The remarks of Lee Norris of Chattanooga Public Works are out of bounds and capture the "institutional arrogance" that has caused this situation in the first place.
When City Councilwomen Scott and Berz suggested efforts to recruit local engineering firms for local contracts, the response indicated to me that Mr. Norris does not view attempts to hire local firms as a priority. Apparently he has forgotten, the money he is spending in contract awards is not his own. It belongs to the citizens and residents of the city of Chattanooga.
As a citizen, I do have a reasonable expectation that local tax dollars will be used to hire local surveyors, engineers and architects. There is not one surveying, engineering, or architectural service that cannot be obtained in Chattanooga.
For the record, Mr. Norris, three engineering firms that have offices in the city of Chattanooga did in fact submit RFQs to the advertisement to perform the contracts that have been awarded to the out of town firm, that does not even have an office in Chattanooga. The local engineering firms in Chattanooga that did in fact submit for this contract have an exemplary record of performing wastewater liner work and have employees and offices in Chattanooga to support.
Maybe it would be appropriate to share with the council the complete list of firms that did respond to the advertisement for the contract and attach a copy of the advertisement for each engineering contract being awarded on the next agenda. Certainly, this level of transparency would benefit everyone.
April Eidson
EIT E3 Environmental Sciences
E3.Sciences@comcast.net
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Ms. Eidson's suggestion that the City of Chattanooga release the names of firms that have bid on contracts is reasonable. But why stop there? Among other pertinent information would be the charges that firms propose. Governments have several factors to consider in letting contracts, and cost containment and fiscal responsibility to taxpayers are high among them. My opinion is that "local" should not be the trump card in letting contracts; that's just a first cousin to nepotism.
Marc Cutright
Signal Mountain