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Canby council tables proposed police IT contract, asks city attorney for procurement options
Summary
The Canby City Council on Jan. 22 tabled a proposed three‑year contract for specialized police IT support and directed the city attorney to present procurement‑compliant options to preserve continuity of service.
City councilors on Jan. 22, 2025, tabled Ordinance 1640 — a proposed contract with Mo Reader Computer Consulting LLC for specialized IT services for the Canby Police Department — and asked staff and the city attorney to return with procurement‑compliant alternatives and legal advice.
Todd Wood, Transit Fleet IT Director, briefed council on the background: the city hired temporary IT support for police after staff changes, and the Police Department developed a preference for continuing services with a local contractor (referred to in meeting materials as Mo Reader Computer Consulting LLC and locally as contractor Tyler). Wood said the arrangement provided roughly 10 hours a week of specialized support and that the contractor is familiar with the department’s unique law‑enforcement systems.
Police Chief (present) and other speakers said the department relies on specialized data systems and benefits from a locally available contractor who can respond quickly. Councilors acknowledged the value of continuity but raised procurement and budget questions: Polar (the city’s primary IT vendor) can provide infrastructure and server services but may not be fully versed in some police‑specific systems yet, and the IT budget had not been fully planned for an ongoing three‑year additional contract. Councilors asked how the service would be charged and whether funds were budgeted for the next fiscal year.
Councilor Padden moved to table the ordinance and asked the city attorney to examine procurement‑law options, including whether a time‑limited sole‑source agreement would be permissible, or whether Polar could be required to identify dedicated staff for police support going forward. The motion to table passed 6‑0. The city attorney indicated there are contracting paths that could be pursued to preserve continuity while avoiding procurement “stitching” that risks non‑compliance.
Council members emphasized they were not opposed to the contractor continuing to provide immediate support while staff finalize a procurement‑compliant solution. Staff said they would return with alternatives and a recommendation before any longer-term commitment was entered into.
