1993
Serving th e com m unity thro u g h c u ltu ral diversità
V olum n XXlll. N um ber 24
25C
THE
Sabin Elementary School Tri-Met’s Contract Decision:
WEEK Hosts Barbecue To Honor The Good, The Bad And The Rail-Ugly
IN
Business Partners
REW
Furse, Wyden Announce
Westside Light Rail
Appropnations
$70 Million Will Keep Project On Line
The Subcommittee has approved $70
million for this year’s budget, which is
$20 million more than was approved by
the House last year. Some cities actually
received no funding at all for their rail
projects Furse and Wyden says that the
$70 million isabigtrium phforus. "W e’re
pleased our hard work and that of Tri-
M et’s has paid off.
See related story on page A 4
PDC Approves $2.5
Million Loan To
Hacienda Community
Development Corp. For
Rehab of 178 Housing
Units In NE
The Hacienda Community Development
Cooperation is a non-profit corporation
addressing the needs o f Hispanics with a
mission of providing safe, affordable hous­
ing in the Portland area They will be
developing the properties at NE Cully &
Ki 1 li ngsworth. Rchabil itation of the bui ld-
ings will be completed under PDC s Rental
Housing Preservation Program. The short­
age of high quality affordable housing,
coupled with culturallv-relevant services
at the site, will assure full occupancy.
See related story on page A 6
A barbecue was held June 11 to honor business that sponsor Sabin Elementary s Self-
Managers program. The barbecue was held at the school, located at 4013 N.E. 18th.
Studies Find Many Are
Unaware Of Social
Security Benefits For
Those Under 62
Sporting C h ef hats, Sabin dads prepared a feast fo r some
members and business partners.
Self-Managers provides incentives and awards fo r students in Grades 3-5 who
demonstrate positive academic and behavioral performance.
Billions of dollars go unclaimed because
many workers do not realize they are
eligible for benefits. There is more to
Social Security than benefits for persons
over 62 years of-age One study found,
workers have had too much deducted
from their wages and were due a refund.
In other cases, employers had not sent the
correct amount to be credited to accounts.
If you have records of the amount earn­
ings and deductions you will be credited
with that money and the employer’s share
whether or not he ever sent the money to
the government.
See related story on page A J
Metro Council Exercises Authority -
Overrides Brooks & MERC On Black
Involvement In Convention Marketing Efforts
WIC Participation
Linked To Reduced
Infant Mortality
Study after study has documented the
effectiveness o f the WIC program. The
results showed that predicted infant mo­
rality rates for WIC participants were
approximately one quarter to two thirds
the predicted rate for nonparticipants.
The prenatal component of WIC provides
food supplcments.nutrition, education and
referrals to health care, and social ser­
vices to low-income pregnant women.
See related story on page A 7
Correction! Correction!
Correction!
“W hatever Happened To Black Love?”
In our last issue, June 9, 1993 we an­
nounced that “W hatever Happened To
Black Love?” would be returning to Port­
land June 20,1993. Sorry! It will be June
26, 1993 instead More information on
Arts and Entertainment page.
BY: STEPHEN MOORE,
Independent Columnist
Even Ray Charles Can See Through
POVA
The Portland Oregon Visitors Associa­
tion, b etter know n to many as POVA,
assum ed that th e ir m ulti-m illion dollar
c o n tra c t re n e w a l re c o m m e n d a tio n by
Sam Brooks and M ERC was a merely
formality...It w asn’t! Instead, last Thursday
e v e n in g , M E T R O C o u n c ilo rs voted
unanim ously to tem porarily suspend the
a p p ro v a l o f the $ 1 .2 7 m illo n d o lla r
annual contract based upon the request
for review brought to METRO by Black busi­
ness entreprcncur.Roy Jay, who head the O r­
egon Convention and Visitor Services Net­
work.
Metro Councilors heard nearly four hours
o f testimony from Jay and other business
owners and residents of the community ad­
dressing the past blatant exclusion of African
Americans in the multi million dollar conven­
tion and tourisms marketing efforts as well as.
w hat is becoming more obvious, a discrim ina­
tory qualification criteria process that pre­
dominately favors POVA as the only qualified
applicant and vendor.
