Politics & Government

Should Town Council Approval Be Needed for Every Single Contract?

The Town Council's Legislative & Administrative Committee is looking into Monroe's policy on approving town contracts.

A few years ago, then-Economic Development Dir. Vincent Mangiacopra signed off on an agreement with a firm wanting to highlight town businesses with videos on its website. Mangiacopra's office would coordinate the effort.

But some Town Council members wondered why Mangiacopra was signing a contract on behalf of the town when Monroe's charter states that council approval is needed. First Selectman Thomas Buzi explained that he allowed Mangiacopra to sign the agreement, which included no financial transaction.

Town Councilwoman Dee Dee Martin said her husband Fred Martin, who had been serving as town attorney at the time, held up a high stack of papers and told the council, "Here are all of the town's contracts. Do you want to review them all?"

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The issue was dropped back then, but the council agreed to review its policy. Should the Town Council scrutinize every contract Monroe enters into, right down to the paper towel dispensors? Or should it just review the "big ticket items"?

The Town Council's Legislative & Administrative Committee revisited the town's policy on contracts at its Thursday night meeting.

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"My question to this committee is, 'How in-depth do we want to get?'" L&A Chairman J.P. Sredzinski asked.

While the Town Charter states that the Town Council approves contracts, it does not say "all contracts" nor does it specify what it has to be for and for how much.

Sredzinski brought copies of the policies of the town of Seymour and the city of Ansonia as comparisons the committee could look at.

Seymour's policy on approving contracts is a short one. "All contracts entered into by the town or any of its agencies, boards or commissions, shall first be reviewed by the town counsel before such contracts are entered into on behalf of the town. For the purposes of this section, solely, a purchase order shall not be deemed a contract.

Martin, a member of the committee, said she likes how Seymour specifies that a a purchase offer is not a contract.

"Me too," Sredzinski agreed.

Ansonia's policy is significantly more complex.

Expenditures of up to $2,500 can be a purchase order, between $2,500 and $5,000 must go to bid, and purchases of $5,000 or more must have a written contract approved by the Board of Aldermen and have sealed bids for proposals in a process that is publicly noticed.

Sredzinski, Martin and fellow committee member Enid Lipeles, chairman of the Town Council, did not discuss having any specific dollar amounts included in the town's policy on approving contracts.

During her time serving on the Town Council, Lipeles said she believes all major contracts had been voted upon by the government body.

One possibility the committee discussed was including a list of all contracts under the Consent Calendar on the Town Council meeting agendas. "If any question stands out we can ask about it," Martin said.

Sredzinski suggested asking Town Finance Dir. Carl Tomchik about the number of contracts the town has and the costs and find out what he, First Selectman Steve Vavrek and Town Attorney Jack Fracassini think of having all new contracts included on Town Council agendas. 


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