06-06-12 Community & Economic Development Committee

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Henry brought up the possibility of coordinating Community & Economic Development's efforts with the newly formed MBEW /WBE group working to increase minority participation in getting public dollar contracts. Dr. Fred Ferlic asked Pam if her Department had a record of who bid on and to whom contract were awarded in the past. Pam Meyer said that information was available; but cautioned meeting federal compliance would not necessarily accomplish the larger question of minority contractor access. The following comments from Councilmember's as well as citizens in attendance touch on these larger issues of overall minority access and participation. Marti Wolfson wondered if the federal guidelines actually create impediments to minority access, a "Catch 22" scenario. Issac Hunt, a minority contractor, described the prohibitive costs imposed on a small business trying to gain access, in effect sometimes making it unprofitable to bid on public contracts. Murray Miller claimed Davis -Bacon requirements were not being met. Contractors should be required to provide pay stubs and date of hire records of employees working on publicly funded projects. Glenn Williams suggested the whole compliance monitoring process was inadequate and ineffectual. Karen White said it was the Council's intent to work through the diversity office created by the MBE/WBE legislation. To wrap -up the discussion, Henry thanked Pam Meyer for her HUD Section 3 presentation as well as fellow Councilmember's and citizens for their input. In summary, he stated, the importance of supplemental compliance reporting criteria being established, the bidding process be provided, and the MBE/WBE diversity office get involved in the process. Henry also stated all involved parties, the Council, the BPW, the Community & Economic Development, and potential contractors be brought to the table to discuss ways to see tax dollars better benefit those for whom the programs intended to benefit.