Council approves $55,000 transfer for procurement software and appoints Nancy Haines as purchasing agent

The City Council voted to transfer $55,000 from the general fund contingency and to appropriate funds from the equipment/building sinking fund to buy bids-and-contract software for the purchasing department.

Mayor Jeffrey Cajano said the software purchase is timed to support an incoming purchasing agent and permit overlap so the outgoing purchasing agent can help bring the system online: “Roger's main function will be to over the next 6 weeks or so to get this up and running,” the mayor said.

The council also approved the appointment of Nancy Haines as purchasing agent. Haines spoke by video and told the council, “I know I have big shoes to fill with Roger's retirement…I look forward with working with both the mayor and the council.” The appointment was effective as posted in the meeting packet; the council approved the hiring vote and authorized the mayor to execute any related documents.

Context and process: council members said the procurement software and the staffing transition were planned to improve tracking of purchase orders and smooth the handoff between an outgoing and incoming purchasing agent. The vote to buy the software and the vote to appoint Haines passed without recorded opposition.

What happens next: city staff will implement the procurement system and the new purchasing agent will assume her duties on the effective date set in the employment paperwork; the outgoing agent will remain for an overlap period to support training.