| Does The Council Have The Will? |
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| by Rufus Shaw | Thu, Aug 30, 2007, 11:11 AM |
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The drama surrounding the removal of Joyce Foreman from the DART Board highlights one of the principal challenges facing the new Leppert administration. Just as Ms. Foreman sought to challenge the will of the council, other board appointees may also thumb their noses and challenge the will of the City Council. Such challenges, when they go unanswered, weaken There was never a conspiracy to remove Joyce Foreman from the DART Board in order that my wife, Lynn Flint-Shaw, could become the next chairperson of DART. It is laughable for Joyce Foreman to even think that a conspiracy was required to remove her from a board where her performance and her unnecessary combative behavior were her real undoing. There was no guarantee that Joyce Foreman would have become the next chairperson of DART. The 15 DART Board members, of which Immediately after the Mayoral run-off election, City Hall sources informed me that Joyce Foreman’s appointment to the DART Board was in trouble. At least two very influential City Council members had said that they would be vigorously opposing Ms. Foreman’s appointment and if a replacement was not in place quickly, the Black community may lose a DART Board seat. Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway and Councilman Tennell Atkins were not the two City Council members initially opposing Ms. Foreman. Ms. Foreman knew that her appointment was in trouble well before she ever approached Mr. Caraway and Mr. Atkins. When she started her lobbying efforts, both Mr. Caraway and Mr. Atkins informed her that they would consider her appointment but they would not commit to re-appointing her. Ms. Foreman, claiming to be insulted that the two newly elected Black councilmen would not reward her years of community service by immediately agreeing to support her re-appointment, went on the attack threatening and demonizing Mr. Caraway and Mr. Atkins hoping to intimidate them into supporting her. The attacks backfired. Even as she sought to poison the Black community against Mr. Caraway and Mr. Atkins, she knew that they were not the principal reason that her appointment was in serious trouble. This chain of events makes it clear there was no conspiracy. Instead, Ms. Foreman was the author of her own demise. Former Councilman James Fantroy asked Lynn Flint-Shaw to serve on the DART Board in 2004 specifically because he felt that the Black DART Board members at that time were not aggressively representing the interest of the City of The Joyce Foreman saga puts the Dallas City Council in the spotlight regarding its role at DART. I suspect DART representatives from the suburbs will want a chairman who will best represent their interests. The Dallas City Council will need to have a stronger hand in the conduct of their board appointees if they expect to compete with the suburbs. If the city of 
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Comments (13)
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written by Wondering , August 30, 2007 Rufus, I find it interesting that you say that my appointment was in trouble before Dwaine(Dwayne,Dewayne) Caraway and Tennell Adkins questioned my return to the DART board. The only person that had made such a comment was Willis Johnson in June to a friend of mine when she was lobbying mayoral candidate Tom Leppert to support me. If you recall the vote, all of the senior council members voted for me with the exception of Natinsky and Garcia (Natinsky had committed and changed his vote). I was never told by any council member that my nomination was in trouble until I received a call from Dwaine (Dewayne,Dwayne) Caraway. In fact many council members liked the work that I did on the 2030 plan (long range), downtown trolly system,work with the suburbs and the Inland port. If you check the records, I was one of the first to be renominated by my councilwoman Voncil Jones Hill and I was sure that I had the support that I needed. My problem was that there were 8 new people on the council and the only one who knew anything about my work on the DART board was Jerry Allen who I clashed with in my fight for equity in contracts, employee concerns and budget issues. I do not apologize for fighting for the people who I have served in many capacities over 3 decades. Who are these powerful players who questioned my effectiveness? They never had a meeting with me and said they had problems with what I was doing. I would have certainly listened. Jerry Allen, Tennell Adkins and Dwaine (Dewayne,Dwayne)told other council members if they voted against me they could insure that Lynn would be the next chair. Clearly Lynn could have said I support Joyce as she had told other DART board members. Lynn is now telling some DART board members that she was told by Mayor Tom Leppert that he wanted her to be Chairman of DART. Well it is not that easy. The Mayor of Dallas does not appoint the Chairman of DART. There is an election that will take place by the 15 board members, and it is my understanding that Faye Wilkins (African American female) and Bill Velasco (Hispanic male) are seeking the Charimanship along with Lynn Flint Shaw. I also understand that Dwaine (Dewayne,Dwayne) Caraway made calls to suburban DART board members to solicit support for Lynn and they said no. I never believed that the Chairman belonged to me, but it was understood that my position as Vice Chairman would lead to Chairman and that I had worked hard with the suburbs to become the next Chair. I want to be perfectly clear that Lynn and I worked together on many issues that were concerns of the community. I fully understand that the council has spoken in regards to my return to the DART board and that I served at the pleasure of the council. Other people do not have to take us out, we do it to eachother. Joyce Foreman
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written by Rufus Shaw , August 30, 2007 Ms. Foreman, If what you have written is your version of the truth, then you are truly living in a fantasy land. You know as well as I do that what you have been saying during this entire affair has been half truths and some outright falsehoods. If you honestly believe that God has plans for you, then I hope you will spend some time learning the difference between the truth and what you would like to be the truth. Because of your obvious inability to deal with reality, you took yourself out.
