March 7, 2009
Joyce Wilson Harley, Esq.
Administrator
County of Essex
Hall of Records, Room 510
Newark, NJ, 07102
Re: Resolution #13
Minority Status of Vendor
Dear Ms. Harley:
Having painstakingly perused the March 4, 2009 Conference Meeting Agenda Package of the Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders, CWA Local 1081 is particularly perplexed by the last sentence within the following paragraph included within your Decision Memorandum as found on page number five within Resolution #13 of the agenda:
Page number twelve of the resolution appears on the third page of this missive written you, as it represents the requisite State of New Jersey Division of Contract Compliance Equal Opportunity in Public Documents, Form AA-201. Point #4 of the form appears as follows:
As you may please note, neither question is checked. Therefore, unless the vendor had been remiss in completing this form, it would appear the company is owned neither by a minority nor by a woman. Further, point #9 of the form appears to indicate that of the three (3) elevator mechanics employed by the company, all three are male and two of them are minorities.
According to the Administration’s press release of January 29, 2008, “The Essex County Office of Small Business Development and Affirmative Action has a mission to ensure equal opportunity in the procurement and contracting processes of Essex County. The office promotes this through strategic partnerships, outreach, technical assistance, and collaborative partnerships. Through hosting various educational seminars and events and utilizing its on-line Vendor Registration System, Essex County is able to make information more accessible and create additional avenues for small, women and minority owned businesses to have an equal opportunity to compete for large scale contracts.”.
With all due respect, Ms. Harley, how then is the Administration acting responsibly when within your above cited Decision Memorandum it is alleged that “The minority status of the vendor cannot be determined” when clearly it can and apparently it has? As you may please recall, this is the second time CWA Local 1081 has expressed our considerable concern to you in this relevant regard.
CWA Local 1081 deferentially desires to continue our pronounced past performance of assisting the Administration to achieve its oft stated goal of “Putting Essex County First”. One major method of achieving this admirable ambition, our Union asserts, is for the Administration to be more circumspect when creating resolutions so that they are as accurate as possible before being submitted to the Essex County Board of Freeholders, and the general public, for their respective consideration.
Sincerely,
David H. Weiner, President
CWA Local 1081
