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<br />November 22. 2011 <br /> <br />Next Steps Following Council Action: <br />. Management team will develop a strategic plan for implementing the resolution. <br />. The strategic plan will be reported to City Council, and then implemented after <br />Council approval. <br /> <br />1. Mark Geduldig-Yatrofsky, 2713 Sterling Point Drive, voiced his support for this <br />item. <br /> <br />2. Pat Simons, 801 Mimosa Road, voiced her opposition to this item. <br /> <br />3. Delores Knight, 33 Kennedy Drive, voiced her opposition to this item. <br /> <br />4. Paul Smith, 4039 Long Point Road, voiced his opposition to this item. <br />5. Rodney Jordan, 512 W. 35th Street, Norfolk, voiced his support for this item. <br /> <br />6. Garland Alexander, 3400 Nelson Street, voiced his opposition to this item. <br /> <br />7. William Connolly, 475 Water Street, voiced his opposition to this item. <br /> <br />8. James Mayo, 4424 Seagrove Road, voiced his opposition to this item. <br /> <br />Motion by Ms. Randall, and seconded by Mr. Whitehurst, to adopt the following <br />resolution, and was adopted by the following vote: <br /> <br />"RESOLUTION CALLING FOR NON-DISCRIMINATORY EFFORTS TO INCREASE <br />AFRICAN-AMERICAN PARTICIPATION IN THE ECONOMIC LIFE OF THE CITY. <br /> <br />WHEREAS, African-American Portsmouth citizens do not participate <br />proportionally in the economy of the city and do not enjoy the benefits of full <br />participation; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, this lack of full economic participation contributes to numerous <br />social problems in the city in such areas as quality of life, education, crime, family <br />structure, and under-development of human potential; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, many complex social and historical factors contribute to this lack of <br />full economic participation, and it cannot be attributed to any single cause; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, it is in the public interest of all Portsmouth citizens to increase the <br />participation of African-American Portsmouth citizens in the economy (hereafter, simply <br />"Increased Participation"), in that doing so will increase the quality of life for all <br />Portsmouth citizens; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, it is therefore incumbent on the City of Portsmouth to strive toward <br />Increased Participation in such ways as may be legal and appropriate for local <br />government; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, even though there is no evidence of present or recent race-based <br />discrimination by the City in the award of contracts to purchase goods and services <br />("city contracting"), one way in which city government can help the community as a <br />whole is through seeking Increased Participation in city contracting; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, the primary goal of city contracting is obtaining the best possible <br />goods and services at the lowest prices from qualified contractors, but this goal does <br />not necessarily preclude conducting the contracting process in such a way as to <br />advance Increased Participation, if done in a financially prudent and non-discriminatory <br />way that complies with applicable law. <br /> <br />NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of <br />Portsmouth, Virginia, that: <br />