MOKAN wants bigger minority commitment from MSD

A minority business advocacy group says the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District needs to do more to include minority and female workers in its projected $4.7 billion worth of upgrades over the next two decades.  

Yaphett El-Amin, executive director for the group MOKAN, says because city residents and businesses pay into MSD's sewer tax system, MSD should commit more jobs to local minority contractors.  

“We need a full commitment from MSD to support our region and help our businesses grow," El-Amin said, "to help our economy and hire our community.”

The two sides appear to be moving forward together, however. Following a MOKAN protest yesterday outsideMSD's headquarters, the company's Board of Trustees voted to set its inclusion goals for construction projects in the next 6 months to 25 percent.