City Government

Part 1: McElhaney Speaks on Army Base Jobs, Censure Vote Dispute

Published

11 years ago

August 19, 2013

Lynette Gibson McElhaney is the newest minority member on Oakland’s city council. Representing District 3, a large portion of her district is West Oakland, an area filled with native Oaklanders looking for change and leadership. With community concerns in regards to the Army Base and her relationship with Desley Brooks – the only other Black female councilmember, McElhaney sets the record straight on her focus, leadership, and commitment to residents of Oakland..

Q: In regards to the Army Base, are you taking a lead on helping and saving some of the businesses and jobs associated with it?

Lynette Gibson McElhaney: I’m definitely taking a lead. In fact, everyone in the administration and community will tell you there has been no council involvement at this level of the Army Base until I took office. I’ve convened meetings; I’ve worked with the mayor to convene meetings.

My first committee meeting, we were looking at evictions. Every last one of those tenants was given their eviction notices in December before we got here and all of them should have been gone by February.

The fact that they are still there and have had no business interruption, anybody whose looking at it objectively would say that is because of my leadership.

And not only on the jobs piece, on the environmental piece. If you talk to the West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project, things that they hadn’t been able to move in over a year have been day-lighted.

Q: Now with the council on break and the Sept. 3 deadline for port businesses approaching, what is going to happen?

LM: All of those folks have leases now or should be signing leases with the Port, and hopefully they’ll be able to move their businesses.

Q: But what does it mean for the jobs that are with those businesses as it pertains to Oakland residents if they move outside of the city?

LM: I hope that they’re not moving outside of the city. I’ve spent most of my time making sure they’ve had space at the port side. So they need to make sure they move. I think the staff certainly feels like some people are dragging their feet.

Because the city didn’t do so much for so long, the people think it’s going to be another 10 years, and they can just wait, and make it comfortable and convenient.

I need them moving expeditiously to take advantage of the opportunity that we fought really, really hard for.From port staff to port commissioners, to meeting with the developer, the master developer, and getting all of those people on board, it was tough. It was heavy, heavy lifting. And now the beneficiaries of all that work have got to be partners in it.

We need (the small businesses) to move for the overall Army Base Project, which is where the real jobs, real money, and real infrastructural development for this community live. We can’t afford to lose the federal money tied to that.

Q: Looking back on the tense special council meeting where Kernighan motioned to censure Desley Brooks, would you have changed your vote?

LM: If the circumstances by which that vote came to the table were exactly the same – where I could not hear the motion, where the motion wasn’t written, and Councilmember Brooks kept quieting me when I tried to get a restatement of the what the motion is – (the answer is) no.

I never want to be a person who just votes to go along and to get along and to be blind.

I’m not trying to make this be about any kind of conflicts. I love and respect Desley very much. She was fired up in that moment, and there’s a deeper fight that goes back years between she and Pat and all that kind of stuff, I’m not privy to, just now beginning to understand the history of, relative to this vote.

But no I could not hear the motion, wasn’t clear about the position. Even when I talk to Vice Mayor Reid the following day and asked him, ‘What did y’all pass?’ He said it was ‘this and that’.

Now, his motion was clearly stated, and I was prepared to vote on his motion.

Q: You don’t think you could have asked for clarification instead of abstaining?

LM: Councilmember Brooks commanded the meeting that night; Pat wasn’t running it. So I did ask for clarification but it was rejected.

Q: Community members seem to be saying that it looks like the two Black women on the council do not get along.

L.M.: We have exactly the relationship councilmember Brooks wants us to have.

Q: But do you feel it is necessary to get along with Vice Mayor Reid and Brooks? You three are the only minority representation on the council, and that is important to community members.

LM: I have tremendous respect for Vice Mayor Reid and Councilmember Brooks for the work that they’ve done. I see them both as elders on the council, and it is unfortunate on this one act, with respect to the censure vote, that people might try to use that to characterize the relationship, and I think that would be a mistake.

