Council OKs small-business ordinance
Published 10:20 am Thursday, May 21, 2015
After months of collaboration between city officials and an hourlong discussion during Wednesday’s meeting, the City Council approved an amended version of councilwoman Mary Morris’ ordinance regarding small businesses.
The ordinance amends the city’s code pertaining to the use of minority subcontractors by general contractors on city-funded projects.
“It’s an opportunity for small businesses to be able to do business with the city on city-funded projects,” Morris said. “We’re talking about contracted jobs that are $150,000 or more.”
The ordinance is intended to help bolster the city’s Small Business Opportunity Program.
During the council’s last meeting, councilwoman Luvertha August proposed an amendment to the ordinance that dealt with penalties and incentives. The conversation continued during Wednesday’s meeting.
The amendment she proposed said that instead of concentrating only on penalties for contractors that do not follow the procedures in the program, there would also be incentives for those who do.
Mister Edwards, public works director, spoke about the good-faith aspect of the ordinance general contractors are operating under when it comes to accepting the bids from small businesses on the city projects. He said the city needs something like Morris’ ordinance in place to keep the program going. Edwards went on to say that there are a number of small businesses in the area that are capable of doing good work on city projects.
“I think there are more out there that can bring something to the table,” he said.
Several speakers involved with small businesses addressed the council during the meeting. Some presented questions about the ordinance and the program it pertained to while others lamented the fact that the city needed something in place promoting the involvement of those businesses on local projects.
Councilman Dana Jackson proposed an amendment to the ordinance that would keep general contractors from being given incentives just for trying to hire minority businesses through the good-faith efforts language in the ordinance.
The incentive was a 10 percent discount not to exceed $2,000 on the building permit fee associated with the project.
“I don’t want to give them something for trying. Give it to someone that hires,” he said.
The council approved the amendment and the amended ordinance unanimously.
(American Press Archives)
