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HAAB Minutes 01/31/1996 Minutes Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board Meeting January 31, 1996 HISPANIC AFFAIRS ADVISORY BOARD MINUTES OF MEETING January 31, 1996 BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S MEETING ROOM 3RD FLOOR, ADMINISTRATION BUILDING COLLIER COUNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER NAPLES, FLORIDA PRESENT: Frank Rodriguez, HAAB Chairman Neil Morales, HAAB Vice-Chairman David Correa, HAAB Member Frank Loney, HAAB Member Pedro Vazquez, HAAB Member Eva Delashmet, HAAB Member The meeting of the Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board convened at approximately 7:07 PM. A quorum of six members were present and there were two visitors: Victor Valdez and Christina Salacar. Ramiro Manalich, Chief Assistant County Attorney and BCC liaison to HAAB, was not present, so Neil Morales volunteered to take the Minutes. The Minutes of the November 9, 1995 meeting were motioned for approval by David Correa, seconded by Pedro Vazquez, and were passed unanimously. F rank Rodriguez briefly explained why Ramiro Manalich could not attend the meeting. Frank Rodriguez introduced Eva Delashmet to the Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board. Eva Delashmet then proceeded to introduce herself. Frank Rodriguez explained to Eva Delashmet what our role as the Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board is, the history of the board, its dealings with the Human Rights Commission, and he stressed the parameters that the ordinance, which established the Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board, set on us. F rank Rodriguez led the discussion on our ability to obtain letterheads for our Hispanic Network Program. He began by reminding and infonning the board members that even though the board members were not permitted to carry business cards with the name of the Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board printed on them, the method of using letterheads to reach the community would provide itself to be a useful alternative. He then proceeded by stating that the information he received on obtaining letterheads was given to him by Ramiro Manalich. Frank Rodriguez stated that in order to obtain letterheads for the Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board, we, the Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board, need to prepare an "executive summary" detailing our estimates of expenditure. The "executive summary" would then be given to the budget office which in turn would provide us with a "source for funds." Furthermore, we, the Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board, would need to provide an "explanation" on how we would perform our duties with such funds. Frank Rodriguez then made an oral note that he would like to see Ramiro Manalich's office handle the fmal documentation of both the "executive summary" and the "explanation" before it is presented to the budget office. David Correa stated that he did not believe Ramiro Manalich's office has a clerk to handle Frank Rodriguez's suggestion. Frank Rodriguez suggested that Ramiro Manalich should handle the final writing instead. Neil Morales firmly stated that it is urgent for the Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board to accomplish as much work as reasonably possible in each monthly meeting, since the board only meets 12 times in a single year. Neil Morales further urged that the board should begin the drafting of the "executive summary" and the "explanation" inunediately, since the board has only to estimate the number of letterheads it needs. Frank Rodriguez stated that he will create the first draft, then distribute it to each of the individual board members. The members would then make their corrections, then deliver their corrections to Ramiro Manalich's office. Furthermore, Frank Rodriguez stated that he was going to meet with each of the county commissioners seperately to discuss this matter in person. David Correa suggested that Frank Rodriguez should take another member along with him-- presumably the Vice-Chairman Neil Morales of the Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board. Frank Rodriguez strongly disagreed stating that it would violate the Sunshine Law, because he would be speaking about present HAAB business in each of these individual meetings. Frank Loney brought up the question on the prohibition of members carrying business cards that identified them as Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board members. Frank Rodriguez reiterated what he said earlier concerning the prohibition of carrying such cards. Frank Loney firmly protested against not having any form of identification as a board member. He stated that the public would want to see some identification to be sure we are who we say we are, and that lack of identification weakens our credibility in the public's eye. Unwarranted discussion took place and the meeting was diverted for a few brief moments. Neil Morales made a motion for the Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board to immediately "take action" and draft a proposal for the letterhead expenditures. The motion was amended by Frank Rodriguez to allow him to be the author of the original proposal and to distribute the original proposal to each' of the members for their input and corrections. Then their corrections, if any, were to be sent to the office of Ramiro Manalich for final documentation. Pedro Vazquez seconded the amended motion. The motion was passed 5 in favor and I abstaination by Frank Loney. The question of having more members join the Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board was brought up by Pedro Vazquez. Frank Rodriguez stated that he had one person in mind: AJisa Chavez. David Correa asked if it was the same AJisa Chavez who help take part in the tomato farmers strike in lmmokalee just recently. Frank Rodriguez stated that it is her. Unwarranted discussion took place and meeting was diverted for few brief moments. The question of the ordinance was brought to light again. Frank Loney protested on the tight knit parameters of the HAAB ordinance. He further stated that the ordinance's tight parameters are keeping us from doing more for the hispanic community, because it did not give any "real authority" to the board. He then stated that he would like to see the by-laws. More unwarranted discussion took place and meeting was diverted for few brief moments. Meeting was then brought back on course and Frank Rodriguez went down the agenda. Frank Rodriguez asked where should we hold our next meeting, and he submitted Golden Gate as our first location. Neil Morales suggested that we should hold our next meeting in the present location and invite everyone who has a concern, a question, or an outright