HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/17/2016
Town Hall, 53095 Main Road
P.O. Box 1179
Southold, New York 11971
ANTI-BIAS TASK FORCE
COMMITTEE MEETING
OCTOBER 17, 2016
The meeting was called to order at 10:15 am by Co-chairpersons, Sonia Spar and Valerie Shelby.
Members present were Susan Dingle, Loretta Hatzel-Geraci, La’Roy Heyliger, Jean LePre’, Carolyn
Peabody, Linda Ruland, Valerie Shelby, Sonia Spar. William Ruland, Liaison from Town Board was
also present.
Absent members were Marjorie Day, Louise Hug, Eleanor Lingo, Christopher North, Nydia Portillo,
Debra Riva and Cynthia Smith. Denis Noncarrow, Liaison from Supervisor’s Office and Chief Flatley,
Representative from Southold Town Police Dept. were also absent.
Guests present included Margaret deCruz, Caren Heacock and Sabri Barut.
1) Motion to approve the minutes with minor typographical corrections was made by La’Roy Heyliger
and seconded by Sonia Spar. Motion was carried.
2) The chair asked the guests to share their concerns with the committee. Karen Heacock shared
how distressed she was with the political rhetoric. She commented that people lash out because of
fear and frustration. She is concerned and wondering how she can help the ABTF committee to
further peace and help create a bias-free community. She shared what the Mattituck Presbyterian
Church has tried to do, but without a pastor at the moment, all momentum has stalled. Karen’s friend,
Sabri Barut, shared how embarrassed he feels of “who I am because of the way I am.” He worried
that children are living in negativity in the schools. He is distressed over what he hears on the
television when he feels he lives in the most “peaceful country in the world”. He wants to be a
resource person to possibly speak to small groups of people and to be another voice to help ABTF to
get its message out into the community.
3) Discussion followed and the idea of a “Vigil for Respect and Civility” came up. The date is set for
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November 6, 2016 at the Silversmith Corner in Southold. It will begin at 3:30 pm. Committee
members divided into sub-groups: Linda and Sonja will work on the ad and fliers. Susan and Carolyn
will draft a letter to the editor of The Suffolk times and a letter to local clergy. Bill will contact the town
for permission to have the vigil. Loretta will look into candles. Karen Heacock will get her the candle
information. The program will consist of spoken words, music (Song - Imagine) speeches and poetry.
There will be a meeting to further go over the plans for the vigil at CAST’s office on Monday, October
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24, at 10 am.
4) Other ideas that came up were a Cultural Awareness Parade including all of the villages marching
simultaneously, one Cultural Awareness Parade in the town of Southold and a cultural fair.
5) Helen Prince Award- The committee felt it was an “awesome” event and thanked La’Roy for all his
work. Sonia is taking the comments that were written that night and putting it into a book for Merle.
The date was set for next year’s Helen Prince Award Event – October 5, 2017.
6) It was suggested that the ABTF committee should begin to create a documented history of the
ABTF from its inception.
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7) Synergy is set for November 3 at 6 pm at the Parish Hall of the St. Agnes Church in Greenport. A
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meeting will be held at the St. Agnes Church on Wednesday, October 19 to discuss the plans for
Synergy.
8) The Civil Service Seminar was successful. It was suggested that it be repeated, possibly in the
local schools. We will follow-up with this.
9) Val will take care of getting Certificates of Appreciation to all of the vendors at the ABTF Picnic.
10) Susan made a motion and Carolyn seconded it to set aside time at next month’s meeting to talk
about the date for next year’s picnic.
Motion was made by Susan and seconded by Carolyn to adjourn the meeting. The motion was
carried. The meeting was adjourned at 11:35 am.
Respectfully submitted,
Linda Ruland