Commissioners Push Higher Bid Thresholds To Help Local Govts.

A topic that arose during the series of town meetings recently held by the Potter County Board of Commissioners is receiving new attention from the state legislature. Commissioners Doug  Morley, Paul Heimel and Susan Kefover have been working with State Senator Joe Scarnati and Representative Martin Causer in support of a measure that would reduce some of the state mandates on townships and boroughs. One aspect of the proposal, raising the threshold over which local governments must seek competitive bids for goods and services, has drawn some support in the legislature. The commissioners have most recently received positive feedback from House Majority Leader Mike Turzai and House Speaker Sam Smith on the proposal.

Township, borough and school district officials asked the commissioners to intervene during town meetings in November. They said a requirement that they seek competitive bids for an increasing volume of goods and services has created a hardship in terms of higher advertising costs and administrative burdens. A bill that would raise the threshold, HB 1164, has been introduced by Rep. Mark Keller (R-Perry County) and is now before the House Local Government Committee.