Part 4: Affirmative Action is no “Action Jackson” at MnDOT
By Donald W.R. Allen,II – Editor in Chief/IBNN and USA Radical Black
Last week at MnDOT and internal email was sent to select employees at MnDOT regarding the recent stories posted on IBNN.
The email read: (Unedited):
From: Prescott, Mary (DOT)
Sent: Wednesday, January 06, 2010 10:47 AM
Re: Part 3 – Who signs off on 0% goals and 0% goals achieved at MnDOT?
FYI for internal use only – this will be discussed at the DBE and Workforce Development Collaborative Group meeting on Friday. Specifically, hopefully, 1) Lennie Chism bringing Donny Allen a newsperson who seemed only there looking for a story and he did not state that this is why he was there; and 2) it was agreed to “no surprises” at the last meeting and this has been the fourth surprise from Mr. Chism; ground roles for media and the hard work going forth with all the project teams.
Note: The email above is just another example of bigotry at MnDOT for the acting civil rights director to single out two Black men, asking questions about a 17 year trend of failure in an attempt to address, solve and recommend a plan of action. This top-of-mind attention is not wanted at MnDOT, hence, 1% in federally funded contracts to minority contractors.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation employee base is a “protected class” of the government workforce. They have the “Cadillac” of benefits that aren’t affected by the current economic status of non-government working-class Minnesotans. Read more
Part 3 – Who signs off on 0% goals and 0% goals achieved at MnDOT? “A message to Minnesota Department of Transportation’s Director Bernie Arseneau, Commissioner Thomas Sorel and MnDOT’s (Acting) Civil Rights Director Mary Prescott
By Donald W.R. Allen, II Editor in Chief-IBNN and USA Radical Black
“Black contractors were award less than 1% of $600 Million on highway heavy projects. The Minnesota Department of Transportation has awarded less than $1 Million in contracts to African-American Contractors of the $600 Million in Federal Transportation Stimulus Contracts.”
Dear Tom, Bernie and Mary:
Do you see the heinous results from the actions by the Minnesota Department of Transportation in regards to the above statement? Read more
Part Two – The Solution? Minnesota Department of Transportation – Executive Order 11246
By Donald W.R. Allen, II – Editor in Chief IBNN and USA Radical Black
“Taxes are collected in a non discriminatory manner. MNDOT discriminates when they only award contracts to White companies.”
From slavery to the civil rights movement “White Privilege” has sought to hide information in an effort to control, obstruct and delay deployment of “processes” put in place by overseers to avoid catastrophic failures, present and future.
One of the “processes” put in place to assist Transportation agencies across the United States in administering their respective DBE programs is Executive Order 11246. Again, MnDOT sidesteps the language of the order. Read more
Part One: Minnesota Department of Transportation’s Good Faith Effort or an invocation of “White Privilege”
“We declare our right on this earth…to be a human being, to be respected as a human being, to be given the rights of a human being in this society, on this earth, in this day, which we intend to bring into existence by any means necessary.” ~Malcolm X
By Donald W.R. Allen, II – Editor in Chief IBNN and USA Radical Black
“To do something the same way over-and-over again with the same results is insanity.”
.Minneapolis/St. Paul (IBNN/January 4, 2009)…For more than 17 years, Minnesota’s Department of Transportation (MnDOT) has become an institution unto itself, excluding, obstructing and replacing Federal Regulations as it pertains to doing business with minority-ethnic contractors in exchange for internal policies producing the same results that send a clear message: “We (MnDOT) don’t know how to fix it.”
On Monday, December 28, 2009 at meeting was held at the Minnesota Department of Transportation headquarters in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
The DBE (Disadvantaged Business Enterprise) meeting was to address (in this group) -MnDOT’s, “Good Faith Efforts and Objectives Measures.” Read more
Gee, Thanks R.T. – While you run for Governor, Civil Rights in Minneapolis Continues to Rot “And you know this man!”
