RM 01-16-76 (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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6. NEW BUSINESS (Cont'd Also a lot of better contractors can't afford to bid as low as these contractors bid, and as they never get the bid, conse- quently they bon't bother to bid on any more of our contracts. Commissioner Robinson said the question is WHY? -- when the prevailing rate has been established--and the prevailing rate, in most instances in this town, has been set at the union rate. Why ? ?? One of the questions that has'been'bothering me- -even before I got on this Commission, and not only me; but, if the Union rates are supposed to be the union rate that has been established on this project, and I know that in most instances that it does, because I get those published sheets all the time stating what the prevailing rate is. I have never been able to figure this out- -and I have been up to see Mr. Brownell on a couple of different occasions before I ever got on this Commis- sion. We have been out debating that same subject, and I don't understand why they can't bid that way. Several voices spontane- ously voicing we have had that....Commissioner Robinson responding, "I don't believe that; I think it is because the small -type guy, I don't think that he can." JJ replied that Frank Alford is the Director of the Equal Employment Opportunity, and he oversees that the prevailing wage rates are paid. Mr. Evans added that if the wages paid, if ',it is under the prevailing wage rates, he can be charged by his employees of unfair labor practices if he is not in compliance with the contract. Mr. Brownell said not only that, but that copies of their payrolls come in to Frank Alford for review, and the only fellow that he could pay less than the rate would be to himself, he guessed. As to the qualifications.for minorities Mr. Caesar, Mr. Butler said that is the referred to prior, and that all of the now participants in the Hometown Plan. "Not all the contractors - -No. Just the side of the street." on the staff raised by Preconstruction Conference : ontractors in the area are Commissioner Robinson said, contractors in the union Mr. Lindstaedt raised further questions - -one being, "How soon before you ask the people to come in and examine the buildings to make the bids, do you make your estimate as to the cost ? - We all know that the labor costs have skyrocketed, and everything, but at the same time, when do you decide to award the bids, how long does it take you to get these bids and how do you arrive at the estimates? Who are these people on the Advisory Committees who decide how the contracts are awarded and are they qualified--the Committee that actually approves these bids ?" JJ explained the bidding procedures; staff makes two inspections a day, so usually the costs are estimated and as soon as they get 10 that are cost estimated, it is brought before the Advisory Committee for approval - -so usually there are 10 to let for bids once a month. The people on the Committee are the ones who have lived in the community for the most part. Mr. Lind - staedt said this is his first meeting here and he is making a point of these things here as he is interested in housing and bringing these things back in the trades, and it seems on the list of these things and the amount of money being spent, it is quite obvious, and the question being raised is - -are we getting the value for the money that is being spent by this organization? - 23 -