City Government

Community Calls for City to Improve Management of Federal Job Programs

Published

12 years ago

March 27, 2014

More than 150 people attended a public hearing to air long simmering frustrations and disputes over systemic failures of the city’s Workforce Investment Board (WIB) to adequately spend federal money to meet the needs of unemployed youth and adults.

Twenty-five public speakers signed up to speak Tuesday afternoon at the special meeting of the Community and Economic Development (CED) Committee.

The WIB oversees the city’s expenditure of $4.9 million in federal Workforce Investment Act funds, a pot of money that has been decreasing year after year.

A top issue raised by speakers was the 28 percent of the money that the city takes off the top for administrative costs.

Speakers were also concerned that Oakland, unlike other Bay Area cities, does not contribute any money to support WIB programs and administrative costs.

“More money needs to be put on the street for those who need help and for those the (federal) legislation is designed to help,” said Gay Plair Cobb, CEO of the Oakland Private Industry Council, who emphasized her comments, as well as those of others, were meant in

Gay Plair Cobb, CEO of Oakland Private Industry Council

the spirit of constructive criticism.

“Desperately needed funds have been taken of the street and (placed) in the city budget,” at a time when Oakland’s jobless rates are increasing and federal funding is declining, she said.

While the city’s turn around time for paying nonprofit agencies that provide job services to the unemployed has improved – now generally at 20 working days – that is still not good enough, said Cobb.

“It does not work for smaller nonprofits to advance to the city money they do not have,” sh said, adding that PIC had to wait for several months to receive $800,000 to pay for job services it delivered, forcing the agency to use non-federal funds to cover the federal expenses.

“This creates future audit problems,” she said.

Marlon McWilson

Marlon McWilson, a member of the Alameda County Board of Education, complained that the WIB administration and board often are not responsive to community concerns.

“We as a community are not represented enough at that table,” he said. “Our voices are shot down for the most part.”

Presented at the meeting were a list of 10 improvements in the city’s workforce development system during the current fiscal year, endorsed by 18 local organizations, including PIC, Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA), Black Elected Officials and Faith-based Leaders of the East Bay, Turner Group Construction, Lao Family Community Development Services and People United for a Better Life in Oakland (PUEBLO).

Among changes the organizations want to see implemented are “reduction of the city’s fees” taken from federal funding and increasing funding for “underserved Latino youth provided by organizations with knowledge of and sensitivity to, the experiences of Oakland’s Latino community.”

They also want the city to streamline its administrative processes, including contracting and payment of invoices, as well as to adopt an open and transparent budget process.

After listening to the speakers, Council President Pat Kernighan said she believes it is time for the city to step up and contribute to job programs. “We do need to put some skin in the game,” she said.

City Administrator Fred Blackwell said he did not see a problem with adopting the 10 proposed reforms.

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Oakland Post: Week of February 25 – March 3, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – February 25 – March 3, 2026

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March 1, 2026

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Oakland Post: Week of February 18 – 24, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – February 18 – 24, 2026

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February 20, 2026

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CITY OF SAN LEANDRO STATE OF CALIFORNIA PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT ENGINEERING DIVISION NOTICE TO BIDDERS FOR ANNUAL STREET OVERLAY/REHABILITATION 2019-21 – PHASE III

WORK DESCRIPTION: The work to be done consists of roadway paving, base cement stabilization, concrete curb ramps, driveways, sidewalks, curbs and gutters, traffic detection loops and pavement striping, and doing all appurtenant work in place and ready for use, all as shown on the plans and described in the specifications with the title indicated in Paragraph 1 above, and on file in the office of the City Engineer. Reference to said plans and specifications is hereby made for further particulars.

Published

3 weeks ago

February 20, 2026

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PROJECT NO. 2020.0050

BID NO. 25-26.011

BID OPENING: The bidder shall complete the “Proposal to the City of San Leandro” form contained in the Contract Book. The proposal shall be submitted in its entirety. Incomplete proposals will be considered non-responsive. Sealed bids containing the completed Proposal Section subject to the conditions named herein and in the specifications for ANNUAL STREET OVERLAY/REHABILITATION 2019-21 – PHASE III/PROJECT NO. 2020.0050 addressed to the City of San Leandro will be received at City Hall, 835 East 14^th Street, 2^nd Floor San Leandro at the office of the City Clerk up to 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 19, 2026, at which time they will be publicly opened and read.
WORK DESCRIPTION: The work to be done consists of roadway paving, base cement stabilization, concrete curb ramps, driveways, sidewalks, curbs and gutters, traffic detection loops and pavement striping, and doing all appurtenant work in place and ready for use, all as shown on the plans and described in the specifications with the title indicated in Paragraph 1 above, and on file in the office of the City Engineer. Reference to said plans and specifications is hereby made for further particulars.
OBTAINING THE PROJECT PLANS AND CONTRACT BOOK: The project plans and Contract Book may be obtained free of charge from the City’s website at:https://www.sanleandro.org/Bids.aspx Bidders who download the plans are encouraged to contact the City of San Leandro Public Works Department Engineering division at 510-577-3428 to be placed on the project planholder’s list to receive courtesy notifications of addenda and other project information. Project addenda, if any, will be posted on the website. A bidder who fails to address all project addenda in its proposal may be deemed non-responsive.Bidders may also purchase the Project Plans and Contract Book from East Bay Blueprint & Supply Co., at 1745 14^th Street, Oakland, CA 94606; Phone Number: (510) 261-2990 or email: ebbp@eastbayblueprint.com.
PRE-BID CONFERENCE: A mandatory pre-bid conference will be held on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, at 2:00 PM and on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, at 10:00 AM as follows:
Tuesday, February 24, 2026, at 2:00 PM
Zoom Meeting ID: 883 8752 6074
Passcode: 502955
Zoom Link: https://sanleandro-org.zoom.us/j/88387526074?pwd=hZ5rjB8AWdLAUem3CtByFiZxqKarHj.1
And
Wednesday, February 25, 2026, at 10:00 AM
Zoom Meeting ID: 898 2672 0472
Passcode: 091848
Zoom Link: https://sanleandro-org.zoom.us/j/89826720472?pwd=JgZX2nXMpLSRM5xDPr7EJUxl7QIznr.1The information presented at the conferences will be identical, all bidders must attend one of the pre-bid conference and sign the attendance sheet. A firm that didn’t attend the pre-bid conference isn’t qualified to bid on the project.Questions regarding the plans and specifications may be submitted in writing to the project engineer until 5:00 p.m. five (5) days before, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays, bids must be received by the City. The City will not respond to oral questions outside of the pre-bid conference. The response, if any, will be by written addendum only. Oral responses do not constitute a revision to these plans or specifications.
VALUE OF WORK: The Engineer has estimated that the value of work is between $1,000,000 and $5,000,000.
SAN LEANDRO BUSINESS PREFERENCE AND PARTICIPATION GOALS: The work performed under this contract is subject to Section 1-6-225 of the San Leandro Municipal Code regarding local business preference and participation. A list of companies that hold a San Leandro business license is located on the City webpage under the finance department, here: https://www.sanleandro.org/340/Business-License
SAN LEANDRO COMMUNITY WORKFORCE AGREEMENT: The work performed under this contract is subject to the Community Workforce Agreement adopted by City Council Resolution 2015-104. Contractors attention is directed to Section 10.