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Discussion of BPU and Utilities Manager's Spending Authorization Thresholds
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Current County Code (Sec. 31-74) gives the Utility Manager approval authority for procurements up to $100K. BPU’s authority is $300K. (The County Manager’s approval authority is also $300K.) Items above $300K are forwarded to Council with an approval recommendation from BPU. All budget revisions, regardless of amount, are also recommended by BPU to Council for consideration.
In FY26, BPU’s approval was final for six items. BPU recommended 28 others to Council for approval, 8 of which included a budget revision. Most, if not all, were approved by Council as consent items
Half of the items for which BPU had approval authority were below $200K. Half were above.
Dollar amounts (in thousands) of items forwarded to Council by BPU in FY26:
<$300 (6)
$300-$500 (3)
$500-1000 (11)
$>1000 (8)
Note: the numbers above three paragraphs are based on quick review. They may not be exactly correct.
Given the practical reality that Council usually passes items forwarded from BPU as consent items with little critical review beyond what BPU has already done, there is a question as to whether there is significant value added in that step. Possible benefits to Council: (1) it gives Council more opportunity to see what DPU is doing just by looking through the agenda doc; (2) it gives Council more control if it wishes. Downsides: (1) it adds many items to Council’s already full agenda docs; (2) it takes typically an additional 1-4 weeks between BPU and Council approvals, slowing execution of larger procurements.
Should BPU recommend any changes to County Code to increase the Utility Manager’s approval authority? If so, to what amount?
Should BPU recommend any changes to County Code to increase its approval authority amounts? If so, to what amount?
Should BPU recommend any changes to Budget Revisions approving authority and notifi...
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