Council members cry foul for perceived Tyson snub
By Chris Sykes, Staff Writer
Saying they were upset at being snubbed by the school district and organizers of Saturday’s star-studded introduction to the Cicely Tyson Community School, City Council members withheld a vote to transfer ownership of some city-owned land to the district.
Saturday’s program was planned for friends of the longtime actress. Among the visitors were talk-show hostess Oprah Winfrey. With approximately 200 guests invited, most city officials were left on the outside. The security detail and the event staff barred them from entering the building. That left them to stew in the hallway.
Two nights later, on Monday night, the council members vented their ire toward the Board of Education, Superintendent of Schools Clarence Hoover, and others who were involved with Saturday’s event. When an ordinance to transfer ownership of several lots near the new school to the school district, the majority of the council members initially decided not to approve the deal for which notice of the proposed ordinance was published in the Oct. 22 East Orange Record.
Later, a motion to reconsider was made and the land swap was approved.
“What they did was disrespectful,” said Councilman Lonnie Hughes who, along with Council members Quilla Talmadge, Ted Green and Alicia Holman, as well as U.S. Rep. Donald Payne found out after the performance in the school’s 800-seat auditorium that they were not on the list of people who would dine with Tyson and her friends.
“They acted like that school was a private school that was built by Cicely Tyson and was only for her and the people she thought were worthy. That’s not how it is,” Hughes continued. “The school was built using taxpayers’ money, and even though we are elected officials, we’re still taxpayers, but we didn’t get treated like that on Saturday.”
That’s why Hughes said the council members had to make a symbolic gesture not only for themselves, but for the city’s residents, whom Hughes said apparently were not important enough to be invited.
“I think it’s important to know that the entire city of East Orange was disrespected by what went on at the school last Saturday,” said Virginia Jeffries. “Taxpayers’ money built that school and it doesn’t matter who comes into the city for one night or for what; that is our school and this is our community and we should not be shut out of our school.”
Payne eventually got invited into the backroom area where the catered dinner for Tyson and her “friends” took place, said Talmadge, the council’s chairwoman, only because Mayor Robert Bowser intervened.
Saying they were upset at being snubbed by the school district and organizers of Saturday’s star-studded introduction to the Cicely Tyson Community School, City Council members withheld a vote to transfer ownership of some city-owned land to the district.
Saturday’s program was planned for friends of the longtime actress. Among the visitors were talk-show hostess Oprah Winfrey. With approximately 200 guests invited, most city officials were left on the outside. The security detail and the event staff barred them from entering the building. That left them to stew in the hallway.
Two nights later, on Monday night, the council members vented their ire toward the Board of Education, Superintendent of Schools Clarence Hoover, and others who were involved with Saturday’s event. When an ordinance to transfer ownership of several lots near the new school to the school district, the majority of the council members initially decided not to approve the deal for which notice of the proposed ordinance was published in the Oct. 22 East Orange Record.
Later, a motion to reconsider was made and the land swap was approved.
“What they did was disrespectful,” said Councilman Lonnie Hughes who, along with Council members Quilla Talmadge, Ted Green and Alicia Holman, as well as U.S. Rep. Donald Payne found out after the performance in the school’s 800-seat auditorium that they were not on the list of people who would dine with Tyson and her friends.
“They acted like that school was a private school that was built by Cicely Tyson and was only for her and the people she thought were worthy. That’s not how it is,” Hughes continued. “The school was built using taxpayers’ money, and even though we are elected officials, we’re still taxpayers, but we didn’t get treated like that on Saturday.”
That’s why Hughes said the council members had to make a symbolic gesture not only for themselves, but for the city’s residents, whom Hughes said apparently were not important enough to be invited.
“I think it’s important to know that the entire city of East Orange was disrespected by what went on at the school last Saturday,” said Virginia Jeffries. “Taxpayers’ money built that school and it doesn’t matter who comes into the city for one night or for what; that is our school and this is our community and we should not be shut out of our school.”
Payne eventually got invited into the backroom area where the catered dinner for Tyson and her “friends” took place, said Talmadge, the council’s chairwoman, only because Mayor Robert Bowser intervened.
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Comment
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Comment by Jim Gerrish on October 28, 2009 at 9:39pm - Lonnie Hughes, Quilla Talmadge, Ted Green, Alicia Holman, and U.S. Rep. Donald Payne simply got a taste of what's it like to be a taxpayer in this community. But they feel they should have been treated better than a mere taxpayer because they are "elected officials." That shows the way our elected officials think- they forget they work for us taxpayers and none of us were invited either. But we don't whine because we have a better way... we can turn them out of office with our votes.
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