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Commission weighs changing bid-waiver voting rule for piggybacked contracts
Summary
Commissioners debated whether bid waivers should require unanimity, with proponents arguing unanimity preserves transparency and safeguards against abuse and opponents saying unanimity can block routine purchases and waste staff time. No policy change was adopted at the meeting.
A prolonged discussion at the Sept. 13 meeting focused on whether the commission should change the voting threshold for bid waivers, particularly when the city piggybacks on another jurisdiction's bid. One commissioner argued the unanimity requirement is a necessary check on procurement and prevents loss of transparency; another commissioner cautioned that requiring unanimous approval could stall purchases that save time and money, such as police cars or fleet vehicles bought under another agency's contract.
No formal policy action was taken; commissioners asked staff to continue evaluating the trade-offs and to return with options if warranted. The debate surfaced during conversation about a recently used bid waiver for a fire-truck procurement and before the commission considered a requested waiver tied to the 21st Avenue stormwater project.
