Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/141988
QUESTIONING AUTOMATIC RENEWALS Although Sarasota Ford offered the lowest bid for a county fleet contract in 2010, it did not provide all the required information at the time. Photo by Norman Schimmel THE SARASOTA COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS BEFORE AGREEING TO KEEP A CONTRACT WITH CHARLOTTE COUNTY FORD FOR CARS AND LIGHT TRUCKS By Rachel Brown Hackney Editor It was not the first time Sarasota County Com- And while Vice Chairman Charles Hines supmissioner Joe Barbetta pulled an item from ported the renewal — with Charlotte County a consent agenda to probe for more details. Ford — he cautioned staff that the questions it This time, Barbetta reprompted showed the mained insufficiently current commissionWhat this really comes down to is ers want far more desatisfied with staff answers that he cast the why have an annual renewal that we tails in these types of lone "No" vote on a mo- have to approve if we're not going to have situations — especialtion to continue a deal any information to justify why we should ly when out-of-county or shouldn't approve it. dating to 2010 — the firms are involved. third automatic renewal Joe Barbetta Commissioner allowed under the origi"Don't assume [these reSarasota County nal contract's terms. newals] are automatic,"