In addition to a possible showdown over the Lucas County Improvement Corp., the county commissioners are expected to pass a resolution that will end the practice of awarding contracts worth more than $5,000 for professional services without a formal bid process.
The Ohio Revised Code allows counties to purchase services of an accountant, architect, attorney, physician, professional engineer, construction project manager, consultant, surveyor, or appraiser without seeking bids.
The resolution, being introduced by Commissioner Ben Konop, calls for all county commissioners' departments to seek three proposals or qualifications for professional services.
Additionally, the resolution will force all departments to submit itemized documentation for the services that were provided during each billing period.
Mr. Konop said yesterday he is proposing the resolution in light of a county contract with Pizzuti Cos., a Columbus developer, for consulting services on the multi-purpose arena project in downtown Toledo.
The county paid Pizzuti/Garfield Traub LLC of Dallas and Gateway Consulting Group of Cleveland $325,000 for consulting services from March 31, 2006, through February, 2007, when the contract was terminated.
Gateway was given a new contract on its own, and now attorneys for Pizzuti/Garfield Traub are seeking an $385,000 settlement and could sue the county.
The county has not responded to those demands because it is awaiting the results of an audit of the services provided by Pizzuti/Garfield Traub.
Invoices from the companies do not provide itemized details of the work they completed.
The contract with those firms was approved by Commissioners Pete Gerken and Tina Skeldon Wozniak, and was not awarded through a formal bidding process.
Mr. Konop was not a commissioner when the contract was awarded.
Both Mr. Gerken and Ms. Wozniak said yesterday they support Mr. Konop's resolution, and Ms. Wozniak said she expects to hear the results of the audit today.
- Joe Vardon
First Published January 14, 2008, 10:58 a.m.
