6. Consider Race- and Gender-Neutral Remedies
Race- and gender-neutral approaches are a necessary component of a defensible and effective
M/WBE program75 and the failure to seriously consider such remedies has been fatal to several
programs.76 Difficulty in accessing procurement opportunities, restrictive bid specifications, excessive
experience requirements, and overly burdensome insurance and/or bonding requirements, for example,
might be addressed by KCMO without resorting to the use of race or gender in its decision-making.
Effective remedies include unbundling of contracts into smaller units, providing technical support, and
developing programs to address issues of financing, bonding, and insurance important to all small and
emerging businesses.77 Further, governments have a duty to ferret out and punish discrimination
against minorities and women by their contractors, staff, lenders, bonding companies or others.
7. Redevelopment Authority] approved the goal over the objections of the Human Relations
Department of I think 1.2 minority [participation] and 2.5 WBE [participation], when there
was adequate availability of minority and women contractors to meet the City’s standard
kind of goal of 15 [percent] and 7 [percent]. They’re diluting the opportunity for minority
and women contractors when it comes through the statutory business development
organizations, all of whom have different sets of rules..… There ought to be a uniform
code that is incorporated in all the development agreements which people in our
community never see.… There’s a disconnect. And I realize they’re trying to change some
of that now but the insulting part of it was there was more money spent through statutory
agencies last year for contracting activities than there were through City departments.…
It’s obviously developer driven. By the time we see it the development agreement has
already been executed. We’re having a big deal now both with the east patrol, the streetcar
and the proposed 800 room convention center hotel. If it’s not in the development
agreement there’s very little you can do at that point.… Kansas City’s an inclusive city.
We’ve shown that over and over. It has sustained through white mayors, through black
mayors, through female mayors. Yet, we allow the statutory organizations to dilute it.They
have their own board[s] and they can do what they want.
2016 DISPARITY REPORT
Over 1,000 Downtown KC residents, office workers, property owners, non-profits, and advocates gathered in the Kay Barnes Grand Ballroom at Bartle Hall to enjoy the 2024 Downtown KC Annual Luncheon. What has become one of the “can’t miss” civic non-profit events on the social calendar lived up to expectations again this year. The theme of the luncheon this year was, “The Evolution of Downtown, Celebrating Kansas City” which allowed the Downtown Council the ability to leverage the luncheon to celebrate the remarkable transformation of Downtown KC over the last 20-plus years while also highlighting the bright future that lies ahead. Follow the link for access to the event videos and photos.
https://bit.ly/4df0f41
