Council Passes On Truck Purchase Topic

BELLA VISTA — The city’s attempt to buy trucks was once again dumped at the regular meeting of the City Council Monday night.

Alderman Allen King said nothing when the topic was broached, despite claiming in a work session June 12 he would be willing to make a motion to reconsider the defeated resolution to purchase two single-axle dump trucks from Wichita Kenworth.

The resolution was defeated with a 3-3 tie vote during the May regular meeting after Alderman Jerry Snow objected to the purchase of the trucks, questioning the city’s bid process. Mayor Frank Anderson was not at the meeting to cast a tie-breaking vote.

During the work session, Snow said the city’s process was not competitive and specifications on the trucks were too specific and excluded many potential sellers from bidding.

The city received three bids for the trucks — two Mack options from Shipley Motor Equipment Company of Lowell, three Kenworth options from MHC Kenworth/Volvo of Springdale and one Kenworth option from Wichita Kenworth Inc. Prices ranged from $119,720 to $136,237.70.

In order for the resolution to be reconsidered, one of the three aldermen who voted against it the first time had to make a motion to bring it back. Aldermen Larry Wilson and Snow voted no along with King in May.

At the work session, King said he voted no because he didn’t understand fully the city’s bidding process. He then said he understood better, and would be willing to reconsider.

“I did more research,” he said Monday night. “I had more questions than answers.”

City attorney Bryan Vernetti said the issue can be brought up again at any time.

In other business, the city heard a quarterly report from Tom Ginn, vice president of economic development for the Bentonville-Bella Vista Chamber of Commerce.

During the first reading of an ordinance allowing restaurants in city limits on-site consumption of alcohol, Alderman Dick Rooney said this is a must-do for businesses in Bella Vista. The ordinance would allow restaurants to purchase liquor at wholesale prices rather than retail, and to have their purchases delivered.

Vernetti said a recent bill passed in the meeting of the Arkansas legislature — HB 2087 — allows the city to enact such an ordinance, and the bill seems to be tailored specifically to the recently-voted-wet Benton County. Restaurants would still have to adhere to state liquor requirements, he said.

“It’s designed to help promote businesses,” Vernetti said.

The second reading will take place at next month’s regular meeting July 22.

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