Jeff Greenlee of America’s Choice Chemical Company, has hit yet another snag in his attempt to become the city’s contractor for mosquito control.
At Monday night’s Indianola Board of Aldermen meeting, Greenlee addressed the city legislators for a second time in hopes of getting them to agree to his plan for controlling the disease-carrying pests.
However, the aldermen voted to now put the service up for open bidding. Alderman Sam Brock raised the question of whether the contract should be awarded through the bidding process versus just deciding to use America’s Choice.
“With the kind of money we’re talking about spending here, is this an item that should be bid out?”
The cost to the city is said to be around $85,000.
Mayor Steve Rosenthal told the members that in years past, proposals received from other vendors have been much higher, upwards of $150,000.
And as for the bidding process, Rosenthal said, “We can do that, but then we’re going to push this into next year’s budget.”
Greenlee had hoped to get started spraying this month to get a jump on the menacing migrators.
Rosenthal then reminded Brock that the item had already been tabled at the last meeting so that the aldermen could do their research and studies.
“We’ll just have to table it again, protocol is protocol,” Brock said.
He then added that there are rules and regulations that the city should go by and those need to apply to all situations.
Rosenthal added that taking bids might be the preferable way, but it is not legally required.
“This falls up under professional services, which is not required to take bids, you can take bids if you want, but professional services you do not have to bid,” Rosenthal said.
Alderman Ruben Woods said that he agreed that bids should have been taken, but suggested that the bidding process would now be tainted since Greenlee has already disclosed his price.
Alderman Gary Fratesi then said that although he too agreed with Brock, he would make the motion to go ahead and accept Greenlee’s proposal with the stipulation that it was due to emergency conditions.
He alluded to the need to protect the city’s children from the pesky disease-carriers in light of the imminent increase in outdoor activities.
However, Brock refuted Fratesi’s claim that it is an urgent situation.
“If it had been an emergency, it would have already been in place,” Brock said.
Fratesi’s motion failed 3 to 2 with only Fratesi and Alderman Darrell Simpson voting yes.
Fratesi subsequently made a motion to advertise for bids and that motion passed unanimously.
Rosenthal said they would advertise for the acceptance of bids for the next two weeks and open those bids at the meeting following the last notice.
Greenlee stated that his company is one of only two in the state that provides this type of service and that anyone else would have to come from out of state.
Rosenthal acknowledged that he had spoken with Greenlee since his April 22 appearance before the board and discussed some changes to his original plan, so Greenlee introduced the two changes to the aldermen, one of which was to lower the cost for the first year from $90,000 to $85,000.
Second, he proposed adding an extreme terrain vehicle to do applications in some of the city’s hard to reach areas.
Woods and Alderman Marvin Elder also queried Greenlee on his application process and the chemicals he plans to use.
And, Fratesi wanted to know how Greenlee’s chemical differed from what the city is now using.
