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March 2,2011- March 8,2011* Vol. 39 No.l • www.savannahtribune.com*912-233-6128 • Fax: 912-233-6140
The Savannah
Tribune Salutes
Women’s History
Month
See Barbara Jordan, pg. 4
Small-Toney Set to Make History as
City Manager
A fter a comprehen
sive national search
and months of
media coverage, public
meetings and interviews, the
search for a new Savannah
City Manager appears to
have ended. During the
February 24 meeting, the
Savannah City Council
voted 5-4 to nominate
Rochelle Small-Toney to fill
the post. Small-Toney, who
is expected to accept the
nomination, will become the
first African American and
the first female to be named
City Manager in Savannah.
Small-Toney emerged as the
best qualified of more than
80 candidates for the posi
tion, and received the unani
mous support of all of the
African-American members
of council.
During the selection
process, it was learned that
the Savannah City Charter
stipulates that the City
Manager be covered by a
Rochelle Small-Toney
$50,000 Public Officials
Surety Bond, and that the
City’s risk management staff
failed to apply for this cov
erage for Small-Toney who
served as Acting City
Manager since May 2010.
Almost 8 months
later, when it was apparent
that Small-Toney was a
leading candidate for the
city manager position, the
City applied for the required
$50,000 surety bond, and
was notified that the cover
age had been denied by the
City’s insurance carrier.
This information was
released to the press by an
unknown source, and no rea
son for the denial was pro
vided. However, a few days
after this information was
released to the public,
Small-Toney was approved
for the $50,000 bond.
Additionally, it was
learned that former City
Manager Michael Brown,
who held this post for 16
years, increased his personal
bond coverage to $1 million
at some point during his
tenure without an action by
the Council. The reason for
Brown’s decision to increase
his coverage was not deter
mined. The City Charter
clearly requires only a
$50,000 bond.
See Manager, pg. 3
Southern Regional Press Institute Marks
60 Years of Media Insight
Pictured are some of the recipients of the Service to the Institute Award, left to right: Loretta Heyward, Director of Marketing
and Communications, SSU, William Martin, Chief Editor, WSAV, Margaret Williams, Chief of Staff, City of Savannah, Professor
Reginald Franklin, SSU, Rick Snow, Sports, WTOC, Jim Morekis, Editor, Connect Savannah, Mark Streeter, Cartoonist,
Savannah Morning News and Dr. Emily Crawford, Interim Dean, Graduate Studies, SSU.
By Marius L. Davis,
Managing Editor
avannah State
University's Department
of Mass
Communications marked 60
years of the Southern Regional
Press Institute this past
Thursday and Friday, February
24-25, 2011. The Institute
brings the best and brightest to
the University to provide first
hand knowledge and insight to
high school and college stu
dents in the areas of journal
ism, marketing, public rela
tions, television and radio.
The opening address was
delivered by Maya Jackson
Randall, Financial Reporter,
Dow Jones Newswires/Wall
Street Journal Washington
Bureau. Jackson is an award
winning veteran reporter cov
ering financial policy, personal
finance and the economy. She
helped cover the 2010 midterm
elections and worked as a
White House correspondent
focusing on the economic
challenges facing President
Barack Obama. Randall has
received awards for her work
in the field of journalism. After
delivering an enlightening
speech, Randall was awarded
the Louis Lautier Award for
Career Achievement. Past
recipients of the Lautier Award
for Career Achievement
include local news anchors
Dawn Baker and Kim Gusby
and Susan Catron, Executive
Editor, Savannah Morning
News.
A day and a half of work
shops followed the opening
session which afforded stu
dents the opportunity to interact
with communications profes
sionals, ask questions and
receive valuable and rewarding
information. On Thursday
evening, the first Mass
Communications Alumni
Reception was held, and gradu
ates of the program were invit
ed to fellowship and reminisce
on the time they spent as
Savannah State students. Tatia
Adams Fox, Savannah native,
and SSU graduate address the
alumni gathered. Fox has
See Institute, page 4
James to Keynote
Savannah’s
Jack and Jill
50th Anniversary
Celebration
Shirley B. James
O n Saturday, March
19, 2011 at 4:00
p.m., at the Hoskins
Center at Memorial,
Mrs. Shirley Barber James,
Past National President of
Jack and Jill of America, Inc.
will be the keynote speaker
for the Savannah Chapter’s
Celebration of 50 years of
service in the Savannah com
munity.
James served as the
organization’s 15th National
President.
Ms. Karen Bogans, cur
rent Chapter President says
“I am both proud and hon
ored that Mrs. James will be
our keynote speaker. Our
Chapter is very fortunate to
have such a valuable
resource.”
For information or tick
ets to the event, please con
tact: Karen Bogans (912)
596-1564 or Aurelia Moss
(912) 661-2069.