Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
17 <br /> 1 o Housing Costs/Fair Market Rent <br /> 2 Family size not considered <br /> 3 Viewed as more locally sensitive <br /> 4 Service Contracts - Policy Development <br /> 5 o More comprehensive review of cost implications <br /> 6 o Create profile of service providers to guide policy development <br /> 7 Scope of application — non-profits? <br /> 8 Exemptions — small firms? <br /> 9 Report back prior to budget development <br /> 10 <br /> 11 Commissioner Dorosin asked if the estimated $260,000 increase from Department of <br /> 12 Social Services (DSS) is for contractors. He asked if it is fair to assume that the $260,000 <br /> 13 increase is related to contractors being paid less than a living wage. <br /> 14 Travis Myren said this cost increase is primarily driven by DSS in home aide contracts. <br /> 15 Commissioner Jacobs said he has objected over the years for not paying sufficient <br /> 16 wages to in home health care workers. He said the County is taking advantage of the fact that <br /> 17 others are not paying a living wage to get a service that the County needs. <br /> 18 Chair McKee asked if the Fair Market calculation is the more viable option given the <br /> 19 disparities between the cost of living in different areas. <br /> 20 Travis Myren said the Fair Market calculation is considered more realistic at the local <br /> 21 level. <br /> 22 Commissioner Rich asked if the County can require recipients of a County contract for <br /> 23 less than $30,000 to pay their employees a living wage. <br /> 24 John Roberts said this is true for certain contracts, but for service contracts it can be <br /> 25 higher. He said there are no bidding requirements on service contracts. He said the only <br /> 26 problem of making a living wage requirement on larger contracts is there is no bidding process, <br /> 27 and thus the lowest cost for the service cannot be obtained. <br /> 28 Commissioner Rich said there is a lot of money spent on larger projects yet the County <br /> 29 cannot tell these contractors to pay a living wage; but this requirement can be made for smaller <br /> 30 contractors. <br /> 31 John Roberts said the jail is being built with a Construction Manager at Risk (CMR), <br /> 32 which is a request for qualifications process rather than a bid procedure. <br /> 33 Commissioner Rich said it seems that all cannot be given a fair living wage because of <br /> 34 the State. <br /> 35 John Roberts said in 2013, the City of Asheville had a living wage policy that applied to <br /> 36 contracts under $30,000, which they intended to expand to all contracts. He said the State <br /> 37 implemented the restrictions at this time. <br /> 38 Commissioner Pelissier asked Travis Myren if he could provide more analysis and the <br /> 39 implications for the non-profits. She said many non-profit agencies provide invaluable services. <br /> 40 She asked if it is possible to know how many non-profits pay a living wage. <br /> 41 Travis Myren said most of the living wage policies address those that are working on a <br /> 42 County contract. <br /> 43 Commissioner Pelissier said this could create issues for a non-profit. <br /> 44 Commissioner Burroughs asked if Commissioner Pelissier is referring to non-profits <br /> 45 being given grants or contracted funds. <br /> 46 Commissioner Pelissier said she was referred to the Outside Agency Process. <br /> 47 Travis Myren said some living wage policies apply to grants but the Board could choose <br /> 48 to change this. <br /> 49 Commissioner Burroughs said non-profits should be paying a living wage and the policy <br /> 50 should be extended to them as well. <br />