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Council updates responsible bidder ordinance

Sarah Ramsey

Cincinnati Council is making changes to a responsible bidder ordinance it enacted nearly a year ago.  

It's designed to make sure job training is a part of major contracts awarded by the Metropolitan Sewer District.  

Council Member Chris Seelbach said the purpose hasn't changed.

“This ensures that one of the largest projects to ever see the city, the replacement of our sewers, that there’s a certain portion of the money being spent on job training,” Seelbach said.  “So that the people who are going to be getting these jobs also get the skills to go on beyond the specific job into a career.”

The changes include closing some loopholes in the previous law.  It also adds Greater Cincinnati Waterworks projects to the ordinance.

Seelbach, who worked on the original ordinance and the update, said it makes standards better for everyone.

Council Member Charlie Winburn was one of two votes against the plan.  He said it will reduce competition, increase costs and likely land the city in court to defend it.

“And I would hope that over the weekend, Mr. Seelbach and all my dear friends, that  you would do some fasting and praying and that you would reconsider your vote today, because we will be in court,” Winburn said.”

Winburn plans to discuss the issue again during his Job Growth Committee meeting Monday.
 

Jay Hanselman brings more than 10 years experience as a news anchor and reporter to 91.7 WVXU. He came to WVXU from WNKU, where he hosted the local broadcast of All Things Considered. Hanselman has been recognized for his reporting by the Kentucky AP Broadcasters Association, the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists, and the Ohio AP Broadcasters.