09/25/1967 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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45~ e 9/25/67 I The City Manager said a private firm has asked the City if it would consider putting its parking lots under the firm's management, and such a proposal w~ll be presented for ihe Council's consideration. He said if something along this line is worked out, it would permit parking validation on city lots. However, the problem of property taxes if City lots are leased to a private firm would have to be clarified before any agreement. Mr. Anderson moved seconded by Mrs. Lauris to approve Item 20f the report. Motion carried. 1 3. CORE - The Congress of Racial Equality requested a meeting between the CORE executive committee and leadership of the City. The list of items which CORE representatives wished to discuss were: 1. The question of political representation by the black community in the decision- making process of the city of Eugene; black political representation must become a reality. 2. Jobs must be created or expanded to include black people in city work and private sectors of Lane County using the "New Careers" program as a guide. e 3. We need low cost housing on an open occupancy basis and open housing laws that would offer punitive damages to black people being discriminated against in the Eugene area. 4. We demand that the city of Eugene initiate and implement immediately anti-discrimina- tion laws in housing, use of public facilities, employment, education, unions, social I organizat ions, religious institutions, and in any areas where complaints of discrimina- tion have been voiced, and with punitive damages for those individuals and groups which discriminate against black people. 5. We know that the disorderly conduct laws are unjust, unfair, hypocritical, and arbitrary. We demand that laws against disorderly conduct be made less general and more specific in their wording, in hopes that their application will thereby become less arbitrary. 6. We know that the educational facilities have failed the majority of the black people of the Eugene area. We find Eugene Public Schools and their curriculum to be racist and unemployment pra~tices for black people to be deplorable and intolerable in all areas of school life, We demand that black people be employed in all areas of em- ployment in the Eugene Public Schools and in Lane Community College, and that a curriculum be developed for black and white children in the Eugene School System that includes a comprehensive history of Black America, and its role in creating and building this country. Clyde DeBerry, director of Eugene CORE, asked that members of the press be excluded from the meeting. He was told all Council meetings are public and the press oou1d not be excluded. Mr. DeBerrymade it clear that he and other representativ,es of CORE present considered the items listed as "demands" rather than for discussion per se. He said if they are I turned down or neglected, then they feel they can use any means necessary to get them fulfilled. With regard to Item 1, political representation, Mrs. Lauris said the, way to gain representation on the City Council is to run for office at the proper time and be elected. Mr. DeBerry said since National legislation is in process now to allow contribution of public funds for campaign expenses, the Council should consider allowing an amount suf- ficient to permit poor people to run for office. e With regard to Item 6, educational facilities, Dr. Purdy explained that the City Council has no legal jurisdiction over the administration of school districts; anything of this nature would have to be discussed with the school boards of the various districts. Mr. DeBerry said he felt that directly or indirectly the Council is responsible for the "kids" in the public schools. He said "black kids" suffer frolJl lack of ~u1tiracia1 textbooks in the school system. The City Attorney advised the Council has no legal right to tell the school boards what is or is not to be done in the school systems, but if the Council members desire to sug- gest more generous distribution of textbooks which create a better image for black people, then they could, by resolution, so suggest to the school boards. Mrs. Lauris moved seconded by Mrs. Hayward to adopt a resolution endorsing the practice of introducing multiracial textbooks into the school curriculum. I Councilman Anderson said he feels the Council is not well enough aware of the current textbook sitUation in the school districts to make a decision, so would prefer to make inquiry before any endorsement. Councilman Lassen asked if there are any statistics available with regard to the number of people from minority groups employed in Eugene. Mr. DeBerry rejected the term "minority groups", saying it was "black people" he was talking of, and said in the last two years eight black people with master's degrees or better were sent to the school system and ill t one was hired. e Mr. Anderson moved seconded by Dr. Purdy to table the resolution. Motion carried by voice vote, Mrs. Lauris and Mrs. Hayward voting no. Mr. DeBerry asked a show of hands. Counc il- II woman called for a divisioo of the house. ll~ 9/25/67 - 10