The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1922-04-21
CITY CONTRACT
D n SPR|NKL|NG
! RAISES HO WIS
High Bidders Awarded
Work and Public Pro-
tests; Method Not Quite
Clear.

w. H. Zeal and George Green,
highest bidders, have evidently been
awarded the street sprinkling contract
for this summer Their bid was 90
cents per hour as opposed to bids as
low as so cents submitted by others
for man and team This contract
determines the current prices for all
work done by the city involving teams
and men.
Something approaching uncertainty
as to exactly what the council did in
this matter seems to exist and the
methods that resulted in awarding the
contract are not clear 1t seems that
at the April 3 meeting of the council.
a committee consisting of Frank Row
land, Fred Bollman, and c. J. West
colt was discharged and another, con
sisting of the remaining three men,
bers of the council, w. T. Kimbrougl
Frank Mumford and R. w. Cakes, Jr.
was named to handle this matter Al
the next meeting of the council, held
April 10, this second committee sub
mitted report evidently showing that
the contract had been let to Zeal and
Green. Upon motion for the accept
ance of the report, the members of the
second committee approved the re,
port, Rowland and Westcott opposed
| it and ,Bollman was not present to
vote. No subsequent motion or resolu-
ton definitely awarding the contract
was introduced but this method OF
acting is in accordance with council
procedure and Mayor Amos Miller
Thursday said that in his opinion the
matter was closed, that the. contract
had been let to Zeal and Green.
From current reports, it appears
that these two bidders for the city
sprinkling contract had approached
Councilmen Westcott and, Bollman,
individually, and by adirot presenta-
ton of their cause, induced them to
agree to letting them have the con-
tract under the superstition that this
arrangement met with the entire ap
proval of the other. Mr.. Rowland, it
appears, had nothing whatever 70 do
with this phase of the proposition.
Matters are further complicated by
the fact that Mr. Zeal is at present
holding the position of nightwatch
man. Public opinion, expressed by
persons who have called at The Tri-
bune office this week to discuss this
contract, indicate a wide spread op-
position to any person holding two
municipal positions at the same time.
For a time, it was thought that the
matter might be reconsidered by the
council in view of the opposition 20
the action of the council. Last Mon.
day evening, when the matter was
considered likely to be presented
again, the council never mentioned the
affair.
Five bids were submitted to the
council at the meeting of April 8
when they were opened, Lafferty and
Judd offered to do tho work for 81
cents per hour. Clay and Cox bid S.
cents and Green and Zeal topped the
list with a 60 cent bid These men
had the contract last year at the
same price and did satisfactory worl,
for the city, Opposition to awarding
the contract to the highest bidders is
based on three arguments. Such a
contract sets the price for all city
work which use teams, the cost to the
city is greater than other responsible
persons would be willing to do tn,
work for when economy in the admir-
istration of civic affairs is essential
and such an action on the part of the
council undermines the value of com,
petitive bids.