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Portland Observer, March 9, 1983 Page 3
METROPOLITAN
My husband and I
did everything
together. We even
decided on our
funeral plans
together. When John died it
wa« much easier lor me There were
so many things that had to be done.
I know I carried out his wishes because
we discussed them ahead of time. We
even had money put aside in a special
plan available through our funeral
home. It was a great relief. I wish
more people knew about it.
Please send for our free booklets on
funeral planning
CALDWELLS
COLONIAL
MORTUARY
Rlch Jali and Ellaa Campbell demónstrate m a
china w o rk at Banaon P olytachnlcal School'a
"Tach Show." Tha ahow providas tha community
an opportunity to saa demonstrations of studanta'
work in a variety of vocational areas.
(Photo: Richard J. Brown)
Contractors oppose MSD process
by James H ill
Over the principled abstention of
District
II
councilor Marge
Kafoury, amidst protests from sev
eral black businessmen in the audi
ence, the Metropolitan Service Dis
trict (M S D ) awarded what is reput
ed to be the largest contract granted
a m inority owned concern in
Oregon on February 24.
The Alaska Tundra E xhib it, to
become a part o f the Washington
Park Zoo, was awarded to a joint
venture formed February 9, to Rob
erto Roles & Associates and RP&I
General Contractors on a low bid of
$1,482,352. Several options avail
able to Metro could reduce the bid
by two-thirds the awarded amount.
Several spokesmen and officials
from the National Business League.
Oregon Chapter (N B L O C ), and
black-owned businesses, questioned
the procedural process, the lack of
consistent M SD minority business
enterprise (M BE) policy in contract
letting and a seeming lack of integ
rity demonstrated by the winning
general contractors on the largest
contract to be let during this fiscal
year.
The code of ethics governing con
tractors appeared to be violated in
this contract. The usual case, a r
ticulated by O .B . h ill. Vice Presi
dent N B L, is that general contract
ors “ generally make their intentions
to bid on a contract known to all in
terested subcontractors and sup
p liers.” They make the process
known so that, according to M r.
H ill, “ the lowest competitive bid
possible is submitted to the con
tractor in order to maximize profit
and minimize loss.”
Two MSD councilors raised con
cern about the M B E program and
although members Jack Deines and
Bruce Etlinger presented logical ar
guments about staff conduct they
joined the m ajo rity in voting to
award the contract to the joint ven
ture.
“ I think there is something wrong
with M e tro ’ s contracting proce
dures.” added Etlinger, after allud
ing to possible bribes or other staff
misconduct. He held M S D blame
less.
Councilor Cindy Hanrer did not
feel that council member were duty
bound to comment on a n d /o r to
question policies proposed by the
staff, and Jack Deines* comments
suggested that there was too much
ambivalence and loo many options
available to contractors.
$52,447 separated the successful
joint venture and the second lowest
apparent bidder O .T .K .M . C on
struction. Inc. The total minority
and female participation is approxi
mately 58 percent based on informa
tion from Metro at press time as A l
exander Landscaping is reportedly
in line to receive a subcontract for
$75,000. The A lexander contract
was not a part o f the documents
submitted to Metro during the com
petitive bidding period. Alexander
and R P& I spokespersons were not
available to answer for comment per
telephone calls made to their o f
fices. It would appear that Alexan
der Landscaping will receive some
funds from the contract on a negoti
ated basis.
Gary D . Hansen, councilor o f
District 12, whose district includes
DR. BRADY’S
à
E C O N O M IC R EC O VER Y
FOR SA V IN G TE E TH
FOR FA M IL V DENT IS TR V A T
LOWER COSTS
“ SA VIN G TEETH 1983”
HIGH QUALITY PORCELAIN CROWNS A BRIDGES
TWILIGHT SLEEP
REINFORCED PORCELAIN CAPS
PHONE IN FOR A FREE ESTIMATE
8 OTHER A N E S T H E T IC S BY R EG ISTER ED A N E S T H E T IS T
W HILE PREPARING Y O U R C R O W N S 4 B R ID G ES
REPLACE VOUR MISSING OR OECAVED TEETH WiTM PERMANENT CAPS
COME IN FOR A FREE ESTIMATE
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,
OPENSATUROAYS
NO ADVANCE APPOINTMENT NECESSARY
Hours W e e k d a y s 8 30am to 5pm S atu rd ay 8 30am to 1pm
Park F r e e — Any Park n Shop LOt
DR. JEFFREY BRADY, D E N T IS T -
SEMLERBLDG.
SALEM
S W 3rd A Yamhill
, 10’ j C om m ercial N E
Downtown PORTLAND
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581 8699
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about half o f the black community,
received notice from Charles Crews,
President o f NBL, about his voting
conduct on the matter. In a March
I, 1983 letter, M r. Crews writes.
“ Although clear evidence was pre
sented before you concerning the in
consistencies in Metro's MBE poli
cies which caused mass confusion
among contractors, you still voted
to award the contract. The most
devastating blow to black contract
ors was your insensitivity to the
needs of your constituents who live
and operate in your district.” Crews
later added, “ One thing Chicago
taught us is that persons not sensi
tive to black needs.. .w ill feel the
sting o f that action at the ballot
box.”
The apparent winning contractors
were simply represented by Donald
Matsuda, Small Business Adminis
tration (SBA) minority business ad
vocate, who substantiated that joint
venture participants met all qualifi
cation as 8(a) contractors.
Henry Pelfrew, President, D irt
and Aggregate Interchange, In c.,
emoted words to the effect that he
was “ c o lo rb lin d ” on the award
letting matter. Pelfrey was a mem
ber of a bid review panel established
February 3 by a motion sponsored
by councilor K afo ury. A black
walkout occurred during the Febru
ary I Ith bid review panel meeting
after a black businessman was re
buked by McCay Rich of the Zoo
and Sue Kobertznz, Metro contract
officer who decides the meeting di
rection panel’s course of action.
Other testimony by black people
before the board included a charge
that “ Metro has joined forces with
the Associated General Contractors
who represent to black entrepren
eurs today in the economic market
place what the Klu Klux Kian has al
ways stood fo r—which has resulted
in numerous lynchings, castrations,
and other forms of genocide against
black people. A GC has a national
policy with respect to Minority Busi
ness Enterprise programs to destroy
and destabilize black contractors
and suppliers.”
James Berry, NBL Executive Sec
retary. contacted by telephone,
added, “ MBE contractors were de
ceived by M E T R O and R P A I. The
joint venture was not on the revised
list supplied by Alaska Tundra Ex
hibit architects, “ so no one knew
they were bidding."
Metro’s MBE program appears to
be founded on the premise that,
“ We (M etro) provide the rules and
the problems; black entrepreneurs
follow the rules and end up as the
problem while not benefiting eco
n o m ically,” adds N B L President
Charles Crews, summing up his or
ganization’s position on the Alaska
Tundra Exhibit.
Metro has plans on the drawing
board for an African Tundra Exhib
it, according to a reliable source
who desires to remain anonymous.
He adds, “ We (blacks) need to
come into the bid process as the low
bidder as ’greasy as possible* and
slide into some of Metro’s money.”
■HI
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