A general meeting of the City of Orlando CHAPTER 57 REVIEW BOARD was held on THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015 at City Hall, 400 South Orange Avenue, 2nd Floor Veterans Conference Room in Orlando, FL 32801. The meeting was called to order at 9:05 a.m. by BassemChaaban, Board Chair. The Board reviewed and approved the October 16, 2014 minutes; motion made by Louis Preston, Jr. and seconded by Nathaniel Friends.

Record of Attendance –

Board Members: BassemChaaban, Board Chair; Nathaniel Friends; Wanda Bonet-Gascot; Louis Preston, Jr.

City of Orlando Staff: Patricia Newton, Assistant to Director/Human Relations Official; Carmen I. Feliciano, Human Relations Specialist, Board Secretary

Board Members Absent: Ginger Malcom, Ronald Nesbitt and AlfredaForshee

Board Installation

On behalf of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and City Commissioners, Abdullah Tharoo, a City of Orlando Nomination Board Liaison, thanked the Board members for their hard work and dedication to the citizens of Orlando. He installed each Board member by presenting them with a custom designed lapel pin.

Board Activity

Patricia Newton thanked the Board for attending the following events:

  • Beacon Network Inc. – Transgender Dynamics in the Workplace on October 24, 2014
  • Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center – Panel Discussion on Marginalized Communities on November 12, 2014
  • City Council Meeting – Proclamation declaring November 25th as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women in Orlando on November 17, 2014
  • Mediation on February 3, 2015
  • Black History Month Celebration on February 3, 2015
  • City of Orlando Annual Board Leader Workshop on February 5, 2015
  • Orlando Youth Empowerment Summit at City Hall on February 7, 2015

BassemChabaan, Board Chair, also thanked Board members for attending the Islamic Society Center’s Civil Rights Forum held on December 20, 2014 at Shingle Creek Hotel.

Upcoming City Events

Patricia Newton reminded the Board of the following upcoming events and encouraged each member to attend:

  • Mayor’ Neighborhood and Community Summit, Saturday, March 21st, 7:30 am – 2:15 pm
  • Wanda Bonet-Gascot and Louis Preston, Jr. agreed to attend this event.
  • Florida Fair Housing Summit, Friday April 24th, 7:45 am – 5 p m
  • 50th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, June 2015 (Date TBD)
  • Annual Hispanic Business Expo, June 4th, 5th and 6th, Orange County Convention Center

Other Business

BassemChaaban, Board Chair, introduced an outreach strategy to the Board to engage Orlando citizens.The outreach event would bring communities, community leaders, law enforcement, and faith leaders together to better understand each other, resolve any issues, and create new ideas for all concerned.Discussion ensued and the Board agreed that they mustsolicit the partnership of each City

Commissioner. To summarize the discussion, Bassemstated that the objectives of the community forumwould be for:1) information sharing from the City of Orlando; 2) hearing from Orlando citizens; and 3) having a positive dialogue on what is being done right. It was also suggested by the Board to have at least threecommunity forums this year with perhaps increasing it to four; but the number of forums will be determined by requirements of City Commissioners.

Adjourn

There being no further business to come before the Chapter 57 Review Board, the meeting was adjourned at 10:05 a.m.; motion made by Louis Presto, Jr. and seconded by Nathaniel Friends.

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Carmen I. Feliciano, Recording SecretaryDate