Council authorizes mayor to contract with CVB for video work after disclosure; motion passes 8–1

The City of Aberdeen Council on a vote approved a request to allow the mayor, a co‑owner of Production Monkeys, to enter a video production contract with the Aberdeen Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Deputy Mayor Alan Johnson led the discussion after Mayor Shoneman recused himself. Johnson told the council the contract totals roughly $6,600, of which $5,000 is grant funding, and summarized the two conditions for the council’s authorization: the mayor must provide full written disclosure of parties, his role, the benefits and duration; and the council must find the contract terms fair, reasonable and not contrary to the public interest. Johnson said the written request was included in the meeting packet.

Council members questioned the procurement history and bidding process for the CVB work. The mayor said CVB staff solicited proposals in late 2025 and that Production Monkeys was among several firms that provided estimates; he said the project expanded from an initial three videos to seven and that he aimed to cover costs rather than profit from the work. One council member noted prevailing commercial market rates and asked why the contract was discounted; marketing‑industry experience on the council suggested a comparable package could be valued much higher.

After Council discussion and questions, a motion to approve the mayor’s request carried on the roll call 8–1. The mayor had exited the chamber for the vote and was recorded as abstaining from voting on his own request per the announced procedure.

What happens next: the authorization requires the written disclosure described by the deputy mayor; the mayor’s vote was not counted on the final tally. No additional procurement restrictions or contract language were read into the record during the meeting.