Guilford County government has been sparing no expense in its efforts to use more Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) companies whenever the county buys products or undertakes construction, renovation or repair projects.
In addition to spending $1.6 million on those efforts, the county has been seeking other ways to advance the cause and, this week, the county announced it’s moving the MWBE Department into the Nussbaum Center for Entrepreneurship – a place where a lot of MWBE businesses are located.
Guilford County’s MWBE Program will occupy 3,000-square-feet of office space at the Nussbaum Center, at 1451 South Elm-Eugene St. in Greensboro.
The county’s MWBE Department is designed “to advocate for Minority, Women and Small Business Enterprises (MWSBE) across the county and provide equal access to opportunities to participate in all aspects of the county’s contracting and procurement programs.”
The purpose is also to “prohibit discrimination against a person or business in pursuit of these opportunities based on race, color, sex, religion, or national origin.”
Assistant Guilford County Manager Jason Jones issued a prepared statement in the press release announcing the move of the department.
“We are excited that the Nussbaum Center is welcoming our MWBE Program into their space,” Jones said, adding that the MWBE Program “will be able to assist more minority- and women-owned firms, improve direct customer service, and continue to develop strong relationships with our partners.”
County officials are calling this “another giant step towards becoming a model for MWBE programs across the nation.”
Guilford County MWBE Director Shaunne Thomas stated of the move. “With the MWBE Department at the Nussbaum Center, department staff can provide MWBE firms needing assistance a “one-stop-shop for technical support, education, access to capital, bonding, and county MWBE resources.”
Nussbaum Center CEO Sam Funchess said the county’s program will be an asset to the center and he noted that, currently, three out of four businesses there are owned by minorities or by women. The number of black woman-led businesses on-site at the Nussbaum Center is 28 percent, which equals the number of white male-led businesses there.
Oh please…..we all have an idea what this waste is all about.
And which group of people will get the contract to unfit the space? LOL!
So is it MWBE or MWSBE? There’s a very big difference.
Also, I hope the Nussbaum Center provided free space for this service meant to enhance the Center’s success.
Anything in there for hiring the best?
Is there anything in our laws of America that says as a group or individual can spend Tax money to solicit a minority (one or a group) for special consideration suchas hiring them to work on a project in any town ,USA.
I thought the civil rights bill passed in the 60’s that states you cannot use tax money to gain an advantage for on race against another race.
Is there a lawyer reading this ,if so is the Guilford County commissioners liable for spending 1.6 million dollars to get minorities to bid on any projects in the county.
I don’t think it’s appropriate to hire 8 people just to solicit minority’s to come to Greensboro to bid on jobs . Why aren’t they soliciting for good qualified candidates that will do a quality job at a decent price
They (the minority contractor)have the same advantage as the normal contractor to place a bid.
I resent the fact that the commissioners are playing favorites in only spending money to get the minority contractors out.
THE MOTTO FOR A GOOD CONTRACTOR IS TO DO A QUALITY JOB ON TIME,AT A PROFIT.
Is there anything in our laws of America that says as a group or individual can spend Tax money to solicit a minority (one or a group) for special consideration suchas hiring them to work on a project in any town ,USA.
I thought the civil rights bill passed in the 60’s that states you cannot use tax money to gain an advantage for on race against another race.
Is there a lawyer reading this ,if so is the Guilford County commissioners liable for spending 1.6 million dollars to get minorities to bid on any projects in the county.
I don’t think it’s appropriate to hire 8 people just to solicit minority’s to come to Greensboro to bid on jobs . Why aren’t they soliciting for good qualified candidates that will do a quality job at a decent price
They (the minority contractor)have the same advantage as the normal contractor to place a bid.
I resent the fact that the commissioners are playing favorites in only spending money to get the minority contractors out.
THE MOTTO FOR A GOOD CONTRACTOR IS TO DO A QUALITY JOB ON TIME,AT A PROFIT.
“The county’s MWBE Department is designed ‘to advocate for Minority, Women and Small Business Enterprises (MWSBE) across the county’ …
‘…and provide equal access to opportunities to participate in all aspects of the county’s contracting and procurement programs.’
“The purpose is also to ‘prohibit discrimination against a person or business in pursuit of these opportunities based on race, color, sex, religion, or national origin.’ ”
This is a curious oxymoronic statement of “purpose” and “design” for a tax-funded County government program that is under the governance of equal rights laws.
I recall that someone once told me a story about her son who was very successful. People kept telling this person how lucky her son was to become so successful. The people making those comments about luck had no idea that the son started out with one Bobcat, hauling it from job site to job site looking for work. He wasn’t looking for a handout or special treatment but was willing to work hard to become successful. This is a lesson for all MWBEs and their promotors working at taxpayer expense, the government.