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Council approves Willan construction‑management contract amid questions about repeated awards to Wilden
Summary
Council voted to award a roughly $877,000 construction-management agreement for a 45th Street sewer and street project, but the item generated a prolonged debate about past city contracting practices and repeated awards to Wilden Engineering; at least one council member said she would vote no and cited whistleblower material.
The Palmdale City Council on June 2 approved a professional-services agreement with Willan (Willen) Engineering for construction‑management observation services for the 45th Street East sewer, storm drain and street improvement project (not‑to‑exceed $877,190). The vote concluded a protracted discussion in which a council member challenged the city’s procurement history and raised concerns about multiple recent contracts awarded to Wilden Engineering.
Public works staff described the project scope — an 18‑inch sewer line and associated storm‑drain and roadway work — and said Willan ranked highest in a competitive selection process. But a council member raised what she characterized as a “pattern and practice” of awarding contracts to one consultant, presenting a timeline of multiple Wilden‑related awards and saying she had received whistleblower material alleging irregularities. That member said she would vote against the Willan award and other related agreements unless further review occurred.
City staff and the city attorney responded that the contracts before the council had gone through the required procurement procedures and that their review of the public‑records responsive to the request did not reveal evidence of impropriety. The city attorney recommended that council members with specific questions meet with staff, Wilden representatives and the city attorney to review procurement records in more detail.
Representatives for Wilden said the firm has a long relationship with city projects and that many of the firm’s contracts were procured through standard, competitive processes. “Since 1993 we’ve done 324 different contracts with the city through the different divisions of the company,” Wilden’s Jeff Stewart told the council, stressing the firm’s long track record and competitive bid responses.
The council approved the Willan contract on a 4–1 vote. The dissenting vote was cast by the council member who had raised the procurement concerns and who said the whistleblower materials and the pattern of awards merited a fuller investigation. The council directed staff to upload responsive contracting records to public‑records systems and to follow up on requests for additional documentation.
What happens next: Work under the Willan engineering agreement may proceed; staff will make additional procurement documentation available and council members may request further review meetings with procurement staff and legal counsel to resolve outstanding questions.
