The city of Champaign is in the process of finalizing a program that would increase city collaboration with minority- and female-owned businesses.  

The Champaign City Council unanimously approved the proposed “Minority and Women Business Development Program” on Tuesday as an initiative to “increase opportunities for disadvantaged businesses in Champaign County and the surrounding areas,” according to Tuesday’s study session memorandum. 

The program, developed by city staff from both the public works and community relations departments, consists of three components: city construction contracts, small business development and workforce development. 

The proposed program lays out a timeline of initiatives for the next three years. In 2013, the city plans to work through each component of the program with goals of dividing large construction jobs into smaller projects, developing training programs for small businesses and partnering with major Champaign employers.

A plan for the program was a direct result of years of community feedback from Champaign citizens, business owners, union representatives and government members who wanted to “level the playing field for all businesses by acknowledging the barriers, challenges and opportunities that exist,” according to the memo.    

City Manager Steve Carter said the program is especially necessary now as a result of population growth and an increase in the city’s diversity in the past few years. 

“I think it’s important that we recognize that we will be doing things a little bit differently in the future,” Carter said.

According to census data in 2007, women-owned firms made up 28.3 percent of the 13,525 firms in Champaign County. Black-owned firms represented 8.8 percent of businesses and Hispanic-owned firms represented 1.9 percent. Data was not available for any other minority group.

In fiscal year 2012, the city contracted about $25.6 million in respect to goods and services, said Dennis Schmidt, one of the creators of the program and Champaign Public Works Director. Of that contracted work, about 7 percent went to minority- and female-owned businesses. 

“I think when you look at the council’s goals, as well as our goals and the interpretation of those goals, one of the objectives we have here is we want to grow those numbers,” Schmidt said. 

Amy Maurer, senior project engineer at Kaskaskia Engineering Group, LLC, said the firm is female-owned and has recently begun doing service with the city. She commended the city staff for proposing the plan at the study session. 

“We enjoy working with the city, and we wish more communities in the state of Illinois were as professional and responsible and as great as the city of Champaign,” Maurer said. “We hope we keep our relationship going and look forward to many more years of service.” 

Fred Coleman, director of diversity and redevelopment at the University, addressed the city council at the study session. He praised the staff who put together the program but warned city officials that it wouldn’t be an “overnight success.” 

“I think it will be a success for the city based on the way in which this plan has been developed and the diligence that has been put forth by staff,” Coleman said. “(But) you’re going to have to work together continuously to make this happen. This is not easy. This is a challenge. But it can be done.”

Emma can be reached at [email protected].