UPDATE: North Olmsted officials have just announced that a critical charter amendment will be on the ballot for voters on November 4, 2023. This amendment, known as Issue 24, seeks to enhance the city’s purchasing capabilities, allowing access to additional cooperative purchasing programs which could save taxpayers both time and money.
Currently, North Olmsted’s charter restricts the city to using the state bidding process, a system that North Olmsted Mayor Nicole Dailey Jones describes as “very time-consuming” and limiting. “This amendment opens the door to nationally recognized cooperative purchasing programs, like Sourcewell, which has hundreds of competitively solicited contracts,” Mayor Jones stated.
The charter amendment aims to streamline procurement processes by enabling the city to compare prices and vendors more effectively. “These programs have already vetted vendors and pricing, so it’ll save us time, because we don’t have to do a full-bid process from scratch,” Jones added. This flexibility is essential, especially as other Northeast Ohio communities have already adopted such cooperative purchasing options.
The North Olmsted Charter Review Commission, led by chairperson Jeff Sturgeon, has worked tirelessly throughout the year, ultimately deciding to recommend just this one amendment for the upcoming election. “After a thorough review of the charter, the commission only saw one issue that needed to be addressed at this time,” Sturgeon told cleveland.com. “This amendment allows the city to work faster and in a more cost-effective and strategic manner.”
The implications of passing Issue 24 extend beyond just procurement efficiency; they align with the commission’s ongoing commitment to responsible spending and effective city management. With local taxpayers’ interests at heart, the commission emphasizes the potential for significant savings through improved purchasing strategies.
As the voting date approaches, North Olmsted residents are urged to consider the benefits of this amendment. It represents a pivotal step towards modernizing the city’s operational framework and ensuring that public funds are utilized effectively.
Stay tuned for more updates as North Olmsted prepares for the November ballot and the potential impact of this charter amendment on the community. This is a developing story, and further insights will emerge as the election date gets closer.
