TAMPA, Fla. — Frustration lingers at what was supposed to be the last Racial Reconciliation Committee meeting. Many at Tuesday's meeting said they want more time to come up with recommendations for the Tampa City Council.
Tampa leaders are working to fulfill a promise made five years ago.
"The fact of the matter is that this document had laid dormant for over 4 years, but the conditions is even longer than that," said Connie Burton, a NAACP member and Chairperson of Racial Reconciliation Committee.
WATCH NOW: Tampa’s Racial Reconciliation Committee fights for more time with the city council deadline looming
Back in 2020, the Tampa City Council voted unanimously to apologize for the role it played in racism from "slavery and the subsequent systemic discrimination." So it created a Racial Reconciliation Committee of 13 members to create recommendations for the council.
And they are focusing on filling the gaps within policy areas that people have been calling for decades. They include affordable housing, economic development, opportunity for youth, ignored history and the restoration of rights for returning citizens.
"If the city ever wanna have an image of resolution, it has to do it beyond wording," said Burton.
She said she is frustrated with the direction the meetings have been going.
"I really don't have any confidence that the city came in as a willing partner," said Burton. "But some of us are committed to continuing to work knowing that these issues has to be addressed."
Tuesday night was supposed to be the last meeting to discuss the recommendations; however, most of the meeting had members going back and forth about how to move forward with having even more meetings.
"I don't want to be rushed, cause I will continue to criticize until I see a pathway forward that's going to transform our community, and I don't see it in a week and half," said Connie during the discussion.
"We've been on a gerbil wheel for the last six and a half months and have come up with anything of value that we can even submit to my daughter," said Daryl Hych, the of the Switzer Hych Group LLC and Chairman of the Hillsborough County Black Chamber of Commerce Inc.
As a compromise and to be realistic with time and budget, a committee member created a motion to have two six-hour sessions instead.
"So we have a plan to move forward with strategy behind the creativity of those hours," said Jeffery Johnson, the Chief Strategy Officer of the CDC of Tampa (Corporation to Develop Communities pf Tampa). "I think it can be done."
Also, with the recent passing of city councilwoman Gwendolyn Henderson, the committee mentioned there would not be any representation for District 5, presenting a challenge on the timeline.
They passed a motion to write a letter to council members requesting to appear on the agenda for the June 26th meeting so that they can have more time to fulfill their mission.
What happens next regarding how many meetings come out of this is up for the city council to determine.
"We don't come home until they do."
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