Public commenter urges Effingham to open vehicle purchases to local dealers; council says many buys are specialty vehicles

At the public hearing on the fiscal year 2027 budget, a resident, Mark Mayhut, pressed the council to alter procurement practices so local car dealers can compete for city purchases of light‑duty vehicles. Mayhut said the city’s recent purchases largely benefited out‑of‑town dealers and described three legal procurement paths — state Central Management Services (CMS), a 30‑day public notice, or obtaining three local bids — urging officials to use the latter two to give local businesses a chance to win city work.

Mayhut estimated the city’s light‑duty vehicle program at roughly $580,000 this year and $3.5 million over five years and argued opening bids could save thousands per vehicle and boost local sales and donations to community causes. He recounted earlier examples where the county’s open bidding produced lower prices and urged a procedural change to require departments to solicit local bids or at least three competitive quotes.

City staff replied that many of the vehicles under discussion are specialty‑outfitted police interceptors or fire‑service apparatus that must be ordered and outfitted on specific schedules and cannot always be sourced through local bidding or standard CMS listings. Staff noted some vehicles in the FY27 budget are carryovers from prior orders, and outfitting requirements and delivery timing had previously driven procurement decisions. The council and staff said they understand the desire to help local dealers and will consider procurement adjustments where legally and practically possible, but cautioned that specialty equipment, timing and manufacturer supply issues sometimes limit options.

No formal budget change was made at the hearing; council closed the public hearing and moved routine items forward for vote.