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written by Dallas Voter , August 30, 2007 Joyce's position has been in question for quite sometime. In the postion she held, she brought no real economic development to the Southern Sector. In addition, her often behind the scence negative comments were not at all covert. The same hand that fed her slapped her in the face. Presently, leaders are seeing through these articles just who Joyce really is, a sore loser with no resilency, no action plan for a comeback, she has not shown us just want her accomplishements were in the position. Its time for her to sit down, shut her mouth and stop kissing Republicans butt behind the scence. Finally, tonal aggression went out the door with Al Lipscomb, this council does buy into bull doggish threats. To Mr. Shaw thank you for your honest insight of sharing what was already known about Joyce Foreman.
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written by To Joyce Foreman , August 30, 2007 Joyce recommended a felon be hired by Dart and the felon was arrested in Tennesee late this transporting keyloads. This same felon is not employed by Dart at the recomendation of Joyce Foreman while out on bond of the charges pending in Tennesee. This felon who works as a Mechanic used Joyce's recommendation and his father who is employed by Dart to get hired. Yet, when I applied with the same qualifications for the job, I was denied.
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written by Wondering , August 30, 2007 Rufus, All you can write about is what you have been told. It would be good if you had experienced some of the things that you are writing about. I believe everything that I have written. The difference in me and you, is my thoughts are firsthand knowledge and yours are what you have heard, and that could be second, third or fourthhand knowledge. We all know what happens when things are repeated. Something happens in the translation (dropped or added). I think you should check with some of the current DART board member,the DART employee union, 7 city council members who voted for me and minority business persons who do business with DART to see who's version is right. As you know, your reputation in the black community is one of not being truthful. I have always been known as a person who deals with reality. God does have a plan for me. They do not have to take us out,we do it to eachother!!!!!! Joyce Foreman
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written by Wondering , August 30, 2007 I have recommed many people for empolyment, but they have to go through the process of DART employee relations before hiring. I do not know anyone from Tennessee. DART as most agencies do background checks. Joyce Foreman
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written by Wondering , August 30, 2007 Dallas Voter, I do not know who you are, but be sure that butt kissing, Republican or Democrat is not something that I do. I will gladly move on when I am no longer under attack. If you have been reading this blog, I have written some of the things that I believe that I did well at DART. While you may not know what I have accomplished, ask the 7 city council persons who voted for me. If you would like, call my office and identify yourself and I would be glad to have a discussion with you. Joyce Foreman
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written by This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , August 31, 2007 In all my years in Dallas I have never witness any thing like this. Ms. Foreman writing on a blog saying I was enlisted to keep her off DART, hell I did not even know her time was up.I heard it Thur the grapevine after it started. I said I support Lynn Shaw because of her professionalism, temperament, record of fairness on Parkland Board against all odds. If Joyce had been reappointed I would still support Lynn for Chair of DART.Joyce knew last year the Council was upset by some of her action. The long and short of it, is the vote is over. New Leadership make changes and none of us are sewn into a Board seat. In her comment on this blog she writes she worked hard with the Suburbs on becoming chair .What did she give up for Dallas for their vote? This is just too ugly for a free seat on a board. Ms. Foreman said she did a good job on the DART board she should be proud of that. Taking the high road is the best way to leave any position even if you feel as Ms. Foreman does. What about tomorrow ? There might be a lost opportunity based on current action.
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written by Wondering , August 31, 2007 Betty You were seen at City Hall in Dwaine/Dewayne/Dwayne Caraway's office and then you went to the side where the rest of the council have their offices and left a note for a council person saying do not vote for Joyce Foreman because she is a racist. Why would you do that? Why would you make such a claim? There are no secrets at Dallas City Hall. Your style has come into question often, but I have not actively tried to keep you from being appointed to anything. I am not that kind of a person. You are right, I have never witnessed such an attack either and I wonder why Rufus is still writing. The vote is over. Mission accomplished, I am no longer on the DART board. I look forward to tomorrow but once again I say, "They do not have to do it to us, we do it to eachother." Joyce Foreman
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written by Dallas_Joe_Schmo , August 31, 2007 I can't believe that the people who have posted comments on this thread really are, or have been at some point, the ones representing the city of Dallas. These posts seem like juvenile rantings akin to those found on teen blogs. Everyone involved just needs to move on and keep what's best for Dallas in mind. So far all I've read about is, backstabbing, notes, lies, blacks needing their own in power, "they"..I guess whites, "us" and "we" I guess blacks, and of course felons! I'm glad Dallas is moving forward!
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written by To Joe_Schmo_ , September 04, 2007 Joe Schmo, that is why they are not in office anymore. Those people you refer to are sitting at home trying to defend their actions. As far as some of the comments posted, whew, I thank the Dallas Blog and Mr. Shaw for having the courage to allow the community readers of this city to see what many of us missed; idiots. Aside from that, it is truths to the felon hired by Dart and recommended by Joyce Foreman. A Mechanic working inside with a drug case pending in Tennessee, Ms. foreman and the guy father who works for Dart as a Supervisor are good friends and he went to her and pulled strings to get him past the background check. The drug case is still pending in Tennessee.
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written by john k. , September 05, 2007 It is still true that you are not a felon untill your are proven guilty by a jury of your peers and sentenced by the judge. Some people that I know have been adjudicated then the appeals court said they should be retried for some reason or just sets them free and they do not carry the stigma of a ex-convict. DART hires many workers whose background check shows they have Class One, Three, Misdemeonor convictions served their time and are rehabilitated. Check with Ms.Terri Hodge and get her opinion. Many people are denied employment by DART when they have better people to choose from as often is the case. They never reveal why another was chosen over you. It might be when interviewed you had bad breath or misspelled words on your application. Best of luck on your next job application, though. Write comment
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