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Inside City Hall: “Queen of Compliance” retires

January 27, 2012 at 11:58 am 9

shirley williams SRB

Shirley Williams, long-serving minority and women’s business compliance officer, receives a handshake from Mayor Rawlings-Blake on Wednesday.

Photo by: Mark Reutter

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Arguably the most influential publicly-unknown force in city contracting retires this afternoon.

As chief of the Minority and Women’s Business Opportunity Office (MWBOO), Shirley A. Williams has wielded enormous clout in City Hall by virtue of approving – or rejecting – the percentage goals for minority businesses (MBEs) and women-owned businesses (WBEs) in city contracts.

All bids and contracts are reviewed by her office before the items are placed on the Board of Estimates agenda. In addition, her office certifies minority and women business enterprises as qualified to do city work and conducts training programs for companies desiring to bid on public projects.

In this reporter’s experience, her recommendations have never been overruled by the spending board.

Relief and Shudders

On Williams’ say-so, a low-bid contractor can be disqualified from a contract and a higher-bidder selected. Upon her approval, “participation goals” for city contracts (technically set at 27% minority and 10% women) can be reduced in a contract – or cast aside altogether.

Williams, facing camera, at her front-room seat at the Board of Estimates today. (Photo by Mark Reutter)

Williams, facing camera, at her front-room seat at the Board of Estimates. (Photo by Mark Reutter)

Thus, the words “MWBOO granted a waiver” on the Board of Estimates agenda brings a sigh of relief to contractors, just as surely as “MWBOO found vendor in non-compliance” draws a shudder.

On Wednesday, Williams – known as the “Queen of Compliance” by fellow employees – rose from her first-row seat to receive accolades from the three elected members of the board.

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake joked that the panel was “still in denial” over her decision to retire “after 28 years of faithful and exemplary service to the city of Baltimore.” (Actually Williams served 31 years, appointed as the city’s first compliance officer by then-Mayor William Donald Schaefer in 1981.)

City Comptroller Joan Pratt lauded her for her stint as acting deputy comptroller, and City Council President Bernard C. “Jack” Young read a resolution passed by the City Council praising her “for making government more effective and efficient.”

Williams took the encomiums in stride, saying, “It has been a privilege and honor to serve the citizens of Baltimore,” after which she was given a standing ovation.

The Brew’s coverage of MWBOO – and its disputes (here and here) with contractors over its rulings – has not met with Williams’ approval. She declined to discuss her career or future plans on Wednesday, saying, “you’ve written quite enough.”

Thomas B. Corey, a former MWBOO official, has been appointed chief of the office. It is widely expected that Williams will continue in some capacity during a transition period before she returns to her native Georgia.

Mayor Rawlings-Blake hinted at that arrangement on Wednesday by telling Williams that she’d be welcome at a Board of Estimates meeting anytime.

 

  • Anonymous

    Why do race, ethnicity, and sex need to be considered at all in deciding who gets awarded a contract?  It’s good to make sure contracting programs are open to all, that bidding opportunities are widely publicized beforehand, and that no one gets discriminated against because of skin color, national origin, or sex.  But that means no preferences because of skin color, etc. either–whether it’s labeled a “set-aside,” a “quota,” or a “goal,” since they all end up amounting to the same thing.  Such discrimination is unfair and divisive; it breeds corruption and otherwise costs the taxpayers and businesses money to award a contract to someone other than the lowest bidder; and it’s almost always illegal—indeed, unconstitutional—to boot (see 42 U.S.C. section 1981 and this model brief: http://www.pacificlegal.org/page.aspx?pid=1342 ).  Those who insist on engaging in such discrimination deserve to be sued, and they will lose — as, indeed, the city has in the past.

  • Anonymous

    Why do race, ethnicity, and sex need to be considered at all in deciding who gets awarded a contract?  It’s good to make sure contracting programs are open to all, that bidding opportunities are widely publicized beforehand, and that no one gets discriminated against because of skin color, national origin, or sex.  But that means no preferences because of skin color, etc. either–whether it’s labeled a “set-aside,” a “quota,” or a “goal,” since they all end up amounting to the same thing.  Such discrimination is unfair and divisive; it breeds corruption and otherwise costs the taxpayers and businesses money to award a contract to someone other than the lowest bidder; and it’s almost always illegal—indeed, unconstitutional—to boot (see 42 U.S.C. section 1981 and this model brief: http://www.pacificlegal.org/page.aspx?pid=1342 ).  Those who insist on engaging in such discrimination deserve to be sued, and they will lose — as, indeed, the city has in the past.

  • Anonymous

    Why do race, ethnicity, and sex need to be considered at all in deciding who gets awarded a contract?  It’s good to make sure contracting programs are open to all, that bidding opportunities are widely publicized beforehand, and that no one gets discriminated against because of skin color, national origin, or sex.  But that means no preferences because of skin color, etc. either–whether it’s labeled a “set-aside,” a “quota,” or a “goal,” since they all end up amounting to the same thing.  Such discrimination is unfair and divisive; it breeds corruption and otherwise costs the taxpayers and businesses money to award a contract to someone other than the lowest bidder; and it’s almost always illegal—indeed, unconstitutional—to boot (see 42 U.S.C. section 1981 and this model brief: http://www.pacificlegal.org/page.aspx?pid=1342 ).  Those who insist on engaging in such discrimination deserve to be sued, and they will lose — as, indeed, the city has in the past.

