Progress made, meeting planned
Of the St. Louis American
Black contractors and Illinois Department of Transportation officials are on the road to compromise on increasing minority participation on Metro East highway projects. Yet, roadblocks could lie ahead that might lead to civil disobedience on I-64.
“We made some real progress, and we plan to meet again next Tuesday,” said Eric Vickers, a spokesman for a group of black contractors that includes MOKAN and the Metro East Black Contractors Organization.
Eddie Hasan, MOKAN executive director, said the threat of civil disobedience is needed to get the attention of prominent elected and appointed officials.
“You’ve got to make the threat, so white folks will see us,” Hasan said.
“We were invisible. We couldn’t get (responses from) phone calls or letters. When you start talking about disrupting the highway and stopping commerce, people seem to listen.”
In 1999, black contractors, clergy members and prominent business and civic leaders blocked I-70 for several hours, and dozens of people were peacefully arrested.
A threat loomed for a similar demonstration on I-64/40, but a compromise was reached with the late Gov. Mel Carnahan’s office and the Missouri Department of Transportation.
As part of a settlement, The MET Center was created in Wellston, and it houses The Cornerstone Partnership.
The Partnership’s purpose is to “provide opportunities for motivated urban youth and laid-off workers to obtain skill training, employment, and continuous career development in manufacturing while maximizing each individual’s potential and enhancing the global competitiveness of St. Louis industry.”
“We knew that these kind of things could work,” Vickers said of the 1999 settlement proposals.
“Now, we know they can work and have the successful graduates to prove it.”
IDOT Secretary Tim Martin told reporters that a supportive service team has been created to address black contractors’ concerns.
“Today was a meeting of the minds,” he said and called for “consistent communication.”
According to black contractors, 7 percent of the contracts let for the $44-million McKinley Bridge project went to minority-owned firms.
They say only 1 percent has been let to minority contractors for I-64 widening work, which will pay contractors $55 million.
Illinois pegs minority participation on the two projects at 22 percent and 7 percent, respectively.
However, the state includes women as minorities, and contractors want that changed. However, Illinois officials say that federal statutes declare that the two categories cannot be separated and have to be reported as one percentage.
Illinois also is facing a lawsuit similar to the one filed against Missouri earlier this year that challenges the system of minority-participation goals. A Colorado firm sued Missouri, but a settlement was reached and contracts were again allowed to be let to minority-owned firms through the state’s MBE/WBE program.
A judge is deliberating and, at worst, could suspend or end minority participation goals for state-funded projects throughout the entire state.
Vickers said that the goal of increased minority participation is “not just for these projects, but for all the future.”
He said, “This is not a one-time thing.”