Gainesville City Commission approves resolution calling for divestment of holdings in Russian and Belarusian securities
BY JENNIFER CABRERA
At their March 17 meeting, the Gainesville City Commission passed a resolution calling for divestment of holdings in Russian and Belarusian securities and denouncing the war in Ukraine.
The resolution requested the Boards of Trustees for the City of Gainesville Employees Pension Plan and Fund, the Retiree Health Insurance Trust Fund, and the City of Gainesville Police Officers and Firefighters Consolidated Retirement Plan to divest of any current holdings in Russian or Belarusian securities and consider a new operating fund investment policy opposed to future investment of City funds in Russian or Belarusian securities.
The resolution denounces the invasion and war in Ukraine and welcomes refugees “from the conflict in Ukraine and all other conflicts.” It also “reaffirms the City of Gainesville’s sister city relationship with Novorossiysk, Russia in recognition of the importance of cultural exchange and diplomacy between countries.”
No members of the public offered any public comment, and other than a brief statement from Mayor Lauren Poe thanking the Finance Committee (made up of Commissioners Adrian Hayes-Santos, Harvey Ward, and Reina Saco) for bringing the resolution forward, there was no discussion before the resolution was approved on a unanimous roll-call vote.
The Pension Review Committee will discuss their response to the resolution at their meeting tomorrow at 9:00 a.m.
Free Comedy = the Finance Committee (made up of Commissioners Adrian Hayes-Santos, Harvey Ward, and Reina Saco)
Putin never tried to lock me in my house for two years. Never tried to make me wear a stupid mask. As far as I know he never tried pushing ‘Trans Rights’ on kids. Yet here we are, a bunch of sheep banging the war drums.
Well said..
Bingo!
Abe Lincoln said, don’t mess with our civil war and we won’t mess with yours. US foreign policy has distracted us from domestic and local policy for too long.
Thiss continued relationship with Russia only proves that these commissioners led by Poe are anti American Communists. They all need to be removed from office.
They need to scrap that “sister city” program with Russia too…
Commissioners have been divested from intelligence and common sense for a long time. They continue to divest Gainesville of the qualities that made it such a nice community to call home.
If voters would exorcise the city of these self elevated demigods, the world would be a better place.