    • Suave

      it’s irrelevant.  its also the Golden Rule, and you know what that means.  i have my own small-business solution.  i don’t even bother to bid.  but i have tons of respect for all those business persons out there, who profess libertarian leanings, but belly up to the government trough anyway.  guess if you can’t beat them fair & square, might as well join ‘em.
      my fav quote in the article, Jack call me Mr. President Young, thanking Her Corruptness “for making government more effective and efficient.”
      As Louis once sang, “what a wonderful world”.

  • Ktrueheart

    I’m all for recycling but this is NOT progress!  Baltimore’s Minority and Women-Owned Business Development Office (MWBD) needs BOLD, Progressive leadership.  For the past 2 years the annual participation goal has been 37% and each year the City has failed to award 37% of its contracts to Minority and Women-Owned businesses.  Key administrative and operational processes within MWBD need to be overhauled and numerous recommendations from the city sponsored Disparity Study in 2007, to improve the stated outcomes, have yet to be implemented.  Ms. Williams deserves to be honored for her 31 years of loyal service, but replacing her with a former director does not look like progress to me.  Baltimore’s Black, Hispanic and Koren business chambers have requested Mayor Rawlings-Blake to take BOLD steps to improve the outcomes for their member businesses and based on this story I’m not sure she actually heard them.

  • Unellu

     What an imposing figure Ms.Williams–even her backside shouts, “COMPLIANCE”! 

       Here I have a poem dedicated to all the compliance officers of this world
                                                   Tongue in cheek and cheek in tongue
                                                                     COMPLY

    If you’re down at the bottom of the great food chain,
    And you suffer from red hot regulatory pain,
    If you think you’ve reached your tether’s end,
    And you’re running amok over the twists and the bends–
    the stiles, the fences and the impediments–
    the grating foreboding from the gritty sediment–
    cast in your eyes to throw you off the scent-
    of the mighty deciders whose blows you can’t fend–
    Just hang up your towel–don’t worry my friend–
                              COMPLY!

    Wondering if you should pee or hold it?
    Wondering if you should hang or fold it?
    Wondering if you should whisper or shout?
    Wondering why you are plagued by doubts?
    Wondering if you should make a pass
    at the exhibitionistic lass (lad)?
    Wondering if you’ll ever dance
    cheek to cheek with those in charge–
    the ones with the power to make you or break you–
    who won’t even give you a passing glance?
    Wondering what you should do–
    if the omniscient feds should accost you–
    on your way to ancient Timbuktu?
                          Comrades!
    There’s only one answer to these profound questions–
                         COMPLY!

    There are folks about with sticks in their hands,
    When you accost them be sure to bow,
    They’ll tell you when it’s morning, when the day is out,
    They have their pet peeves and their holy cows,
    It’s reverence they want for their grandeur,
    for their august post of compliance officer–
    invented to impose rules on the boors–
    biting at the bit to be free and wild–
    brimming with the defiance of a bad child–

                     HEAR!  HEAR!
    It’s a losing battle to grind your axes–
    with those stouthearted battle axes–
    who can crush you with one obscure quote–
    from their collected book of FAQs.

    Those who want to skirt the fees and the taxes–
    the fines, the forms, the tolls and the boxes–
    stuffed with commandments that specify–
    how everyone must live his life–  DON’T!
                             COMPLY!

    Usha Nellore
                      

  • Unellu

     What an imposing figure Ms.Williams–even her backside shouts, “COMPLIANCE”! 

       Here I have a poem dedicated to all the compliance officers of this world
                                                   Tongue in cheek and cheek in tongue
                                                                     COMPLY

    If you’re down at the bottom of the great food chain,
    And you suffer from red hot regulatory pain,
    If you think you’ve reached your tether’s end,
    And you’re running amok over the twists and the bends–
    the stiles, the fences and the impediments–
    the grating foreboding from the gritty sediment–
    cast in your eyes to throw you off the scent-
    of the mighty deciders whose blows you can’t fend–

    Just hang up your towel–don’t worry my friend–

                              COMPLY!

    Wondering if you should pee or hold it?

    Wondering if you should hang or fold it?

    Wondering if you should whisper or shout?

    Wondering why you are plagued by doubts?

    Wondering if you should make a pass

    at the exhibitionistic lass (lad)?

    Wondering if you’ll ever dance

    cheek to cheek with those in charge–

    the ones with the power to make you or break you–

    who won’t even give you a passing glance?

    Wondering what you should do–

    if the omniscient feds should accost you–

    on your way to ancient Timbuktu?

                          Comrades!

    There’s only one answer to these profound questions–

                         COMPLY!

    There are folks about with sticks in their hands,

    When you accost them be sure to bow,

    They’ll tell you when it’s morning, when the day is out,

    They have their pet peeves and their holy cows,

    It’s reverence they want for their grandeur,

    for their august post of compliance officer–

    invented to impose rules on the boors–

    biting at the bit to be free and wild–

    brimming with the defiance of a bad child–

                     HEAR!  HEAR!

    It’s a losing battle to grind your axes–

    with those stouthearted battle axes–

    who can crush you with one obscure quote–

    from their cook book of collected FAQs.

    Those who want to skirt the fees and the taxes–

    the fines, the forms, the tolls and the boxes–

    stuffed with commandments that specify–

    how everyone must live his life–  DON’T!

                             COMPLY!

    Usha Nellore

                      

     

  • Maryland Esquire

    Normally, once an official retires, they can be brought on as a “consultant.”  You should consider finding out the hourly rate to be paid under contract.

  • westside resident

    Shouldn’t a city with chronic budget deficits in the tens of millions of dollars be more concerned with getting the lowest possible price and not the racial or gender make up of its management/employees? 

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