Local Hiring Ordinance Held for Legal Review

A local hiring ordinance that would require contractors to meet a 25 percent quota of residents, including minorities, was not vetted for legal issues before appearing on the City Council agenda. On the advice of Corporation Counsel David Minchello, it was held for a legal review to avoid possible litigation.

Minchello said such laws must be based on evidence, or they will be challenged.

"We need to be sure that we have that back-up data," he said.

Asked by Mayor-elect and Councilman Adrian Mapp whether he saw the ordinance in advance, Minchello said he did not have a chance to review it.

As the council prepared to take Minchello's advice, Councilwoman Vera Greaves vigorously objected, saying, "I believe we have a right to have our people be hired."

To applause from the audience, she added, "I think that's crazy."

Minchello again asserted the need for proof, but Greaves said if a worker was "going to move a stone from here to here," no education was needed.

"It's outrageous," she said.

Councilwoman Rebecca Williams said Minchello was only saying data was needed.

"We have data. We have had it for years. Give me a break," Greaves retorted.

"The most complaints I get is there are no jobs for us," Councilman William Reid said. "None of us of color would never be sitting here now (if laws had not been changed)."

Urging passage at Tuesday's regular meeting, Reid said, "The heck with it. Lawsuits happen every day. This should be on the agenda."

Williams held out for a legal review, but a consensus including Greaves, Reid, Tracey Brown and Council President Bridget Rivers agreed to move it to the agenda, with Williams, Mapp and Councilman Cory Storch saying no.

The agenda session was held in tandem with a regular meeting Tuesday. When the ordinance came up for a vote, Minchello said, "My professional legal opinion is that the ordinance is unlawful and needs further review."

Reid then moved to table it.

The council calendar will not allow for two readings and final passage before the end of 2013, so the ordinance will be taken up again in 2014.

See Plaintalker's previous post on the ordinance here.

--Bernice

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