This week’s Rhino takes a long look at Kenneth Johnson’s proposed MWBE program that Guilford County school board continues to ponder:

Many general contractors who spoke about the procedural change said it is not a matter of not wanting to include MWBE documentation, it is a matter of being realistic. Several contractors said it is physically impossible to include MWBEs that may be included until after the dust settles on bid day.

…..Contractors said they thought if the school board approves all of Johnson’s recommendations, the school board would be facing less competition than they are already getting in school construction projects.

Which means GCS will continue to pay a premium on construction costs. But here’s the money quote:

Johnson said the forums arean effort to try to figure out what the school system can do to increase participation and and that participation efforts need to be explored, examined and encouraged” on an ongoing basis.

As a formal mental health threapist, I know you have to first admit there is a problem in order to fix this,” Johnson said.

Perhaps “formal” is supposed to be “former.” Whatever. The bottom line is our school system has a mental health professional serving as a consultant on school construction. That’s crazy.