KENANSVILLE — Duplin County, in an effort to meet a state requirement regarding minority businesses, took steps earlier this week to adopt a motion mirroring that of North Carolina’s, calling for an increase in minority business participation on certain construction contracts.

State requirements mandate counties adopted an updated policy relating to minority businesses. To ensure that Duplin County is in compliance, the Board of Commissioners moved to extend its previously adopted Minority Business Participation resolution. A public hearing, held by the board on Aug. 17, was the first step in the board’s action.

In action adopted by the board on Monday and in an effort to move to conform with N.C.G.S. 143-128, the county adopted a 10 percent goal for minority business participation for all construction contracts in excess of $300,000 or for all construction contracts in excess of $100,000, if the project includes money from the state. In further conformance to the mandate, the county also adopted a Minority Business Participation Outreach Plan.

The resolution spells out what Duplin County is doing to comply with N.C.G.S. 143-128, that requires a local government unit that receives state appropriations of state grant funds for project that cost in excess of $100,000 to establish a verifiable goal of ten (10 percent) for minority business participation unless the unit of government had adopted a goal prior to Dec. 1, 2001 and continues to have a sufficiently strong basis in evidence to justify the use of that goal. The resolution states that Duplin County had adopted a ten (10 percent) goal for minority business participation on Mar. 15, 1999 for all construction contracts financed by the proceeds of bonds or notes issued pursuant to North Carolina Senate Bill 1354.

The goal of Duplin County in adopting this plan for expansion of participation by minority businesses is to provide minority businesses equal access and opportunity to participate fully in all aspects of construction projects. The county, Duplin officials said, will make efforts to require all those associated with construction projects to commit to this goal by documenting a good faith effort to obtain minority business participation.

Duplin’s Outreach Plan policy statement requires that the awarding of all public building contracts must be done so without regard to race, religion, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, or handicapping condition. The plan, as presented and adopted, also establishes the good faith efforts the county will take to meet the plans objectives and accomplishment of the plan goal. According to commissioners, it will be the county manager’s responsibility to ensure the policy is implemented; he will also be accountable for all activities contained in the policy.

The policy states that in order to meet the good faith efforts, Duplin County, its employees, and its consultants will take whatever measures it deems appropriate to encourage the education, recruitment, and interaction between minority businesses, non-minority businesses and the county. The county will also make efforst to require bidders and contractors to undertake the good faith efforts as well. Historically underutilized business are also subject to this policy.

The board had little discussion in its adoption, other than Commissioner Zettie Williams stating that she would like the county to raise the percentage to 15 percent in light of current views of who is a minority. Commissioner Reginald Wells also questioned what the criteria was for classification of minority as a result of the expansion. For example, the definition now includes women as a minority.

McDavid Associate representative Joe McKemey assured the board that every effort was made in the policy to accommodate all citizens deemed to be a minority business.

Following the board’s adoption of the county’s plan, the commissioners moved on to approve water and sewer projects in many of the county’s water districts and adopt the same Minority Business policies as the county for the water districts.

To contact Billy Todd, call 910-592-8137 ext. 117 or e-mail sigeneral@myclintonnc.com.