Community Meeting Reveals Minority Contracting Complaints

Members of the Metro Council’s Black Caucus heard from unhappy business owners Tuesday night about the city’s new minority contracting policy.

While the policy is meant to help disadvantaged businesses, the group also includes small and women-owned firms, not just minorities. Of the pre-construction contracts for the new downtown convention center, 28 percent went to disadvantaged businesses. Less than six percent were owned by minorities, leaving some business owners upset.

Natasha Blackshear’s law firm bid on work for the Music City Center and actually won.

“But now I see other law firms that didn’t win the bid are doing all types of legal work. To date, I’ve gotten work that’s valued at $6,217. That was my invoice, and that was it.”

Mayor Karl Dean has indicated he was the maximum amount of minority participation in the proposed Music City Center. The Convention Center Authority is setting up a separate committee that would make sure minority-owned firms get a share of the work.

Metro Government is making more effort than ever before to ensure minority-owned businesses get their share of city contracts.

Since the Metro Council approved a new minority contracting policy last year, the number of firms who’ve registered to do work for the city has jumped more than 10-fold. A total of 435 vendors have been certified.

But Kelly Holmes says there’s a difference between certifying businesses and actually granting them contracts. Holmes is an electrician whose company has done work with the city. He says even after decades in the business, he doesn’t feel like an insider.

“Whether it be all of the guys are good ole boys or just a network of guys relating, trying to pass on business to each other, that’s what it is. I don’t consider it to be a good ole boy network. I consider it to be smart business on their end.”

Holmes says diversity goals and requirements for “good faith effort” can only go so far. He says there should be a moral obligation to spread the wealth.

Holmes has bid on construction work for the planned downtown convention center, which if approved will be the largest building project in the city’s history. Mayor Karl Dean has set a goal of 20 percent participation from minority firms.