About those dayworkers I thought the (South County) Dayworker
Center was supposed to be open by now. I still see the guys
standing out in the rain, waiting for someone to offer them a job
for the day. What
’s the holdup?
About those dayworkers
I thought the (South County) Dayworker Center was supposed to be open by now. I still see the guys standing out in the rain, waiting for someone to offer them a job for the day. What’s the holdup?
Well, first it was money, though the city has just assigned some leftover CDBG funds (Community Development Block Grant, a federal program) to tie up the last loose ends. Then the committee fell afoul of federal laws that requires the prevailing wage in the construction industry be paid for work on the project, which increased the overall costs.
And, other aspects of the project cost more than expected.
Now they are waiting for the ground to dry, according to former City Councilwoman Hedy Chang, a St. Catherine Dayworker Committee member. Chang speaks highly of Paul Sweeney of Techtron, who planned to start work by now to pave the parking lot and install the handicapped ramp. Sweeney and others have volunteered as much as legally possible, Chang said.
“Be sure to say how many volunteers have worked on this project and how grateful we are,” Chang said. “(Retired MHPD officer) Bobby Gomez finished the inside (to name just one of many).”
The committee hopes to open its doors by the third week of February, maybe even on Valentine’s Day, Chang said.
The center is located on Depot Street at East Main Avenue and is planned to function as a clearinghouse for casual laborers and potential employers. Having bilingual staff on hand should ease misunderstandings over pay, jobs and conditions, plus offering services to the workers.
n The Red Phone sounds off Saturday in The Times.
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