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From: Bernard Dennler <BDennler@colchesterct.gov>
Sent: Monday, June 3, 2024 4:58 PM
To: Board of Selectmen <Boardofselectman@colchesterct.gov>
Cc: Taryn Scott <tscott@colchesterct.gov>; Scott Chapman <schapman@colchesterct.gov>; Alexander
Oliphant <aoliphant@colchesterct.org>; Daniel Sullivan <dsullivan@colchesterct.org>
Subject: Fwd: 2024 Attorney-Client Privileged Memorandum to BOS regarding Cooperative Purchasing
Good afternoon,
The Board of Education has received state funding for two projects - carpet replacement at
Bacon Academy and replacement of the HVAC at Bacon. The HVAC project is the result of
the grant our Board supported at our Board of Selectmen meeting in December!
As the BOE informed us at the time, they intend to utilize cooperative purchasing to secure
vendors for the HVAC project as well as the carpet project. However, recent scrutiny of the
Town's purchasing policy and competitive bidding practices has shown incongruities
within the purchasing policy and with state law.
Before authorizing these projects, we should consider an amendment to the Competitive
Bidding Policy to incorporate the language recommended by Shipman and Goodwin.
Please see the attached memorandum.
I would like to see the attached language voted upon at the next Board of Selectmen
meeting so that the Board of Finance and Board of Education may vote this month as well.
The BOE hopes to secure its contractors before the end of the month. The carpet project
could potentially happen this summer in time for the school year if we act now.
I would like each Board to also assign members to a working group for a more
comprehensive review of our purchasing policy. This language is a band-aid for a time-
sensitive situation to ensure we are in compliance but the whole policy is overdue for a
revision.
Thank you
Bernie
Bernie Dennler
First Selectman
Town of Colchester
127 Norwich Ave
Colchester, CT 06415
Phone: 860-537-7222
“Colchester, Connecticut: Where tradition meets tomorrow.”
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