Does this photo mean that Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak is down with the “brothers” or is it an attempt to “suck up” for that Department of Transportation Under Secretary job. Believe me, Obama checked you out utter to ruder – you didn’t make the cut.
Last night at Minneapolis City Hall, a public hearing took place on the fate of the Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights Investigative Unit.
Words are not necessary, the following videos tell the story about a corrupt Mayor, City Council and director of the Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights – oh, by the way, let’s not leave out the “Cunningham Woman.”
Al Flowers – Community Activist
Tanezza Islam – Employee, Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights
Roger Banks – Council on Black Minnesotans
Ken Brown – Former Chairman of the Minneapolis Civil Rights Commission
Instant Blackness with a ticket and a name badge at the General Mills Foundation’s – MLK Breakfast 2010
The closer we get to the beginning of 2010, and the possibility of Corporate America getting closer to “Blackness” in anticipation of Martin Luther King’s birthday and Black History Month, there are important questions that we must ask ourselves. Why has Black America let the commemoration of our history and achievements slip into the hands of White commercialization?
By Donald W.R. Allen, II – Editor in Chief/IBNN
In 1961, my birth certificate said I was born a Negro. In 2009, given the existence of a playing field that is only semi-level—and even that, only for certain blacks- black Americans as a whole are still in the “Realm of Negroism.”
On January 18 2010, General Mills Foundation and the United Negro College Fund will present the 20th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Breakfast.
The Breakfast “is an opportunity to celebrate the legacy of service of Dr. King and create an imperative to live out his legacy today in our homes, our communities and our world,” according to the MLK Breakfast website.
But wait. Next question.
Just what is Dr. King’s legacy? And how can we claim to honor this legacy, with no real engagement with the urgent issues that affect people of color every day?
Dr. King’s legacy cannot be lived and made real today over breakfast and tea, but requires grassroots organizing, protest, and activism. To fully understand this fact, we must look at the history of the Civil Rights Movement.
The Civil Rights Movement was at a peak from 1955-1965. Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, guaranteeing basic civil rights for all Americans, regardless of race, after nearly a decade of nonviolent protests and marches, ranging from the 1955-1956 Montgomery bus boycotts to the student-led sit-ins of the 1960s to the huge March on Washington in 1963.
We must realize that Dr. Martin Luther King’s words and actions were considered radical at the time. They gained popularity because he spoke Truth to the People of the United States. Dr. King said, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
Today, Black America has become mute and non-confrontational. Read more
Minneapolis Police Taser non-combative man in the neck
Minneapolis, MN (November 3, 2009-IBNN)…Again the “cowboys” on the Minneapolis Police Department have gone too far.
Video given to WCCO-TV late Monday night shows a man with his hands on a squad car when an officer uses a Taser on his neck.
Attorney Albert Goins is suing the City of Minneapolis on behalf of his client, Rolando Ruiz. They’re asking for $75,000 and that the officer involved be reprimanded.
The video given to WCCO starts only seconds before the Taser is used on Ruiz, not what led up to the incident. But in that time, no struggle can be seen before the officer used his Taser on Ruiz. What is seen is Ruiz with his hands on the hood of the officer’s car.
The dash camera of the squad car was rolling when the officer approached Ruiz with Taser in hand. See Video by clicking on the photo.
Minneapolis City Council, Mayor and pundits oust Black/Disabled Chairman of Civil Rights Commission
Minneapolis, MN…On Friday, September 18, 2009 – Minneapolis Civil Rights Commission Chairman Ken Brown, a 7-year veteran of the Minneapolis Civil Rights Commission, was unceremoniously ousted.
72 hours before he was to file a complaint alleging heinous violations of misconduct by persons within the Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights (MDCR), the Minneapolis City Council failed to re-appoint him to the commission.
Black Minneapolis City Council persons Don Samuels (Ward 5) and Ralph Remington (Ward 10) offered no explanation and remain mute.