When you look at most of our votes they have been unanimous votes or consensus driven votes, and we diverged on very few things. The fact that I did not hear a clear stated proposal with respect to the censure, and because I was not really clear about the censure going into the vote, and neither she nor Vice Mayor Reid spoke to me about the censure vote, so I voted as I shared.

I was prepared to vote to repudiate all past practices and to acknowledge the corrective actions and steps the Grand Jury report put forth.

The Grand Jury did not call for the censure of councilmember Brooks [but] it did talk about our need to strengthen public ethics, things that I agree with as a new councilmember.

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Activism

City of Oakland Celebrates Reopening of Main Library

“Libraries are such critical facilities for all Oaklanders, whether it’s children coming to story-time, adults reading the newspapers or borrowing the latest novels, and people engaging with a range of services and programs that the library hosts,” said Council President and District 2 Councilmember Nikki Fortunato Bas. “Such library services and programs are only possible when the facility’s electricity, heating, roof, and lighting are fixed and running efficiently. I’m proud to join this re-opening of our Main Public Library.”

Published

7 hours ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

Left to Right- Jamie Turbak, Director of Library Services, LaTonda Simmons, Assistant City Administrator, Nikki Bas, President Oakland City Council, Shen Thao, Mayor of Oakland, Carroll Fife, Oakland City Councilmember District 3, Harold Duffey, Assistant City Administrator, Sean Maher, Projects Coordinator. Photo by Kevin Hicks.

The branch had been closed since May for critical infrastructure upgrades

Special to the Post

The City of Oakland leadership and community partners gathered to celebrate the reopening of the Main Library after completion of critical infrastructure upgrades to enhance the library’s facilities and provide a better experience for patrons.

Renovations include new roof installation, skylight repair, critical electrical system upgrades, new boiler control system installation, auditorium heating and cooling system installation, and improvements to lighting, flooring and ceilings throughout the building.

“This is truly something to celebrate, the reopening of our wonderful Main Library! I congratulate the staff and our partners for this important project to make the Main Library a more comfortable place for everyone for years to come, said Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. “Thank you to Oakland voters and the California State Library for making these crucial improvements possible.”

“Public libraries are a wonderful resource for our residents, offering a safe space for learning and being,” said District 3 Councilmember Carroll Fife. “It is critical to improve and modernize our libraries so more members of our community can utilize and enjoy them. I’m excited that the necessary renovations to the Main Library have been completed successfully and thank everyone involved, particularly the City team, who helped secured the necessary grant funds for this work.”

“I am proud of the City staff and project partners who kept this important project on schedule and under budget,” said Assistant City Administrator G. Harold Duffey. “The library is an incredibly important resource for our community members, and this project is an investment into the library’s future.”

“December 2nd was a momentous occasion for Oakland Public Library as we proudly reopened the doors of the Main Library following extensive infrastructure repairs,” said Director of Library Services Jamie Turbak. “Closing the Main Library for six months was no easy decision, as it serves as the central hub for our library system and is truly the heart of Oakland. Yet, this renovation was essential, representing more than just physical upgrades—it reflects our ongoing commitment to creating a safe, welcoming space for everyone.”

The City Administrator Jestin Johnson also attended the press conference and signalled his support for the completion of the record-setting completion of the renovations. Gay Plair Cobb, a newly appointed Library Commissioner said the Library represents the soul and brains of our community.

The Oakland Public Library secured funding for these crititcal repairs through a variety of sources. The California State Library’s Building Forward Library Facilities Improvement Program awarded the Main Branch $4.2 million. To comply with the grant terms, the City of Oakland provided matching funds through Measures KK, as approved by the Oakland City Council in October 2023.

