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City administration updates budget timeline, introduces new purchasing agent and flags April–May paving window
Summary
Business Administrator Eric Pennington said the municipal budget will likely be presented in April rather than March; the council met the new city purchasing agent and discussed centralizing IT purchases and an exception-to-bid contract for proprietary software. Acting engineering director James Adams said paving is expected to begin in April–May.
City officials updated the council on several administrative and operational items, including budget timing, procurement and street paving.
Business Administrator Eric Pennington told council members the administration is working toward a timely budget but now expects to present a draft in April rather than the originally hoped-for March date. "We're moving forward... and, we hope to have something to the council again within, next month," Pennington said, noting the administration’s goal of returning a balanced budget to the council.
Council discussed an exception-to-public-bidding for maintenance of proprietary software and hardware; Councilman Gonzales asked whether large multi-year extension values (cited in the discussion) argued for centralizing IT purchasing. Pennington and staff said the IT director recommended coordinating purchases across departments to ensure compatibility, and they introduced Anissa Atiye (recorded in the transcript as Anissa Atiyah/Atiye), the city’s new purchasing agent, who briefly introduced herself to the council and said she was born and raised in Newark and looks forward to the role.
Acting engineering director James Adams said the city anticipates paving work to begin in April–May after contractors complete concrete work and handicap ramps, and after DOT comments on plans are addressed. "To answer your question directly, April, May," Adams said about the start window; council members asked for a ward-by-ward list of streets to be paved.
What happens next: Administration will provide the budget materials in the coming weeks, coordinate IT purchasing guidance and supply the requested paving lists to council members.
