Monticello Live

Monticello's Daily News

Edward Jones Mainline Health Systems
Arkansas Hospice Baptist Health Medical Center Drew County

Search

BIBLE

CLASSIFIEDS

OBITUARIES

LOCAL WEBSITES

ASFCU

ASFCU

City Drug

City Drug

One 11 Southern Graphics 1

ONE11 Southern Graphics

Cass Martin Realty

Cass Martin Realty

Delta Memorial Swing Bed_A

Delta Memorial

Mingo Computer Consulting

Mingo Computer Consulting

Advertise With Monticello Live

Prescription Pad Pharmacy

The Prescription Pad Pharmacy

War Eagle Boats

Farmer’s Insurance Two

One 11 Southern Graphics 2

ONE11 Southern Graphics

Dallas County Medical Center_A

Dallas County Medical Center'

Ray Ryburn Real Estate

Ray’s

Clearview

Monticello Exxon

Monticello Exxon

UAM News

UAM News

UAM Sports

UAM Sports

AM Rental & Sales

AM Rental & Sales

Searcy & Associates

Searcy & Associates

State Farm Mark Gray

Delta Memorial Swing Bed_B

Delta Memorial

Monticello Tire (Goodyear)

Monticello Tire (Goodyear)

Merchant & Planters Agency, INC.

Merchant & Planters Agency, INC.

O’Fallon Vet

0'Fallon Vet

Commercial Bank

Secure Storage 2

Bradley County Medical Center

Dallas County Medical Center_B

Dallas County Medical Center'

Head of the Class

Monticello Animal Clinic

Monticello Animal Clinic

ESA Staffing 2

UAM A

Be A Weevil

Avocados

Avocados

Pines Broadcasting Company

Pines Broadcasting Company

Council Chooses MEDC over Mays & Associates for $280,000 Economic Development Contract

December 19th, 2014 by

Thursday night the Monticello City Council accepted the bid of the Monticello Economic Development Commission, better known as the MEDC, of $280,617 for economic development services to the city over P.F. Mays & Associates, LLC’s bid of $264,000.

The problem for that decision, (which has no correct answer) comes back to the way the contract was advertised in its legal annoumcement.

Mays’ response to the “request for proposal” addressed everything that was listed in the request. Plus she had the lower submitted bid.

The MEDC’s bid also addressed other issues, such as the $65,000 Spec Building payment and the property inspection service, that the MEDC currently provides to the city. These items were not included in the bid advertisement.

Mays told the council that her proposal was based on the requirements stated in the advertised request, and property inspection was not included as a requirement.

The “ad for bids” reportedly used the same wording that it has for 3 years, all of which led to yearly MEDC contracts based on the ads, as they were printed.

Patricia Mays then told the council she responded to the bid request as advertised, submitted the lowest bid, and is qualified to do the work.

Mays, a Monticello native, has an industrial engineering PhD from Texas A&M and years of experience in that several other business management and related entineering psotitions.

After they had reached their 7-1 decision, Mays stated, “According to Arkansas state law you are required to accept the lowest bid from a qualified bidder. So, unless you can explain to me why I’m not qualified, I think you need to accept my bid.”

Joe Meeks again mentioned that her bid didn’t include the spec building or the city insptection. Mays responded, “I understand, but that is not part of the RFP (request for proposals) and the accountability would be with the council, that’s the oversight.”

Meeks also mentioned his concerns about effects that a change could cause with Zilkha Biomass, and their upcoming $90 million industrial investment.

Choose another article

Newer article: Lost & Found: Backpack

Older article: Ryburn’s Sleigh for JA, Christmas Toys for Local Kids

5 Responses to “Council Chooses MEDC over Mays & Associates for $280,000 Economic Development Contract”

  1. Sandra says:

    So, basically they City Council advertises for bids, leaves out parts of the contract they expect to be fulfilled and then goes with the highest bidder who has been working on most of these same issue for years. EX: The spec building that has been sitting vacant from day 1 with no prospects.

  2. Joe Harrod says:

    What? Are you kidding me? So being more than qualified, and submitting a (lower) bid per the requested criteria gets you no where! Is that a little or a lot shady?

  3. remembering says:

    Dr. Mays is certainly highly qualified, and she did submit the lowest bid for the advertised service. Adding services which Dr. Mays was deprived the opportunity to bid on, and which resulted in the selection of the MEDC bid, sounds illegal and like old-time Southern politics in action. This certainly is a clear violation of State law, yet the Monticello City Council still chose to select the highest bidder. I can’t help but wonder if this will be yet another contractual mess like the City Council managed to get us in with the water project. I hope we have an opportunity to hear a legal ruling on this matter.

  4. Mary Ann says:

    Why did the City Council ask for bids if they knew who they wanted to run MEDC? Patricia Mays is correct about what she is saying. Again the Monticello City Council is a day late and a dollar short. (Remember the water meter fiasco?) They cannot advertise what they want to give others an opportunity to do a much better job than what has been done in the past. The way the City is run is a shame. Come on people can’t you elect City Council members who have a brain and know how to use it?

  5. Joe Harrod says:

    Thank you Sandra, remembering, and Mary Ann.

Leave a Reply

AGUp Equipment

Citizen’s Bank 1

Citizen's Bank

BCMC Family Care Clinic 1

Malco Theater 1

Old Milo Farms Christmas Tree 2024 (Start Nov. 15th)

Farm Bureau

Mr. Bug

Mr. Bug

UAM Trotter House B

UAM Trotter House

Union Bank 2

Immanuel Baptist Church

ESA Staffing

BCMC Family Care Clinic 2

Drew Farm

Burgess Process Service

Burgess Process Service

Baker’s Electrical

Baker's Supply

Quality Plus Dry Cleaners

Quality Plus Dry Cleaners

Malco Theater 2

Union Bank 1

La Terraza

Mullis Insurance

Sammy Mullis Insurance

UAM B

Be A Weevil

Small Bites Pediatric Dentist

Farmer’s Insurance One

Citizen’s Bank 2

Citizen's Bank

Seark Motorsports

Seark Motorsports

Monticello Realty

Monticello Realty

Bone’s Auto Parts

Bone's Auto Parts

SEEMS

UAM Trotter House A

UAM Trotter House

A.J. Huffman Graphic Design

Frazer’s Funeral Home

Frazer's Funeral Home Warren

South Arkansas Business Solutions

Searcy & Associates 2

Searcy & Associates