Title
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO PURCHASE EQUIPMENT, MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES FOR THE CITY'S PUBLIC UTILITY OPERATIONS ON AN AS-NEEDED BASIS; AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.
Executive Summary: This resolution requests permission allowing the Public Works Department to make purchases of supplies, parts and materials in the operational area of the municipal utilities that will exceed $25,000 based on the 2014 approved budget.
Body
Legislative History
Council approved certain projects and purchases in the 2014 Budget, Ordinance No. 13-164.
Purpose & Explanation
Supplies and materials purchased for the City's utility operations are purchased at the time of need by competitive quotes. In the operations of Hudson Public Power, there are a number of contracts/purchase orders for the purchase of equipment/materials/supplies that are reoccurring each year and oftentimes are either greatly affected by volatile markets, or from a sole source vendor; nonetheless, the amounts exceed $25,000 and therefore require Council approval. These purchases can be for general inventories or for specific budgeted HPP in-house projects.
Likewise in the operation of the Water and Wastewater divisions, there are products or services which we purchase to maintain continuity of product, which helps eliminate multiplicity of vendors and leads to increased efficiency. For example, the City's Automatic Meter Reader (AMR) program requires the standardization of equipment which exceeds $25,000 and also requires Council approval.
The utility operations purchases are allowed by City Charter, Section 6.04 "Contracts and Purchasing", as highlighted below:
SECTION 6.04 CONTRACTS AND PURCHASING.
.............however, that the Council may authorize contracts without advertising for bids for professional services, for the acquisition of real estate, for the joint use of facilities or exercise of powers with other political subdivisions, or for the product or se...
Click here for full text