Southington Aims To Tweak Preferred Bidding Rules

SOUTHINGTON, CT — The Southington Town Council wants to tweak its rules regarding the definition of a "town-based" business, a status that can be used to get preferential treatment in bidding on town contracts.

The council will conduct a public hearing on Tuesday, Oct. 10, on the subject. The hearing is part of the regular council meeting, which is at 7 p.m. at the John Weichsel Municipal Center, 196 N. Main St., Southington.

According to the proposed language change in the preferential bidding ordinance, a bidder looking for a town contract must provide evidence they're a town-based operation.

The proposed new ordinance language then stipulates specific items that must be displayed to the town when a contractor looks to bid on a contract as a preferred local bidder.

It also states a business operating in town, but delinquent in its taxes, will not be considered a "town-based" business.

Preferential bidding ordinances are designed to give favorable status to local companies doing business in town as a means for the town to support local businesses.

Generally, such rules allow for a local company to get a contract if it matches a bid by another contractor who may be out of town.

The issue was discussed at the Southington Town Council's last meeting on Sept. 25, when they scheduled the October public hearing.

The lone dissenter to scheduleing the hearing was Democratic Councilman Christopher Palmieri, who said more time was needed to study the measure.

He said many towns are, actually, shying away from such preferential bidding ordinances because they can cost taxpayers more by just going with local companies.

Palmieri said he preferred a pause in the GOP-led council's push to tweak the ordinance.

Council Republicans said the only item approved was the public hearing and decisions on the ordinance would have to be made after the hearing is closed.

Many on the council said the current definition of a "town-based" business needs refinement, pointing to some gray areas such as whether a town-based operation is one if it leases property in town or owns it.

For the minutes of the Sept. 25 Southington Town Council meeting, click on this link.

For a copy of the proposed preferential bidding ordinance changes, click on this link.