Letter: 'Southbury's Corrupt One-Bid System Flourishes Under Edelson Administration'

Editor,

On April 6, 2012, The Republican-American reported that First Selectman Edelson indicated he learned of the Dept of Admin Services portal which posts bids for government entities, and his intent to use this website for Southbury bids (which has not happened); also noted that he planned to meet with a purchasing consultant the following week.

According to the State office of Dept. Admin. Services, Southbury has no active bids REF: http://das.ct.gov/cr1.aspx?page=12.

Upon checking Southbury's history of past bids on their inactive list, their  last active Southbury bid posted on the state portal (required to be posted under terms of CT Small Cities Grant closing date: 05/04/12). ( This info confirmed twice earlier and rechecked 9/04/12 with DAS). In fact, it appears postings of earlier bids going back to 2008 were also posted as required in order to obtain grants.

Yet, in a memo to the Board of Selectmen August 22 subject: “Southbury's participation in State Bid Web Site”, Edelson states:

” I can assure you that we have been using the state to support most of our competitive bids since we started using this site...It is a falsehood that he is using this site-- for 'most of our competitive bids' - as above. In fact, there are 4 New Bids posted on the Town website, none of which appear on the state portal as above.

He further states in memo to the Board of August 22:

"It was in talking to a professional purchasing consultant (which you all were briefed on) that this (State bid website) was identified." (This statement contradicts the April 6 article, at which time  he states he first learned of the DAS State Bid Website).

At a meeting with the RTC on May 29, 2012, when asked if he intended to fix the present bid system, Edelson responded "NO"!

Minutes of BOS Meeting June 21, 2012 : justifying singular Dump Truck Bid Award:

“He (Edelson)  states that we are posting our bids on many websites and people certainly have the opportunity to bid if they would like to. “

I have asked Mr. Edelson under rules of FOI, to identify the ‘many websites’ he refers to in the BOS Meeting as recorded, and his statement of August 22 to the Board, both contradicted by the fact that there are NO active bids posted on the state portal.

None of four 'new bids' currently  posted on the town website appear on the DAS portal.

Since he took office, Edelson’s administration handed out ne-bid awards as follows:

12/15/11 $122,785 aerial bucket

05/17/12 $ 24,500 revaluation commercial property

05/17/12 $171,679 2 dump trucks

06/21/12 $ 78,891 dump truck

That’s $397,855 of our tax dollars in one-bid awards, without a single competitive bid! 

Signed,

Carol Renza
Co-chair, Concerned Taxpayers of Southbury