City officials debate payments to EG&G
The Finance Committee will be meeting tomorrow at noon to discuss three hot issues: Who owes what, who can do what and how much the city can afford.
? Who owes what – Elected officials will be discussing exactly what the City of McMinnville owes EG&G. Several weeks ago, EG&G asked for 4 percent, or $39,000, for preparing and obtaining the $975,000 grant for phase two.
According to the company?s president, John Grossmann, the city signed an ordinance on Oct. 25 that names EG&G as the engineers for phase one and phase two and further designates EG&G as the contact person for the grant.
Some elected officials have voiced their opinion that the city may not have had a contract with the company to do the work. If legal council determines this to be the case, elected officials could vote to not pay.
EG&G is also asking for an additional $13,860 for phase two preliminary construction costs for making the schedules and making public and private presentations.
? Who can do what – It is rumored that elected officials will be discussing the city administrator situation. Currently, elected officials are in limbo as to what the fate of the most recent search for replacing the last city administrator, Herb Llewellyn.
Although the position is still open, elected officials have stopped short of allowing Mayor Royce Davenport to go into negotiations with the current city administrator hopeful, Glenn Abee. Until he is given the go-ahead, negotiations can not proceed.
? How much the city can afford – The Finance Committee will be talking a close look at the recommendation made by Townsend Engineering, Inc. Last week, the company made the recommendation of switching the current system used at the civic center to a highly efficient geothermal system.
Up for discussion will be the $641,000 price tag. Elected officials will be discussing funding methods for the system which could include leasing, loans or both.
The meeting was originally scheduled for last night immediately following the Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting. However, legal council were unable to attend that night. Because these questions will require advice of legal council, the day and time of the committee meeting was changed, according to Finance Committee chair Patti Nunley.