COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA2 COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE3 Room 400, City Hall6 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Thursday, May 26, 20117 9:50 a.m. PRESENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT ANNA C. VERNA10 COUNCILMAN DARRELL CLARKE COUNCILMAN FRANK DiCICCO11 COUNCILMAN W. WILSON GOODE, JR. COUNCILMAN BILL GREEN12 COUNCILMAN WILLIAM K. GREENLEE COUNCILMAN CURTIS JONES, JR.13 COUNCILMAN JAMES KENNEY COUNCILMAN BRIAN J. O'NEILL14 COUNCILWOMAN BLONDELL REYNOLDS BROWN COUNCILMAN FRANK RIZZO, JR.15 COUNCILWOMAN MARIAN B. TASCO RESOLUTIONS 110403, 110404, 110405, 110406,17 110407, 110408, 110409 and 110410 - - -19 2
Good2 morning, everyone. This is a public3 hearing of the Committee of the Whole.4 I would ask Mr. McPherson to5 please read the titles of the resolutions6 before us this morning.7 MR. McPHERSON: Resolution8 110403, reappointing Allan Domb to the9 Board of Directors of the Center City10 District.11 Resolution 110440, appointing12 Linda Ann Galante to the Board of13 Directors of the Center City District.14 Resolution 110405, appointing15 Jerry Sweeney to the Board of Directors16 of the Center City District.17 Resolution 110406, appointing18 David Campoli to the Board of Directors19 of the Center City District.20 Resolution 110407, appointing21 Romona Riscoe Benson to the Board of22 Directors of the Center City District.23 Resolution 110408, reappointing24 Edward Goldberg to the Board of Directors25 5/26/11 - WHOLE - RES. 110403, ETC.1 of the Center City District.2 Resolution 110409, reappointing3 John Connors to the Board of Directors of4 the Center City District.5 Resolution 110410, reappointing6 Ronald Bowlan to the Board of Directors7 of the Center City District.8
Thank9 you.10 Do we have any of the11 candidates present that would like to12 speak? If so, please approach the13 witness table.14 (Witnesses approached witness15 table.)16
Good morning,19 Council President. My name is Paul Levy.20 I'm President of the Center City21 District, and we're joined this morning22 by at least two of the new nominees who23 are here. There are several more people24 in line -- three of the nominees. Thank25 5/26/11 - WHOLE - RES. 110403, ETC.1 you. So we have with us Romona Riscoe2 Benson, Linda Galante and Dave Campoli.3 So if you want to just quickly4 introduce yourself.5
Good6 morning, Madam President and members of7 Council. I'm Romona Riscoe Benson,8 President and CEO of the African American9 Museum in Philadelphia. We're located at10 701 Arch Street in the historic district11 of our wonderful city, and I'm proud to12 let you know that we are celebrating our13 35th anniversary this year.14 We welcome over 60,000 visitors15 each year and we employ people at the16 Museum. We are proud to be here, and I17 am proud to be asked to serve on the18 Board of the Center City District.19
Good24 morning.25 5 5/26/11 - WHOLE - RES. 110403, ETC.1
-- Council. My2 name is Dave Campoli. I am3 Vice-President for CommonWealth REIT, the4 largest Center City office building5 landlord in Philadelphia. We own Centre6 Square, Mellon Bank Center, 1600 Market,7 Glaxo's headquarters, as well as 15258 Locust.9 We are extremely proud and have10 big-time supporters of Center City11 District, and I am extremely proud to be12 asked to be on the Board.13 Thank you.14
My name is Linda20 Galante. I'm a partner at the law firm21 of Stradley Ronon Stevens and Young,22 which has been a law firm in Philadelphia23 since 1926. Our headquarters are in24 Philadelphia, 2005 Market Street. We25 6 5/26/11 - WHOLE - RES. 110403, ETC.1 have 263 employees and partners in2 Philadelphia, more outside of3 Philadelphia, but that is our main area4 obviously.5 I am very honored to have been6 asked to sit on the Center City District7 and look forward to it, if you so deem it8 appropriate.9 Thank you.10
Thank11 you. Good luck to you.12 Are there any questions from13 members of the Committee of any of the14 nominees?15 The Chair recognizes Councilman16 DiCicco.17 COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: I'm sorry.18 I was distracted, but you're going to19 speak? I'll wait -- everybody is done?20 I apologize.21 These resolutions, we're asking22 for consideration? I wasn't paying23 attention, Madam President.24
No.25 7 5/26/11 - WHOLE - RES. 110403, ETC.1 I thought you would want to be --2 COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: No3 questions from me. Sorry. Thank you.4 COUNCIL PRESIDENT VERNA:5 You're welcome.6
Thank you,15 Madam President. I'd like to offer one16 comment and one observation.17 I am always encouraged when we18 see leadership in our city running major19 organizations, in this case Paul Levy,20 who has done extraordinary things and21 really changed the face of the Parkway,22 but I'm thrilled when I see leadership23 moves to select and elect Board members24 who look like Philadelphia. So to see25 8 5/26/11 - WHOLE - RES. 110403, ETC.1 that there are women and women of color2 now moving and may indeed already be in3 place with this organization, it's a4 woeful reminder that it's possible if5 leadership makes a decision to do that.6 So to the leadership and Paul7 Levy and Councilman DiCicco, who made8 some of these recommendations, thank you.9 Thank you, Madam President.10
Thank11 you.12 Any other questions or comments13 from members of the Committee?14 (No response.)15
Thank you. Just a16 comment at this moment. If you approve17 this, 22 percent of our Board members18 will be African American and 13 percent19 will be women.20 Thank you.21
Thank22 you.23 This will conclude the public24 hearing. We will now go into our public25 9 5/26/11 - WHOLE - RES. 110403, ETC.1 meeting.2 The Chair recognizes Councilman3 DiCicco regarding Resolution 110403.4 COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: I move for5 the adoption.6 (Duly seconded.)7
I8 think we want to report them out with a9 favorable recommendation.10 COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: I move11 that the resolutions will be reported out12 of Committee with a favorable13 recommendation.14 (Duly seconded.)15
The22 ayes have it and the motion carries.23 Again, the Chair recognizes24 Councilman DiCicco regarding Resolution25 10 5/26/11 - WHOLE - RES. 110403, ETC.1 110404.2 COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: Madam3 President, point of order. Could we not4 do them all?5
We6 can. 110404, 110405, 110406, 110407,7 110408, 110409, 110410.8 COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: I would9 move that the resolutions that have just10 been read into the record be reported out11 of this Committee with a favorable12 recommendation.13 (Duly seconded.)14
All15 in favor will indicate by saying aye.16 (Aye.)17
The21 ayes have it and the motion carries.22 Thank you.23 (Committee of the Whole24 concluded at 10:00 a.m.)25 11 CERTIFICATE2 I HEREBY CERTIFY that the3 proceedings, evidence and objections are4 contained fully and accurately in the5 stenographic notes taken by me upon the6 foregoing matter on May 26, 2011, and7 that this is a true and correct8 transcript of same.9 10 11 12 13 --------------------14 MICHELE L. MURPHY15 RPR-Notary Public16 17 18 19 (The foregoing certification of this20 transcript does not apply to any reproduction21 of the same by any means, unless under the22 direct control and/or supervision of the23 certifying reporter.)24 25