THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, June 30, 1995 TAG: 9506290231
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
SOURCE: Beth Barber
LENGTH: Medium: 53 lines
High-tech solves a lot of problems: It can, for instance, make finding and fixing quirks and inconsistencies in city contracts easier. But if high-tech can make city contracting easier, it can't make city policy on city contracts. That's City Council's job, and it ducked that duty Tuesday.
The issue arose because of a fluke in contracting for lifesaving services and beach-equipment rentals at the Oceanfront. In 1988, Virginia Beach Lifesaving Services Inc. bid on and won a city contract to provide those services along most of the resort beach. An exception was the block of beach behind the Ramada Inn at 57th Street. Mariner Associates, the hotel owner, requested and, without bids, received the city's franchise for those services on its block. The franchise expired after a year because Mariner failed to renew it, but neither the city nor the hotel realized that . . . for six years.
In February 1995, Ocean Rentals, a company Mariner subcontracted in 1990, applied to join the city's emergency medical services system. Why didn't it belong already? Because for some reason, Mariner/Ocean Rentals, unlike VBLS, didn't have to meet all regulations applicable to public beaches. So the city yanks subcontractor Ocean Rentals, at least temporarily, from 57th Street and is paying VBLS to fill in. Meantime, a City Hall that's in the process of raising its technological quotient discovers that Mariners hasn't had a franchise to subcontract to anybody in years. So who gets the 57th Street franchise, VBLS or Ocean Rentals?
Ocean Rentals, City Council decided Tuesday, as soon as it meets emergency-services requirements. But the issues go beyond who rents beach chairs and watches waders behind the Ramada. Council directed in 1992 that the city contract through the bidding process one provider of lifesaving and rental services along the Oceanfront. Why except this block? Should such franchises be award-ed consistently by bid or occasionally by custom or occasionally in apology for the city's having overlooked proper over-sight?
If for a $100 annual fee and a share of the take one hotel can contract with the city for the lucrative rental business along the adjacent stretch of public beach, can other hotels do so too?
Does compatibility of equipment offered by a monopoly contract outweigh the boost to small business of multiple contracts? Whichever, shouldn't the city, and the City Council, apply the same rules to all players - and, whether on microchip or parchment, keep tabs on the rules and the players?
Did Council answer those questions Tuesday? No. Except for Councilman Linwood Branch, it hardly acknowledged them. Wait 'til next time.
KEYWORDS: VIRGINIA BEACH CITY COUNCIL CITY CONTRACTS by CNB