Minorities, women and small business owners have a better shot at securing contract work for Cincinnati Public Schools' decadelong $1 billion construction project.

        The school board this week approved an equal access program designed to include those groups in contract and business opportunities.

        The board set temporary goals to have minority workers do at least 11 percent of the construction trades work, while female workers would do 6.9 percent.

        Those are goals established by Ohio law and may change after the district conducts a study in the next four to six months, said Pamela Mullins, the district's supplier diversity manager.

        The board Monday set aside $250,000 in its 2002-03 budget to pay for a comprehensive study, including data on the availability of minorities, women and other vendors who may contract with the district, Ms. Mullins said. The firm that will conduct the study has not been selected.

        School Board President Rick Williams said the study will help the district determine realistic participation goals.

        “It's the correct way to really understand what's occurring in your community and what resources are available in your community,” he said.

        Hamilton County had trouble meeting a goal to have 15 percent of contract work on the construction of Paul Brown Stadium go to companies owned by minorities or women. Small businesses secured about 13 percent of the $272.9 million in contracts for the stadium, while 8 percent went to minority contractors and 3 percent went to women contractors.

        Small businesses are getting a bigger slice of contract work at the Reds Great American Ball Park. As of May 31, nearly 27 percent of contracts went to small businesses, with minority-owned businesses getting 11.8 percent and women-owned businesses getting 4.2 percent.

        The head of the Greater Cincinnati Northern Kentucky African American Chamber of Commerce said the district is kicking off the project with a good target for participation of minority workers.

        “This is a starting point,” said De Asa Brown, chamber president. “This will possibly be reviewed again as Cincinnati Public Schools gets further into the process to see if the goal needs to be raised.”

        Representatives from the African American Chamber of Commerce served on a citizens review panel that made recommendations on inclusion of female and minority workers, as well as small and other economically disadvantaged businesses, in the unprecedented school building plan.

        The panel, chaired by William Mallory Sr., recommended that the district set aggressive targets for the hiring of Cincinnati school district residents.

Accident more than a fender-bender
Budget cuts force branch cutbacks
City to turn over settlement money
Boycotters hope to silence Soulfest
Breathtaking smog becoming a dangerous day-to-day hassle
Contract goals set by CPS board
Input sought to protect watershed
Norwood loses brownfield grant
Obituary: Carol Ann Gabelman aided kids
Peoples says no '02 profit
Police identify body as fugitive's
State sues Dater trustees
Tristate A.M. Report
UC planning new option
Wild time at county fair
HOWARD: Some Good News
KORTE: City Hall
SMITH AMOS: Making progress
County character is back - with a new tank
Liberty Twp. almost ready to put fire levy on Nov. ballot
South Lebanon likely growing
Two teen boys arrested in cemetery vandalism
Fairly fun Kenton County throws a party
Health of Hispanics issue in Ky.
Lucas war chest dwarfs rival's
More tests indicate caterpillar behind foal losses
Park Hills making stand against porn
Senate leader: Unbalance budget worse than no budget
W. Ky. short on housing for fall term