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Shawnee commission approves one-year renewal with legislative consultants amid calls to review other options
Summary
The City Commission approved a one-year renewal with Dunnington and Latham consulting for legislative services but instructed staff to present alternative vendors during the contract term; commissioners debated timing with the state session starting soon.
Shawnee — The Shawnee City Commission on Jan. 20 approved a one-year renewal of legislative consulting services with Dunnington Consulting and Latham Consulting, while several commissioners pushed staff to bring additional vendor options during the contract term.
Commissioners voted 5-2 to approve the contract after a prolonged discussion about timing and the consultants’ relationships with state lawmakers. City Manager Andrea (last name not specified in the record) and several commissioners said the firms help the city track thousands of bills and identify those that could benefit or harm municipal interests.
“Those relationships matter,” Commissioner (first name not specified) said, noting the city’s recent success securing state ARPA money. The commission debated whether to defer the contract to interview other firms before the legislative session. Andrea told the commission the contract is for one year and includes a 45-day termination clause.
The approved motion included an instruction that staff present other vendor options during the contract year so the commission can consider alternatives at the next renewal. The record shows commissioners discussed the urgency because bill filing and the legislative session were imminent.
The contract was described in the packet as a standard one-year engagement to monitor legislation, advise staff, and advocate with state legislators and agencies. Commissioners said the consultants coordinate both with the Oklahoma Municipal League and directly with state legislators to educate and advocate for city needs.
The commission did not adopt specific performance metrics in the meeting record; it approved the contract with the explicit expectation that staff will present alternate options for future consideration.
