Council Member confused over SafeClear subcontractors

There was a lot of back and forth this week as council members debated on whether or not to pass a SafeClear contract extension.  Everyone agreed that the program worked, but the topic of minority participation kept the City Council debating during the meeting. Namely, several council members thought there wasn't enough minority subcontractors, even though two of the prime contractors are women, and two others are men of South Asian heritage.

"There should be more minority participation in subcontractors," said Council Member Wanda Adams. "But there is zero participation on subcontracts that's on the Safe Clear program. There are zero."

Adams' claims confused Patrick Mason, who is an African-American subcontractor with Safe Clear.
"Not only Black, you have Hispanic, you have all different races on the freeway," he said. Mason works with Jeanette Rash, a female business owner who's been an integral part of Safe Clear. In fact, six of Rash's subcontractors are minority.  She even passed out a list of names to Council Members, but not everyone apparently read the list.

By the end of the meeting, a majority of council members voted to extend the Safe Clear contracts and Rash was overcome with emotion.  "All I want to do is take care of the citizens, make sure they are safe and let them know we're not the bad guys," she said.

The plan has a three-year extension has been approved. There are also two one-year options that will eventually be voted on by City Council members at that time. In the meantime, some of the participants who have worked on the Safe Clear program for years are gathering together said they are now working to extend the initiative into surrounding communities.
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Comments

[James Henderson]

The concern should not be with minority's, but the fact that the city did not reopen bid for other contractors to supply the good citizens of Houston with better towing companies and better equipment! Since when does the city not allow the bidding process to take place? This mayor and city officials are all in bed with the Rash clan down town! Shame on Bill White, Do not vote him in for Gov, next year!