The 45 year old Jay, a native of Portland,
eloquently addressed the council pointing out
various discrepancies and the current efforts
which show little if any attempt by POVA and
others to seriously solicit the estimated $22
billion dollars annually spent on Black con­
ventions, meeting and tourism to the region.
O ther testimony from Blacks in the
community related to problems and experi­
ences that they have had with POVA, a
predom inately white organization, which
only can boast of 3 Black Business members
out of nearly 1000. POVA was not able
to present a single Black business, member
or resident to proside supporting testimony
on their behalf at the hearing. Critics claim
that POVA’s efforts to include African Ameri­
cans in all levels is only a last minute empty
promise in order to get contract approval for
the millions of dollars that are now up on
limbo. Testimony at the METRO hearing
stated that POVA’s past track record speaks
for itself To dale, the organization has only
hired one African American female, which is
paid far less than her white colleagues, in a
meager attempt to attract minority conven­
tions.
“You must be qualified to gam er commu­
nity support foryour efforts said Roy Jay. This
is not an 8 to 5 job We arc talking about sales
and se rv ic e w hich c o u ld h a p p e n at
anytime especially when it comes to our
people” Others testified that Jay’s organiza­
tion has been very instrumental in se n icing
“Summer Mere Fun For
Youngster With Tri-Met”
“Noel Willis: Graduating With
Honors”
"Gelling Around Town For Kids listings
span from hikingtrails to fishing holes,
swimming pools to theatre. But the
summer's biggest attraction may be the
Party Bus.
The years o f fam ily encouragement
obviously p a id dividends. But I erlean
Sylvester-Willis is quick to give ultimate
credit where it is due. “We were a support
group for Noel. But he did it. ”
5 1 J
Page A8
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A5
convention delegates and their needs, espe­
cially when POVA was cither unwilling or
unavailable.
Jay responded to the Metro Council stat­
ing that his operation is not interested in any
set aside funding. "We don’t have to be
certified...we are qualified". “The ER Com­
mission had no problem in funding the newly
created Sports Authority, I see no reason why
a significant portion of the $1.275 million
each year cannot be split between two entities
that are working for the same purpose” said
Jay.
While POVA attempts to defend their
record as it relates to Black involvement, the
facts speak for themselves. The POVA board
of directors, some of which consist of hotels
such as The Sheraton, Red Lion, Marriott &
Hcathman, for the past 7 years and even
longer, have absolutely no Blacks in sales,
marketing or key management positions, yet
these are the same individuals that are the
pivoting control of POVA and promise to be
more sensitive to cultural diversity . This would
lead one to conclude that POVA is not quali­
fied to market to Black conventions, confer­
ences and tourism prospects across the coun­
try
One Black visitor to Portland stated "w hile
I was very impressed with your clean city, I
could not honestly recommend it for my con­
MetroLife
Careers
News
AUTOMOTIVE
)0 students, fam ily
The Bad:
BY JAMES L. POSEY
The fact that Frontier unscrupulously
Almost like a B-grade Western movie,
Tom Walsh, Tri-M et’s general manger, reads manipulated the process and was rewarded
the predictable script. As cool as any Wild with the contract while others tried to play by
West gun totin’ gunslinger, he describes to a the rules and got nothing for their efforts but
crowded room, posed for drama, how a frustration is disgusting Even more revolting
midwest company out of Indiana, Frontier? is the realization that Tri-Met staff bent over
Kemper-Traylor Bros., and their coinpadrc, backwards to aid and abet the culprits. Linda
Mendez Excavation, out of Colorado, (low Garcia Seabold and Julius Evans, both judged
bidders on the first contract award) rides into by many to be totally incompetent, are T ri-
Portland, shoots holes in the Disadvantage M et’s designated DBE support personnel. It
Business Enterprise (DBE) program and rides appeares that they , along with other key Tri-
Met technical, legal and public relations staff,
out o f town with the loot.
But just like most shoot-um ups, the plot created the machine that steam rolled the
was predicablc: The unsuspecting town’s decision to award the contract to Frontier.
