Mayor defends $1 million grant for black heritage center
Members of the African American Heritage Center have filed a complaint with the state Attorney General's Office claiming Wilmington Mayor James M. Baker violated the law when he awarded $1 million to establish a black heritage and culture center.
In awarding the Delaware Historical Society the grant last month, the complaint says, Baker violated sunshine laws, held illegal meetings and stacked a review committee with staff members opposed to African American Heritage Center's executive director Harmon Carey. Baker seemed unfazed by the accusations.
"This is a desperate act, and unfortunately it doesn't really surprise me," Baker said. "I am confident that all procedures and policies have been followed according to the law. We will cooperate fully with the Attorney General's Office in responding to any questions directed our way."
The eight-page complaint, which was filed with the Attorney General's Office on Friday, claims several infractions, including that members of a Historical Society committee were allowed to attend a Dec. 14 hearing where the African American Heritage Center pitched its proposal for the heritage center. But when members of the African American Heritage Center tried to sit in on the Historical Society's hearing, they were told it was private and could not attend.
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