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District 1 Councilman Fred Richardson (Mike Kittrell/mkittrell@al.com)

A routine contract renewal discussion took an unexpected turn Tuesday when District 1 Councilman Fred Richardson took a Mobile-based environmental services company to task over the racial makeup of its payroll.

At issue was renewal of Payne Environmental Services' stormwater management services contract with the city totaling slightly more than $336,000.

The original professional services contract - approved by the Mobile City Council on Jan. 14, 2014 - ended the city's 15-year relationship with The Mobile Group and shaved 26 percent off the ongoing project's total annual cost.

Although the council approved the contract renewal unanimously during Tuesday's regular meeting, Richardson made clear during the pre-meeting work session that Payne needs to hire black employees within the next year in order to retain his continued support of the contract.

"You have one year," Richardson told the Payne Environmental representative, who identified himself as the husband of the company's owner who was traveling on business.

Founded in 1999, Payne Environmental is a certified woman-owned small business, but Richardson said that status does not satisfy for him the company's qualifications to pursue contracts with the city because the absence of black employees does not make it representative of the city's population.

Richardson's comments come two weeks after the creation of a Citizens' Advisory Committee on Contracting Opportunities for Small Business and Minority-Owned Firms and the launch of the city's first concentrated supplier diversity program.

The Payne Environmental representative said the company is currently hiring and was visibly baffled by the suggestion the woman-owned small business would not meet specifications established by the city's new program.

In fact, Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson - announcing the new supplier diversity program and hunt for a chief procurement officer - referenced Payne Environmental by name as an illustration of the strides the city has made since he took office to boost contract diversity.

Meanwhile, Dianne Irby, the city's executive director of planning and development, called the proposed contract with Payne Environmental Services "basically a renewal" of ongoing stormwater management services.

"We think it's better for continuity to keep the same consultant on board," Irby said.

Tell us what you think in the comments section below. Does Payne Environmental qualify in your mind to continue seeking contracts with the city of Mobile?