Cole County discussion grows heated over Broadway Records Service LLC towing contract award

Commissioners on Feb. 17 debated and moved to approve a sheriff‑recommended contract awarding towing and impound services for the Cole County Sheriff’s Department to Broadway Records Service LLC after a long public comment period in which local tow operators raised concerns about the bidder’s local presence, registration and billing practices.

The discussion opened after staff said the contract had been recommended by the sheriff. Multiple local operators told the commission they were worried the awarded firm did not operate locally as represented and could create confusion for residents trying to locate impounded vehicles. “There is no Broadway Record service, Google,” said one local operator identified in the transcript as Kendall Stueinger, who urged the commission to verify how the public would contact the awarded company.

Kendall Stueinger also said the award felt like “a swift kick in the nuts to 2 business owners that have been operating in this area,” asserting that some bidders underbid to win the contract and questioned whether the company listed as Broadway Records Service LLC actually maintained the employee and truck counts stated in its bid. Another speaker, Colton Robinson, told commissioners the Missouri State Highway Patrol requires a Google listing for an active towing company and urged the county to require the same.

Sheriff’s office representatives and procurement staff defended the process, saying recommendations followed the bid documents and Secretary of State checks. The sheriff’s staff said they called the Highway Patrol and had staff contact the awarded firm as part of vetting. County staff explained the change from a long-standing rotation system was intended to create a consistent pricing approach across calls.

Commission debate included a motion to table the award pending verification with the Missouri State Highway Patrol and Secretary of State listings; that motion failed for lack of a second in the transcript. A motion to execute the contract on the sheriff’s recommendation was moved and seconded and voice voting occurred. The transcript records voice responses (“Aye” and “No”) but does not include a clear roll‑call tally in the record available in the transcript. County staff noted that if the contractor fails to perform the county could pursue the contract remedies and that the Highway Patrol policy referenced is an internal practice for their approvals.

Next steps: staff said they would verify Highway Patrol approval and Secretary of State registration records; commissioners and vendors asked that the county confirm whether the contractor’s bid included hourly versus flat rates and how far the contract area extends within the county. The transcript shows commissioners and commenters agreed to follow up, though the recorded voice vote and exact tallies for the final contract approval are not clearly documented in the available transcript.