In our March 8, 2016, post entitled A $315,000 SNAFU at McEuen?, OpenCdA observed that Coeur d’Alene’s city government sometimes buries items in the Council meeting’s Consent Calendar.  The  rationale for this practice stated on the Council agenda is a buried item is “considered routine by the City Council.”  No need to inform the public by discussing the meat of such a buried item.

In our March 8 post, we expressed some concern this procedural interment might occur with an item, a contract change order, approved by the City’s General Services Committee at its March 3 meeting.  We were right.

The online agenda for the March 15, 2016, City Council meeting lists this item G.6.b. on the Consent Calendar:  Approval of Change Order No. 1 to the contract with Ednetics, Inc. for the IP Camera Surveillance System — Recommended by General Services Committee.

OpenCdA thinks this change order ought to have closer scrutiny before the casket is closed and buried by the City Council in the privacy of the Consent Calendar. (more…)

OpenCdA happened to look at the online packet of information for the March 7, 2016, Coeur d’Alene General Services Committee meeting.  This staff report associated with the meeting agenda item captioned “Change Order for the Public Safety IP Camera Surveillance System — Brandon Russell, Database Administrator” really got our attention.

Since this item was discussed by the City’s General Services Committee at the meeting, it will likely go before the entire City Council at an upcoming meeting.

The City sometimes buries items like this in the Consent Calendar to limit discussion.  OpenCdA thinks this item in particular needs a great deal of discussion about possible wasteful expenditures based on inadequate information.

Our concern is the staff report contains compelling evidence causing us to question if an  adequate imagery survey had been done to determine the actual needs and costs of the Public Safety IP Camera Surveillance System.  (more…)