Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, November 17, 1993 TAG: 9311170172
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Seventy percent of the jobs at the hotel and conference center will be filled by low- and moderate-income people, according to the city's agreement with the hotel developers, Virginia Tech and Renew Roanoke.
City Manager Bob Herbert said that a "special effort will be made to fill [the] jobs with city, and especially Gainsboro, residents."
The city sought the developers' commitment to hiring local and low-income people because the guidelines for a $6 million federal loan for the project require that the funds be used to aid low-income areas.
Despite the agreement, Councilman William White said he is afraid that low-income individuals, minorities and women won't get many construction jobs on the $40 million project.
White wants city officials to closely monitor the hotel project to ensure that the hiring goals are met.
"I am going to be watching it to see if local workers, minorities and women are hired," White told Herbert this week.
White wants firm commitments on hiring local workers, minorities and women - both during the construction and the permanent jobs after the hotel and conference center open.
"Historically, we have had so-called `good faith' efforts to help ensure that African-Americans and other groups get part of the work, but they have received no contracts," White said.
The general contractors for the project, J.M. Turner & Co. and F.N. Thompson, have set a goal of 50 percent for local participation and 9 percent for minorities and women for the construction work.
White wants to know what the city's recourse will be if the contractors don't keep their commitments.
"Some contracts have been let and we have had the groundbreaking. But some firms are still waiting to see if they will get part of the work," White said. "They are leery that it will be business as usual."
But Herbert said the city has tried to ensure that local businesses and workers get part of the construction work.
Alvin Nash, deputy director of Total Action Against Poverty, will work an additional three months to help assure that local firms have an equal opportunity for the work.
Nash has been on a leave of absence from TAP for six months to coordinate the city's effort to spread the work among local businesses and workers.
"We take this very seriously and that is why we want to keep [Nash] at least three more months," Herbert said.
Councilman Delvis "Mac" McCadden said the city may need to establish standards for the construction work to determine what is a fair share for local businesses and workers.
"Maybe we need some measurements to determine what a best effort [to hire local people] means," McCadden said. "Maybe we need some statistics to determine what that means."
City Council has asked for regular reports on hiring workers and businesses for the project.
Brian Wishneff, acting director of the conference center, said the city will try to help recruit and train workers for the hotel and conference center.
"We will make a special effort to help ensure that city and Gainsboro residents have the first opportunity to fill the jobs," he said.
Wishneff said the bulk of the jobs won't be filled until early 1995, a few weeks before the hotel reopens. People who might be interested should prepare themselves for a long wait, he said.
Although the agreement with the hotel developers calls for 70 percent of the jobs to be filled by low- and moderate-income people, Wishneff said, he expects it to be 90 percent to 95 percent.
by CNB