Commission sends LOSB small‑business ordinance forward after data briefing; EOC referral set

The commission approved a first reading of an ordinance that would revise the Locally Owned Small Business (LOSB) rules, including raising income thresholds and applying a 25% LOSB goal in sheltered markets where three or more LOSBs can perform the work. Administrators said Griffin & Strong provided a raw data set of nearly 29,000 business entries to inform threshold decisions; staff characterized the numbers in the draft ordinance as a "point of departure," not a final set of thresholds.

Administrator Wilburn (county purchasing/administration) and legal staff described the process and noted additional analysis and department input would be undertaken between first and second reading. Commissioners asked for cleaned, analyzable summaries of the Griffin & Strong data and raised capacity questions for purchasing if informal solicitation thresholds rise. The motion passed with 9 ayes and 3 abstentions; the item will return on second reading and was referred to the EOC committee for further work.