A group of attorneys, bankers and small business owners got up close and personal with Orange County Commission, District 6, Candidate Derrick Wallace, during a ‘Meet and Greet’ Thursday at the law offices of Hylton Adamson Watson in Orlando.
Wallace, a life-long resident of District 6 and one of six candidates in the race said, he was inspired to run because of the lack of opportunities that currently exist for small businesses and because no one is advocating on their behalf.
“There’s a lack of opportunities for small businesses and there is no advocate for minority small businesses,” he said. “Not one politician does anything to bolster opportunities..and it has affected me also.”
Wallace, who is CEO of the largest African-American construction company in Florida, told the gathering that he has 30 years’ of business experience, understands economic development and is “very interested in trying to change what’s happening” to make things better for the people in the district and Orange County, at large.
Asked what kind of opportunities are available for small businesses, Wallace referenced a Polk County Ordinance which he would like to see adopted in Orange County. In Polk County, when three small businesses qualify for a particular project, it’s set aside for just small businesses to bid on, he said. In Orange County, small businesses compete with large companies and invariably lose the bid.
He believes that “the people at the top” and those who award contracts have lost focus with regard to small business development in the district. And in his view, their mindset has to change.
“If you look at big companies like Disney, Universal, Darden and SeaWorld, they have lost focus on small business in this district,” he said. “…In this particular district a lot needs to be done to help the people within the district.”
Wallace said the real issues are jobs, affordable housing, homelessness, economic development and lack of educational opportunities. He believes there’s lots of jobs people don’t qualify for because they have a record.
“If those at the top who did the hiring were to change their mindset about people who have a record, lots of job opportunities would open up,” he said. “They might not have done anything for 20 years and yet they are disqualified because of their record.” There’s no policy against hiring people with [police] records, he added.
Wallace said unless there’s an advocate for small businesses, they will continue to lose out on opportunities. “That has been the situation for the past 16 years and it’s time for a change,” he said, referencing the recent victory of District 5, city of Orlando Commissioner-elect, Regina Hill over Juan Lynum, the son of long-serving Commissioner Daisy Lynum.
He recalled his own experience as a small business owner and the opportunities which opened up after his construction company successfully completed the Hulk and Spiderman rides at Universal Orlando. Particularly, he cited the significant increase in the company’s bonding capacity, which moved from about $1 million to several million in 18 months. He also referenced several building projects successfully undertaken, including Jones High School which morphed from an $18 million renovation project to a brand new school at a cost of $50 million.
Wallace also discussed the Venues projects, including the proposed Orlando City Soccer Stadium. He said, the Venues deals should have been structured differently in order to bring greater benefit to the people in the area.
“There’s always a way to get something for the people,” he said. “It’s the way things are pitched and when you are going with the flow, then you just go with it, no questions are asked.”
Wallace said he is “hopeful” that Hill, in whose district several of the Venues have been built, would stand with the people and not just go along with the other city commissioners.
If elected, Wallace would like to develop a plan for District 6 and brand the area. All stakeholders would be involved in crafting the plan which would be a community effort.
“District 6 needs a plan which speaks to, what we are going to do, how we are going to do it and from where we’re going to get the resources,” he said. “Otherwise it will be the same thing like the past 16 years.”
“I am willing to be the leader, but I need the support and partnerships to make it [the plan] work,” he added.
Wallace also addressed questions related to affordable housing and the many vacant apartments on Mercy Drive, gentrification of Parramore and minority participation in contract awards, among others.
