The City of Cincinnati recently won a federal appeals court case that challenged a portion of the responsible bidder ordinance, but it appears a clear council majority is ready to delay implementing it for 60 days.
City Manager Harry Black and other city officials say they'll use that time to make the ordinance better.
The responsible bidder ordinance requires companies bidding on city contracts worth more than $400,000 to have a job training program for workers.
City administrators and others were concerned the local hire requirements could hurt efforts the city is taking to give more contracts to minority and women-owned businesses.
"As this is written now, economic inclusion is DOA," said City Manager Harry Black.
The local hire provision of the law requires that a portion of construction contract work be done by local residents, with a percentage performed by disadvantaged workers.
The full nine-member city council is expected to pass the committee's recommendations at Wednesday's weekly council meeting.
Council Member David Mann, who sat in on the meeting but who is not a member of the committee, said he is not at all certain the local hire provision is constitutional.
Earlier this month, Black asked council to delay implementation of both requirements until September.
Black, on Tuesday, indicated he was satisfied with the 60-day delay and the indefinite suspension of local hire.
"I believe that we have enough brain power in this building that we can come up with some scenarios to present to you,'' Black told the committee.
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