Local Hiring Ordinance Proposed

The clamor for city residents to be hired on local construction projects may be answered by a proposed ordinance requiring contractors to meet a 25 percent quota or be banned from future city contracts.

The plan hinges on development of a local hiring registry of residents, including minorities and women, for work on publicly-funded projects costing $200,000 or more, or real estate development costing more than $25,000 on city-owned land. Contractors must keep records of compliance or reasons for non-compliance and the program will be administered through the Department of Public Works & Urban Development, in conjunction with the Human Relations Commission. The list of residents, including those with union or trade qualifications, will be compiled by Union County One Stop and the opportunity will be publicized on the city web site and through other outreach.

Residents have frequently complained about seeing work crews around the city with no minority representation. Individuals who need work have questioned why they can't be hired. The proposed ordinance cites high unemployment and the millions of dollars spent on local projects and envisions "employment opportunities for Plainfield residents with varying skills, including entry-level jobs in the construction industry."

If passed on first reading at Tuesday's regular City Council meeting, the ordinance could be up for final passage at the Dec. 9 regular meeting and would take effect 20 days later. The timetable would allow for filling numerous vacancies on the Human Relations Commission and making other arrangements for implementation.

Unfortunately, the copy of the document in the council packet had some lines missing and there was some wording that might need to be fixed up before the ordinance is finalized. At present, the major publicly-funded projects are road repairs. Other projects that would fall under the provisions of the ordinance would have to be identified.

The ordinance calls for a "local hiring oversight committee" appointed by the mayor and council president and consisting of members of the administration and council. The committee would meet as necessary with the mayor and Human Relations Commission representatives to review contractor compliance and to discuss additional methods for enforcing compliance and increasing city resident hiring.

Individuals who feel they were slighted by non-compliance could complain to the Human Relations Commission, which could conduct hearings and investigations.

A chart at google.com places the unemployment rate in Plainfield at 9.8 percent in July, down from 14.5 percent in January. The poverty rate for 2007-2011 was 19 percent, in contrast to a state level of 9.4 percent, according to U.S. Census Bureau Quickfacts.

--Bernice

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