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West Richland council rejects proposed procurement overhaul, adopts small‑works roster
Summary
Council debate centered on raising department spending thresholds and the mayor's approval authority. A proposed procurement policy (Res. 37‑26) failed 3–2 after members voiced concerns about oversight; the council separately adopted a small public‑works roster (Res. 38‑26).
Council members sparred over changes to the city’s purchasing rules before rejecting a broad procurement update and approving a separate small‑works roster.
Finance Director Erin Gwynne presented a proposed procurement policy to replace the city’s 2017 rules, saying the update "modernizes our procurement framework" and raises several dollar thresholds to reflect today’s costs. Under the proposal, department heads’ authority would increase from $10,000 to $25,000; the public‑works director could obligate up to $50,000 with dual approval from the finance director; and the mayor could approve up to $100,000 also with dual approval. Erin told the council the policy adds compliance language for federally funded purchases under 2 CFR part 200 and an appendix on using a small works roster.
Several council members said those changes favored efficiency but risked reducing council oversight. "A $100,000 is quite a bit in my mind," Council member Stoker said, adding that he would prefer cutting the proposed limits roughly in half or adding clearer language distinguishing emergency purchases from routine spending. Another council member urged that the council should "hold the purse strings for the community," arguing the proposed text did not require the council to be informed of six‑figure expenditures.
Erin responded that thresholds reflect higher costs since 2017, that dual approval is intended as a check on unilateral authority and that purchases requiring a budget amendment would still come to council. She said routine higher‑value items are generally included in the approved budget and that staff added reporting and process checks to the draft policy.
After discussion, the council voted on Resolution 37‑26 to amend the procurement policy. The motion failed by a 3–2 vote; the chair encouraged staff to consider the council’s feedback and bring a revised draft back for further consideration.
Separately, the council considered Resolution 38‑26 to establish a small public‑works roster and vendor/consultant rosters for awarding small contracts. With no further questions from council, the motion to adopt Resolution 38‑26 passed by voice vote.
The council did not adopt the broader procurement policy as written but approved the roster mechanism intended to streamline smaller public works and vendor procurements. Council members asked staff to return with revisions to the procurement policy that address oversight thresholds and explicit emergency‑vs‑routine language.
