HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 1971.09.16 - 16296PUBLI,C-110TECTION & JUWIARY COMMITTEE
ennis M. AarorirChairrna—n
REPORT September 16, 1971
BY: PUBLIC PROTECTION & JUDICIARY COMMITTEE - Mr, Harrison
IN RE: SCHOOL BUSING IN CITY OF PONTIAC -MISC. RES. #5807
TO THE OAKLAND COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen:
The Public Protection & Judiciary Committee has reviewed and recommends
adoption of Miscellaneous Resolution #5807 with the deletion of the words
"respectful and" in the last sentence of the second paragraph, which would then
make that paragraph read as follows:
"THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of
Commissioners encourage all citizens of the City and all citizens of the school
district of the City of Pontiac to comply with the court order in a peaceful manner."
Miscellaneous Resolution 5807 September 2, 1971
BY: CHARLIE J. HARRISON, JR.
IN RE: SCHOOL BUSING IN THE CITY OF PONTIAC
TO THE OAKLAND COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen:
WHEREAS, the school district of the City of Pontiac has been ordered by
the Federal Court to obtain a racial balance in their schools; and
WHEREAS, the School District of the City of Pontiac is attempting to use
busing to comply with this court order; and
WHEREAS, the safety and educational well being of all citizens of Oakland
County is our concern and responsibility;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of
Commissioners encourage all citizens of the City and all citizens of the school
district of the City of Pontiac to comply with the court order in a respectful and
peaceful manner.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners
urge all elected and public officials to refrain from advocating that the citizens
should disobey the law.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners
commend the School District and the Pontiac City Commission and the citizens of
Pontiac in their efforts to achieve quality and equal educational opportunities for
all of its children and encourage the "Let's Make It Work" spirit.
MR. CHAIRMAN, l move the adoption of the foregoing resolution
Charlie J. Harrison, Jr.
Commissioner District 21
Pontiac, Michigan
9/16/71 Board of C—Amissioners Meeting.
HARRISON: Mr. Chairman, Fellow Coumtissioners, On September 2nd I introduced
a resolution for your consideration regarding the Pontiac Schools
situation, I still feel in light of the fact that we do have a
serious situation in Pontiac that has gained National recognition
and I strongly feel that we on the County level should recognize this
and take some stand on this. The resolution that I introduced reads:
( See attached Resolution and Report)
Moved by Harrison supported by Mathews that Resolution # 5807, as amended,
be adopted.
POWELL: Mr. Chairman, we all know the many ramifications being experienced
over this subject and it seems to me, in view of those circumstances,
that this particular County Commission should not become embroiled nor
involved in a situation regarding which it would be inviting problems
for the County. County government is not directly involved and by
considering this matter and taking positions in this matter we-are
in fact injecting ourselves into a situation that can be of no benefit
to this County Commission nor to the County of Oakland. The matter is,
as I see it, in proper perspective now and all we're doing is inter-
jecting ourselves and stirring the pot once again. And for that reason
I would think the matter is not properly before this body and I would
hesitate to think that it should be interjected or debated or brought
before us as a County issue and in fact it is not. For that reason,
I would move to table this matter on the Board.
Moved by Powell supported by Coy the resolution be laid on the table.
AYES: Burley, Coy, Hamlin, Kasper, Patnales, Powell, Simson, Szabo. (8)
NAYS: Wilcox, Aaron, Barakat, Brennan, Daly, Dearborn, Harrison, Horton,
Lennon, Mainland, Mathews, Olson, Perinoff, Pernick, Richards, Richardson, (16)
A sufficient majority not having voted therefor, the motion lost.
HORTON: Mr. Chairman, your dealing on this subject and the immediate preceding
subject with Supreme Court Law, The Supreme Court has been making
legislation or in the field of legislation. It's going to be interesting
to see how you follow up at the next meeting of the Board on your
voting again on a Supreme Court decision. I'm referring to the matter
that was handled just immediately preceding, which was a Supreme Court
decision on the County of Macomb. (Two parallel situations.) Here again
you have one that's a Supreme Court decision telling you that you have
to do such a thing. The legislature didn't do this, it was a Supreme
Court decision, be watching very interestingly next meeting.
LENNON: Mr. Chairman, it was just a few weeksago the Mt. Powell debated and
amended and filibustered on a issue that was on a National level,
namely the Health Bill. Now we have a very important problem in our own
County, in our County Seat, and he doesn't want to get involved. This
seems a little inconsistant to me.
HARRISON: I move for the previous question, Seconded by Mr, Lennon.
The vote was as follows:
AYES: Barakat, Harrison, Lennon, Mainland, Mathews, Perinoff, Pernick,
Aaron. (8)
NAYS: Brennan, Burley, Coy, Daly, Dearborn, Hamlin, Horton, Houghten,
Kasper, Olson, Patnales, Powell, Richards, Richardson, Simson, Szabo, Wilcox, (17)
A sufficient majority not having voted therefor, the motion lost.
BRENNAN: Mt, Chairman, While there is certainly much in the resolution that I can
agree with, it seems to me that it's somewhat hypocritical for a
Commissioner such as myself, who lives in an all-white community and
having the pleasure of utilizing a school facility one and half blocks
from my home that I should be interjecting here and telling somebody
else what they should do with their problem. It seems to me, as I said,
that I agree with much of it. It's a highly emotional and inflammatory
Issue. It seems to me that it would be extremely hypocritical on my
part if I were to interject now and tell the people of the school district
of Pontiac what they should or should not do with their children.
