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(EMAILWIRE.COM, April 13, 2010 ) Detroit, MI - “We have the equipment. We have the experience. And, we have the qualified workers,” Ferguson said emphatically. “Yet whoever controls the purse strings makes us jump through a bunch of extra hoops just to work on public bond contracts. It’s not a fair process.” The 1994 DPS Bond Project is a good example of battles of being paid on time and treated fairly.
Ferguson was reacting to the comments that came out of the first meeting of the Detroit Public Schools Bond Oversight and Fiscal Responsibility Committee on January 19. DPS Emergency Financial Manager, Robert Bobb was clearly in charge of the meeting which raised the anger of several minority contractors.
“At the end of the day, final decisions will be made here,” Bobb said pointing to his chest. He was responding to a committee member’s question to Walbridge Aldinger CEO, John Rakolta about the selection of construction subcontractors.
It was obvious that Bobb and Rakolta were on the same page when it came to the explanation of the selection process of the subcontractors and the workforce to be used on the 2010, DPS $500 million-dollar Bond project scheduled to begin this spring.
Ferguson along with other minority contractors look forward to seeing projects broken down into fair pieces ranging $1M and less in order to give contractors a fair chance when it comes to self performing in their area of specialty. A lot of the smaller contractors in todayÂ’s Michigan economy are not able to post a bond above $1M-$2M dollars. All of these factors must be taken into consideration when these projects go out for bid under the new DPS bond initiative.
Bobb and Rakolta claimed at length that the DPS construction project will provide plentiful opportunities for black businesses and Detroit workers. Bobb said only “goals” would be used in hiring. Twice, he was pressed by The Michigan Citizen about former mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick’s Executive Order requiring a quota of 51% of any publicly-funded construction project.
Bobb said that only “goals” would be used in hiring. “I believe that the word “quota” is a dirty word and likely illegal.” Faced with a similar question, Rakolta responded, “Only if they are qualified.”
Reverend Wendell Anthony used cautionary terms by saying, “If Detroiters are not retained and hired at every level, all hell is going to break loose.”
Minority contractors want to know whose discretion and opinion is being used to make decisions about what makes a “qualified” contractor,” Ferguson thought out loud.
In hopes of rebuilding the community as preached by DPS and large majority firms, Bobby Ferguson looks forward to the new bond program headed by Walbridge to use the previously failed program as a lesson learned and really reach out to stand alone, minority contractors who are ready, willing and waiting to do the work.
Ferguson went on to call for the real minority construction firms in Detroit to stand up and show the majority firms that “we’re here, we’re qualified, and we want to do the work!” Contractors, to name a few, White Construction, Jenkins Construction, Brinker Construction, Joe Hale and Ferguson Enterprises are truly the self-performing, stand alone minority contractors.
Ferguson Enterprises, Inc. is located at 14385 Wyoming in Detroit.
Contact information: email address at info@feiteam.com/ or 313-491-4040
The website can be viewed at www.bobby-ferguson.com/
Bobby Ferguson Detroit, Bobby Ferguson, Ferguson Enterprises, Inc., Ferguson Enterprises, $1M Bond, $1M Bond Project, Robert Bobb, DPS Bond Project, Detroit Public Schools Bond
Ferguson Enterprises, Inc.
Bobby Ferguson
313-491-4040
info@feiteam.com 
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