In the complaint, known as a Commissioner’s Charge, Brown cites violations of ordinances, procedures and policies by members of the MDCR and employees of the City of Minneapolis, including specific charges against Minneapolis Police Chief Tim Dolan and City of Minneapolis, Human Resource director Pam French.
Brown, who has been an outspoken critic of the leadership of the MDCR, was appointed to the Commission by the mayor in 2006. His term would have ended on Monday, September 21, 2009 at midnight, making the fact that he was removed just before filing his damaging report all the more conspicuous.
Brown is also the only appointee with an apparent physical disability and a Black male.
During his tenure, Brown repeatedly raised questions about processes and procedures followed by the MDCR and its director Michael Jordan.
Sources say he had hinted to the Minneapolis City Attorney’s office that the complaint he intended to file was forthcoming.
Brown says, “This is an attempt to silence my ongoing inquiry as to why the City of Minneapolis routinely violates civil rights ordinances, thereby denying complainants due protection under the law. The citizens of Minneapolis must be made aware of problems within the MDCR that prevent them from carrying out their charge to serve the people.”
Earlier last month, Brown also sent an email to Minneapolis City Council’s Scott Benson (Ward 11) asking why a Disparity Report had not been commissioned by the city since 1997.
Brown states, “The failure to have on hand an updated Disparity Report, the City of Minneapolis categorically denies minorities from gaining access to jobs and other opportunities, and it’s clear to me that they don’t care.”
Don Allen, editor in chief IBNN (612) 986-0010
IBNN – All Rights Reserved 2009 ©
Hitchhiking for compliance on Minnesota’s roads and highways, who will facilitate a facilitation for the facilitators at MnDOT?
“The Civil Rights Office of MnDOT (Minnesota Department of Transportation) is committed to ensure equal opportunity for all businesses and personnel on The Minnesota Department of Transportation and Public Facilities projects. To hold policies to ensure that no person be excluded from participation, or be denied benefits, based on race, religion, color, gender, age, marital status, ability, or national origin.”
The Law: 49 CFR Part 26.7 states:
a. You must never exclude any person from participation in, deny any person the benefits of, or otherwise discriminate against anyone in connection with the award and performance of any contract covered by this part on the basis of race, color, sex, or national origin.
b. In administering your DBE program, you must not, directly or through contractual or other arrangements, use criteria or methods of administration that have the effect of defeating or substantially impairing accomplishment of the objectives of the program with respect to individuals of a particular race, color, sex, or national origin.
What happened at MnDOT?
H.I. R.E. Minnesota (www.hiremn.org) based in north Minneapolis, one of the state’s largest advocate’s for jobs in the construction and green trades, has battled with the practices of MnDOT’s “lack of inclusion” on road and highway projects in the State of Minnesota.
Louis King co-chair of HIRE Minnesota says, “We’re not asking for any ‘handouts’ – just the opportunity to get trained participants jobs working on Minnesota roads and highways, hence, equal opportunity for all businesses and personnel on The Minnesota Department of Transportation and Public Facilities projects.”
The late Dr. Martin Luther King in his prophetic last speech (1968) said, “All we say to America is be true to what you said on paper.”
On paper as well as the MnDOT website, MnDOT’s inner office agency or the “minority conduit” to assure checks and balances as it pertains to minority-ethnic compliance the Civil Rights Department states the following:
1. To promote fair and equitable public service, advocating non-discriminatory treatment in providing transportation services.
2. To ensure transportation services are provided in a non-discriminatory manner.
3. To ensure equal opportunity in employment, participation, benefits, services, and contracts.
4. To eliminate discrimination.
5. To increase the number of businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals in the highway and bridge construction industry.
These five points heinously say, “Okay, I don’t have to ride in back of the bus and someday MnDOT might have a level playing field.” Read more
Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights Director Michael Jordan, Delayed, Stopped and Re-Buffed with a vote of No Confidence!
On Monday (7/6/09), at Minneapolis City Hall, the Health, Energy and Environment Committee, standing committee of the Minneapolis City Council, met to discuss 6 line items, which included the Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights budget and the report back on the Task Force’s analysis.