problem, that deals with the hispanic community in Collier County, to voice their concern at the next meeting. He further stated that this would allow the Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board to get a "feel" for some of the issues before we venture off into the community. He also stated that it would allow us to do a test run before we face the community. F rank Rodriguez opposed the suggestion stating that we have been in this location for the longest time and little has been accomplished. Neil Morales stated that as long as he has been a member of this board he cannot remember a time that the board has tried this idea He further stated that we should look at the great accomplishment that the board had when it helped sponsor the "Cuban-Amencan Platform." He stated that it drew at least sixty people, and that if those sixty people were asked to voice their concerns, we would have had some substance to be dealing with right at this time. Unwarranted discussion took place and meeting was diverted for few brief moments. Victor Valdez who was a member of the audience was given permission to voice his concern to the Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board. He first began by introducing himself and stating his role within the community. He stated that being a "speaker for equal rights" has landed him in trouble with the Sheriffs Office. He elaborated that men from the Sheriffs Office, under the elected-term of Sheriff Don Hunter, brutally "beat" him and threatened a family member. He also stated that he is the Chief Editor of "Las Naciones" newspaper, and that he has been battling the Sheriffs Office with his paper for some time. He further stated that he has brought a lot of these cases to the attention of the Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board in the past few years and that the board was told by the commissioners not to handle this type of issue. He also stated that the commissioners further told meeting five-years ago with a large number of people in the audience. He stated that because of the ordinance's strict parameters, the board members were not able to accomplish anything. He further stated that because the lack of authority that the board carried, the board was discredited in front of all those present that day. Victor Valdez stated that major issues such as police brutality, discrimination, etc..were "shot down" by the county commissioners. He stated that the Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board will end up in the same predicament if it does not take measures to strengthen its authority within the ordinance. Pedro Vazquez stated that he lived here roughly 4 years, and not once in those 4 years did he ever hear about all of Mr. Victor Valdez's cases. Victor Valdez cited an example of a cuban-american male who was fired because of discrimination. He stated that this case was brought to the attention of the HAAB. He also stated that when the HAAB brought this case to the attention of the county commissioners, the commissioners said that the HAAB cannot make a "suggestion" dealing with this case but individuals of the board can as private citizens. Frank Rodriguez stated that the Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board is aware of the weaknesses of the ordinance and cannot change it. He further stated that as long as the ordinance stays as it is, we can do nothing about it. He stated that we cannot force this issue because the commissioners do not want to be told what to do. Victor Valdez also spoke on the change in his paper: Las Naciones. He stated the Sheriffs Office has pulled some kind of legal trick on his paper that dealt with him advertising for company's while being a nonprofit newspaper. He stated what the new name of his paper is and passed a sheet of paper that contained the new name of his paper: Under The First Amendment (Bajo La Primera Enmienda). Frank Loney asked Mr. Victor Valdez for dates of the cases that are public record. Victor Valdez stated that he does not have them with him now, but he will give it to him later. Frank Rodriguez reiterated to have the next meeting in Golden Gate and then the second meeting in Immokalee. David Correa wanted to know if we get reimbursed for the trip. Frank Rodriguez stated that this is all volunteer. David Correa stated concern about planning the second trip so suddenly without first seeing how Golden Gate would turnout. He stated that we should go "easy at first" Frank Rodriguez and Eva Delashmet both stated that Golden Gate and lmmokalee are two totally different areas and to base the response that we will get from the citizens of Golden Gate to the amount we would get in lmmokalee is irrelevant. Everyone was in accordance with Frank Rodriguez's plan to go to Golden Gate first, then to lmmokalee. Frank Rodriguez set the following dates: February 29, 1996 - next meeting in Golden Gate, March 28, 1996 - second meeting in Immokalee, April 25, 1996 - third meeting back to present location to organize collected information. Frank Rodriguez moved on to explain the letter of the Black Affairs Advisory Board. He stated that he spoke to Mr. Henry Tribble, the Chairman of the BAAB, and all that Mr. Tribble wanted was just to inform us on what was taking place with the BAAB and that no action was to take place. Frank Rodriguez then asked for an open forum around 8:57 PM. David Correa asked Frank if he was going to handle the writing of the "executive summary" and "explanation" proposals and the meeting with the conunissioners. Frank Rodriguez reiterated what he stated earlier. Neil Morales stated that if the HAAB wants more turnout at the meetings, we should do some more advertising and speak out in locations that have a large number of people there in order to inform them about our meetings. He stated that one good place to start would be in the churches. F rank Rodriguez agreed with Neil Morales and stated that the advertising for our community outreach meetings will be done by Ramiro Manalich's office. Frank Rodriguez stated that he would volunteer to send a press release to Mr. Ramiro Manalich's office in order for Mr. Manalich to review and revise the release for the purposes of publication in the Naples Daily News. This publication would alert the community of Naples, and its surrounding areas, that we will be holding a meeting in the Golden Gate Community Center off of Golden Gate Parkway. The press release is to further give notice that the meeting's location was purposely picked with the intention of attracting those in the Golden Gate area who wish to voice their concerns about the hispanic community. He also stated that a group we should speak to or invite to our next meeting should be the Golden Gate Chamber of Commerce. No one brought any more motions or emotions further, and the group adjourned for the evening at 9:00 PM.