by Nick Castele
Cuyahoga County Council this week passed measures aimed at helping businesses owned by minorities and women secure county contracts.
The legislation sets goals for minority participation in county work, County Councilman Pernel Jones said. County staff will monitor contractors’ efforts to meet these goals.
“We don’t have a mandate to force them to do this,” Jones said. “The expectation is if someone is awarded a contract, they plan to adhere to what they agreed to in the awarding of the contract.”
A study released earlier this year found that few contracts went to such businesses. Jones said the county will perform another study in five years to track its progress.
“In 2019, I would like to see the complete elimination of this racial disparity,” Jones said. “If that does not happen, then we reassess and we look to strengthen our efforts.”
The measures will also allow the county to set aside part of its contracts for small businesses.
