Full-day K worth Jessamine taxpayers' dollars

Comment by Shark88: Friday, September 3

Ms. Dragomir, you can donate from your own personal funds to help the schools out. It is a free co...read more...

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So the state is forcing the county to build a justice center? When does that have to be built?...read more...

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For weeks I have grown so accustomed to writing acerbic retorts to Leland Conway’s columns with wh...read more...

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The Nicholasville City Commission voted 4-1 to award a $21,197 bid to Warner Printing during its regular meeting Monday afternoon. The vote came following a nearly 11-minute discussion on the city’s method in awarding bids.

Commissioner Betty Black, who brought up the issue three weeks earlier during the Oct. 5 meeting, questioned the city’s policy in that regard.

“I am a little concerned about the other printers,” Black said. “Warner may be cheaper as a whole on all of the stuff, but some of the stuff is a lot cheaper with other printers.”

Black, who owns Printer’s Ink, had originally submitted a bid but formally withdrew her bid Monday.

“I’m not trying to open up a can of worms or anything, but I think we should let all of the printers have a piece of that pie, and it would be cheaper to the city,” she added.

Commissioner Doug Blackford interjected that bulk bids usually come in cheaper than individual bids.

“I know in industry, you bid bulk because you get a better rate,” he said. “If you start bidding individually, are you going to get these rates?”

City purchasing agent Pauline Horsley said the city would not receive the bulk rates and the cost would increase if it chose to bid individually.

Black asked Horsley if she’d asked the vendors that question, and when Horsley indicated that she had, it sparked a snippy exchange between the two.

“You didn’t ask me, and I honor my prices,” Black said.

Mayor Russ Meyer asked Black if she knew what she was bidding on when the bids were being accepted and if she’s asked Horsley about individual bidding.

“Yes, I did ask her that,” Black replied.

“I don’t think you did,” responded Horsley.

After more discussion, Horsley told the commission that the city used to bid out projects individually but it was very problematic.

Ultimately, Horsley said if the city chose to bid individually, it could not expect bulk rates.

“There is no way that these vendors can leave it at that same price for 24 months and just have two items,” she said. “There’s just no way.”

Shortly after that, Meyer called for a vote, in which Black was the lone “No” vote.

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