
4) HAAB should generate quarterly reports of doings
There was agreement with this ideas but no official decision was
voted to take any formal action.
CHAIR:
Explained that due to sickness of Board members, and holidays late
in 1994, the minutes of 8/17/94 and 10/19/94 had not been
approved yet. Don Price moved a motion to approve both minutes. It
was seconded by Angel Gutierrez and approved unanimously by the
Board.
GUESTS:
Mr. Jay Hering; (Johnson pittman Fune\ral Home),
reported that their Funeral home has a Bilingual Spanish Funeral
director and the start of a program identified as "Grieve Relieve"
for the Spanish Community. They would like to bring this
information into the community at large and specially into the
Spanish Community. They indicated that Spanish customers are going
to Miami for funeral services because of not knowing anbout the
Spanish director and cultural sensitivity in place with them.
Mr. Frank Rodriguez; (Collier County Banking Partnership),
reported that the CCBP is in the process of creating a Community
Advisory Board, formed by representatives of all minority civic
groups, and all government agencies dealing with minority issues.
He asked for the HAAB to designate one of it's members to represent
them on such Board. Mr. Angel Gutierrez volunteer for the
designation. Don Price moved a motion to appoint Mr. Gutierrez as
the designee of the HAAB to the CCBP advisory Board. It was
secondeed by Yolanda Dustin and approved unanimously. Mr Rodriguez
will contact Mr. Gutierrez direct.
CHAIR:
Made comments about an article that appeared on the Naples Daily
News issue of February 1995; regarding statements made by two
County Comissioners about the possible merge of the Black Affairs
Adfvisory Board with the Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board and then
the subject was opened for discussion.
Don Price and the CHAIR, expressed their opposition to the merge.
Mr. Gutierrez indicated that he had learned from ex-members of this
Board, that in the past, the County Commission after creating the
Boards to receive advise, had not being receptive to their
suggestions. He added that the Board should be reinforced to be
effective; and that if it was not going to be heard, then why have
it ?
CHAIR:
The commissioners are incorrect when they say that the Boards were
formed at the request of the Community; while they were created at
the initiative of the then Commissioner Burt Saunders.
GUEST:
Frank Rodriguez indicated that the LABPA approved to send a letter
of support for the HAAB.
Mr. Gutierrez argued about responding to the Newspaper article by
highlighting the positive things of the HAAB during it's existence.
Ms. Melinda Riddle indicated that during the time she was a Board
Member, there was an intent from the County Commission to merge
both boards. Last time the Board protested the intent of the
Commission and that was the end of it.
It was highlighted the fact that there are different basic issues
and problems unique to each minority community, and each must
address their problems in their own particular way.
YOLANDA suggested to wait for an official communication from the
Commission and then call an emergency meeting to respond.
Frank Rodriguez suggested that the Board send a letter requesting
a clarification of the whole issue from the County Commission.
Don Price moved a motion for the CHAIR to send a letter to the
County Commission, requesting a clarification regarding the article
on the Naples Daily News. Angel seconded and it was approved
unanimously.
The meeting adjourned at 8:45 PM.
This minutes were taken and prepared by Mr. Frank Rodriguez as a
courtesy to the Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board.
Signed by;
=t~a~