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Board signs local‑hire agreement for projects over $150,000; 50% of hourly workers to be Michigan City residents
Summary
The board approved the standard construction-agreement form and a local-hire requirement for Board of Works projects exceeding $150,000 that aims for at least 50% of hourly workers to be Michigan City residents; variances and enforcement mechanisms were discussed.
The Parks Board approved the form of the construction agreement and a local‑hiring agreement tied to board projects above $150,000. The local-hire policy requires that "at least 50% of the hourly workers on the job site would be from Michigan City," though contractors may apply for a variance if they cannot meet that threshold.
Staff said the requirement is ordinance-based and noted the city can seek enforcement — including fines or removal from bid lists — if a contractor fails to comply. A board member asked what happens if the contractor simply does not use the local workforce; staff answered that a variance process exists, but the city retains enforcement options. The board moved to approve the construction agreement form and separately approved the local-hire agreement for the Fetters Alley project, voting in favor on both motions.
Board discussion emphasized the need for clear enforcement language and local-hire compliance tracking; staff said variances have been used in the past when local union labor was unavailable and that the city's process includes possible fines and debarment from future bids for noncompliance.
