By way of background, let me fill you in on the current way most vendors are chosen. In addition to sealed bids, one of the ways that Northampton County hires vendors is through a competitive negotiation process called a Requests for Proposals (RFPs). They are opened by the Procurement Officer, with the Controller's office serving as a witness. If deemed necessary, a committee can be formed to evaluate and rank the proposals. If such a committee is formed, a member of County Council must be invited to sit on it.
Under a proposed ordinance sponsored by Council members John Goffredo and Jeff Corpora, the Administrative Code would require the establishment of an evaluation committee for all RFPs. What's more, up to three Council members would participate in the selection of vendors. The reason for this, according to the ordinance, is that "public trust and confidence in the ethical conduct of individuals elected, appointed and/or employed to serve the County is of paramount importance." Sounds very noble, but this could also be a way for some council members to operate behind closed doors and influence the selection of vendors with whom they are allied, either personally or politically.
Now, Council President Lori Vargo Heffner did seek and get an amendment that would make Council's participation optional at their discretion, but the ordinance would still require that a committee be formed for every RFP.
NorCo Controller Tara Zrinski raised red flags about the proposed ordinance during courtesy of the floor, while Council President Lori Vargo Heffner carefully timed her five minutes. Zrinski noted her office, which exists to ensure against fraud and waste of county funds, must be present when RFPs are opened. She first noted that requiring the Procurement Officer to form an evaluation for every RFP would cause unnecessary delays. She then warned that a County Council stacked evaluation committee, which would obviously be meeting behind closed doors, would create the possibility of "outside pressure and interventions in the process," which she later described as "political or inappropriate interventions into the vendor selection process." She made clear she has no reason to doubt the integrity of Council members, but this could put multiple council members "in a position to steer county business to political supporters or donors." She indicated she understands Council's desire for transparency, but the proposed ordinance has too many "negative impacts."
During his moment in the Council sunshine, Executive Lamont McClure said he was unaware the Controller was going to raise an alarm, but he largely agreed with her. He asked whether the ordinance requiring the formation of a selection committee for every RFP would apply to "the chocolate milk at Gracedale." He then asked what a mandatory selection committee with County Council membership is meant to address. He noted most RFPs, which are in such small amounts that no council approval is needed, are administrative functions.
"What is the impetus for this?" he asked. "I'd like to know what specifically the problems in procurement have been that you can identify that would lead me to evaluate whether we should do this or not."
Crickets.
Vargo Heffner would later complain that she once received a letter from procurement about selecting a Council member for an evaluation committee if one is formed. She thought that was "incredibly dismissive and rude."
Council member Ron Heckman said he thought it might be appropriate for a council member to sit on an evaluation committee, but strictly as an observer. He also warned that all county power should not be vested in one branch, be it executive or legislative. He concluded that the ordinance could use some tweaking.
"I don't know whose hair-brained idea this was," said Council member Ken Kraft, who added the current system works fine. He called it a "power grab" by a Council that already controls the purse strings. He moved to table, which was seconded by Jeff Warren.
It passed unanimously.
20 comments:
The Most opportunistic politician in recent history giving a lecture on keeping politics out of county operations. Now that is rich!
This is an executive task, not legislative.
If an elected serves on such a committee, do we also have sunshine act implications?
Lori is Vargo Heffner is hungry, power hungry. Understand where the Rs are coming from, but Corpora looks like he’s just being used here. Nothing is going to get done.
plain council over-reach and power grabbing. These Norco clowns would be lost in space in a real-world environment.
Ron Heckman is a statesman who is as wise as he is erudite. Listen to Ron. The ordinance is trash. It is trash because Lori Vargo Heffner thinks she can get any garbage through. I think Ron disabused her of that notion.
The Controller talked about a political grab by county council.She hired a person in her office for a political favor for supporting her with donating to her campaign.