While Council members Hofstede, Ostrow and Goodman sat uninterested and bland, Council members Lilligren, Benson, Gordon engaged in healthy dialog about the direction of MDCR Task Force and the proposed analysis that was to be presented today.
With the concerns of many community members and true stakeholders the MDCR director Michael Jordan’s “analysis” was put on hold until July 20, 2009, as if to site a vote of “no confidence” for Jordan. The Civil Rights Commission’s Ken Brown, Acting Chairman told IBNN that the report or analysis was one of Mr. Jordan’s own doing and did not represent the community or “true stakeholders,” “It was fussy, incomplete and lacked qualitative and quantitative information that should be a part of any financial or procedural analysis.”
As IBNN reported in an earlier story, director Jordan’s Civil Rights Task Force was comprised of City of Minneapolis employees, and others Jordan had personally invited to be on the task force, like Community Actions Bill Davis, who we allege is one of the players in the fall of the NAACP. Mr. Davis who had a confrontation with Mayoral candidate Al Flowers last year was on the ground in Sabathani Community Center’s parking lot when calling police to report he’d been struck, the dispatcher asked, “Did a car hit you?” (LOL!)
This Task Force was mandated to seek options, but was merely a “smoke screen” created by the suggestion of Minneapolis City Council person Elizabeth Glidden, who “waffled” when informed that Director Jordan had removed several community members from the first meeting by saying, “The is a private meeting.” Glidden did not come down to the meeting after she personally called IBNN and invited us to the meeting.
Council member Lilligren brought up a great point, “Have we investigated other funding options, like contract compliance in the MARQ2 project? Could we find funding by assigning the MDCR to monitor and develop compliance reports on projects like that?
Jordan remained mute…uninterested and stubborn.
Protesters lined the chambers of Minneapolis City Council meetings with signs protesting the Mayors cutting of the Investigative Unit.
Also on hand was Ward 5 City Council candidate Kenya McKnight, who by the way, tore the City Council a “new one” with her comments on the importance of having the MDCR investigators stay put.
Commentary
When will someone come forward and address the systemic failures in our city government? The Minneapolis City Council has failed to take any corrective action in contract compliance; Investigative discrepancies and inter-office “trusts.”
Michael Jordan has failed the minority-ethnic community of Minneapolis through a “tainted” process of checks and balance that have left the community with no accountability from the Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights, investigative and contract compliance.
The Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights is contracted to do the compliance report for the new baseball stadium…where is it? (Not done!) What about all the contractors not in compliance as it pertains to the MDCR Ordinances? Where are the fines?
If Michael Jordan and his team of Contract Compliance folks had been on top of their game, we estimate a total of over $300,000+ in fines and a few disbarments of contractors that have repeatedly not been in compliance – but out of compliance contractors continue to receive City of Minneapolis Contracts.
Furthermore, where is the Council on Black Minnesotans? (Silent) Who is doing public policy and addressing these disparities in the MDCR; where is the voice of Ward 5 Council member Don Samuels?; the Mayor’s office?; and (surprise) Minneapolis Television Network (MTN), where over 90% of programming minority ethnic but the Board is a who’s whom of the White community.
I see a heinous “process” all over!
Back to the MDCR….”How can we trust the judgment of Michael Jordan?”
Michael Jordan has not come up with any alternative funding steams to assist in keeping the MDCR investigators in place. As I type this story, I can think of several alternative funding streams that will allow the MDCR keep its investigative unit in Minneapolis and not transfer to the State – but again, I do business.
These funding streams would not interfere with any project, budget or City of Minneapolis planned or current engagement – but would provide Minneapolis the opportunity to keep the MDCR Investigators right downtown where they belong.
One thing that has to be gone from the Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights is director Michael Jordan.
The people of Minneapolis deserve a better Civil Right’s director, not R.T.’s “yes man.”
In closing, we should think about moving out Mayor Rybak too!
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