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City council delays payments, orders itemization after dispute over IB Electric invoice and legal bills
Summary
Council voted to hold several invoices for further review after extended debate over a $7,000 IB Electric charge and multiple legal invoices; the council approved current claims after removing several items for clarification and referral back to administration.
The Dearborn Heights City Council on Feb. 25 spent prolonged time debating whether to approve several claims and ACH wire transfers after questions about who authorized a $7,000 invoice from IB Electric and a set of invoices from outside counsel.
Councilman Hassan Saab led efforts to withhold specific claims for clarification, saying the administration failed to provide requested backup documentation. The disputed charges included an approximately $7,000 invoice tied to lighting work at a city facility and a set of outside legal bills that the council asked be itemized and split by case before payment.
After multiple motions and roll-call votes the council approved the bulk of the current claims but removed items for further review. The council voted to remove items 12 and 13 (invoices for sewer work where addresses were not listed) and to hold invoice 26 (legal billing) for further itemization by the vendor; it also removed item 24 for separate review. The council directed administration to return the referred items with clarifying information at a future meeting.
Several council members said they did not object to paying vendors when work was performed, but they repeatedly emphasized the need for routine procurement and contract procedures to be followed and for supporting documentation to be submitted with claims. Council members cited the city charter and prior council direction in arguing for stricter adherence to purchasing and contract rules.
Corporation counsel and members of administration said some of the work was performed and some contracts had been previously approved, and they urged payment; others on the council said the goal was to ensure a transparent paper trail. After the referrals and roll calls, the council approved the remaining claims for payment.
Ending: The council approved the current claims with several items removed and referred for clarification; administration was directed to provide the requested addresses, itemizations and backup so held invoices can be paid at a later meeting.