The Rail-Ugly:
people were buffaloed into thinking that they
From all appearances, it seems that Tri-
would hold on to their land and even reap the
Met
made a conscious decision to put the
benefits of a
railroad scheduled to be built right through blinders on and take the heat on this issue,
the heart of their town. Tri-Met sold the regardless o f who it might hurt, in order to get
community a bill of goods, claiming they this rail built on time and on budget They
would go out of their way to see that local seem convinced that this entire issue will soon
businesses benefit from the proposed light rail blow over and no one will remember the
project. But so far on this first contract, a conniving process of these ev ents. They have
tunneling project valved at over $ 103 million, calculated that any opposition from the DBE
only outsiders, brought in by Tri-M et’s light community will soon be silenced by a series of
rail top guns, are scheduled to benefit. The compromising, back-door deals with local
prospect of being left out again after so many DBE’s who didn’t have the guts to speak out
promises raises the ire of those most vulner­ on the issue. They will also continued the
able and with the most to lose in this unseemly patronizing, ineffective activities of the O r­
egon Opportunities Committee which was set
drama -- local DBE’s.
up specifically to run interference on the DBE
The Good:
Local disadvantage businesses, lead by issue.
Tri-Met has compromised and sacrificed
the National Association ofMinority Contrac­
tors of Oregon (NAMCO), along with the the integrity of the formal bidding process,
second lowest bidder, protested the award of particularly as it relates to the DBE program.
this contract to an out-of-state contractor. All It has done unmeasurable harm to a program
evidence suggest that the out-of-state contrac­ already besiege and beset by trials and tribula­
tor did not really seek the participation of any tions on every' side. It’s almost as if this entire
in-state DBE’s. Instead, and months ago, the event was staged to demonstrate how indefen­
contractor preselected an Hispanic DBE from sible these programs can be. Tri-Met has
Colorado, along with another Hispanic firm totally undermined a concept established to
from Washington state, to fulfill the DBE create business opportunities and jobs for
goals on this project NAMCO Chairman O. those least able to compete in today’s market
B. Hill conducted an exhaustive analysis of the place.
And, Clint Eastwood couldn’t have writ­
bidding process. His conclusions raise not
ten
a
better saga of "hang urn high” for a fist
only the prospect that the out-of-state DBE is
full
of
dollars
a “ front” , but his analysis clearly point out that
James
Posey is a local, small business
from the very outset Frontier intended to
owner
with
a background in social work and
circumvent the good-faith process of hiring
communitv
activism.
local DBE’s.
vention because the local visitors association
representative could not provide me with any­
thing relating to Black needs or serv ices. I was
told that they (POVA) even had a Black on
their board of directors, but even when I asked
to meet him, they never assisted me”.
POVA’s “all of a sudden” interest to
include the Black community is too little a n d ’
too late. Even Ray Charles could see what has
recently transpired between POVA and MERC.
It would have been “Business as usual” if Roy
Jay had not have spoke up and responded to the
contract announcement and openly challenged
the qualifications criteria process. Both out­
siders and POVA insiders concur that a PO V A
is not qualified to deal with marketing to
minoritics and thatM ETROand MERC should
divide the budget between both operations
since they are working for the same goal!
The process of how to handle the entire
situation has been sent to METRO’S Regional
Facilities Committee for review and formula­
tion. Many in Portland’s business community
favor Jay’s innovative plans and concepts
which could unify businesses, government
and residents to work together.
Although POVA professes to be the top
gun in the visitor industry, they have continu­
ally shot blanks in this vital part of attracting
tourism and conv entions from the ethnic mar­
ket.
Food & Nutrition
“New Micro Loan Program To
Benefit Small Business”
“The 1993 Multicultural Music
And Food Festival”
The law which created this federal program
targets "women, low-income and minority
entrepreneurs, business ow ners and other
individuals possessing the capability to
operate successful business concerns.
1
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Families are an important part o f our
neighborhoods and this festival is designed
to meet every fam ily members ’ needs. It's
event fo r the whole fam ily to enjoy.
HOUSING
HEALTH
CAREERS
A6
A7
A8
ENTERTAINMENT
—
—
B3
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Page B5
FOOD
B5
CLASSIFIEDS
B8