Westbard cemetery protesters get another rude reception from MoCo HOC

"Your building sits on

top of my ancestors"

Representatives of Macedonia Baptist Church and their supporters in the community got another rude reception at yesterday's meeting of the Montgomery County Housing Opportunities Commission. There to protest the HOC's plan to construct a parking garage on top of a historic African-American cemetery behind Westwood Tower in Bethesda, they found that HOC continues to aggressively defend its plans to build atop the cemetery, and avoid the mediation sessions with the church arranged for by Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett. The continued impasse - and the growing realization that HOC is a primary actor in the conspiracy to cover-up the cemetery's existence - inspired yesterday's protest, which was organized by Showing Up for Racial Justice - Montgomery County.

"Those bodies matter

more than a

parking garage"

Laurel Hoa, an organizer with SURJ, testified during the community comment portion of the meeting, and requested the cemetery issue be added to the meeting agenda. Noting there are human remains of the first generation of free African-Americans in Maryland under the existing parking lot, she added, "I would like the commission to vote to confirm that those bodies matter more than a parking garage. This matter has been dragging on for months, and HOC has been sticking to its plans to build a parking garage on top of these bodies, and the community is saying, 'No, this is a desecration of this cemetery.'"

"Do I have to ask

you to leave?"

"Just so people understand," HOC Chair Jackie Simon announced, "we don't add items to our agenda that have not been discussed by our commissioners and staff." "This has been going on for months," Hoa interjected. "Excuse me," Simon interrupted. "Because we're in litigation, we certainly are not prepared to offer any thoughts." In reality, Macedonia Baptist Church is not a party in the litigation Simon referred to.

"You gotta leave"

Macedonia Baptist Church social justice director Marsha Coleman-Adebayo spoke next. "Your building sits on top of my ancestors," she said, "and I, as well as other people here, do not want to see a parking garage situated in that area." She then pointed out that HOC Executive Director Stacy Spann has dragged out the mediation process by repeatedly claiming he is unavailable for the next session.

Coleman-Adebayo said the church has informed Spann in writing that it will make any accommodation for his schedule, including holding sessions on weekends or holidays, if necessary, in an attempt to bring a rapid closure to the cemetery dispute. Spann has refused to respond to the church's offer, she said. "In fact, he's ducking from us, and he's hiding behind..." "Let's not have characterizations," Simon interrupted. "Whatever you want to call it, he is not available," Coleman-Adebayo replied, "I call it ducking and hiding."

"I call it ducking

and hiding"

"I'm sorry, but we'll have no discussion of this issue as long as litigation is pending," Simon said. She could not explain why Spann is avoiding mediation sessions with the church, nor why HOC is falsely claiming the church has something to do with a completely-separate lawsuit. When Coleman-Adebayo persisted on those two points, Simon banged her gavel. "Do I have to ask you to leave?" Simon asked. "You can do that if you like," Coleman-Adebayo replied. "I've asked you to either leave, or at least leave the microphone," Simon commanded.

A classic government

official cop-out

Macedonia trustee Harvey Matthews then attempted to speak, but was rebuffed by the commission. "Let him speak! Let him speak!" cemetery protesters chanted in response. Simon said she had offered Matthews the opportunity to submit comments in writing rather than allow him to address the commission - a classic government official cop-out, because direct written communications do not sway public opinion or embarrass public officials. "We do not intend to have a prolonged discussion on this while we are in mediation." Director Stacy Spann offered Matthews the options of contacting him in writing via email or snail mail.

"We're moving on"

As Matthews stepped away from the speakers' table, Kevin Berends took his place, attempting to ask the commission to vote on allowing Macedonia Baptist Church to conduct an archaeological study of the cemetery. He was interrupted by Spann.

"We're moving on. We're moving on, sir," Spann said. "The chair has been very clear. We've heard the last item on this." "All I'd like to say is," Berends replied, "how about granting permission to Macedonia to investigate the cemetery delineation, because HOC, and HOC alone, has the control over whether that can be granted. So, all we're asking is, would you please vote on that as to whether or not..."

"You'll have to go

outside"

"We are not voting on that," Simon asserted. "I've been as clear as I can be." "It would be a lot clearer if you said, 'yes,"" Berends answered to laughter from the audience. "Thank you, thank you," Spann interjected. "We're moving on."

"Let him speak!" protesters chanted from the audience. "You gotta leave if you're going to make noise," Spann warned. "This is a public meeting. You'll have to go outside''

"You can't disrupt our meeting," Simon echoed.

"You don't 

represent us"

"You said you wanted to have community comments," Coleman-Adebayo said, "and when the community went to the microphone, you told us we couldn't speak. You don't represent us. You do not represent us."