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164 <br /> <br /> On motion by Mr. Barnes, Mr. Lawrence Burruss was <br />unanimously reappointed to a three-year term as the <br />School Board representative on the Community Development <br />Block Grant Task Force. This term will expire on June <br />30, 1988. <br /> <br />STAFF REPORT: RACE RELATIONS AND EMPLOYMENT <br /> <br /> Mr. Hendrix summarized the report which had been <br />prepared by staff in response to the Social Development <br />Commission's Race Relations and Employment Report. <br /> <br /> Ms. Jo Tyler, Social Development Commission member, <br />stated that she was particUlarly interested in the <br />Minority Business Enterprise Program and hoped that the <br />City would consider the recommendations regarding this <br />with some weight and she emphasized that she would like <br />to see the City be a model employer by creating a positive <br />atmosphere for minority employment and promotion. <br /> <br /> Mr. David Toscano, Social Development Commission <br />member, stated that he felt the staff's response was <br />constructive and made the following comments: l) he <br />would prefer to use the term "comparable" rather than "equal" <br />in reference to Affirmative Action, 2) questioned whether <br />the affirmative action statement would be written into <br />performance contracts for department head~, questioned <br />when it would be known if funds would be available <br />for the Skill~Bank and Career Development Program, 4) noted <br />some concern that the discussions by the Industrial <br />Development Authority were not adequately reflected in the <br />resolution adopted by them, and 5) recommended that the EEO <br />statements be submitted on a different form which could be <br />more easily understood and could be used as a monitoring <br />factor. <br /> <br /> Ms. Grace Tinsley stated that while she was comfortable <br />with the present Council's efforts toward minority <br />involvement on boards and commissions, she would recommend <br />that Council consider making a policy change to ensure some <br />minority representation, especially on those boards that <br />affect blacks and minorities. Ms. Tinslev also stated <br />that she felt some department heads are not as responsive <br />to recruiting and employing minorities as others are and <br />recommended that the City Manager have some guidelines in <br />order to reprimand those department heads. <br /> <br /> Mr. James King of Lewis Mountain Road stated that he <br />felt the language in the affirmative action statement was <br />a positive change. Mr. King stated that he found no follow- <br />up on the City using its resources to affect the public <br />consciousness, especially with the volunteer s~ctor and <br />added that he felt there was a need for further recommenda- <br />tions of the relation of the City to the University beyond <br />day care. Mr. King stated that while there might not be <br />a direct tie with some of the University programs, they. may <br />have an indirect affect. <br /> <br /> Ms. Priscilla Whiting, President of the local NAACP, <br />requested that no final action~be take~ on the report <br />before NAACP members have been given an opportunity to <br />read and discuss it and asked what procedure would be <br />used to implement the recommendations. Ms. Whiting stated <br />that she felt the City should live up to its own standards <br />for minority employment and added that she felt the atmosphere <br />in the work place after employment must be considered. <br /> <br /> Mr. Buck noted that some of the recommendations had <br />already been implemented and procedures for implementation <br />of Others would be discu§sed after everyone had had an <br />opportunity to react to the report. <br /> <br /> Dr. William Harris stated that he felt it was a <br />dangerous process to say that it is difficult to attract <br /> <br /> <br />