*NEWSFLASH* - Birmingham City Council approves buying OLPC computers
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Elena McBride
Feb 14, 2008, 12:00:01 AM2/14/08
to Birmingham OLPC User/Interest Group (AL)
Hi all,
In case you didn't know, while we were all enjoying ourselves at the
TechMixer last night, the Birmingham City council was voting on
whether to purchase OLPC XO laptops for the city schools. In summary,
the measure passed but the council is still undecided on how the
program will be managed. I've included the story below - it is quite
an interesting read!
What do you guys think?
Best Regards,
Elena McBride
-----------------------------
-----------------------------
From 13 Feb 2006 issue of The Birmingham News:
http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1202894177182130.xml&coll=2&thispage=2
BIRMINGHAM CITY COUNCIL APPROVES BUYING COMPUTERS, REJECTS NON-PROFIT
FOUNDATION AS FRICTION RISES WITH MAYOR
JOSEPH D. BRYANT
News staff writer
The Birmingham City Council Tuesday approved spending $3.5 million for
15,000 laptop computers but blocked plans to hire a newly formed
nonprofit, the Birmingham Education Initiative Inc., to manage the
program.
The council voted 8-1 to buy the computers for students. The computers
will go to city school students in the first through eighth grades.
The long council debate turned contentious as Mayor Larry Langford
sparred with some council members who questioned the logistics and
compensation of Birmingham Education Initiative Inc., a foundation.
Council members questioned how much the new group would be paid to
manage the program and agreed to discuss the issue Thursday during a
special meeting of the council's education committee.
The city will spend $3 million to buy the computers for around $200
each from the One Laptop Per Child Foundation, a nonprofit group. That
price tag leaves $500,000 in the city's $3.5 million allocation. The
foundation would be paid to staff and operate the program.
"I do not want the money siphoned off," said Councilman Roderick
Royal, chairman of the education committee. "I'd rather every dollar
go toward the computers."
Langford said the foundation was created to receive donations and
handle the operation of the computer program. Donors, he said, would
only give money to a nonprofit organization, and he's already received
$115,000 in contributions.
"You've got to have a foundation in place to receive this money,"
Langford said.
Langford said the computers must be distributed and managed and a
foundation is the best option. The school system is not equipped to
handle such responsibility, he said.
The Birmingham Education Initiative's board members are Miles College
President George French, Lawson State President Perry Ward, UAB
professor George Munchus, Barbara Shores Martin of the Jefferson
County Office of Senior Citizens Activities and a school system
representative.
Royal said the school system should administer the program. Other
council members questioned who would profit from the foundation and
challenged giving money to a group that has yet to receive its
nonprofit status.
The group's board signed incorporation papers and held its first
meeting Tuesday, but it will take weeks before the group is granted
its nonprofit status.
Council President Carole Smitherman said the city has never given
money to a group before it received nonprofit status. "We're supposed
to be in a partnership with this," Smitherman said. "Items are
appearing on the agenda, and we don't have any knowledge about it."
Councilwoman Valerie Abbott, who cast the lone vote against the
computers, said she had concerns over who will manage the daily
operation of the program.
Abbott said she suspected someone had already been selected to run the
program, because the computers are scheduled to arrive next month.
"I am concerned about the accountability and veracity of the people
you are hiring to work for this city," Abbott told the mayor.
That comment angered Langford, who challenged Abbott to name specific
names. So she did, saying John Katopodis, Langford's adviser who
negotiated the computer deal on the mayor's behalf, was associated
with another nonprofit computer foundation that received $200,000 in
city money but never accounted for the money.
Abbott cited a city interoffice memo from then-finance Director
Folasade Olanipekun from July 2002.
The memo stated that the city was unable to audit the books and
records of the Help E-Learn Program, a subsidiary of Computer Help for
Kids, a program organized by HealthSouth founder Richard Scrushy,
Langford and Katopodis. The program was created to refurbish computers
donated by companies and distribute them to needy children.
Efforts to reach Katopodis Tuesday for comment were unsuccessful.
Langford dismissed Abbott's accusation as a personal attack. "All
these questions about who you like or don't like has nothing to do
with this program," he said. "You can't direct me who to hire or not
to hire."
Other council members defended Abbott's questions.
"If she has questions, she needs to raise them," said Councilman
Steven Hoyt.
