Lincoln Park City Manager/Finance Director Lisa Griggs explains to the mayor and City Council during the Sept. 8 council meeting why she recommends the cancelation of its contract with NetSolutions for blight enforcement.
By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
LINCOLN PARK – The City Council terminated the blight enforcement contract with NetSolutions Inc. Sept. 9 based on the recommendation of City Manager/Finance Director Lisa Griggs, who provided a record of significant concerns.
The contractor was engaged in June to support the city’s code enforcement division by cutting grass and removing debris at non-compliant properties in accordance with city ordinance.
However, Griggs said the vendor has consistently provided inaccurate and inconsistent billings, has billed for services not performed, has failed to document completed work, has used improper equipment, has failed to identify its work vehicles and has provided misleading and incorrect information to city officials.
She said she has met with the contractor on numerous occasions to correct persistent performance issues to no avail.
Griggs said as a result of NetSolutions deficiencies the city has been forced to engaged another contractor to complete the work.
“The amounts of staff and administrative time spent attempting to resolve these matters through emails, phone calls and meetings is unreasonable,” she said in a memo to the mayor and council. “Given these circumstances, it is in the city’s best interest to terminate the contract with NetSolutions, Inc. effective immediately.”
Griggs said RFC Inc., US Lawns, the city’s previous contractor, has agreed to resume services for the remainder of the year under its previous service terms.
She said no other bids were received in the past by the city for the services.
Griggs said a new contract for code enforcement services will go out for bid at the start of the new year.
She said that since fees are passed onto business or property owners in violation of code, there is no immediate impact to the city budget, and RFC’s fees are lower than those of NetSolutions.