Cold Spring Considers Raising Threshold for Council Approval of Equipment Purchases

(KNSI) – Cold Spring City Council will explore whether to give department chairs and city staff more leverage to okay repairing or servicing equipment on their own at this week’s meeting.

Like many local governments, there is a policy in place that big-ticket transactions need to be signed off on by the council. There is also a requirement for a competitive bid process to be used to ensure the lowest possible price is received. The problem is the policy has not been updated for inflation.

Right now, Cold Spring requires city staff to get at least two bids and approval for any equipment purchase over $2,500. Today, that is nearly every transaction. The figure is well below what the state uses to maintain its own fleet. The measure would sync Cold Spring’s policy with that used by state government.

It would give department chairs the authority to approve any purchase up to $25,000. Council oversight would kick in between $25,001 and $175,000. Anything over that number would be handled through a sealed bid process and must be advertised online to involve as many vendors as possible.

In defending the move, city administrator Kris Dockendorf writes to council members in the packet, “You have a solid group of department heads that are diligent about watching their spending of the City’s money, as well as staying within their budgets.” The measure will be debated at Wednesday’s council meeting.

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