Lakeport City Council approves local vendor preference policy

LAKEPORT – A new policy the Lakeport City Council approved last Tuesday will give extra consideration to local vendors submitting proposals for city projects.


In a 4-0 vote – with Councilman Bob Rumfelt absent – the council approved the policy, which City Attorney Steve Brookes drafted.


While the city will still be looking for the most qualified service providers, the policy is meant to keep as much business local as possible, officials said.


Councilman Ron Bertsch, who sat on a consultant selection panel, said it's good to have council members serve in that capacity to better understand the process. “It's an eye opener,” he said.


Nancy Ruzicka of Ruzicka Associates, who has lobbied the council for the policy changes, made several suggestions on the draft policy.


Those included asking them to add “services” to the first point in the document, which states, “City personnel are directed to use their best efforts to purchase goods and supplies from local vendors whenever possible and consistent with the terms of this policy.”


She asked that businesses within the sphere of influence – not necessarily just within the current city limits – should fit the criteria of being “local,” but said that for businesses to be eligible for the preference they should have a storefront with three employees or more, and that independent contractors shouldn't count as employees.


Ruzicka said that would prevent out-of-area businesses from being able to operate from a person's home.


“It's not about competing with out of town,” she said, noting big city firms are “slicker,” have more money and are branching out into rural areas to pick up business.


Brookes said the city currently allows businesses to be located in homes, and that they shouldn't be disqualified, as they might be legitimately local.


Ruzicka disagreed that they should get a preference. City Engineer Scott Harter pointed out that one local engineering firm has an office with only one employee.


Ruzicka also wanted each evaluator on the consultant selection board to be able to grant 10 points for local preference, and suggested that the consultant selection boards should be increased by two members who have had recent experience with projects similar to the one set for selection.


The council approved raising the number of points per evaluator to 10, adding the “services” notation and expanding local businesses to include those in the sphere of influence.


Councilman Roy Parmentier moved to approve the changes, with Lyons seconding. The motion passed 4-0.


With that policy now complete, Harter suggested to the council that it might be worthwhile to look into a similar policy for construction projects, as local contractors have inquired about that. However, he cautioned that such a vendor preference policy might not apply for projects where state and federal funding is used.


Brookes said they might be able to have such a policy on small projects of $5,000 and below, or alter the new policy to have a wider net. Mayor Jim Irwin said he supported the idea.


The council also gave support to moving forward on a building project with Habitat for Humanity, voted to adopt Resolution No. 2383 (2010) supporting the findings of the California Statewide Local Streets and Roads Needs Assessment Project in a 3-1 vote, with Irwin voting no, and adopted Resolution No. 2384 (2010) approving the application for statewide park program grant funds.


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