Council debates consultant spending and procurement thresholds; seeks public disclosure of consultant contracts
Summary
A councilmember urged greater transparency for consultant contracts after reporting hires including a former state transportation secretary; procurement staff described thresholds and recommended an ordinance change be considered by the Rules & Policy committee.
Council debate focused on transparency for consultant contracts after Councilmember Kabrowski asked for a full accounting of consultant spending and questioned a sole‑source hire of a former state transportation official at $12,500 per month.
"Any money spent by us... should be public and voted on by the council," Kabrowski said, asking for details on consultant contracts and payments tied to Jerome Hayward and other hires.
Public works and procurement staff explained the purpose of noncompetitive or sole‑source procurements and said some consultants provide short‑term specialist work that can be time‑sensitive. Procurement staff member Talbert told council that the county administrator can approve sole‑source or noncompetitive contracts up to $999,999 without bringing them to council: "The administrator can do up to a million dollars on any, sole source or non compete." Staff said procurements over $100,000 that are public solicitations come to council for approval.
County staff said a portion of the consultant contracts asked about were included in the council agenda packet as public records. Councilmembers debated whether to amend the procurement ordinance to lower thresholds so more consultant contracts would be presented to council; several members asked the item be revisited at the Administrative Policy & Rules committee on April 3. The clerk confirmed consultant contracts referenced were included in the meeting packet.
