NEWBURGH – By a one-vote margin, the Newburgh City Council Monday night turned thumbs down to a proposal by Councilwoman Gay Lee to draft legislation calling for 30 percent of workers hired on city construction jobs to be residents of Newburgh.
Opponents said local hiring is only one component of the revitalization of the city. “We have to target the other root causes of poverty that we, in the City of Newburgh are experiencing,” said Councilwoman Karen Mejia.
City attorney Michelle Kelson said state law precludes the provision of job hire requirements if they negatively impact the selection of the lowest responsible bidder on a project.
“One of the things that we have sent out to you for review is something that the City of Rochester, which was to create an incentive program for the lowest responsible bidder under General Municipal Law 103 bid to get a bonus or a rebate at the end of the project if they meet your targeted hiring goals,” Kelson said.
In the end, Lee’s proposal was defeated in a four to three city council vote.
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