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| The cost of the city's line painting contract and the quality of the work made for some questions Wednesday following the delivery of Civic Operations purchasing report |
As part of Wednesday's Special Council Session, the City's Director of Operations and Intergovernmental Relations released a report on some recent spending, with background on some million dollars of spending on items over 100,000 dollars.
The Report which was part of the evening's Consent Agenda covered a range of purchases of goods and services, focused on a number areas of spending included on the list was paving, line painting and truck rentals.
As well it provided a glimpse of the expense of some current civic projects including the 1st Avenue utility replacement program at a cost of $630,000 and the work on the Mezzanine at the new public works offices in the MacCarthy GM location which was costed at $172,000.
When it came to comments related to the spending that was outlined by the Director, only Councillor Cunningham has questions, singling out two areas of concern.
The first, offered him a chance to return to a frequent theme of recent years that of the line painting work of contractors from Yellowed Paving, which the Councillor is not particularly impressed with.
"We've got a bill for 105,000 dollars and I don't see very many lines painted in town. You know, we constantly, Councillors keep getting complaints about there's not lines painted and things like this, is this Is this just for what'd been done?
In reply, the Director of Operations advised that the cost is for the entire budget and that Yellowed would have one more time before the year is over.
That news was not well received by the Councillor.
"I find this totally unacceptable, we've had good weather, they should be here painting. I know they are doing everything from Yellowhead communities all up and down the line. But you know, still we're paying money or a project and we're not getting the bang for our buck.
You drive around town right now lines that were there are gone, crosswalks you don't even find them sometimes and things like this.
We're a month away from winter weather, you know so I can't see them coming one more time and completing it.
You know I think some pressure should be put on Yellowhead to get here and get this done"
While not included in his thoughts for this go round on the topic, in the past the Councillor has suggested that the line painting should be returned to the duties for the city's own operational staff.
Mr. Cunningham also asked for some clarification towards spending on environmental services provided by Gitxaala Operations and McElhanney Consulting.
Mr, Pucci provided some additional background related to the testing regimens in place by both the Federal and Provincial governments, noting that the city does not have the staff on hand to do that and how they had put RFP's out for Bid, awarding the work to both organization.
Councillor Cunningham then asked towards the nature of the work awarded
"Are these going out for Bids to more than one party or are they just being handed to these people"
Director of Operations Pucci then outlined the process that was in place related to the two bids.
"This went out as a bid, like on BC Bid, so when it says RFP on it, it went for request for proposal out of BC Bid, so they went out"
No other areas of the Spending report provided for any other questions from Councillor Cunningham or the other members in the Chamber on the night.
You can review the Q and A on those themes from the City's video archive starting at the 13 minute mark.
More notes related to the Special Session from Wednesday can be reviewed from our archive page.
A review of some of the past Bids and RFPs from the city can be reviewed here.
Cross posted from the North Coast Review.
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