The Anoka County Board has rescinded a 23-year-old policy supporting the "prevailing wage" on county-funded construction projects, angering union officials who said Tuesday that they've legally challenged a decision that they claim was made without public notice.
Representatives from more than a dozen Twin Cities unions, saying they were deprived a public hearing, gathered in the County Board room to challenge the board's 4-2 vote on Feb. 12.
The two board members who voted against rescinding the provision said they weren't aware that it was to be discussed until the morning of the vote. Board Chairwoman Rhonda Sivarajah, however, said all commissioners were notified of the amended agenda; another county official said the notice was sent the afternoon before the meeting.
Prevailing-wage policy requires that employees on construction projects be paid at rates comparable to those that have been paid for similar work in the area. By repealing its policy, the county can award county-funded projects to the lowest bidder. There are state and federal prevailing-wage laws that apply to federally- and state-funded projects, including county projects that involve such funds.
"We're concerned that there was no public notice, no chance to give our side of the story," said Dan McConnell, business manager of the Minneapolis Building and Construction Trades Council.
McConnell wrote to Anoka County Attorney Tony Palumbo, asking whether the board violated the law by not giving public notice. Palumbo said a member of his staff is investigating the matter.
Commissioners Carol LeDoux and Jim Kordiak, who voted to retain prevailing wage, say the board appeared to give neither of them proper notice of the change in agenda.
LeDoux said she had just returned from a vacation and was given "no notice." Kordiak said he reads agenda notices the Thursday before Tuesday morning board meetings. He said he learned the morning of the vote that a change in agenda had been sent to his iPad the day before.
