The unilateral decision by Mayor Melinda Mitchell to remove an item from the Aug. 20 St. Martinville City Council meeting agenda brought a tense exchange between the mayor and council members.
Dist. 2 representative Craig Prosper was upset that the mayor removed an agenda item concerning a delay in advertising for bids from wholesale electricity providers. Mitchell had sought a delay in publishing the first of three required advertisements for bids to better familiarize herself with the contract options.
The delay, Prosper, Dist. 1 representative Mike Fuselier, and others feared, could limit the number of bidders and bring the contracting process and ramp-up of a new supplier past the Jan. 1 expiration of the existing contract. “Our opportunity to get the best price is dwindling quickly,” Prosper warned.
Prosper said he had tried to contact the mayor several times before the meeting, but got no response. The agenda item’s removal and lack of contact was the source of the conflict. Mitchell said the calls came when she was at a Louisiana Municipal Association meeting and were transferred to another line.
Prosper and Fuselier stridently questioned the right of the mayor to remove a member’s agenda item. Mitchell contends that she has full control of meeting agendas and may add or delete items on her own authority. But the council opted to seek an attorney general’s opinion on the issue, and voted to add the item back to the agenda.
Consulting engineer Jim Poché said three bidders have express interest in submitting proposals to provide electric power to the city under the “Request for Proposals” (RFP) process which allows a period of negotiation following the submission of proposals.
A pre-proposal conference will be held on Sept. 5, at Poché Prouet’s Lafayette office. Sealed bids will be opened by the mayor and Poché at city hall at 2 p.m. on Sept. 10 and awarded during the council meeting at 6 p.m. which was rescheduled from Sept. 3 due to the Labor Day holiday.
