St. Paul’s reparations commission has initiated plans to engage a research firm for a significant “harm study” aimed at assessing the impact of historical and ongoing injustices faced by the city’s Black descendants of chattel slavery. This undertaking is budgeted for up to $250,000. While the city council supports the initiative, the process surrounding the selection of a research company has sparked controversy among Black leaders in the community.
The city council’s request for proposals (RFP) closed on October 3, 2023, after an extension was granted due to a lack of responses. Initially, only one proposal had been received. Following the closure, three research firms have submitted proposals, though the details remain undisclosed. The evaluation of these proposals is primarily being managed by city staff, in accordance with procurement guidelines, despite a single representative from the 11-member reparations commission being involved in the review.
Marvin Roger Anderson, chair of the Rondo Center of Diverse Expressions, expressed concerns in a letter dated November 4. He highlighted that many Black-led organizations were unaware of the RFP until its publication and criticized the city staff’s role in overseeing the evaluation process. “This creates a conflict of interest that compromises the credibility and independence of the study,” Anderson stated.
Calls for change have emerged from within the reparations commission itself. Regina Jackson and Arthur Ray McCoy, both members, recently urged the city council to pause the selection process and redesign it to include more community involvement. “There’s been a selection made, but there hasn’t been a contract put in place,” noted council member Anika Bowie in an interview. She emphasized that the decision-making should have been guided by the reparations commission rather than solely by city staff.
Concerns About the Evaluation Process
The push to alter the selection process has raised alarms among city staff, who fear potential legal ramifications. On November 5, Bowie proposed a resolution to establish a citizen-driven review committee to evaluate the proposals. This committee would largely consist of community group members, aiming to enhance transparency and inclusivity. However, the city council ultimately voted against this proposal, favoring the original staff-driven review process by a vote of 6-1.
Council member Cheniqua Johnson pointed out that the reparations commission established a framework for the RFP back in April and that the city had adhered to a traditional review process when publishing the request in August. Johnson also conveyed that Bowie’s resolution had created confusion among both city staff and the community, posing risks that could jeopardize the entire reparations project.
Bowie’s proposal would have allowed the reparations commission to appoint five community members to the evaluation committee, including at least one descendant of the Rondo neighborhood. This approach aimed to ensure that local voices were represented in the decision-making process. However, Johnson’s resolution, which amended Bowie’s original proposal, called for the city council to finalize the hiring of the study partner after city staff had conducted their evaluations.
Community Engagement and Next Steps
Bowie highlighted that several key voices in the Black community, including organizations such as the African-American Leadership Council and the St. Paul NAACP, were unaware of the RFP until the selection process was nearly complete. “How is it that we are having a harm study report that’s based on reparations, but yet the community that’s been most impacted are not even made aware?” she questioned during a recent council meeting.
Despite the division, some city council members, including Nelsie Yang and HwaJeong Kim, expressed confidence in the current process. They indicated that they had received updates about the harm study and felt it was time to proceed.
Trahern Crews, chair of the reparations commission, echoed concerns about further delays potentially hindering progress. In a phone interview, he stated, “We did our job getting the word out about the RFP. We’re excited about the way things are going.”
Council President Rebecca Noecker also supported the outcome of the recent vote, expressing confidence in the process and countering the claims of unfairness made during discussions.
As the city moves forward, the path to implementing reparations in St. Paul remains complex, with the need for inclusive dialogue and community engagement at the forefront of discussions.
