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Council debates contract‑amendment oversight after Murdoch Street consent item; compromise to study PCRs later this year
Summary
Tigard’s council approved the consent agenda, including a Murdoch Street sidewalk and stormwater contract amendment, while several councilors pressed staff to review and possibly lower the thresholds that let mid‑contract amendments proceed without council approval.
The Tigard City Council unanimously adopted the consent agenda — including a contract amendment for Murdoch Street sidewalk and stormwater improvements — while several members pressed for stronger council oversight of contract amendments.
Councillor Hu asked why a roughly $110,000 amendment approved in March did not come back to council for review; staff cited the city’s public contracting rules (PCRs) and explained that council approval is required when an amendment both exceeds 25 percent of the original contract and the amended contract amount exceeds $150,000. Councilor Hu said the March amendment was about 24.77 percent and argued that council should have been given a chance to review a change of that size.
Contracts and Purchasing Manager Rosie McGowan confirmed that the current threshold for council review was $250,000 for contracts to come to council and that the $150,000 amendment threshold had been added in 2021 during COVID adjustments. McGowan told council that a broader review of the PCRs, including the amendment process, was on staff’s work plan for calendar year 2025.
Council discussion produced three requests: (1) staff to return with comparative data showing how many actions would reach council under alternate thresholds and how other cities handle amendment thresholds; (2) a staff‑level commitment to notify council when relatively large amendments occur even if the PCRs do not require formal council approval; and (3) a comprehensive PCR review scheduled later this year. Council President Wolf and other members said they supported the conversation but wanted data before changing thresholds; Councilor Hu asked at minimum to be notified when large amendments are executed.
The council then approved the consent agenda in a single motion and vote.
Votes at a glance - Consent agenda (including Murdoch Street Sidewalk and Stormwater Improvements contract amendment): adopted by unanimous vote of the council.
Ending Councilors directed staff to assemble amendment‑history data and to return with options for revising the PCR amendment thresholds and an analysis of operational impacts to city teams.
