BY LISA DONOVAN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The edict was polite, but direct: The city of Cincinnati must come up with a way to ensure local unemployed people and minorities have a shot at jobs on the Fort Washington Way overhaul.
Leaders in the African-American community often spoke sternly to members of city council Tuesday, telling them not to simply posture on the issue but to ensure minority participation in the expressway project.
"Find qualifiable blacks and make them qualified," said the Rev. James Jones of the Baptist Ministers Conference. "Let's give our people a chance to work."
He was addressing council's public works and utilities committee Tuesday afternoon. The committee met to discuss minority and female participation in the project.
The city administration released a report earlier this month that called for meeting "work force goals" of 11.8 percent minority and 6.9 percent female hires on the project.
Planners of the Fort Washington Way overhaul have talked of completing the project by August 2000 to coincide with the completion of the Bengals' new Paul Brown Stadium.
Discussion on Tuesday over how to ensure maximum female and minority participation has raised the issue of whether the project will be delayed. Revamping Fort Washington Way, which connects Interstates 75 and 71, will begin in earnest in July and conclude in 2000.
"We don't need to start July 17, we don't need to start Aug. 17, we don't need to start, period, until we're sure it's going to be done the right way," said Councilman Todd Portune, chairman of the public works committee.
He called on the city administration to devise a "how to" guide on drawing not only more minorities and women but also the city's unemployed to the project.
The city's employment and training office already has an outreach program that, among others, targets high-risk neighborhoods, said John Deatrick, the city engineer supervising the Fort Washington Way project.
Mr. Deatrick expects city officials to meet with contractors hired to oversee the project and determine whether the workforce meets the diversity requirements.
Discussion on the matter will continue, with a public hearing tentatively scheduled for June 8. Time and location were unavailable Tuesday. Reporter Lucy May contributed to this report.