The only time you bid a contract is when you know EXACTLY what it is you want and that should be most of the time. For example, you need to buy paper and envelopes that should be of a certain color and weight and their is no substitute or wiffle room to provide something else. A "request for proposals" is just what the title states, a REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS". usually you use this when you are in a field of the unknown and you need a certain service that is provided by several vendors through a variety of means. You then have the opportunity to negotiate the service and consider the vendors proposals and select the one that best suits your needs. Council serves as a check and balance to the administration. Council should not be on any committee of which they may wind up being a check on themselves. They did the right thing. Table the issue and let the administration do their job.
#TeamTara didn't come out of her hutch seeking her shadow. What office is she running for now?
What a horrible bunch.
I don’t get Lori Van Heffner. She couldn’t get consensus for a replacement for Tara. The Court had to do that. She can’t fill the Clerk’s position despite an incredibly high salary, but she wants to tell the Administration how to do procurement ?
"The Controller talked about a political grab by county council.She hired a person in her office for a political favor for supporting her with donating to her campaign."
Under the HRC, she is specifically permitted to hire one exempt employee. That provision in the Charter makes sense. A Controller should have a confidential employee with whom she can be herself. All the remaining employees are career service and highly dedicated people.
Tara Z is not qualified for the job. That is what this means. Is it heavy handed? Maybe, but when you have a newbie controlling the purse strings, you NEED oversite.
Set a dollar amount. 30K and up should require some kind of review. Maybe 1 Council person.
People should stop ragging on Zrinski. She is most likely destined to be a future Democrat candidate for the US Presidency, and is currently substantially more qualified than Harris.
"Tara Z is not qualified for the job. That is what this means. Is it heavy handed? Maybe, but when you have a newbie controlling the purse strings, you NEED oversite.
Set a dollar amount. 30K and up should require some kind of review. Maybe 1 Council person."
Under the Administrative Code, County Council approval is needed for contracts over $100k. The Exec sometimes sends contracts below that amount to Council if he feels it is something they should consider as well. Council has the authority to set the dollar amount lower than $100k should it choose to do so.
Council can benefit from having a council member on an evaluation committee. The admin code already provides that if one is formed, one council member must be invited to sit on it. The evaluation committee usually ranks proposals based on price and other factors that could include the quality of the vendor or the product. Lowest price is not always the best price.
I know of instances in which Council members have been selected for an evaluation committee. This includes the human services building proposals as well as the health center proposals. It has been largely positive. But three members could cause a lot of delay as these are all PT people with their own schedules. Moreover, there really is a danger that they could steer the committee in a direction that favors a vendor who is allied with the council members.
County Council does have overall say in contracts over $100k. If unsatisfied with the proposal, they can reject it as they have done several times.
As far as Zrinski is concerned, I was highly critical of her on Council. But as Controller, she has been impressive. The red flags she raised were valid concerns and fall within her role as the county's fiscal watch dog. I thought it unfortunate that LVH was more concerned about limiting the time in which Zrinski spoke than in the substance of what she said. A Controller warning Council should be given a bit more leeway.
This Ordinance is proof Council’s only real goal is obstruction.
Now that is some funny shit.
Well if the Three Stooges, I mean McClure’s yes puppets would have considered other candidates she may have found a candidate. It’s the puppets who didn’t have any other strings to pull to utter another name.
Your impressed with a new Barron trained controller with no real experience, that has done nothing but read a McClure prepared statement condemning county council. Your bias for this Administration and their puppet allies is unappealing. Your red flags only concern any actions by council to counter the secrecy of this administration.
BO you prick! I read your story and of course I had to watch the Zirinski part of the meeting. All things cRaZyZirinski are great. You are getting sentimental in your old age. It was obvious she didn't write that. She has the attention span of a gnat. She is already raising funds for her next campaign. The weird part is she reads the thing from the administration claiming the executive is the strong arm of the government, which is in fact true. Yet you both are clutching your pearls over part-time council people steering business to political contributors. The biggest county politician is the Executive. They raise all th money, they bankroll obedient candidates. So we fear part-time council people will play with contracts while the executive overseeing all the bidding people would never be the one doing that???
Weird!!
Only if it is a quorum in which they were elected is meeting
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