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Patton's Nursery's bid of $1,535 per month was higher than A.K.O.'s bid, but Alderman Don Pierce said A.K.O. should get the contract since they bid on all the properties.
"It's like getting a guy to build you a house, then all of a sudden he says you have to build your own porch," Pierce said.
"Mr. Pierce, I don't understand your philosophy," responded Mayor Ron Blum. "The intent behind the way it was presented was to save money. We did not ask for them to bid on the complete package. We thought we could save money if we could save on each individual specific project. That's why it was presented the way it was."
Blum passed out a bid tabulation sheet that broke down what each company bid on each job.
The tabulation showed that A.K.O. held the lowest bid on 14 of the 16 various lawn care jobs at a total of $1,224 while Patton's Nursery held the lowest bids on the two jobs A.K.O. declined to submit on.
Patton's bids for those two jobs were $120 per month for lawn care at the waste water treatment plant and dog pound, and $45 at city hall.
"If you look at the tabulation under A.K.O. Lawn Service, each and every specific property is less than any other bidder," Blum said.
"We asked for bids on this, and we're not getting the bids," Pierce said.
"Mr. Pierce, I can't understand for you," Blum responded. "There are four other bidders that bid on this property. "
Pierce said he thought that if A.K.O. was going to be offered all the jobs they bid on, the remaining two projects should be rebid on by the remaining companies.
Blum replied that each bidder bid on each job individually, not in one large bundle, so the low bidder for each property would be awarded that contract.
Pierce said he didn't feel those regulations were conveyed as published in a seeking-bids advertisement.
City Administrator Jim Arndt said that each bidding company was fully aware of the conditions and that they could bid on each individual property and not the entire package as a whole.
"If they didn't want to bid on it, they didn't have to do so," he said.
Arndt said the conditions of how the bids could be made were reviewed with lawn care contractors in March during a prebid meeting.
Arndt said that a representative from Patton's Nursery was at the meeting and the conditions were understood.
He added that during the meeting the option was given to bid on individual properties so contractors wouldn't feel obligated to take on more than they could handle.
Arndt said he hoped that the provision would open bids up to more contractors that could do individual jobs at lower rates and save the city money.
Aldermen Nathan Tate and Connie Marrocco voted in favor of awarding the bids as recommended by Arndt. Pierce voted against and Alderwoman Cherie Counts was absent.
A.K.O. will be awarded the 14 jobs it bid on. If Patton's Nursery declines the remaining two jobs, they will be awarded to the next lowest bidder, which is Preferred Cut, LLC.
