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| | 1. | | Roll call.
Minutes note: Meeting convened: 10:06 A.M.
All members present except for Mr. Metoxen. | | | |
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| | 2. | | Review and approval of the minutes from the December 6, 2018 meeting.
Minutes note: Ms. Lutzka moved, seconded by Mr. Swan, for approval of the minutes. There were no objections. | | | |
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| | 3. | | Discussion relating to the current LCPtracker system and improvements to it.
Minutes note: Ms. Carla Cross did the presentation and attachments for today's meeting.
Ms. Purvis said that in the 2016 budget the Dept. of Administration was directed to buy software to track RPP and SBE activity. Both the contractors and the city use this automated system. There have been challenges, but over the past couple of years, it has gotten easier. Any city changes to LCPtracker would have a fiscal impact and that is always a concern.
Ms. Cross has been using LCPtracker since the city put it into place. Ms. Cross went through the summary reports that the Cross Management Software creates very easily. Milwaukee County also uses the LCP Tracker and its summary reports, which can also generate graphs. The Milwaukee County software changes are much more user-friendly to what Ms. Cross is trying to achieve for her clients with LCP Tracker. Ms. Cross would like to have LCPtracker be paid $3,000 to amend their software so the same data can be calculated automatically rather than manually. This update would save everyone's time.
Joan Zepecki - Hunzinger - agrees that some manipulation is needed. It takes more work if you're searching by trades or zip codes.
Noelle Stark - Prism Technical - she agrees that the data has to be manipulated. There is some training on how to manipulate the data. The training is online - pamphlets, videos and live traning and 4-8 hours of training. Prior to LCPtracker, they would create their own databases or use data from their payroll.
Fred Royal - president NAACP, Milwaukee branch - LCPtracker was used to create consistency across the board.
Ms. Cross will provide a summary of what improvement she is looking for with the software.
MMSD also uses LCPtracker and contractors are learning to use the software.
Ms. Cross has found errors in the summary reports - the system is calculating it at 50% rather than one and a half hours. The calculations were set up prior to the passing of the new ordinance because the software hasn't been updated since.
Celeste Janz - DPW contracts -
Ms. Cross thinks that ordinance is drafted to read as getting 1.5 hours in excess in addition to one hour. The city staff believes that is only 0.5 hours, not an additional 1.5 hours.
Ms. Purvis will contact the county to see what they did and will also reach out to LCPtracker to see how the the software may be changed. Ms. Janz notes that the summary report does match the intent of the ordinance. Ms. Cross feels the ordinance can be read two ways, but the other two contractors are not reading it the same way Ms. Cross is.
Ald. Stamper said parentheses will be added to the code to clarify.
Ms. Purvis will audit the submitted reports and will notify contractors to clarify how the calculations are made.
Ms. Zepecki said they are always pushing to get RPP contractors because they don't want to be three-quarters through a project and find that they're under the required RPP amounts. Staff Electric has about 90% of their workers as RPP. Ms. Zepecki doesn't want LCPtracker changed or tweaked as there are contractors out there who have created companies based upon how LCPtracker calcuates. She would like to see how the city can keep RPP contractors in the sysem as being RPP certified.
Ms. Cross also said that the bonus is being added to the apprentice hours, but the code being cited is for regular RPP hours, not apprentice hours. Ms. Purvis will investigate this and respond via e-mail.
Ms. Cross is also concerned about having to re-input personal data multiple times.
Angelique Pettigrew - Office of Small Business Enterprises - hasn't gotten complaints about folks having to do multiple uploads. Ms. Zepecki said the need to re-input data happens sometimes, but not always.
Ms. Purvis said the ordinance requires that affidavits have to be provided for each new project so addresses can be verified. It may be cumbersome, but that is part of a checks and balances system. Mr. Thomas noted that the address is verified once and then swears that he or she still lives at that address. Ald. Stamper noted there has to be some onus on the contractor to verify the current address and the worker needs to get a new affidavit. Mr. Thomas said maybe there needs to be a statement by the contractor that they verified the employee's address with the database. Mr. Royal is concerned that the industry has a history of not being in compliance and he wants to ensure that those benefits are achieved accurately. Ms. Purvis agrees that the system can be cumbersome, but she wants to ensure that the checks and balances needs to remain in place. Mr. Kessenich asked if there is any data on fraud and also look at the overall productivity of the RPP program and what the program is actually trying to attain. What is not being done that should be done, if anything?
Mr. Royal said an annual audit is supposed to be conducted and that was not done this cycle - the last audit was done in 2015. Ms. Purvis said the annual report is forthcoming and once that is done the audit, which is done every 3 years, will be requested to be done by the Comptroller's Office.
Ms. Cross would like to have either an e-mail or a city-issued ID that notes that an individual is RPP certified. Mr. Kessenich said that individuals who cannot provide proof of address, then WRTP/Big Step will have the person affirm where he/she lives and will certify that the person is a city resident. Ald. Stamper is supportive of changing this to either e-mail or city ID instead of an affidavit. Ms. Pettigrew said that if the person moves, then there will be a cost.
Ms. Cross would like to have the ability to turn off fields that don't need to be filled for private projects. Mr. Kessenich would like to know if contractors are providing fringe benefits or not. Ms. Purvis also would like the fields relating to fringe benefits and prevailing wage data be kept intact.
Ms. Lutzka excused from the rest of the meeting at 11:30 A.M.
Contractors must tell administrators that an apprentice has been added. Ms. Cross would like to be notified of apprentices by LCPtracker. Per Ms. Janz, the city approves apprentices and the payroll cannot be issued unless apprentices are approved by the city. The contractor receives an e-mail, not the administrator.
Ms. Cross would also like the city to have a staff person who acts as a resource for LCPtracker users and private individuals shouldn't have to directly contact LCPtracker. Ms. Purvis said that LCPtracker can see contractors' screens, which the city cannot see, and are better able to respond to questions and are paid to do so.
Ms. Cross would like the Office of Small Business Development to post their policies online rather than communicate them via e-mail only so they can be accessed by the contractors directly. Mr. Thomas encouraged people to take a photo of their affidavits rather than physically carry their affidavits around. Ms. Purvis said this e-mail was sent to only the two consultants who work with contractors (Cross Managment and Prism Technical). Ms. Purvis is amenable to adding a PDF to her office's web site.
Mr. Thomas said there is an online database, but there are privacy concerns. Ms. Cross would also like a database of RPP certified individuals in LCPtracker.
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| | 4. | | Discussion relating to the local measures to identify RPP-certified individuals.
Minutes note: This item was discussed as part of item #3. | | | |
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| | 5. | | Set next meeting date and agenda.
Minutes note: Please e-mail Ms. Elmer with any topics for the next agenda.
Ald. Stamper would like Mr. Kendrix and Ms. Purvis to speak at the next meeting on increasing the RPP percentages in small businesses.
Mr. Royal would like to broaden the discussion to include community participation and development agreements in totality.
Meeting adjourned: 11:55 A.M.
Linda M. Elmer
Staff Assistant
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