Parlier council votes 4-1 to reject downtown facade bids, order rebid to protect $2 million in ARPA funds

The Parlier City Council voted 4-1 Thursday to reject the current bids for the downtown facade improvement project and reopen the bidding process, a move some council members warned could jeopardize roughly $2 million in federal ARPA funds allocated for the work.

The decision followed a staff presentation and public discussion about the city's public bidding process. Javier Andrade, the Community Development Director, told the council that the project went through a two-step procurement, an RFQ followed by an RFP, and that of three respondents one was disqualified for not being registered with the Department of Industrial Relations. "The public bidding process is pretty straightforward," Andrade said, explaining that bids are advertised in the Mid Valley Times and on the Central California Builders Exchange and opened in public at City Hall.

Councilmember Kathy Salorio moved to rebid the item; the motion passed on a roll-call vote with Mayor Alma Beltran the only dissenting vote. The mayor warned the delay could risk the federal funds: "So right now, Kathy Salorio, councilwoman Kathy Salorio wants to rebid it to jeopardize $2,000,000 for our downtown rehabilitation project," Beltran said during the debate. Councilmembers Sabrina Rodriguez, Janie Molina and Diego Garza voted in favor of rebidding.

Supporters of the rebid argued the council has discretion under state law to reject bids. During the meeting legal counsel cited the California Public Contract Code (PCC 20736) as permitting the council to reject all bids and readvertise. Opponents warned that reopening the procurement would delay a project the city has already partially completed and could trigger a loss of federal funding.

The contract recommended for award at the meeting was identified in the staff report as BMO Hemo Construction Incorporated as the apparent low bidder for phase 3; staff also said Coronado Construction was disqualified for DIR registration issues and that two other firms submitted qualifying proposals. The council did not adopt the award; instead it voted to reject and rebid.

The council record shows contentious public remarks and repeated accusations of improper motives between members during the discussion. Council and staff repeatedly reminded the public that the bid opening and contractor qualification steps had been conducted publicly and in accordance with the process described by staff.

City staff said the rebid will require reissuing the solicitation and re-opening the opportunity for contractors to submit proposals. No new award was made at the March 20 meeting; staff will return with a revised schedule and solicitation documents if and when the council directs.

Votes at a glance: motion to reject all bids and rebid the downtown facade improvement project — Passed, 4 yes (Rodriguez, Molina, Garza, Salorio), 1 no (Beltran).