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R-11-40 A RESOLUTION CALLING FOR NON-DISCRIMINATORY EFFORTS TO INCREASE AFRICAN-AMERICAN PARTICIPATION IN THE ECONOMIC LIFE OF THE CITY. WHEREAS, African-American Portsmouth citizens do not participate proportionally in the economy of the city and do not enjoy the benefits of full participation; and WHEREAS, this lack of full economic participation contributes to numerous social problems in the city in such areas as quality of life, education, crime, family structure, and under- development of human potential; and WHEREAS, many complex social and historical factors contribute to this lack of full economic participation, and it cannot be attributed to any single cause; and WHEREAS, it is in the public interest of all Portsmouth citizens to increase the participation of African-American Portsmouth citizens in the economy (hereafter, simply "Increased Participation"), in that doing so will increase the quality of life for all Portsmouth citizens; and WHEREAS, it is therefore incumbent on the City of Portsmouth to strive toward Increased Participation in such ways as may be legal and appropriate for local government; and WHEREAS, even though there is no evidence of present or recent race-based discrimination by the City in the award of contracts to purchase goods and services ("city contracting"), one way in which city government can help the community as a whole is through seeking Increased Participation in city contracting; and WHEREAS, the primary goal of city contracting is obtaining the best possible goods and services at the lowest prices from qualified contractors, but this goal does not necessarily preclude conducting the contracting process in such a way as to advance Increased Participation, if done in a financially prudent and non-discriminatory way that complies with applicable law. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Portsmouth, Virginia, that: 1. City Council hereby makes a legislative finding and determination pursuant to Section 2.01 ofthe Charter of the City of Portsmouth, Virginia that it is in the interest of the safety, health, peace, good order, comfort, convenience, morals and welfare of all citizens of the city for there to be Increased Participation. 2. City contracting is hereby determined to be one means that could contribute to Increased Participation over a period of time. 3. The City Manager and the City Attorney are hereby authorized and directed to develop and then implement a plan by which the City will work in all appropriate and legal ways toward Increased Participation (the "Participation Plan"), to include but not be limited to public