Southaven opens door for more contractors
No more long-term maintenance bids
A few months ago, Southaven Mayor Darren Musselwhite told a packed crowd at a chamber luncheon that the old way of awarding bids and contracts for city business was over.
Recently, officials made good on the mayor’s promise by re- jecting all term contract bids for electrical and generator maintenance work in the city.
Instead, each electrical and generator maintenance job will be done under the state’s purchasing law, meaning no longterm bid contract will be awarded to just one company to do the electrical and generator work.
“This way, one person does not have a contract for a lengthy amount of time,” Musselwhite said. “It opens up the doors for other businesses in Southaven to do business with the city of Southaven. It is healthy competition, saves the city money and I like it.”
Under the state’s purchasing guidelines, Mississippi Code 317-13, work over $5,000 will still require two written quotes from contractors. For work under $5,000, department heads can select a qualified contractor to do the electrical and generator work. Any work over $50,000 will still have to go to bids.
The Board of Aldermen at its Tuesday meeting approved two resolutions stating that the city will adhere to the purchasing law. The city said it may still use term bids on other projects.
Alderwoman Shirley Beshears said she wanted to make sure the work is distributed equally.
“It is my concern that other people are awarded our business as well,” she said.
Aldermen Joel Gallagher echoed her sentiment, saying: “Our goal is to have several different contractors that we can contact at one time, so we are not focusing on one contractor all the time.”
With the administration of former Mayor Greg Davis, term bid contracts were awarded to a handful of businesses year after year, which is legal but still had some questioning the practice.
“We have worked hard in communicating the fact that it is a level playing field for everyone in the city again,” Musselwhite said.