Title
An Ordinance of the Council of the County of Allegheny, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, amending the Allegheny County Code of Ordinances, Chapter 435, entitled "Minority Business Enterprise Program," §435-3, entitled "Advisory Committee," in order to clarify the organizational structure of the County's MBE Advisory Committee.
Body
WHEREAS, Chapter 435 of the Allegheny County Code of Ordinances, which functions as a statutory formation of the County's Minority Business Enterprise program, was first enacted by the County Commissioners on June 18, 1981; and
WHEREAS, Section 435-3 establishes the County's "MBE Advisory Committee," which has since come to be referred to as the "M/W/DBE Advisory Committee"; and
WHEREAS, the language of §435-3.B.(1)(f) clearly indicates that one of the roles of the Committee is "[r]ecommending to the County Commissioners specific activities for improving MBE participation"; and
WHEREAS, §435-3 also establishes that the Committee is to "monitor the County's MBE efforts on a quarterly basis"; and
WHEREAS, the Committee as currently constituted has 31 members, which, while permissible under the language of §435-3, appears to function to impair the Committee's effectiveness in meeting its statutorily defined goals, insofar as the size of the body renders gathering a quorum, taking votes, and reaching a consensus far more difficult; and
WHEREAS, the Committee is currently chaired by the Chief Executive, which would appear to further impair the Committee's ability to provide unbiased, impartial recommendations regarding activities for improving the County's M/W/DBE participation and to conduct thorough and rigorous monitoring of the County's M/W/DBE efforts, both of which are statutorily required duties of the Committee; and
WHEREAS, it is therefore the desire of Council to establish a maximum number of Committee Members and establish certain limitations on MBE Committee membership and chairmanship;
The Council...
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