Jackson Free Press

Minority make-up was the point of interest for school board members in an Oct. 1 special meeting of the Jackson Public School Board. The meeting, which ran into the wee hours of the morning, called for presentations from six design firms, all hoping to receive bids for construction in conjunction with the $150 million bond project. The board prefers that design professionals meet guidelines outlined in JPS's "Jackson First" initiative and a goal of 20 percent minority participation in the projects.

Only one proposed firm was 100 percent minority staffed, McElroy and Associates, while some others did not have the percentages, but expressed willingness to outsource to minority firms for engineering jobs.

The board voted to adopt a statement of intent to hire the six professionals and agreed to enter into negotiations with the firms. Board members Ivory Phillips and Ann Jones will serve as representatives in negotiations with the firms.

Board Attorney David Watkins says that it has been a tough job for JPS Executive Director of Facilities and Operations Fred Davis to select the professionals, and he believes that the options balance the qualifications and experience of each firm with minority participation goals and Jackson First.

"He stood up and did the right thing and said, 'I'm not bound to political pressures and community pressures and all that kind of stuff,'" Watkins said. "I think the staff has done a fabulous job and has really stepped up to the plate."

The project, which Jackson taxpayers voted to pass in a referendum in November 2006, will correct structural and design problems in JPS schools, and will fund the construction of four new middle schools and one new elementary school, as well as classroom additions to six elementary schools and one high school.

In a Sept. 10 meeting the board approved $36 million of the $150 million in general obligation bonds to go toward school construction improvements over the summer and the proposed additions. They will move forward with the awarding of contracts in the regular school board meeting on Oct. 15.

Previous Comments

ID

68120

Comment

Does that 20% goal include minorities and women who are in business in Jackson? Seems like a low percentage in a City that is 70%+ in population.

Author

ChrisCavanaugh

Date

2007-10-05T13:45:42-06:00

ID

68121

Comment

Chris, The percentages of minority and women owned businesses that a governmental body uses in setting participation and utilization goals, have been the object of court cases starting as far back as the mid seventies. These cases have been appealed all the way up to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court has ruled, in summary, the the percentages utilized by public bodies (governmant) must be in proportion the the available number of minority and women owned business that have historically participated in the targeted market. These percentages are derived from an in-depth "Disparity Study" that looks at evidence of past policies and practices that have hindered or barred women and minorities from freely and equally participating in commerce in an area. The Mississippi Department of Transprtation, JPS, COJ and the Jackson Municipal Airport Authority have all invested in conducting these disparity studies and the percentages they are currently using are backed by the statistical and historical analysis contained in the study. The Supreme Court has also ruled that minority and women participation programs must be targeted and have a limited duration. Too much information?

Author

FrankMickens

Date

2007-10-08T09:45:38-06:00

ID

68122

Comment

Thanks, TCO.

Author

ChrisCavanaugh

Date

2007-10-08T09:59:56-06:00