Videos Reveal Sloppy Procedures by City Purchasing Department

     

     The two videos below are from the 2/21 Brownsville City Commission meeting.

    Commissioners Zamora and Chavez-Vasquez question the procedures followed in soliciting and monitoring bids for demolition services.  Initially Robert C. Luna indicates that 10 prospective bidders were contacted. Commissioner Zamora states that, after asking the purchasing department to supply references for the contractors, she called all 10 herself and 5 indicated they had never been contacted.   Zamora also notes that Jaime Escobedo, a frequent business partner with the city, the county and BISD, is also included in the demolition vendors.  That raises a red flag about the qualifications of all of the vendors.

     Commissioner Vasquez-Chavez raises questions about the pre-qualification of the demolition vendors since there seems to be a wide range in the degree of difficulty in demolitions.  At this point City Manager steps in to assist Purchasing Director Robert C. Luna explain how the process works in the city.

     Mayor Martinez expresses some concern over the lack of businesslike procedures used by the city, although he later states that he doesn't view contracts for demolition or hauling to be that critical.  Of course, the purchasing department hands out millions of dollars of taxpayer money annually to vendors and, for that reason, establishing clear, fair, professional methods is critical.