City Services Bid Opening Delayed

By Dave Freneaux

    The City Services Selection Committee will meet today, Thursday, at 5 PM at City Hall to consider an issue regarding the bonding of potential bidders for Central’s City Services contract.  This issue has caused the bid opening, originally scheduled for this Friday, to be moved to next Wednesday, May 4th, at 2:30 PM at the Fire Station on Sullivan near Hooper.  The delayed bid opening is not expected to affect the target dates for the rest of the interview, evaluation and award process.  The information received in these bids will be the basis for the selection committee to interview bidders and make a recommendation to the Mayor.  Included in these bids will be the dollar amount of the bids as well as information about the bidders detailing their qualifications.  While the dollar amount bid is important, the lowest bidder may not be the best candidate to provide the services.  It is the task of the Selection Committee, and ultimately the decision of the Mayor, to select the best contractor or contractors for the job.

     At Central’s City Council meeting Tuesday evening Council Member LoBue made inquiries of the City Attorney as to what role the Council Members play in the selection process.  It was explained that the Council’s role is to provide funding for City Services in Central’s budget, and that the Mayor will select the companies to provide the services so long as the Council approves sufficient monies to fund city services.  City Attorney Sheri Morris also brought to the Council a technical conflict of interest which may arise in the bid process.  Shaw Industries is a possible bidder for this contract and they are represented in a lobbying matter in Lafayette by an attorney who has recently began working with the law firm that employs Sheri Morris.  Both the law firm and Shaw have signed off waiving any concerns over a conflict since the relationship is distant and has no bearing on Ms. Morris’ role in the bid process.

     Council Member DeJohn had, as a courtesy to the Council, introduced a resolution in support of waiving any conflict of interest in the matter.  Council Member Messina pointed out that waiving conflict on behalf of the City of Central is an authority given to the Mayor.  Council Member DeJohn pointed out that to change legal Council unnecessarily would likely delay the City Services Contract selection process.  After it became apparent that only Council Members DeJohn and Moak were interested in bringing the resolution to a vote, DeJohn withdrew the resolution, leaving the decision to the Mayor.  After the meeting Mayor Watts commented that the waiver would be signed and that the City Services Contract process would proceed uninterrupted.