DC-3 21-1319 Resolution to Order Election and to Determine Ballot Question for Amendment to Section 14.3 of the City Charter Related to Best Value Purchasing (7 Votes Required)
I urge the City Council to put the proposed amendment to the City Charter on the November ballot. That will empower voters to decide whether they want the City to allocate their tax dollars using contract selection criteria that look at what is the "best value" overall for the City and its residents, as opposed to the lowest price. The City's responsible contractor policy was supposed to make this change, but City staff say they feel bound by the Charter's reference to lowest price, and that the Charter supercedes the policy insofar as they conflict. This means that the City cannot properly weight vital factors in a contractor's value to the City, such as whether they have properly qualified workers, whether workers have OSHA 30 safety training, whether they are meeting industry standards for compensation, or are hiring local workers. Once on the ballot, I will argue for adopting the new Charter language so that the City has the power to take all important factors into account.
City council needs to adopt this amendment to properly value city contracts beyond price alone. Currently, the city does not properly weight vital factors in a contractors value to the City, such as whether they have properly qualified workers, if workers have OSHA 30 hour safety training, if they ae meeting industry standards for compensation or are hiring local workers. Doing so would allow the City to more properly consider past performance in contract awards, so we do not have contractors who have repeated health and environmental violation's continuing to get City contracts .
I urge the City Council to put the proposed amendment to the City Charter on the November ballot. That will empower voters to decide whether they want the City to allocate their tax dollars using contract selection criteria that look at what is the "best value" overall for the City and its residents, as opposed to the lowest price. The City's responsible contractor policy was supposed to make this change, but City staff say they feel bound by the Charter's reference to lowest price, and that the Charter supercedes the policy insofar as they conflict. This means that the City cannot properly weight vital factors in a contractor's value to the City, such as whether they have properly qualified workers, whether workers have OSHA 30 safety training, whether they are meeting industry standards for compensation, or are hiring local workers. Once on the ballot, I will argue for adopting the new Charter language so that the City has the power to take all important factors into account.
City council needs to adopt this amendment to properly value city contracts beyond price alone. Currently, the city does not properly weight vital factors in a contractors value to the City, such as whether they have properly qualified workers, if workers have OSHA 30 hour safety training, if they ae meeting industry standards for compensation or are hiring local workers. Doing so would allow the City to more properly consider past performance in contract awards, so we do not have contractors who have repeated health and environmental violation's continuing to get City contracts .