(C) Florida Phoenix This story was originally published by Florida Phoenix and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Conflict of interest arises in talks about potential location of FL’s Black history museum [1] ['Jackie Llanos', 'More From Author', '- December'] Date: 2023-12-15 A member of the Florida Museum of Black History Task Force on Friday pitched a museum she leads as a location for the state’s planned Black history museum, prompting calls from others on the panel to address with legal counsel whether that would constitute a conflict of interest. Terri Lipsey Scott, chosen by Senate President Kathleen Passidomo to serve on the task force, pitched the Woodson African American Museum of Florida in St. Petersburg, highlighting the work the museum has accomplished under her direction. While the members of the task force won’t vote on a recommendation for a location until next year, they have been hearing presentations from city officials and others suggesting sites. Ultimately, the Legislature will decide. This effort materialized after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed HB 1441 earlier this year, creating the nine-member task force to provide recommendations for the planning, construction, operation, and administration of what would be Florida’s official Black history museum. After members of the task force raised concerns about a conflict of interest, Scott suggested seeking legal counsel on the matter and others agreed. “We’re here in this space to make a determination about what would be best for our state. I am hopeful that that’s what we’re here to do, to create an opportunity for us to look at our entire state with regard with where we can best serve not only the members of our state but those visiting as well. If, in fact, we are looking at this as a potential conflict of interest, I think we should probably determine that now,” Scott said. Scott pointed out that the task force’s chair, Democratic State Sen. Geraldine Thompson of Orange County, and another member, Regina Gayle Phillips, had suggested locations, too. Thompson has expressed her preference for Eatonville (also in Orange County and one of the first incorporated all-Black cities in the U.S.); Phillips presented in favor of St. Johns, outside Jacksonville. Phillips runs the Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center in St. Augustine. Director’s plans Republican State Rep. Berny Jacques of Pinellas County was the first to inquire about conflict of interest and whether Scott would remain at the helm of the museum if it were chosen. Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Jacques to the task force. “It’s not about pitching a region. This is a specific pitch of a specific organization that task force member Scott runs, so that is the concern that arises with me,” he said. At first, Scott did not answer whether she would remain as director of the museum, saying that the task force needed to clarify whether the museum would be state-run. She later said she has planned to step down from her museum job ahead of expansion plans already in place. “I didn’t receive notice prior to [the meeting] of the inappropriateness for me to have made this presentation,” Scott said. Other locations pitched during the meeting included Amelia Island in Nassau County, Daytona Beach, a former segregated high school in Gadsden County, Jackson County, Opa-Locka in Miami-Dade County, Panama City, Sarasota County, and St. Augustine. The task force plans to vote on the location in April and submit its final report to DeSantis and leaders of the Legislature on July 1. [END] --- [1] Url: https://floridaphoenix.com/2023/12/15/conflict-of-interest-arises-in-talks-about-potential-location-of-fls-black-history-museum/ Published and (C) by Florida Phoenix Content appears here under this condition or license: Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/floridaphoenix/