The Board of Public Works approved a $635,000 software contract Wednesday despite objections by Treasurer Dereck Davis that the contract failed to meet state diversity requirements.
The emergency contract is needed to support a loan program for federal employees who may be affected by a government shutdown next month.
The board, which includes a woman and two Black members, has stressed the importance of meeting state contractor diversity goals in previous meetings. Davis (D), in comments Wednesday, made it clear that he believes more can be done.
Davis, who has raised similar issues in earlier board meetings, was the lone dissenting vote on the three-member panel that includes Gov. Wes Moore (D) and Comptroller Brooke Lierman (D).
“So, this is me taking the stand now,” Davis said, adding that he was frustrated by repeated claims that officials support the goals “but they fold tent at the first chance.”
Click here to read the rest of the article written by Bryan P. Sears over at Maryland Matters