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Dayton council approves Area 21 playground purchase amid cost questions
Summary
Council approved purchase and installation of playground equipment for Area 21 after members raised concerns about price differences among vendors and bidding method; staff said the park department recommended the selected package and the lowest-bid process was used.
The Dayton City Council on June 10 approved a contract to install playground equipment at Area 21 after council members debated vendor selection and price.
Council member Scott raised concerns that the proposed package was expensive compared with other vendors. "I just personally think that this particular playground is a lot of money for what we're getting," Scott said, pointing to examples of lower-cost designs he found online. Staff replied that the park department had reviewed the options and that the chosen package included the elements the neighborhood wanted and included installation.
Staff explained that the city’s solicitation used a lowest-bidder method and that differences in bids reflected divergent designs and in one case a bidder that did not follow the plan. "If we do best value, then a company may come in with something that's a little more expensive ... but it gives you x number of dollars more," staff member Zach said.
Council discussed whether to cap the approval amount to allow staff flexibility to consider alternative vendors; after discussion, Scott made the motion to approve the purchase and a second was given. The motion passed unanimously, 4-0, allowing staff to proceed in order to get the playground installed this year.
The council asked staff to review optional procurement methods for future park projects if members want to consider design and value instead of strict lowest-bid selection.
