Union challenges law that allows Indian contract

By Times staff writers

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 6, 2000

A public employee union is challenging the constitutionality of a law that let MacDill Air Force Base officials award a contract worth $500-million to an American Indian-owned firm without any competitive bidding.

The American Federation of Government Employees filed suit against the Air Force in federal court in Washington, D.C., on Monday, claiming that a provision in the Defense Appropriations Act gives American Indian contractors an illegal advantage.

The law allows military commanders to contract out work performed by civil service employees to companies owned at least 51 percent by American Indians without bids.

The union's lawsuit cited how MacDill received bids from 24 contractors in 1998 to take over public works functions such as fixing roads, remodeling offices and maintaining runways.

Base officials short-circuited the bidding last year and gave the 10-year contract to Chugach Management Services Inc. of Alaska. More than 130 civil service employees were uprooted from their jobs, although many ended up working for Chugach. -- STEVE HUETTEL

Shot officer named Deputy of the Year

The Tampa Police Department and the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office honored their most valuable employees of the past year at the sixth annual law enforcement appreciation luncheon at the Tampa Convention Center on Friday.

Cpl. James Stone was named Sheriff's Deputy of the Year. Stone recently tried to stop three people suspected of armed robberies. They shot at him, hitting him in the abdomen. Stone returned fire and killed one suspect. The other two were apprehended.

TPD's Officer of the Year was Gene E. King. Stationed at the firehouse in Highland Pines, King mobilized businesses, students and residents to renovate the Oak Park Recreation Center and add a computer workshop.

Four high school students received college scholarships worth $8,000 each from John Sykes, chairman and CEO of Sykes Enterprises Inc. They were Molly Elizabeth Black, daughter of Detective Leroy Black and Betty Black; Roberto Batista Jr., son of Detective Roberto Batista and Melanie Batista; Sophia Ann Houze, daughter of Deputy Indira Houze and Robert A. Houze Jr.; and Erin Melanie Willette, daughter of Detective Michael Willette and Melanie Willette. -- LINDA GIBSON

Tampa Day Nursery to celebrate 75 years

The Women's Temperance Union founded the Tampa Day Nursery in 1925, realizing that children of poor families needed a safe, inexpensive place to stay.

In the 75 years since, more than 9,000 preschool children have been cared for at the facility, now known as A Brighter Community, at 1613 N Marion St.

Today, A Brighter Community supporters will celebrate the organization's 75th year with an evening of dinner and dancing at the Cuban Club.

Architects also will unveil plans for a $500,000 expansion that would allow the agency to double in size and serve infants and toddlers, Pentz said.

A Brighter Community has an annual budget of $502,000, 37 percent of which comes from the United Way. Other funding sources include the state, county and federal governments, the Conn Memorial Foundation and the Allegany Franciscan Foundation.

Most of the parents who send their children to Brighter Community are single. The average family, with a median income of $13,000, pays $35 weekly per child. -- MELANIE AVE

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