Garrett Dennis wants answers on Jacksonville’s minority engineer shortage

One of the many discussions that enlivened Jacksonville City Council budget hearings in August was the city’s surfeit of minority engineers.

Chief Administrative Officer Sam Mousa noted that some categories — such as “African-American engineers” — are “difficult to find.”

“Most African-American engineers graduate from Northeastern universities and stay in the [Northeast],” Mousa added, explaining a shortfall in minority engineers in Jacksonville city employment.

That explanation isn’t enough for Finance Chair Garrett Dennis, who wants answers from the city’s independent authorities by Sept. 19 — the next Finance Committee meeting.

Dennis requested particulars from JEA, the Jacksonville Transportation Authority, the Jacksonville Aviation Authority, and JAXPORT regarding the following.

How many engineers have been hired in the last two years, and were they recruited from out of town?

How many engineers are employed at each agency, and the “racial/ethnic background and gender” for each?

Tenure of employment and alma mater are among the other requested criteria, but the real focus of discussion will be demographic.

For Dennis, equal opportunity issues have been central this year.

He had requested information regarding equal employment practices from Jacksonville’s Independent Authorities, the Mayor, and Constitutional Officers, ahead of the budget process this year.

That memo reminds all parties of diversity goals set forth in city ordinance: “the Equal Opportunity/  Equal Access program progress and state, as is contemplated in Sections  400.217 and 400.221, Ordinance Code.”

“To the extent that new positions or hiring are being requested in the budget,” the memo asserts, “the Finance committee should be apprised of each departments’ success in this area inclusive of the goals and objectives for each department.  We look forward to working with the Administration over the following months to develop the budget and policies for the City of Jacksonville.”

Dennis also introduced equal-opportunity legislation and ex-offender employment legislation months back; both bills became law.