Aurora reaching out to minority businesses

Aurora recently postponed plans to hire a company to help implement the city's minority business initiative.

City officials, however, say that doesn't mean they're backing off efforts to equalize opportunities for firms owned by minorities, women or people with disabilities.

The focus of that work is to explain the certifications and insurance necessary to do business with government entities such as Aurora or the state, said Norma Vasquez, executive director of the Aurora Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

“The chamber has been working actively in doing the mentoring and doing the proper training for our chamber members to obtain the licensing and certifications,” Vasquez said.

Some aspects of the city's minority business initiative also revolve around education, said Carie Anne Ergo, chief management officer.

The minority business resolution, passed by the city council in March, includes 16 steps the city plans to take to show its commitment to expanding the opportunities minorities, people with disabilities and women have to contract with the city, Ergo said.

City staff members have made progress on some of those steps, including designating Assistant Chief of Staff Beatrice Torres as the city's minority procurement officer and contacting groups such as the Aurora Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Quad County Urban League, Ergo said.

“A number of them are reaching out to the diverse chambers and small businesses in order to provide them guidance on how to get through the city procurement process,” Ergo said.

But the finance committee last week postponed action on one of the steps: hiring a company to help the city implement the initiative.

“It isn't the project that we're putting on hold, it's the hiring of a consultant that we don't think has the credentials to meet our city's needs,” Lynda Elmore, alderman and finance committee member, said.

Alderman Leroy Keith, another finance committee member, said he was never in favor of singling out certain businesses for special assistance.

“I don't have a problem with making information available, but I've been a firm believer that if you are a woman-owned or minority-owned business, then you have to make an effort to get out there and seek out those contracts,” Keith said.

Rene Cruz, president of the Aurora Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, said he appreciates the city's efforts, but he agreed each business must take responsibility for its own success.

“Why should we ever have to wait for anyone to make anything easier for us? We should be out there trying to get those opportunities on our own,” Cruz said.

Cruz said the time is now for companies to get ready to apply for contracts with the city.

“I'm still encouraged because I think just the message that was sent by passing the original (resolution) was a good one,” Cruz said. “Don't delay because when they're ready, we have to be ready. We can't sit back and say, ‘Let's wait for the city to make me ready to do business with them.'”

A minority business certificate is one document the Aurora Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is helping local businesses obtain, Vasquez said.

The certificate may help firms because the Illinois business enterprise program encourages state agencies and universities to spend at least 19 percent of their purchasing funds each year with certified minority businesses.

And the certification may help local shops such as Frank's Digital Printing & Office Supplies, 723 Aurora Ave., receive more contracts and more work, owner Frank Garcia said.

Garcia said he has been working with Vasquez on applying for the minority business certificate and is now awaiting state approval.

“She's got the connections of setting up the format of the application,” Garcia said. “She just asked me a few questions and I gave her the documents she needed. She's doing this on her own time, which for me, would have been difficult because I don't know what I'm doing.”

Cruz said the Hispanic Chamber is working to change a mindset against contracting with government agencies.

“The mentality always is, at least from the Hispanic community, that you just don't do business with government,” Cruz said. “There's nothing wrong with doing business with government. They're clients just like anyone else is.”

Theodia Gillespie, executive director of the Quad County Urban League, said her organization works with entrepreneurs and helps them find business opportunities.

“I think it's something that needs to continue to move forward and not be put on the back burner,” Gillespie said.

Even with the delay in hiring a consultant to manage the city's business initiative, Vasquez said Aurora is moving in the right direction.

“I applaud them for at least getting the ball rolling,” she said.