Canton Township officials opted to seek more information before awarding the annual contract for lawn moving services in the municipality.
The vote on the $44,000 contract was planned for the May 11 meeting of the board of trustees, but was delayed when officials requested more information regarding the scoring used in the bidding process and vendor qualifications.
“Can I honestly say this is the right vendor?” asked township Clerk Michael Siegrist during the meeting. Trustees Kate Borninski and Tania Ganguly also expressed concern that they were being asked to vote on the contract May 11 with incomplete information.
Director of Leisure Services Greg Hohenberger suggested including the scoring system details in the trustees' meeting packets but not in those distributed to the press or public. Hohenberger noted that any added information sought could be obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.
Hohenberger said a two-week delay would mean, “It's a considerable amount of work for us to do,” cutting lawns at municipal property. Trustees compromised on the one-week delay to seek more information prior to an official vote.
Trustees agreed to reconsider the contract next week.
In other business, trustees OK'd a $150 annual fee for mobile food vending, which is licensed in Canton.
“Does it (the fee) cover all those different places where a mobile food unit could land?” such as a parking lot, inquired Trustee Steven Sneideman.
A Leisure Services event could require that vendors pay an additional fee, Siegrist explained. He said at the meeting only public sale of food is covered by the $150, not, as an example, a privately catered graduation party.
Canton trustees also unanimously agreed to a professional assessment of compliance with the American with Disabilities Act at both Independence and Griffin parks. Those assessments will be performed by Great Lakes Recreation at a fee of $52,251.42.
In addition, trustees approved an expense of $27,750 to be paid to Gold Star Commercial for siding at the Fellows Creek Club House.
