Committee approves new purchasing policy; members discuss auditor consulting and procurement waivers

The Finance Committee approved a rewritten purchasing policy on July 21 that replaces an older 1996 policy and formalizes current purchasing practices, competitive-solicitation thresholds and documentation requirements. Renee, a village staff member, said the new policy is intended to balance accountability, compliance with state and federal guidelines and operational practicality for departments. Committee members noted the policy provides formal procedures for informal (documented) quotes, formal bids, sole-source situations and administrator waivers in time-sensitive or specialized cases. Al Dasso raised concerns about the villages auditor providing consulting services and whether such engagements could create conflicts or should be competitively procured. Renee said the village had sought competing vendors for a solar-related project but found the specific expertise scarce and documented their outreach; she also noted Baker Tilly sold the software the village used in October 2024 and that the firm is no longer the software vendor for the village. Committee members discussed a practical example: fireworks procurement for community events. Staff said safety and show quality often lead the village to prefer a known vendor; the policy allows the administrator to grant a waiver where it is in the villages best interest, with documentation and questions asked before waiving competitive requirements. Motion and formal action: Jack Heinemann moved to approve the purchasing policy; the motion was seconded and passed unanimously.