The Main Library will host an Open House to celebrate the reopening on February 22, 2025, 10 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

About the Oakland Public Library

The Oakland Public Library is a part of the City of Oakland in California and has been in existence since 1878. Locations include 16 neighborhood branches, a Main Library, a Second Start Adult Literacy Program, the Oakland Tool Lending Library, and the African American Museum and Library at Oakland (AAMLO). The Oakland Public Library empowers all people to explore, connect, and grow. Oaklandlibrary.org

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Activism

BWOPA Honors Black Leadership and Legacy at 2024 Ella Hill Hutch Awards Dinner

On Dec. 5, BWOPA held its Annual Ella Hill Hutch Awards Ceremony, at the Fairmont Claremont Hotel in the Oakland/Berkeley Hills. At the event, the group comprised of Black women from various professional backgrounds, honored distinguished local and state leaders whose contributions have shaped civic engagement and advanced critical social issues impacting Black communities.

Published

8 hours ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

L-R: BWOPA State Executive Director LaNiece Jones; State Asm. Mia Bonta; BWOPA 2024 Man of The Year/Urban League SFBA CEO Ken Maxey; BWOPA State President Hon. Dezie Woods-Jones; State Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas; Rowena Brown, Oakland Councilmember At-Large, Elect; BWOPA State Regional Director Vashone Huff. Courtesy photo.

By Oakland Post Staff

Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA) is a statewide non-profit advocacy and membership organization committed to solving problems affecting Black Californians.

On Dec. 5, BWOPA held its Annual Ella Hill Hutch Awards Ceremony, at the Fairmont Claremont Hotel in the Oakland/Berkeley Hills.

At the event, the group comprised of Black women from various professional backgrounds, honored distinguished local and state leaders whose contributions have shaped civic engagement and advanced critical social issues impacting Black communities.

The evening was hosted by Dr. Shawna Charles, founder of The Charles Communications Group (CCG) headquartered in Los Angeles. Charles served as mistress of ceremonies.

With a track record of elevating voices and empowering communities, Charles’ leadership and insight brought a certain dynamism to the celebration.

“Each year, this event not only celebrates the enduring legacy of our beloved BWOPA founding member, Ella Hill Hutch, but also reaffirms and amplifies our unwavering commitment to building and sustaining Black political power across California,” said Dezie Woods-Jones, BWOPA founding member and State president.

“Ella Hill Hutch’s trailblazing leadership continues to inspire us as we forge ahead, empowering Black women to lead, advocate, and shape a more equitable future for all,” added Woods-Jones.

This year’s event introduced the DWJ Rising Star Award, honoring young leaders like Solano County Board Supervisors-elect Cassandra James, Danielle Motley-Lewis, Naomi Waters and newly elected State Assemblymember elect Rhodesia Ransom (D-Stockton).

According to organizers, the awardees all exemplify “the next generation of changemakers.”

Other awardees included:

Lifetime Achievement Awardees: Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA-12) and Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson
Man of the Year: Kenneth Maxey, CEO of the Greater SF Bay Area Urban League
President’s Corporate Award: Yvette Radford, Kaiser Permanente
In the Spirit of Ella State and Chapter Awards: Dr. Carolyn Greene, Dr. Marcella K. Smith, Dr. Carolyn Drake, Tinisch Hollins, Jackie Jones, Gloria Burgess Johnson, Tamika L’Ecluse, Ellen Nash, Betty Reid Soskin, and Ay’Anna Moody.

BWOPA also celebrated local champions across its chapters, including leaders in voter education, healthcare, criminal justice reform, and community advocacy.

In a statement, BWOPA said, “Honoring Ella Hill Hutch’s legacy, BWOPA recognizes her pioneering efforts as the first Black woman elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Her tireless work amplifying underrepresented voices continues to inspire BWOPA’s mission to build Black political power across California.”

“We extend our heartfelt thanks to our members, partners and allies who believe in BWOPA’s vision to invest in building power for Black women’s leadership,” said LaNiece Jones, BWOPA State executive director. “Your support ensures that Black women have a voice at decision-making tables locally, regionally, statewide, and nationally, advancing diversity and equity in leadership spaces.”