Finance committee recommends emergency 3-year extension with Trimble for Cityworks at about $44,000 annually

Todd Siebert, chairman of the Finance Committee, said the committee recommends emergency approval of a three-year extension of the city’s software services agreement with Trimble for the Cityworks system, estimated at about $44,000 per year.

City staff member Bridal told the committee the city has used Cityworks for several years for utility asset management and work-order tracking in water and sewer distribution and at the plants. “A software that we use for utility asset management, as well as work order tracking,” Bridal said.

Bridal said the existing multi-year contract had expired and Trimble, which purchased the product, raised the price. “The last contract, I believe, was in the 30-some-thousand dollar range. When Trimble bought it, the price went up,” Bridal said. Staff said the law director has determined the purchase is sole-source and therefore not subject to competitive bidding.

Committee discussion was brief. Finance committee member Westfall asked whether the prior contract was three years; Bridal said it had been a multi-year contract and the city has used the product for several years. Westfall then moved to proceed; Council member Shelley voiced support for moving forward with emergency approval. The committee issued a unanimous recommendation to move forward with emergency legislation so the contract could be signed by October.

The committee did not provide a line-item funding source in the discussion. The contract extension was described as an emergency so the council can execute the agreement before the recommended deadline.

Action taken: the Finance Committee issued a unanimous recommendation to move the emergency ordinance forward to council for approval.