| What will be the City of Minneapolis’ | | | | that all City of Minneapolis construction contracts |
| ‘corrective action’ be for over $400 | | | | are in compliance. |
| million in non-compliance contracts?” | | | | The information provided by the MDCR |
| Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak comments | | | | Compliance Manager Johnny Burns to IBNN shows |
| frequently on the involvement of Summit | | | | that in years 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and |
| Academy OIC as it pertains to the city’s | | | | 2009-y-t-d there was over 945 projects and not |
| top-of-mind collaboration with local agencies that | | | | one of the projects was or had been on |
| train able bodied men and women to work on | | | | compliance as it pertains to the City of Minneapolis |
| construction contracts with the City of Minneapolis. | | | | Department of Civil Rights Ordinances and |
| Mayor Rybak’s “Obama-Talk” does | | | | compliance goals, which are 6% women, 11% |
| not reflect the man that was a top supporter of | | | | skilled minorities, and 11% unskilled according to Mr. |
| the President and his policies of transparency and | | | | Burns. |
| collaborations. | | | | This brings us back to the basic function of the |
| Understanding that the best social service | | | | Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights and its |
| program is a JOB, why hasn’t the mayor | | | | director Michael Jordan. Mr. Jordan has |
| followed through on his promise to assist in | | | | consistently denied Black businesses advocacy, |
| building capacity for the minority-ethnic | | | | contracts and information and has been Mayor |
| construction trades and adding to the color | | | | Rybak’s “yes man” since day one. |
| scheme of the City of Minneapolis construction | | | | Mr. Jordan’s lackadaisical disposition on |
| workforce? | | | | important issues like the re-tooling of the |
| Which also brings into question, where is Summit | | | | MDCR-Investigative Unit and Contract Compliance |
| Academy/H.I.R.E. Minnesota’s Louis King? | | | | let’s IBNN know that Mr. Jordan has also |
| (Phone calls to Mr. King have not been returned.) | | | | outlived his usefulness as director of the MDCR |
| If Summit Academy OIC’s program has | | | | and the community stakeholders have given him |
| people ready to work, where are they? | | | | a vote of “No Confidence.” |
| Mr. King boasts that Summit has over 100 job | | | | The Minneapolis Department of Civil is suppose to |
| ready qualified men and women that are able to | | | | oversee the enforcement of the City’s Civil |
| work on City of Minneapolis contracts, but yet on | | | | Rights Ordinances and the Civilian Review |
| a research tour of current construction projects | | | | Authority Ordinance, including: |
| that are active in downtown Minneapolis, IBNN | | | | - Investigating discriminatory practices against |
| finds the results somewhat disturbing and | | | | members of protected classes and civilian |
| contradicting to what the mayor’s office is | | | | complaints of police misconduct |
| telling the minority-ethnic community. | | | | - Ensuring for enforcement of employment and |
| On Friday (4/24), walking down Second Avenue | | | | purchasing goals for women and minorities on all |
| from Washington Avenue to Marquette Avenue in | | | | City-funded construction |
| downtown Minneapolis, IBNN found the workforce | | | | - Overseeing Minneapolis Multicultural Services and |
| consists of a total 74 workers - 73 white males | | | | the American Indian Advocate offices |
| and 1 white female. We found NO people of color. | | | | Of course, with the information supplied be the |
| That’s a problem. | | | | MDCR Compliance Unit as it pertains to |
| On Friday, April 17, 2009 IBNN received | | | | “enforcement of employment goals for |
| information from the Minneapolis Department of | | | | women and minorities” we now know that |
| Civil Rights (MDCR) Contract Compliance Unit. The | | | | the Unit has not followed procedures and could |
| information was requested from the unit because | | | | possibly be in violation of the RICO Act for |
| with the continued spot-checks of job sites in the | | | | denying women and minorities the opportunity to |
| City of Minneapolis by IBNN sources and staff, | | | | actively be a part of the process in city |
| there were no Blacks, Asians, Indians, | | | | construction contracts. |
| Hispanic-Latinos or Somali’s on job sites in | | | | My next course of action would be to ask, |
| Minneapolis. Yet the MDCR Compliance Unit says | | | | “Where is the Black leadership in Minneapolis? |