Tuesday's council meeting lasted more than six hours.
E-mail: jbr...@bhamnews.com
In case you didn't know, while we were all enjoying ourselves at the
TechMixer last night, the Birmingham City council was voting on
whether to purchase OLPC XO laptops for the city schools. In summary,
the measure passed but the council is still undecided on how the
program will be managed. I've included the story below - it is quite
an interesting read!
What do you guys think?
Best Regards,
Elena McBride
-----------------------------
-----------------------------
From 13 Feb 2006 issue of The Birmingham News:
http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1202894177182130.xml&coll=2&thispage=2
BIRMINGHAM CITY COUNCIL APPROVES BUYING COMPUTERS, REJECTS NON-PROFIT
FOUNDATION AS FRICTION RISES WITH MAYOR
JOSEPH D. BRYANT
News staff writer
The Birmingham City Council Tuesday approved spending $3.5 million for
15,000 laptop computers but blocked plans to hire a newly formed
nonprofit, the Birmingham Education Initiative Inc., to manage the
program.
The council voted 8-1 to buy the computers for students. The computers
will go to city school students in the first through eighth grades.
The long council debate turned contentious as Mayor Larry Langford
sparred with some council members who questioned the logistics and
compensation of Birmingham Education Initiative Inc., a foundation.
Council members questioned how much the new group would be paid to
manage the program and agreed to discuss the issue Thursday during a
special meeting of the council's education committee.
The city will spend $3 million to buy the computers for around $200
each from the One Laptop Per Child Foundation, a nonprofit group. That
price tag leaves $500,000 in the city's $3.5 million allocation. The
foundation would be paid to staff and operate the program.
"I do not want the money siphoned off," said Councilman Roderick
Royal, chairman of the education committee. "I'd rather every dollar
go toward the computers."
Langford said the foundation was created to receive donations and
handle the operation of the computer program. Donors, he said, would
only give money to a nonprofit organization, and he's already received
$115,000 in contributions.
"You've got to have a foundation in place to receive this money,"
Langford said.
Langford said the computers must be distributed and managed and a
foundation is the best option. The school system is not equipped to
handle such responsibility, he said.
The Birmingham Education Initiative's board members are Miles College
President George French, Lawson State President Perry Ward, UAB
professor George Munchus, Barbara Shores Martin of the Jefferson
County Office of Senior Citizens Activities and a school system
representative.
Royal said the school system should administer the program. Other
council members questioned who would profit from the foundation and
challenged giving money to a group that has yet to receive its
nonprofit status.
The group's board signed incorporation papers and held its first
meeting Tuesday, but it will take weeks before the group is granted
its nonprofit status.
Council President Carole Smitherman said the city has never given
money to a group before it received nonprofit status. "We're supposed
to be in a partnership with this," Smitherman said. "Items are
appearing on the agenda, and we don't have any knowledge about it."
Councilwoman Valerie Abbott, who cast the lone vote against the
computers, said she had concerns over who will manage the daily
operation of the program.
Abbott said she suspected someone had already been selected to run the
program, because the computers are scheduled to arrive next month.
"I am concerned about the accountability and veracity of the people
you are hiring to work for this city," Abbott told the mayor.
That comment angered Langford, who challenged Abbott to name specific
names. So she did, saying John Katopodis, Langford's adviser who
negotiated the computer deal on the mayor's behalf, was associated
with another nonprofit computer foundation that received $200,000 in
city money but never accounted for the money.
Abbott cited a city interoffice memo from then-finance Director
Folasade Olanipekun from July 2002.
The memo stated that the city was unable to audit the books and
records of the Help E-Learn Program, a subsidiary of Computer Help for
Kids, a program organized by HealthSouth founder Richard Scrushy,
Langford and Katopodis. The program was created to refurbish computers
donated by companies and distribute them to needy children.
Efforts to reach Katopodis Tuesday for comment were unsuccessful.
Langford dismissed Abbott's accusation as a personal attack. "All
these questions about who you like or don't like has nothing to do
with this program," he said. "You can't direct me who to hire or not
to hire."
Other council members defended Abbott's questions.
"If she has questions, she needs to raise them," said Councilman
Steven Hoyt.
Tuesday's council meeting lasted more than six hours.
E-mail: jbr...@bhamnews.com
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