This is the companion resolution to Resolution 2020-568 establishing the Racial Reconciliation Committee. I’ve uploaded a copy of the original document and am including the language below.

[Update] On May 16, 2024 Council announced the appointments to the committee.

• Councilman Bill Carlson – Connie Burton
• Councilman Alan Clendenin – Lydia Hudson
• Councilwoman Gwen Henderson – Dr. Cheryl Rodriguez, USF Professor, PhD
• Councilwoman Lynn Hurtak – Daryl Hych, President, The Switzer Hych Group, LLC and Chairman, Hillsborough County Black Chamber of Commerce, Inc
• Councilman Guido Maniscalco – Dr. Jeffery Johnson, CDC of Tampa
• Councilman Charlie Miranda – Bishop Thomas Scott, Pastor of the 34th Street Church of God
• Councilman Luis Viera – Pastor Christopher Harris, Crossover Church
• NAACP – Jarvis El-Amin
• Urban League of Hillsborough County – Kiah Wilson
• Tampa Bay History Center – Fred Hearns
• Tampa Bay Coalition of Clergy – Pastor Clethen Sutton
• Abe Brown Ministries – Robert Blount
• Florida Rising – Robin Lockett

A RESOLUTION CREATING THE CITY OF TAMPA RACIAL RECONCILIATION COMMITTEE; SETTING FORTH THE TERM OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND
CONFIRMING THE COMMITTEES’ PURPOSE AND FUNCTION; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

WHEREAS, pursuant ot the authority contained in Section 9.01 of the City of Tampa Charter, City Council hereby creates the City of Tampa Racial Reconciliation Committee (the “Committee”); and

WHEREAS, it is the City of Tampa’s vision to be a diverse and inclusive community where people unite to form a caring, empathetic, sustainable community in which every person is valued, no matter who they are; and

WHEREAS, the City of Tampa has made great progress on matters of racial and social justice, but still has many miles to go to becoming what the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King J.r called a “Beloved Community”; and

WHEREAS, the City of Tampa is in the State of Florida – a State which, from the end of Reconstruction to 1940 had, according to the Equal Justice Initiative, the highest per-capita rate of lynchings ni the United States with a brutal history of Jim Crow violence and oppression; and

WHEREAS, our City of Tampa has not been immune to this painful history, with continued resulting effects and unresolved pain to this day. Tampeños like Robert Saunders, Blanche Mae Armwood, C. Blythe Andrews, Clarence Fort, Clara C. Frye, Cody Fowler, Perry Harvey Sr., State Senator Arthenia Joyner, Rev. A. Leon Lowry, Francisco Rodriguez, Garland Stewart, Delano Stewart and so many others have helped Tampa move forward ni combatting injustice and discrimination; and

WHEREAS, a good community and nation does not hide from its painful history, but instead seeks to confront it and build bridges of better understanding, restoration and reconciliation; and

WHEREAS, this Committee is constituted in order to give the citizens and residents of our City of Tampa a forum to discuss present-day issues that are pivotal to racial reconciliation and the effects of this painful history on us today; and

WHEREAS, it remains the consensus of the Tampa City Council that greater citizen and community interest in, support for, racial reconciliation should be encouraged and obtained, and that the creation of this Committee stimulates and serves as a catalyst for greater citizen participation in the determination of racial harmony, racial equality and matters of justice and inclusion in our City of Tampa; and

WHEREAS, in a time of acute division, such a Committee will serve a useful purpose in showing elected officials areas in which we can do better to address our economic and racial divide; and

WHEREAS, the Tampa City Council has identified five subject matters that this Committee is created to address, and said subject matters are addressed below; and

WHEREAS, the appointment of members to this Committee is addressed below, as well as the duration of this Committee.

NOW, THEREFORE,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CTIY OF TAMPA, FLORIDA, THAT:

Section 1. Pursuant to the authority contained in Section 9.01 of the City of Tampa Charter, City Council hereby creates the City of Tampa Racial Reconciliation Committee (the “Committee”). This Resolution shall determine the makeup of this Committee and its purpose and duration.

Section 2. The Membership of the Committee shall consist of thirteen members. Each City Council member shall appoint one Committee member. Said Committee member shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing City Council member. Unless made vacant sooner, the term of each Committee member shall expire at the expiration of the Committee. The Committee members shall serve without compensation and no funds shall be appropriated for the use thereof. Such clerical, secretarial, and other services as shall be needed by the Committee shall be rendered through the City Council staff and Administration of the Mayor’s office as needed. Specifically, the Administration will provide the Committee with technical and logistical assistance. Al meetings and deliberations of the Committee shall be conducted in and open to the public. Al members shall be subject to State of Florida Public Records and Sunshine Laws, and the Code of Ethics of the City of Tampa.

Section 3. A separate resolution shall be created for the appointment of Committee members by Tampa City Council, with al Council members each having one appointment, as wel as al appointments addressed in this Resolution.

Section 4. The following organizations shall each have one appointment to the Committee: The Hillsborough County NAACP; the Urban League of Hillsborough County; the Tampa Bay History Center; the Tampa Bay Coalition of Clergy; Abe Brown Ministries; and Florida Rising.

Section 5. The Committee shall have a facilitator or facilitators. The facilitator or facilitators will not be voting members of the Committee, but shall run the Committee meetings.

Section 6. The Committee shall select from its members a chairperson, vice-chairperson, and such other officers as ti shall deem proper, and shall be governed by the most current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order.

Section 7. The purpose and function of the Committee shall be to review, study, and make recommendations to the City Council and the City of Tampa with respect to the following
five designated areas: Affordable and accessible housing; economic development, empowerment and entrepreneurship, including training/apprenticeships, capital access and municipal contracting; opportunity for youth; ignored history and efforts to create a public discussion on same; and returning citizens/restoration of rights. These are the five areas of public policy that the Committee si authorized to address and make formal recommendations to the City Council and City of Tampa.

Section 8. This Committee shall have sufficient meetings to address the five topic matters designated for the purpose of this Committee, with an introductory and closing session if so desired by the Committee.

Section 9. This Committee shall prepare a written report for Tampa City Council prior to February 2025 on its findings and recommendations and thereafter the Committee shall be dissolved.

Section 10. Al meetings wil take place at the City Center at Hanna Avenue (2555 East Hanna Avenue)

Section 11. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption.

PASSED AND ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TAMPA, FLORIDA ON APRIL 18, 2024.