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Report Measures Minority Participation in KC Construction

By Sylvia Maria Gross

Kansas City, MO – Kansas City Missouri's Human Relations Department released a report this week showing that, on average, publicly financed construction projects are exceeding goals for contracting with minority and women-owned firms. But the report also indicated that the number of minorities and women working on-site has decreased slightly since last year. In May, the city council called for monthly reports on contractors and workforce numbers this is the first one.

A coalition of faith-based organizations concerned with diversity on construction projects met with city officials on Friday. The group is called the Metro Organization for Racial and Economic Equity, or MORE2. Representative Doug Shafer says they're pleased that the city has now begun issuing these reports.

We also contacted Human Relations Director Philip Yelder for some responses to MORE2's concerns about the new report on minority and women contractors. Yelder said that the average contractor figures are in line with city goals.

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