LAKEPORT — The Lake County Board of Supervisors Tuesday continued the reading of a proposed ordinance that would offer incentives to contractors who employ local workers on county projects.
The BOS directed its staff to evaluate a series of amendments to the ordinance introduced during Tuesday”s public meeting.
The proposed ordinance, in its original form, was read during the Nov. 9 BOS meeting and was due for a second reading and approval Tuesday.
The ordinance, as proposed, sought to offer contractors a 5-percent discount on bids of Lake County projects provided the contractor guarantees that at least 25 percent of its subcontracted labor force be comprised of local contractors.
Jeff Rein, deputy county administrative officer for Lake County, suggested Tuesday that the BOS consider “proposed cleanup language,” rewording the ordinance to specify that either a prime contractor”s labor force be comprised of at least 25 percent local workers or the subcontractors be responsible for the 25-percent threshold.
The change would not affect the county”s goals of recruiting local subcontractors and employing local workers in public projects, Rein said.
Treston Shull, labor relations representative for Laborers International Union of North America representing Lake County, suggested that the BOS make several amendments to the ordinance.
Shull asked the BOS to consider further rewording the ordinance to specify that at least 25 percent of a project”s “workforce” be comprised of Lake County residents, as opposed to merely 25 percent of the contractor”s or subcontractors” labor forces.
District 2 Supervisor Jeff Smith said he thought Shull”s suggestion was “a great idea” because it would ensure that the discount is given only to bids guaranteeing local workers on the project.
The county would not require that 25 percent of a contractor”s or subcontractor”s permanent employees be local workers, rather that at least 25 percent of workers on a county project be county residents.
The 5-percent discount is the maximum discount the county can offer according to state law, Rein said.
“We need something bold like this to kick-start some local jobs,” said District 5 Supervisor Rob Brown.
Shull also suggested the BOS consider lowering the discount below 5 percent because he thinks the maximum discount could leave the county susceptible to bidding ploys, such as deliberate overbidding by prime contractors.
Rein said the county could consider doing a phased increase on larger projects but that the 5-percent discount would be negligible on projects less than $750,000, of which the county had three during the last fiscal year.
The county would review the discount program annually to gauge its impact on the local economy and local workforce, Rein said.
The ordinance will be reworded and its new form read during the Nov. 23 BOS meeting at 10:40 a.m.
Contact Jeremy Walsh at jwalsh@record-bee.com or call him at 263-5636, ext. 37.
