* WARNING: THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL, INTRODUCTORY COPY OF THE BILL.
THE OFFICIAL COPY CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE FIRST READER COPY.
INTRODUCTORY*
CITY OF BALTIMORE
COUNCIL BILL R
(Resolution)
Introduced by: Councilmember Harris
A RESOLUTION ENTITLED
A COUNCIL RESOLUTION concerning
Title
Informational Hearing - Baltimore City Public School System - Contracts
FOR the purpose of requesting the Chair, Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners and the CEO, Baltimore City Public School System to report to the City Council on the system's procurement process, the use of emergency contracts to conduct routine business, and the under-utilization of the competitive bidding process and other sound procurement practices that would contribute to the better allocation of limited fiscal resources.
Body
Recitals
According to a recently published review by a major Baltimore newspaper, " the Baltimore school board is regularly resorting to the use of emergency contracts to conduct routine business, potentially costing taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars and raising new concerns about financial controls 2 1/2 years after a budget crisis."
The review led to allegations that while school officials claimed that the use of emergency contracts was needed to comply with state and federal mandates, including the downsizing of the system, the need for summer renovations to the receiving schools accounted for only 11 of 21 emergency contracts approved between March and September and only $6.6 million of the $19 million spent.
The school system's procurement director was quoted as saying that situations that fall ...
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