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Small-business advocates press board after county signals change to Equal Business Opportunity staffing
Summary
Rockdale County business owners and the county—BO officer criticized a proposed personnel change that would move or eliminate the Equal Business Opportunity role; county staff said the EBO policy and ordinance remain in force and that the program will continue under existing staff while the board considers staffing changes.
Small-business owners and the county’s EBO officer urged Rockdale County commissioners on March 11 not to eliminate or dilute the county’s Equal Business Opportunity (EBO) function, saying the role provides critical, hands-on assistance to local minority-, women- and veteran-owned businesses pursuing county contracts.
Several speakers representing local businesses described one-on-one assistance they said they had received from the EBO officer, including help completing capability statements, identifying procurement opportunities and navigating county contracting processes. Business owner Danielle Waters said the EBO role had “the potential to really help me to expand my business,” and Bridget Benito said the position had presented opportunities she otherwise would not have known about for nearly 20 years as a local broker.
County staff response and policy detail County staff told the board the formal EBO policy and ordinance remain in effect. The finance director stated the written policy applies to procurement opportunities in excess of $100,000; the transcript records that threshold when staff answered the public. Staff said the county would continue to meet EBO requirements for large projects and that the administration building and courthouse projects include a designated construction manager responsible for EBO goals. For example, the construction manager for the administration/courthouse project had reportedly met EBO goals and was at about 22% participation against a 15% goal.
Stacy Bonner Lewis, who has led the EBO program, described a recently launched database and supporting services: “the program is new; it started I launched it in June internally and externally I launched it in July… the SBA, SBE, and the hub database has 51 businesses on there,” she told the board. Lewis said she had been organizing seminars, preparing capability statements and sending notices of procurement summaries to regional partners to expand outreach.
Board and staff explanations Board members said they are balancing support for local businesses with broader budget constraints. One commissioner said the county’s overall budget had grown and that the board was reassessing positions as part of efforts to respond to taxpayer concerns about increased tax burdens. Staff and other commissioners said the EBO functions would be maintained by existing staff and partner organizations while they review internal staffing, and that the position’s duties would not vanish without board action. County staff also said eliminating or reassigning a position would require board approval.
No formal board action recorded The transcript records extensive public comment and staff responses but does not show a formal vote to eliminate the EBO officer position. Staff agreed to provide the board member a copy of the EBO database and to continue compliance with the policy for procurements over $100,000. Several commissioners said they opposed unilaterally eliminating a position without thorough review.
Ending Small-business speakers urged the board to reconsider any plan to remove the EBO officer and to preserve direct, hands-on assistance for local firms. County staff said the policy and ordinance would remain in effect and that the county would continue outreach while the board considers staffing and budget issues.
