Silence for Signature

Nobody stepped up to the mic offered by the Santa Fe City Council in the first public hearing on making a COVID-related city procurement change permanent.

The public no-comment period happened Wednesday evening on a bill from Mayor Alan Webber and District 1 Councilor Signe Lindell to raise the dollar ceiling for contracts that the city manager can approve solo.

Amid the COVID-19 public health emergency, Santa Fe passed a measure in 2020 allowing the city manager to OK purchases up to $200,000. Previously, mayoral and council approval were required for contracts above $60,000.

The new bill would essentially remove “pandemic” references from the 2020 measure.

A memo to councilors says the change would further streamline spending in a time of unprecedented price and supply volatility. They also include comparisons of spending authority: Santa Fe County’s county manager generally can approve up to $250,000; the Las Cruces city manager’s authority goes to $99,999.

SFR reported in March that past and current city managers have used these powers to sign for about $20 million in spending that previously would have required approval from elected officials.

The intent was to speed things along amid pandemic disruptions. The 2020 ordinance put a sunset on the powers: They’re to stop when the state or the World Health Organization’s COVID-related public health emergencies end. New Mexico lifted all state COVID-related emergency orders March 31.

Though no one testified at the hearing, one person filed written a comment that was included in the meeting packet. Berl Brechner urged councilors to reject the bill, writing in part, “There is nothing to stop, under the present review and approval system, any contract from being set as long, or short, as the city and the supplier determine is best.”

The Finance and the Public Works and Utilities committees will hear the bill in the coming weeks, before a second public hearing scheduled for July 12.

Also Wednesday, the Council:

Approved a collective bargaining agreement for Fiscal Year 2023/24 between the city and the Santa Fe Firefighters Association-International Association of Firefighters Local 2059. Firefighters will receive a 3% raise and Juneteenth as a holiday, at a total cost of $482,578.

Agreed to pay up to $104,000 for six new pickleball courts at Fort Marcy Park. Molzen-Corbin & Associates will do the design and construction. The Mammel Family Foundation and Santa Fe Pickleball Club have donated $50,000 each; the rest will come from Parks operating funds.