Column: In politics, like life, timing is everything

Feoshia Henderson
The Kentucky Post

Transportation Cabinet Secretary Bill Nighbert's recent announcement that the cabinet was  lowering its
minority and female hiring goals has hit a nerve in Frankfort and beyond that likely won't be soothed
without the state transforming its hiring practices.

Past administrations have failed to meet their goals without much public outcry, and this administration
previously had been no exception. But this move appears to have provided a rallying point for those who
want change.

Nighbert's announcement comes at a time when the oft-troubled Cabinet is under investigation for
improperly steering jobs to political friends and getting rid of state employees who aren't supporters. As part
of this investigation it was also discovered that the state hadn't come close to meeting its Affirmative Action
hiring goals, and the federal government had threatened to freeze $600 million in road funds because of it.

It also comes as some African-American and female legislators have become increasingly frustrated with
what they see as stagnation or even a rolling back of diversity in all levels of state government.

So it's not surprising that Nighbert's announcement served to mobilize affected groups in a common goal to
push the Fletcher administration not only to revisit the Transportation decision, which he supported, but to
make a serious effort to employ more quality women and minorities.

State Rep. Kathy Stein, D-Lexington, said Nighbert's use of words like "impossible" and "pipe dream" to
describe the cabinet's higher employment goals further irritated those upset by the decision.

"It certainly is very offense to people, particularly in the maelstrom of the Grand Jury investigation and the
e-mails made public. It appears that people in that Cabinet are more interested in finding jobs for friends,"
said Stein, a frequent advocate of women and minorities.

Rep. Reginald Meeks, D-Louisville, echoed the sentiment of several legislators who told me they felt the
administration did too little to recruit new workers before lowering goals. Meeks said he was once asked by
the administration to recommend minority workers for employment but those recommendations weren't
followed up on.

"We can't sit back quietly and let them run behind some facade and ring their hands and say 'Oh we can't
do it when they haven't even tried,' " said Meeks, one of the House's five African-American lawmakers.

This policy change has energized people. Issues come and go in Frankfort without gaining serious traction,
but this one shows signs of staying power. Louisville Rep. Darryl Owens, a Democrat, earlier this week
called a press conference asking for hearings on the issue, and House Speaker Jody Richards, D-Bowling
Green, has indicated he will indeed hold them.

Owens, who is African-American, indicated that he plans to hold further media events in order to keep this
issue on the front burner.

In the Republican-controlled Senate, President David Williams, R-Burkesville, has said he wasn't opposed to
holding hearings in his chamber, an important indicator of possible bi-partisan support of any legislative
changes recommended in how state government recruits and retains the affected groups.

"I think this is bringing the stars into proper alignment" for change, Stein said.

To the administration's credit, officials say they want to eventually meet the original goal of 10 percent
minority and 52.42 percent women hires. They also said they're putting in place the structure to meet the
lowered goals of 47.58 percent for women and 9.06 percent for minorities. Hitting either target would be a
great feat since now women make up just 19.35 percent of the cabinet's employees and minorities comprise
7.04 percent.

But Gerald Neal, the state's only African-American senator, said he wants to see concrete proof that the
Cabinet is putting the resources behind its promises.

"What is their priority in that regard? Because these things do not just happen given our history, given
where some of these individuals live and given the historical deficiencies preparing people for these job
opportunities," he said.

The administration needs staff, funding and aggressiveness to get those results, he said. "You can make
almost anything happen if you're intent on making it happen," he said.

And the timing could be right to assure it gets done.

Feoshia Henderson covers politics and government for The Post.

WriteUP!