SEPTE SEA 2·1, 1890 MICHIGAN CITIZ�N PAGE 11
.oad
or
by a contract selection com­
mittee. � The committee deter­
mines which firms to select by
vailability, ability to do
work, - area-Joe ed, and the
cl sification of the ork.
The State Transportation
Commi sion has adopted an
.Co tl ed fro P 1
. criteria is met, according to
Davis.
This criteria is determined
8300 GRATIOT 20050 UVERNOIS AVE
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MON-THUR
1 A.M. TO 2 A.M.
IN RDERS FRO
FRt-SAT
11 A.M. TO 3 A.
11 A.M. TO 2 P.
overall goal for DB�'s of 15
percent for the 1991 Fiscal
Year. This is a continuation of
last years goal, which was the
same. Transportation Depart­
ment officials state the goals
are being fulfilled and ex­
ceeded in most cases.
The Michigan Road
Builders Association is cur­
rently challenging this goal.
In a current suit against the
state, the association contends
the state is not following
federal requirements or con­
stitutional rules as defined by
the Supreme Court, in allow­
ing "set-asides" for particular
groups.
ASSOCIATION OFFI­
CIALS acknowledged there is
a need for increased oppor­
. tunity for everyone, and said
small contractors need help
from the tale in getting jobs
also.
The association contends it
is not a problem of sex, race,
or ethnicity, but a problem of
size, where the larger contrac­
tors get most of the jobs.
The a socrauon says the
slate talks about reaching out
to small bu i ne ses, but in ac­
tuality the tate is going in
another direction.
Association of Black
Genera) Contractors President
Alfdrew Mcl.emore indicated
he was disappointed Black­
owned fi rms are not par­
ticipating in the Woodward
project, in a city that is p ...
proximately 70 percent Black.
several major Blac contrac­
tors have filed some form of
bankrup tcy.
. "If something's not done
soon, there will not be a major
Black contractor in the area,"
said McLemote.
Detroit. -Urti n League
President Charles Anderson
said he was not aware of any
overwelming complaint from
. Black-owned companies con­
cerning state contracts.
He indicated Blacks have
to go on a campaign to make
ure they are bei ng repre­
ented in contracting, if they
are not receiving contract .
"Ander on wanted to know
what a "di advantaged" firm
wa. "If we allow new terms
to creep in, the rul es ca n
change. How do we know if
the companies are Black,"
said Anderson.
MCLEMORE AID
BLACK are not given
enough opportuni tics in road
and general construction
work, and the bidding process
does not reach out to Blacks.
He said the-term DBE is all
encumbersomc, and has a ten-
. dency to eliminate Blacks by
its use. He thinks the 15 per­
cent goal adopted by the
Transportation Commission is
too low.
McLemore tated there is a
crisis within the Black con­
struction commun,ity. He said
Pucker Up
U KER UP: Whistling is
a second language on Gomcra,
c of the seven inhabited Ca­
nary Islands. Farmers talk to
friends aero . the valley via
long-di uancc whi. tling that
ound lake canaries with
megaphone, report the Sep­
tember Reader's Digest. Each
letter ha: an equivalent
whist] sound. and words ru h
out from between the native
lips fast and fluently, bending
and changi ng pi tch exact) y
like bird ong.
OPTIC L OePAR ENli
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