Call for Community Action

by | Sep 12, 2010 | Progressive News Network

CALL FOR COMMUNITY ACTION

Based on concerns about the treatment of

Peekskill City employees and residents of Bohlmann Towers

 

The Cortlandt Peekskill Anti-Racism Collaborative (CPARC) is organizing around two initiatives intended to raise awareness and invite investigation into concerns over the treatment of some employees of the City of Peekskill and residents of Bohlmann Towers.  As we learn more, we are increasingly concerned about what appears to be a hostile atmosphere in Peekskill city government for targeted groups.  Two background documents are attached to help establish context and history: 1) September CPARC 2010 meeting notes; and 2) Peekskill background information.  Please consider adding your presence as an ally for people who are enduring discrimination and retaliation, and for voices that are being dismissed.

 

ACTION ITEM 1

Peekskill City Council meeting

Monday, September 13th at 7:30pm

Peekskill City Hall – 840 Main Street

Please join us as we attend the next Peekskill City Council meeting.  We will listen to the issues (what is discussed and how it is discussed), add our presence as allies, and some of us may speak during the time allotted for comments from citizens.   You may review video from the last Council meeting of August 9th at http://www.cityofpeekskill.com/videos.  The “Statements by Citizens” segment begins at 25:00 minutes and continues through 01:00 hour.  Your presence in the room as a concerned ally can make a difference!
 

ACTION ITEM 2

Letter writing campaign

Requesting local, regional and federal agencies initiate an investigation

CPARC is preparing a letter from our organization requesting investigation and we encourage individual letters.  These may simply state a concern that city employees and residents of Bohlmann Towers have been coming forward with disturbing allegations of discriminatory treatment that appear to illustrate a hostile atmosphere for targeted groups.  Officials of the City of Peekskill have failed to appropriately process and address the allegations.  Further, it is our understanding that those who have come forward have been marginalized and some met with retaliatory measures.  As members of this community, we find it unacceptable that concerns of this nature have been dismissed and those in public employment and public housing seem to have no real recourse.   As such, we request that appropriate offices initiate an investigation, document the cases, and then proceed according to their findings. 
 

Requests for investigation may be directed to:

  • Cody Peluso, Senator Schumer‘s Hudson Valley coordinator.  914-734-1532  & [email protected]
  • Terence Bynoe, Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Director for this region  [email protected]   212-264-8000 x7669
  • Patrice Willoughby, Congressional Black Caucus   [email protected]
  • Susan Spear, Congressman Hall’s office  [email protected]   845-225-3641 x49371

Concerns may be sent to the media:

Concerns may also be directed to the Mayor of Peekskill and Town Council:

 

enc:
1.  September 2010 CPARC meeting notes
2.  Peekskill background information (revised)
3.  Call for community action September 2010

 

—
Cortlandt Peekskill Anti-Racism Collaborative, in cooperation with:
~ Westchester Committee for Justice
~ Anti-Racist Alliance (http://antiracistalliance.com/)
~ People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond (http://www.pisab.org/)

~ PAPA, the Peekskill Area Pastors Association (http://www.pastorsofpeekskill.org/)