Committee backs ordinance tightening contractor-selection documentation and reenacts SAFER emergency protections for workers

The Government Audit and Oversight Committee advanced two distinct items to the Board on Nov. 5, 2020.

On agenda item 1, Supervisor Stephanie sponsored an amendment to the Administrative Code aimed at closing what she described as two loopholes that formerly allowed irregular selections from pre‑qualified contractor lists. "This proposal will amend the administrative code to close 2 loopholes that former director of public works Mohammed Nuru used to direct contracts to recipients without solicitation, documentation, evaluation, or oversight," she said. The ordinance would require public solicitation for certain contracts, consistent evaluation criteria, a written justification of selections, and documentation retention for controller audits. With no public callers on that item, the committee voted to recommend the ordinance to the full Board with a positive recommendation (Peskin, Haney, Marr — 3 ayes).

On agenda item 2, presented by Paul Mange (for Supervisor Ronan), the committee considered a reenactment of the SAFER emergency ordinance, which expands protections for workers who test positive for COVID‑19 or must quarantine and prohibits adverse employment actions for those circumstances. Mange said the ordinance "makes it unlawful for an employer to fire, demote, suspend, discipline, reduce employment benefits... or in any manner discriminate against a worker who is unable to work or who requests time off because they test positive for COVID‑19." After brief public comment supporting worker protections, the committee agreed to forward the matter as a committee report to the Board for consideration on Nov. 10, 2020.

Both items were moved to the Board for final action; the clerk noted that actions taken would be included on the Board agenda for Nov. 17 unless otherwise stated.