BELLEAIR BLUFFS -- The Belleair Bluffs City Commission spent most of its workshop time Monday night in a discussion of how to update city purchasing.
The city is currently operating under rules adopted in 1994. John Hubbard, the city attorney, made an appearance after a long absence (his associate, Richard Alexander, has been sitting in), and pointed out that the commission might want to update expenditure amounts allowable without direct commission approval.
There are three levels of purchasing, Hubbard pointed out, from informal, the day-to-day expenditures of the city; formal, which deals with specific amounts that must be bid on and must be budgeted items, and emergency.
All three categories have a $2,500 limit based on the 1994 rules.
Commissioners decided to keep the informal level where it is, raised the formal -- must be bid on, but need not have direct commission okay -- purchase orders to $5,000, and raised emergency purchasing to $15,000.
The aftermath of the remnants of a hurricane called Frances, which came through here as a tropical storm, sparked a discussion of picking up branches and debris.
One citizen pointed out that Progress Energy did a lot of cutting around her home, littering her backyard with branches but insisted they did not have to pick up the stuff because it was storm related.
Robert David, the public works director, said he would deal with that problem.
Commissioner Robert Russo requested that Progess Energy send a representative to the commission's workshop meeting next month to discuss the status of its equipment in relation to storm events.
The commission gave preliminary approval to some ordinance revisions recommended by the charter and ordinance review committee. This will be an ongoing task with the commission taking up four or so each month.
Another subject being initiated is an internal affairs policy for the fire department which will deal with any investigations involving fire personnel activities.
The fire department will hold an open house October 16 as Fire Prevention Month is celebrated.