Tuesday, November 26, 2024

The council's largest spending approval was a $2,389,600 contract with R2Build (dba R2B Engineering) for a chlorination system upgrade at the Municipal Water Department, passed 4-0 with Spicer absent after water department staff described the existing system as over 20 years old. The council approved a $76,832 final ARPA-funded payment to 72 Hour, LLC DBA National Auto Fleet Group — the same vendor held a prior $221,707 contract for the same fire command vehicle, totaling $298,539 across two line items — because the original purchase order was closed at fiscal year-end without the remaining balance paid, passed 4-0 with Spicer absent. Elevate Public Affairs received a $103,800 contract extension for public relations services (3-1, Bowers dissenting, Spicer absent), with Councilwoman Darden citing uncompleted deliverables including the city newsletter and digital billboard management; the city manager's representative stated the city currently owes Elevate for outstanding invoices and that the contract's 30-day termination clause will be used once a public information officer — currently being recruited — is in place. Geary Floors, Inc. was approved for $36,000 in gymnasium floor repair at Lueders Park split across three line items — a $30,000 contract and a $6,000 budget allocation, both from Measure P Capital Outlay — as part of the consent package passed 4-0 with Spicer absent. A proposed city purchasing card program ($25,000 budget allocation) was pulled from the agenda and will return at a future meeting after at least three of six public speakers specifically criticized it; the FY 2021-2022 audited financial statements were received and filed 4-0 as an informational item — no new spending was approved through that action.