GENEVA — Union bosses turned out Jan. 9 to an Executive Committee meeting of the Forest Preserve District of Kane County to debate the passage of House Bill 924, which aims to amend the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act so all contractors bidding on public work abide by the definition of a responsible bidder.

The bill is up for Senate discussion in 2014, and The Illinois Association of Park Districts is against the bill, citing cost concerns. The Kane County Forest Preserve District, a member of the association, presented a resolution on the meeting Jan. 9 calling for a rejection of HB 924.

“In theory, this could drive the cost of projects up,” said Forest District President John Hoscheit. “The practical matter in reality is that with all these additional requirements, they would increase the number of bidders and increase cost.”
The unfinished business was tabled for discussion until the next meeting, Feb. 7 due to board members needing more information before voting.

“They have no data that this increases cost,” said Kane County Democratic Party Chairman Mark Guethle ,who supports the passage of the responsible bidder bill.

Kane County already has a responsible bidder ordinance, as well as dozens of other municipalities throughout the state, but the House Bill would further expand on different jobs covered.

“I’m pleased it was tabled. It seems they are doing their due diligence in reading the bill before voting on it,” said Scott Roscoe, president of the Fox Valley Building Trades. “The two biggest municipalities in the county already have a responsible bidder ordinance.”

Currently, at the local unit of government level, there are no front-end criteria applied to contractors bidding public works construction projects sufficient to detect erroneous bids before projects are awarded. The AFL-CIO argues public works projects are being awarded to bidders who cannot, or have no intention to, pay the wage rates required under the current Prevailing Wage Act.

Kara Principe, an attorney for the Indiana, Illinois, Iowa Foundation for Fair Contracting stated the advantages of using union contractors for public bids.

“Using a contractor who participates in a USDOL approved apprenticeship program will serve to mitigate risks to the district. Projects will be done right the first time, so unanticipated costs will not pop up on the back end, thus insuring structural and financial success for projects within the district,” she said.

“Doctors, lawyers, teachers, engineers- they’re all required to have standardized testing, in order for them to perform their job. For some reason, when it comes to the construction industry, we seem to forget who is qualified and who is not, who is safe and who is not, who is educated and who is not . . . . The architect designing the building has to be trained, the engineer must be licensed, but now you are not going to require a training standard for the men and women building that building?” she questioned.