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$14.8 million for Innes Middle School approved; bidders short on using Akron residents, minorities
By John Higgins Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Wednesday, Nov 14, 2007
The board of city and school officials overseeing Akron's $800 million school construction project approved bids totaling $14.8 million for the renovation of Innes Middle School.
There was just one dissenting vote Tuesday.
Akron finance director Diane Miller-Dawson voted against approval because three of the winning bidders were on a list of contractors determined to be in violation of the project's hiring goals for Akron residents, minorities and women.
Compliance monitor Robert Fisher told the Joint Board of Review that he had spoken with the three companies — RT Hampton Plumbing & Heating of North Canton, and Fire Foe and Valley Electrical, both of Girard — and received assurances that they would ask local union halls specifically for Akron residents and minorities.
''Now they'll be using Akron residents instead of their normal crews, and they'll call the union halls,'' Fisher said.
He also has spoken with the local electrical union and the plumbers and pipefitters union to make sure the contractors can call those union halls and specifically request Akron residents and minorities.
Hampton Plumbing already has taken steps to hire Akron residents and minorities on its current school project, the replacement of Forest Hill Elementary School, according to Fisher.
In September, Fisher reported to the board that 31 percent of the 58 prime contractors awarded work had not only failed to meet hiring goals, but didn't even demonstrate a good-faith effort to meet them.
Those work-force goals — spelled out in the contracts — include having half the workers be Akron residents, 20 percent be minorities, and 5 percent be women.
The board agreed to write to all contractors reminding them of the hiring goals.
David James, who is overseeing the district's construction project, said in the September meeting that a bidder's repeated history of not even trying to meet the goals could be considered a past-performance issue, and the district could use that as a basis to reject a bid.
Miller-Dawson said her understanding was that the board would reject companies in noncompliance even if they submitted the lowest bids.
James said Tuesday the situation has improved since the board wrote to contractors.
Because the hiring targets are goals, not mandates, Akron Public Schools must be careful in penalizing low bidders. The Ohio School Facilities Commission must approve all bids.
The board will receive monthly compliance reports on the Innes project.
The board's next meeting will be Nov. 26 at 4 p.m. at Akron Public Schools' administration building, 70 N. Broadway.
The next project on the list is the replacement of Ritzman Elementary School.
Fisher said three companies have already told him they do not intend to comply with the hiring goals.
''We're going to see where they are on the 26th, and if something can happen that will change their mind,'' Fisher said. ''I think they're recognizing that the board is not playing.''
John Higgins can be reached at 330-996-3792, 800-777-7232 or jhiggins@thebeaconjournal.com.
The board of city and school officials overseeing Akron's $800 million school construction project approved bids totaling $14.8 million for the renovation of Innes Middle School.
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