St. Pete Catalyst; Published By: Mark Parker
St. Petersburg’s leadership continues working to increase opportunities for minority and women-owned businesses in the city by maximizing a long-awaited program’s impact.
During Thursday’s Committee of the Whole meeting, council members heard a fourth update on a key recommendation from the city’s disparity study. Latisha Binder, the first manager of the recently created the Office of Supplier Diversity (OSD), also shared the progress her department has made over the last few months.
The goal is to establish a draft ordinance’s framework for the Women and Minority Business Enterprise Program (WMBE) that helps the owners who need it the most – while avoiding potential legal pitfalls. Although the office is open and working to increase outreach, the initiative cannot officially launch until the city council approves the regulatory framework.
“We do feel a sense of urgency to get this wrapped up and completed,” said Tom Greene, assistant city administrator.
Councilmember Deborah Figgs-Sanders wants program officials to “step outside the box” to maximize its impact. She also believes the OSD’s name is unnecessarily vague and does not capture its intent. Read more
