LIMA — While many votes on ordinances at Lima City Council are unanimous, several ordinances had one dissenting vote during Monday’s meeting.
Several ordinances involved entering into contract with temporary staffing agencies to fill contract positions within the city for the 2016 calendar year. The city would enter into contractual service with Custom Staffing for engineering technicians, an electrical inspector and secretarial services, as well as with Patrick Staffing for an engineering technician position, along with contracts for plan review services and noncertified building inspection services.
According to each ordinance, “Council finds such contractual services require technical and professional skill and expertise and formal bidding therefore is not required and Council authorizes this contract … as being a contract in the best interests of the City.”
However, 3rd Ward Councilman Jesse Lowe II took issue with this practice, voting “no” on each ordinance. While no debate offered before voting on each ordinance, Lowe explained his vote at the end of the meeting.
“I know you heard me say ‘no’ to a lot of issues,” he said. “For me, at the end of the day, government jobs should be held to a higher standard.”
For Lowe, going through temporary hires rather than the job bidding process circumvents being responsible for benefits and other perks that come with being on the city payroll, a policy with which he disagrees.
Sixth Ward Councilman Derry Glenn voted “no” on an ordinance to increase the permit rate for closing streets for public events, which would also add a refundable litter control bond of $100. The permits would now cost $10 for city residents and city nonprofits, $25 for nonresidents and nonprofits outside the city, $50 for for-profit organizations in the city and $100 for for-profits outside Lima.
