Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Appointments And Contracts topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
University Heights council confirms most mayoral appointments, rejects one tech nominee; approves signal design and yard cleanup contracts
Summary
Council approved two Planning Commission appointments and several technology-commission nominees but rejected one nominee for the Technology Commission after questioning his technical background; it also approved a $159,062 design contract and a $39,500 hauling contract and accepted a NOPEC grant.
The University Heights City Council on March 9 approved several mayoral appointments, awarded two municipal contracts and accepted a NOPEC energized-community grant, while rejecting one candidate nominated to the Technology Advisory Commission.
Appointments and votes: The council approved Jonas Schlesinger and Paul Simborski for two open seats on the Planning Commission after motions were moved and seconded and a roll call that recorded unanimous "Aye" votes. The council reestablished the Technology Advisory Commission and approved appointments for Rick Brenner, Jiang Quinn and Matthew Richardson. A motion to appoint David Cohen to the Technology Commission failed after a roll call (three in favor, four opposed). Council members who voted against Cohen said they were unconvinced by his technology experience; two members who spoke in his favor pointed to his digital-marketing and reporting background and his experience using issue-tracking and project-management tools.
Contracts and grants: Council approved a qualifications-based selection of Mannix Smith Group for design services on an 18-intersection signal project along Cedar Road and Warrensville Center Road, with a negotiated design fee estimated at $159,062 (about $43,000 above the original budgeted amount). Council members raised questions about a possible perceived conflict because the city engineer has a relationship with the firm; administration said the engineer was removed from scoring and negotiation to avoid influence and that the contract could be renegotiated if the fee proved excessive.
The council also approved a contract not to exceed $39,500 to haul and remove a long-standing debris pile at the municipal service yard, with staff noting the work will be paid from the capital fund and that the city had received multiple proposals for the work.
The council accepted a NOPEC Energized Community Grant (about $31,066 this year, with older years combining to roughly $100,000 if unused) and declared an emergency to move forward with a salt-dome project and related items; council suspended rules and approved the emergency ordinance by roll call.
Council discussion: During discussion of the signal-design selection, council members asked what safeguards were used to prevent the city engineer’s existing relationship with a finalist from influencing the procurement. Staff said they removed the engineer from that portion of the process and that the city’s qualifications-based ordinance allows negotiation with the top-scored firm.
What’s next: The appointments that passed are effective as announced; the failed Technology-Commission nomination will not be appointed. The signal-design contract will proceed under negotiated scope, and staff said they will seek ways to reduce the proposed fee during design. The NOPEC grant application must be executed by the indicated deadline for grant acceptance to proceed.
Representative quote: “I’m not sure I can support that for this particular volunteer position,” one council member said of the David Cohen nomination; Cohen answered the council describing his experience covering technology and choosing project-tracking tools.
