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Council narrows sign bids, plans vendor presentations on July 15 to compare Watchfire and local options
Summary
Councilmembers identified Sole Energy (local) and Watchfire-based bids as leading contenders for new electronic signs, asked about electric versus solar power and long-term maintenance, and directed staff to invite vendors for short presentations at the July 15 meeting.
Council reviewed four bids for electronic signage across several city locations. Councilmember Lincoln said he preferred Sole Energy Corp. — a local bidder with a listed price of about $59,000 per location plus optional electric — and other members noted the Watchfire product (submitted by two bidders in the packet) as visually preferable despite differing price points.
Councilmembers raised technical questions: whether sites have existing electric service (staff said most do not), whether solar power was an option for some locations, and how maintenance would be handled over time. A resident advised the council that maintenance and service availability often determine whether an electronic sign remains operable over the long term.
Members discussed procurement fairness and whether to invite only select bidders to present; the attorney/administration recommended inviting all bidders or at least giving equal access so no bidder is excluded from information that could affect award. The council directed staff to invite vendors to make short presentations at the July 15 meeting and to provide a consolidated packet for review before any award.
