MUSKEGO - The u e-
gon Branch AACP on the
first round in it court battle
to op the discriminatory hiring
practices of the city of uske­
gon.
In a suit ftled, July 1, 1984,
in the Federal District Court
in Grand Rapids� the AACP
ed for relief fr the dis-
criminatory hiring practice.
alledged to exist in the city,
AACP attorney David Justian
told The Citizen in a phone
intervie Jan. 23.
The city responded with a
motion to dismi becau the
AACP "could not alledge to
be personally injured by any
Hedged hiring practices," said
Justian.
A ruling by Judge Doug­
las Hillman, delivered to the
AACP on the birthday of
artin Luther King Jr., de­
nied the city's motion for
dismi
According to J ustian,
the minority population of the
city of u egon i 26% hile
the city employment rolls sho
only 10% minority employees.
'e want the minority
employment roll in this city to
match the minority population
percentage . We want it immedi­
ately. That's what we ant," the
ttorney said.
Ju tian said he had received
authorization from the AACP
fOT "carte blanche" in expense
in pur uing the cue.
According to Justian, the city
had argued before the court that
the AACP could not alledge it
had been personally hurt by any
hiring practice of e city.
The Judge ruled, Ju 'an said,
that an ociation may rt
the rights of any of its members
as ell as havin� a right in its
<> n stead to ek relief.
The AACP must now show
OAR present s
.Black History Film
MUSKEGO - The ational
Organization for an American
Revolution presents "Black His­
tory, 1.0 ,Stolen, or Strayed"
'movie about Black folks for
all e to am about our his-
tory.
The movie will be January
26, at 3:00 p.m. at the Christian
Community Center Jarman and
ckley in u egon Heights.
Call for' further information,
722-3998 or 798-3575.
The public is invited.
it has suffered harm or one or
more of it members have been
injured, Justian said.
The ruling gave the city
the opportunity to te t the
allegation of the NAACP that
it has been injured, the attorney
explained.
. The city can no "flush out
the name , dates and job oppor­
tunitie if they exi t, which sup­
port the AACP allegation of
discriminatory hiring practice ,"
Ju ian said.
The lawyer said that his re­
search indicates statistics can be
used evidence of injury and I
when there is great disparity in
the statistics, they ,"not merely
rve as evidence but can be
considered proof," Justian not­
ed.
If there is proof of discrim­
inatory hiring practices, that in
and of itself is injury to the
AACP membership, the attor­
ney noted.
,According to Just ian , the
hiring practices of Muskegon
City were under review prior to
the AACP suit.
Justian explained that the
Civil Service Commi ion was
up t with the hiring practice
but were told by city attorney'
-Thomas O'Toole that there
could be no changes in the pro­
cedure because they were et
by 0 the charter which couldn't
be changed.
"They (Civil Service Com­
mission) contacted me, I told
them that was hogwash," Jus­
tian said. "They do have to
comply with the charter, but
the charter is void if it violates
the state law."
"I explained to them they
can institute a new program
which complies with the char­
ter'" Justian said.
. Currently, hiring practices
seem to be in limbo. The Civil
Service Commi . on adopted a
"Rule of Three Lists" which
the city commission h refused
to sanction. .
JAN.23,195
Under tmt procedure, de­
partment head, who is required
by charter to consider the top
three test score in hiring, can
take the top score from a list
of white male ; the top from
us
739-1203
GO
c
By' Dixo
rs. Louise Bell has rved
the people in Mu egon County
for more than 33 yean.
Louise, a Muskegon County
Department of Social Service
Superivosr, started as a case­
worker, with the agency in
1949. She will officially re­
tire on January 25, 1985.
A tribute and reception will
be held in her honor on Sun­
day . afternoon, January 27,
1985 at 3:00 p.m. at the John
Wesley A.M.E. Zion Church,
886 Wood Street, Muskegon,
Mieh., where Rev. John Wil­
liams i the pastor.
This special event is being
sponsored by her friends of the
Department of Social Services,
the Tri Cities Colored Women's
Club and the John Wesley
A.M.E. Zion Church. The public
is cordially invited.
Mrs. Bell is a graduate of
uskegon Community College
and Wilber fore University, Wil-
P.O. Box 4551
2220 Superior
uskegon He hts, MI 49444
I '; .
louise Bell retires
, Social' Services
BOY scours of America nwked 75th Diamond Jubilee 1985
ith Klond e Derby.
z
�
o
o
u
-
: • 75 Cent off Iny 3 pe, :
: Chicken or FI dlnn r :
• •
: WIT "Coopon" :
. :
... COOPON .
berfore, Ohio.
rs. Bell is married to Mr.
Albert (Jack) Bell and they
reside in Muskegon Hts. They
have two sons, Albert who
resides in San Leondro, Calif.,
where he i a distributor for
CA Record and Joseph who
resides in Burlingame, Calif.,
where he is a facility pecialist
with GTE; a daughter-in-law
Lavern and two lovely grand­
children, Katesha and Marcus
of San Leondro, Calif; one
brother lindsay White of Sac­
ramento, Calif.; six nephews
and nieces of Flint, Mich. and
one niece in Boloxi, Ms.
Mr . Bell . also a member
of the John Wesley A .E.
Zion Church where she has
served in many capacities:
trustee, choir and is presently
the Sunday School superinten­
dent. She also worked with
several service organizations:
the State Welfare Reform Com
THE CITIZE PAGE 7
list of bite female ; and the
top from a list of minority
male and female .
The NAACP w not given
the opportunity to develop the
hiring rule change, Justian said.
ze
739-1219
from
LOUISE BELL.I
mittee, Ea t Park PTA, us­
kegon Hts. band parent, AACP,
Greater Mu egon Urban League
board ladie auxiliary and the
Tri Cities Colored Women's
Club.
!
Muskegon Scouts mark
Jubilee with Klondike
On Saturday, January 12
the Boy Scouts marked their
Diamond Jubilee on Chippewa
Trails Klondike at Twin Lake
Gun Club.
Scouters prepared stew. Each
boy provided the ingredients
and they did a wonderful
job. Each Scout cooked in­
dividually. (Award them the
chef hat please.)
Student art on exhibit
z
o
A.
o
o
u
MUSKEGO - The uske­
gon u eum of Art offers a
new exhibit opening Sunday,
Jan. 27, called "Any Way,
Shape or Form."
Thi is a display of area
student art and will open with
a reception from 2 to 4 p.m .
on Jan. 27.
On exhibit will be painting,
drawing, sculpture, ceramic and
textile wor of student from
kindergarten through grade 12.
The show will run through
March 2.
,
A fun day of activities
included sled race, use of knife
and ax, first-aid, hand signals,
firebuilding, knots, measuring,
maps, compass, mor code
and trail signs.
Judge Farmer of the 61st
District Court for u egon
County was there to Judge the
Trail Signs Reading. All the
Scouts are winners.
MAIL YOUR EWS
TO THE CrrIZE
P.O. BOX 4551
" .. -s .egon Ht., 49444
o CALL
,. da Dixon
739-1203