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Council ratifies Axon taser purchase after debate over unauthorized procurement
Summary
After extended questioning about invoices, collections and compliance with charter/ordinances, Mentor on the Lake council retroactively approved a $30,592.20 purchase of tasers from Axon Enterprise Inc., while several members demanded stronger discipline and process corrections.
Mentor on the Lake — The council approved Resolution 2026‑R‑02 to ratify the purchase of tasers and accessories from Axon Enterprise Inc. for $30,592.20, following a pointed discussion about how the contract was executed and whether department heads bypassed required approvals.
Administrative staff explained the purchase originated from a multi‑year arrangement and that invoices had been routed directly to officers; the city used a limited purchase order to address outstanding collection notices. “It was a mistake,” the administration said during the discussion, describing corrective steps and an updated purchasing policy distributed to department heads.
Councilwoman Wong pressed for accountability, calling the conduct “a violation of our ordinances” and saying retroactive approval should not be a substitute for discipline. She cited Article 3 of the city charter and ordinance sections 2‑22 and 2‑27, urging the council to pursue corrective measures beyond fixing records.
The city’s counsel said contracts entered without proper authorization are void, and staff warned that declining to ratify could jeopardize vendor relationships or result in vendor claims; counsel also noted the voidness of unauthorized contracts could limit municipal liability. To resolve vendor concerns, council members moved to suspend the rules and approve the ratification so vendors could be paid and records corrected.
A motion to suspend the rules and a subsequent motion to approve the ratification passed on roll call (suspension and passage roll calls recorded in the transcript with affirmative votes from the majority of councilmembers present). Several councilmembers said they supported passage conditionally and asked administration to pursue internal discipline or reprimands to prevent recurrence.
The resolution’s passage authorizes the city to regularize payment for the tasers but does not, on its face, enact personnel discipline; council members signaled they expect administration to follow up with corrective action and to maintain the updated purchasing policy.
