Incoming City Council President Bill Bishop, in response to concerns from black Council members over standing committee assignments, said he will divide the Recreation, Community Development and Public Health and Safety Committee into two committees and will name Council member Kimberly Daniels 2012-13 chair of the Public Health and Safety Committee.
Four members resigned from their committee appointments Wednesday after asking Bishop to add another black Council member to the influential Rules and Finance committees and to appoint a black Council member to chair one of the standing committees.
Reggie Brown, Kimberly Daniels, Warren Jones and Denise Lee resigned from their appointments Wednesday to the five standing committees.
Johnny Gaffney, who was appointed as vice chair of the Recreation, Community Development, Public Health and Safety Committee and also as member of the Finance Committee, did not resign.
“My plan is to have something worked out, or at least an idea put forth on some things to do in the next few days,” said Bishop, who is scheduled to be installed tonight as Council president at a City Hall ceremony.
“There were some points made that I am considering. There were a number of options and suggestions made that make some sense,” he said.
“There were concerns expressed over committee selections, which everyone has a right to comment on that. There were some suggestions made that I am taking to heart and I will make adjustments accordingly, and I believe we will come out with an improved slate of committees and participation for the coming year,” said Bishop.
During a Tuesday meeting attended by the five black Council members and by member Don Redman, the group supported changing the assignments for Council standing committees to include one black Council member as chair and to include two black Council members on the Finance and Rules committees.
Bishop had appointed one black Council member to each –– Jones to rules and Gaffney to finance.
Lee asked Bishop on Tuesday if he was prepared to make the changes and he replied that he didn’t have an answer and would need some time to consider the concerns and make a decision.
Unwilling to accept the delay, Brown, Daniels, Jones and Lee said they would not serve on any committees, although they would attend meetings.
The group wanted an answer before Bishop was installed as president.
Gaffney said he would give Bishop the time he requested to make a decision.
“I look at it as everybody offering constructive advice. I’m not trying to appease anybody. That’s not the point. The point is to take constructive advice and suggestions, wherever they come from so that we end with a better end product,” said Bishop.
During the Tuesday meeting, Brown talked about the leadership roles of former Council member Art Graham, who served from 2003-09, resigning during his second term to run for the Florida Senate. Graham served as floor leader for the Council for the 2006-07 and 2007-08 terms.
Graham told the Daily Record on Wednesday that he supported the Council president being able to assemble his or her own team.
“You want people in leadership positions that are going to help you move your agenda, whatever that is, forward. It doesn’t have to be a Republican or Democrat thing or white or black thing. It’s just whatever you want to get done in your year, and a year is a short time,” said Graham, who serves on the Florida Public Service Commission.
“You want to make sure you have the team onboard to make sure you can do it,” he said.
This morning, Bishop said his office will issue a memo today to the effect that the Recreation, Community Development, Public Health and Safety Committee will be divided into two committees.
“I’m putting it back into its component parts,” Bishop said.
He said he has named Kimberly Daniels chair and Don Redman vice chair of the Public Health and Safety Committee. Doyle Carter will remain chair and Johnny Gaffney, vice chair, of the Recreation and Community Development Committee.
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