A proposed Responsible Contracting Policy to ensure certain equity and training standards are met with city projects has been turned down by Benton Harbor City Commissioners.
At a Monday meeting, commissioners heard from City Manager Ellis Mitchell, Assistant City Manager Alex Little, and City Attorney Sara Senica that the proposal, backed by unions, would put too much of a burden on contractors.
Little said with the city often facing deadlines to spend grant dollars and limited bids coming in for projects, having stricter standards than other communities would jeopardize those grant funds and stop work from being completed. City Attorney Senica agreed.
“My fear is this may be a good policy, but at the wrong time,” Senica said. “It requires substantial training, and right now, even with the requirements we have that don’t require that training, contractors can’t comply. So, if they look at this policy and say, ‘There’s no way I can comply with this. This is the hardest policy in southwest Michigan to comply with,’ they’re not going to bid on your jobs.”
Commissioners heard a pitch for the policy from the Michigan Laborers District Council back in August. The group said the policy would protect the city from bad contractors who cut corners. However, Senica said it places stringent training requirements on those contractors that would turn them away.
The city commission Monday rejected the proposal with Commissioners Henry, Ethel Clark Griffin, and Mary Alice Adams disagreeing and voting yes to implement it.
