‘Fairness’ policy on hold in Merced

The Merced City Council put a hold on a policy meant to create a level playing field during competitive bidding on city contracts, according to its supporters, after business advocates said they wanted a closer look.

The council voted 5-2 Monday to push the policy into January. Members of the Greater Merced Chamber of Commerce said they had no official stance on the policy but needed time to review it.

Mayor Stan Thurston and Councilman Noah Lor voted against postponing the final decision.

The new policy is supposed to ensure that all members of the council receive the same information during the bidding process, said Thurston, who brought the policy forward.

“This is to provide equal public access to everyone,” he said. “So we can have the same information when we vote.”

Businesses bidding on contracts with the city could be punished if they contact individual council members in an attempt to persuade them about their votes, according to the policy.

Thurston came up with the policy after the competitive bidding process that awarded Mott MacDonald, originally called Hatch Mott MacDonald, with the planning contract for Merced’s high-speed rail stop.

After receiving a recommendation on a different consultant from the city’s Planning Commission, the council chose Mott MacDonald. Several members of the council admitted that a representative of the winning team approached them outside of public council meetings.

The council initially voted to adopt the new procurement policy in November. Representatives of the Greater Merced Chamber of Commerce said they had only recently learned of the policy. “We’re simply asking for more time,” chamber CEO Adam Cox said.

Councilman Josh Pedrozo has voiced opposition to the policy going back to its initial adoption.

“I believe it adds another layer of bureaucracy to doing business in the city of Merced,” he said. “We’re trying to be as business-friendly and welcome as much business as we can.”

Also during Monday’s meeting, the council voted unanimously to restrict parking on Beals Avenue from Yosemite Avenue to Spalding Court. Neighbors in the area complained that Merced College students were congesting the street by parking on it.

The restricted area is made up of 10 homes, according to city staff.

This story was originally published December 6, 2016 at 5:07 PM with the headline "‘Fairness’ policy on hold in Merced."