Page 2 - Continued
POWELL: Mr. Chairman, I am very surprised and pleased at the logic of Mr.
Brennan, He really comes through occasionally and makes a lot of
sense. No pun intended Mr. Brennan. I would however just take a
second to respond to Bernie (Mr.Lennon) and I don't know if Bernie
OMr. Lennon) listens regularly to what's happening here. But, if
he will recall, we were debating the same subject on that Health
Bill that that type of extraneous material doesn't belong here.
It was his caucus, his party, and his position, the same as it is
today, a subject that doesn't belong here. Mr. Lennon, I think
we're being totally consistant and trying to be realistic, reasonable,
and logical. We can't seem to handle the matters that belong here,
much less matters that we should keep our hands off of that do not
belong here, and that do not auger well for continued interference,
for continued stirring. This matter should not be before us and
that is and will continue to be my position on any matter that does
not involve the County of Oakland.
AARON: It would do well for each and every Commissioner of this Board to read
the resolution. This resolution lasks for three simple things;
something that I think every one of us as elected officials have
vowed to do. The resolution asks: all people to comply with the
Court order in a peaceful manner. It asks all public and elected
officials (that's ourselves) to refrain from advocating that the
citizens of the County disobey the law and it asks in a spirit of
peace and harmony that we should all work together for the benefit
of all. I think any member of the Board that gets up before this
Commission and attempts to argue the merits of the system or the
merits of the problem or the merits of the dispute in Pontiac is
violating their oath of this office. I ask everyone to read this
resolution and if there's one member of this board who cannot stand
before the people of this County and say that they are not in favor
of obeying the law then I want them to stand up now and if you agree
to comply with the law, then that's what this resolution says. And
you're talking about stirring up the Community, you're stirring up
this Community by talking about the issue instead of the resolution
before this board,
POWELL: Mr. Chairman, two points. Your friend Mt. Dennis Aaron has also
misinterpreted the situation. We are trying to avoid talking about
the issue, we are talking about propieties. This is where it happens.
This is what everybody is saying to all the people, in this Country
that are trying to decide things in the streets. Get it where it
belongs, get into the Legislative bodies, get it into the Govern-
mental process, and that is where these type of things should be
considered right here and I stand up on that right Mr., Dennis Aaron,
Not on the streets and not in explosive situations. Oar form of
government called for these things to be decided in governmental
and legislative situations and if you are now saying that you should
not even stand up here to debate, discuss and determine these matters,
or in the State Legislature or in the Congress of the United States,
you are then saying the law's good, bad, indifferent, that you agree
with, disagree with, and determinations of the same cut must be ad-
hered to without any consideration of change even through the
recognized, adopted and supported manner of reconsideration, deli-
beration and change when merited. However, I again state we're not
here to get into the issue because the issue does not belong here
and inasmuch as it does not belong here, I say once again let's not
get involved in something that we need not become involved in.
MATHEWS: I think again, in reiterating in some of the things that were said,
Mr. Aaron, has said that I think we are addressing ourselves to a
situation here Number One: It's a Court order (Federal Court Order).
It has been upheld in two courts to make this type of determination,
I feel personally, and I'm sure that we as a body here feel the same,
that all this resolution is really asking for is compliance, in terms
of our thinking, and requesting that we do it in a manner of peace,
quiet and tranquility. I would urge the adoption of this resolution.
Vote on Resolution # 5807 as amended:
A sufficient majority having voted therefor, the resolution, as amended,
was adopted.
this
By
17 th
Lynn D. Allen
day of..sARt.e.ntle.r: ....... ....197).
Clerk
Deputy Clerk
Moved by Harrison supported by Mathews that Resolution #5807,
as amended, be adopted.
Discussion followed.
Moved by Powell supported by Coy the resolution be laid on the
table.
AYES: Burley, Coy, Hamlin, Kasper, Patnales, Powell, Simson,
Szabo, (8)
NAYS: Wilcox, Aaron, Barakat, Brennan, Daly, Dearborn, Harrison,
Horton, Lennon, Mainland, Mathews, Olson, Perinoff, Pernick, Richards,
Richardson. (16)
A sufficient majority not having voted therefor, the motion lost.
Discussion followed.
Mr. Harrison moved the previous question. Seconded by Mr. Lennon.
The vote was as follows: .
AYES: Barakat, Harrison, Lennon, Mainland, Mathews, Perinoff,
Pernick, Aaron. (8) ,
NAYS:- Brennan, Burley, Coy, Daly, Dearborn, Hamlin, Horton,
Houghten, Kasper, Olson, Patnales, Powell, Richards, Richardson, Simson,
Szabo, Wilcox'. (17)
A sufficient majority not having voted therefor, the motion lost.
Discussion followed.
Vote on Resolution #5807, as amended:
A sufficient majority having voted therefor, the resolution,
as amended, was adopted.
STATE OF MICHIGAN)
COUNTY OF OAKLAND)
I, Lynn D. Allen, Clerk of the County of Oakland and
having a seal, do hereby certify that I have compared the annexed copy of
Resolution #5807 adopted by the Oakland County Board of •
Commissioners at their September 16, 1971 .meeting
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with the original record l' thereof now remaining in my
office, and that it is al true and correct transcript
therefrom - and of the whole thereof.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and
affixed the seal of said County at Pontiac, Michigan