Next week’s (Tuesday, February 12, 2013) city council agenda has an example of how the city uses multiple sequential actions to trick us.
Item 11 requests permission to award contracts totaling $570,000 for services relating to the new phone system that the system is installing.
The backup material makes the sequence of events clear:
- October 12, 2010 council approves the purchase of a fancy phone system for the 10th floor of city hall. The system was not bid. It was purchased through a state sanctioned bid board. City staff chose their favorite brand. Citizens spoke against the system as being much more expensive than competitive units. We were assured that the system was only for the use of the mayor and city council.
- January 10, 2012 council approves purchase orders for upgrades to the network hardware and software. These upgrades were necessary for the expansion of the phone system.
- February 28, 2012 council approves the purchase of more of the same phone system for the police and fire departments
- October 30, 2012 council buys more of the same phone system for other city departments
This started with city staff picking the system that they wanted. Competition was not allowed. As time went by more units were purchased in the name of compatibility with the existing system.
Competitive systems that are as good (if not better) could have been used that would have cost us less than half of what the city is spending.
We deserve better
Brutus
elpasospeak 
You can thank city council and Steve Ortega for making money for the cronies that will support his campaign for Mayor.
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