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Committee reviews then-and-now and moral-obligation payments after procurement lapses; paramedic training invoice cited
Summary
Officials explained corrective payment categories after the fire department's higher-than-expected paramedic training enrollments triggered a then-and-now payment of $136,586.53; an omnibus moral-obligation package totaling $46,794.49 and an $857.06 CRC ASCAP payment were also introduced and placed on for passage.
Committee members asked for and received an administration explanation of two corrective payment types after the Cincinnati Fire Department reported additional training enrollments and invoice-certification issues.
Doctor Dutis told the committee item 9 would authorize a then-and-now payment of $136,586.53 to University of Cincinnati Physicians Company LLC for paramedic training because enrollment exceeded the amount certified in the financial system. Dutis explained that a then-and-now payment generally means an existing contract covered the services but fund certification was insufficient; a moral-obligation payment is used in cases where no contract was in place when services were rendered.
Todd Zinsser, speaking during public comment, accused the city of routinely approving moral-obligation payments that violate procurement rules, saying, "Each of those represent a violation of the city's procurement rules." The Chair acknowledged the comment and scheduled a presentation next week on the public-safety spending that includes the $5.42 million carryover.
The committee placed three payment items on for passage during the meeting: the then-and-now invoice for $136,586.53 (Item 9), an omnibus moral-obligation ordinance authorizing seven payments totaling $46,794.49 for the fire department (Item 10), and a $857.06 moral-obligation payment to ASCAP for CRC music licensing (Item 11). The committee also put a $1,000 donation from the Rotary Foundation for fire-department team-building (Item 14) on for passage.
Council member Nolan asked whether the payments went through procurement; Dutis said services were generally procured but that certification of funds slipped when the fire department's enrollment grew—an administrative shortfall that new finance staff have been working to correct. Dutis noted turnover in the fire department finance team left key positions vacant for several months, and the newly filled CFO has been reconciling invoices.
Actions introduced during the meeting were placed on for passage; the transcript does not include final roll-call votes.
