Minutes 2010/03/17
9180
City of Gilroy
City Council Special Meetina Minutes
March 17. 2010
I. OPENING
A. Call to Order
Mayor Pinheiro called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
I
Roll Call
Present: Mayor Pro Tempore Dion Bracco; Council Member Bob Dillon; Council
Member Craig Gartman; Council Member Cat Tucker; Council Member Perry
Woodward; Mayor AI Pinheiro
Absent/Excused: Council Member Peter Arellano, M.D.
II. NEW BUSINESS
A. Issues Regarding Library Construction as to Whether or Not to be Bid as
Prevailing Wage
The staff report was presented by City Administrator Haglund.
Council Member Peter Arellano, M.D. joined the meeting at 7:03 p.m.
The staff report was continued on by City Engineer Smelser.
Construction Manager David Marks spoke on the criteria for the bid and then provided
copies of the bid document to the Council.
Public comment was opened.
Neal Grover of Local 393 spoke in support of the City paying prevailing wage for the
project and spoke on the level of training union members undertook.
Bill Guthrie of Local 393 spoke in support of paying prevailing wage and using union
workers for the project.
Warren Barry of Local 393 spoke in support of the paying of prevailing wage for the
project.
Neil Struthers of the Building Trades Council spoke in support of using union workers
for the library project and paying prevailing wage, sharing recent Supreme Court rulings
on this issue.
Bill Whitney of the mechanical contractors and sheet metal associations spoke in
support of paying prevailing wage sharing the training and benefits of members of
unions and then explained that LEED standards were difficult to achieve without
specialized training.
Tom Engebretson spoke in support of paying prevailing wage and stated that he would
hate to see a delay of the building of the library.
Tony Ageno spoke, of Carpenters Local 405, spoke on the pool of union employees
with experience with LEED standards and spoke in support of paying prevailing wage.
John Elwood of Swenerton Builders stated that they would not bid on the project if it
was not being paid at prevailing wage. He then spoke in favor of project labor
agreements sharing the certainty with such projects and then spoke on bidding wars in
the industry.
Neil Struthers spoke on a project labor agreement (PLA) with the city of Milpitas and the
number of PLA's entered into throughout Santa Clara County.
9181
Bob Tragin, of the electrical workers union 332, spoke on apprenticeships and the
number of unemployed union members who lived in Gilroy.
Eddie Reyes of the iron workers union suggested that the Council move forward with
prevailing wage and a PLA to ensure that there was labor harmony.
Richard Hernandez of the iron workers union spoke in support of paying prevailing
wage for the project and training through the union.
Gary Glenn spoke in support of paying union wage and spoke on LEED training
conducted through the union trades.
Connie Rogers spoke on educating the public on the issue stating that in such a positive
bid climate, the city should move forward with the bid for the project.
Jim Homer spoke on the unemployment rate of those in the construction field due to the
flat construction climate and spoke in support of paying prevailing wage.
Josue Garcia spoke on project labor agreements and the payment of prevailing wage
explaining that hiring union workers would be a positive outcome with a higher quality
product.
David Collins spoke in support of paying prevailing wage and using union workers.
Joe Corona spoke in support of paying prevailing wage and using both union and non-
union construction workers. He then spoke on the level of safety and the bonding of
union workers.
Victor Dillon of the Labors Apprenticeship Program spoke in support of using union
workers and paying prevailing wage, sharing the growth of an individual in the union
trades.
Rick Solis of the Carpenters 405 thanked the Council for recognizing union workers and
spoke in support of paying prevailing wage.
Public comment was closed.
The Council adjourned for a 5 minute break.
The Council went back into session at 9:02 p.m.
Motion on Item II.A.
Motion: to Bid the Library Construction Project as Prevailing Wage.
Moved by Council Member Peter Arellano, M.D., seconded by Council Member
Cat Tucker
Vote: Motion carried 6-1.
Yes: Mayor Pro Tempore Dion Bracco; Council Member Peter Arellano,
M.D.; Council Member Bob Dillon; Council Member Cat Tucker; Council Member
Perry Woodward; Mayor AI Pinheiro
No: Council Member Craig Gartman
III. ADJOURNMENT
The Council adjourned the meeting at 9:10 p.m.