Jamie Munks
The State Journal-Register
At least three Springfield aldermen oppose a proposal to change city code to allow the city to use the joint purchasing agency that was used to procure the controversial NAPA Auto Parts contract because of concerns it will leave local businesses out of the bidding process. The city council is poised to vote next week on an ordinance that would in the future remove the abundance of questions that surrounded the city’s use of a Minnesota state agency to procure a contract with NAPA Auto Parts for the consolidated vehicle maintenance garage.
The National Joint Powers Alliance is a joint purchasing agency, and a division of the state of Minnesota, which hundreds of municipalities in Illinois use to procure contracts and goods.
Ward 1 Ald. Frank Edwards, Ward 2 Ald. Gail Simpson and Ward 7 Ald. Joe McMenamin said at Tuesday’s committee of the whole meeting that they won’t support the ordinance, which Mayor Mike Houston proposed. The city used the alliance for its $3.75 million NAPA contract, which was approved in April. But about a month later, aldermen began raising questions about whether an interstate agreement between Minnesota and Illinois, which was assumed to be the basis of the city going through the agency for the NAPA contract, existed.
Currently, city code states that, in addition to doing its own competitive bidding process, the city can engage in joint purchasing through state and federal government contracts, which have already been put through competitive bidding procedures.
Ward 5 Ald. Sam Cahnman noted that Springfield residents are represented in state and federal government but not in the state of Minnesota as something else to consider when the proposed ordinance comes up for a vote next week. For that reason and because the amendment to city code could take city business out of the hands of local firms, Cahnman may be a fourth vote against the proposed ordinance.
***
Joe McMenamin for Ward 7 