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Union and residents urge DeKalb to tighten procurement rules, flag vendor with federal convictions
Summary
Union leaders and residents urged commissioners to redefine 'lowest responsible bidder' to reward apprenticeship programs and to block a proposed Watershed contract with the Renee Group, which public commenters say has a history of fraud convictions and performance problems.
Speakers at the Sept. 9 DeKalb County Board of Commissioners meeting pressed the county to revise procurement scoring to favor contractors that use registered apprenticeship programs and to apply stronger responsibility screening to vendors on major contracts.
Miguel Magana, representing International Union of Painters and Allied Trades DC 77, told commissioners that labor brokers are being used on water‑tank painting and related contracts. He said brokers frequently recruit out‑of‑state crews, pay cash, misclassify workers, and avoid workers' compensation and other protections while exposing workers to safety hazards on high scaffolds and near toxic coatings. "It's wage theft, it's misclassification, and it puts lives at risk," Magana said.
Magana recommended that the county require QP‑1 and QP‑2 qualifications (contractor prequalification tiers) to ensure companies have trained workers and documented compliance. He said properly qualified contractors will produce longer‑lasting coatings and protect taxpayer dollars.
Candace Ramensiak, political director for the same union, proposed a procurement point system that awards bidders for participation in registered apprenticeship programs. Ramensiak said apprenticeships create career pathways and retain local economic benefit, and she urged the board to meet with union representatives to discuss implementing the change.
Meanwhile, in public comment, a longtime civic speaker identified as Benney urged commissioners to remove the Renee Group from a pending $7.3 million watershed contract (agenda item 2025‑0573). Benney cited a county contract performance audit (final draft AIA2023‑128‑DWM) and said the firm's founder was convicted for PPP fraud and the company has been decertified elsewhere. "How does that work?" he asked the board, calling for the administration to reassign the work to another vendor.
The record shows both types of appeals were addressed only through public comment at the Sept. 9 meeting; no formal procurement policy change was adopted that day. Commissioners and staff acknowledged the concerns and noted staff follow existing procurement rules; several commissioners asked for follow‑up and meetings with labor and procurement staff.
Why it matters: DeKalb pays for maintenance and capital projects that affect public infrastructure and safety. Speakers argued that procuring solely on price can produce short‑lived work, worker exploitation, and higher lifecycle costs. Unions pushed the county to use procurement policy to promote workforce development and safer contracting practices.
