Council, mayor close to amending Vision Fleet deal

Mayor Greg Ballard and the City-County Council are close to an agreement that prohibits the administration from adding any new electric cars to the city fleet without using a competitive bidding process first.

The city had entered a seven-year $32 million no-bid contract with Vision Fleet, of California, to lease 425 electric and hybrid vehicles for the police, fire and public works departments. So far, about 212 cars have been delivered.

The City-County Council sued because it said the contract was really a purchase agreement and should have gone out for bid. In the out-of-court agreement, which has yet to be signed, Vision Fleet will operate the cars that have already been delivered, but the acquisition of any more vehicles would need to be bid on.

Council attorney Fred Biesecker said the council has agreed to the terms of the deal and was awaiting the mayor’s signature.

“There is a proposed settlement agreement, which includes the city doing an RFP process,” said Biesecker in an email, referring to the process which outlines the bidding and contract terms for a proposal.

“The lawyers for all parties have approved the agreement, but I don’t know whether the mayor has signed it yet,” he said in the email.

Mayoral spokeswoman Jen Pittman said she did not know whether Ballard had considered the agreement yet.

If signed by Ballard, the agreement then would go before Marion County Superior Court Judge Gary L. Miller for approval.

Democrats and Republicans on the council voted 23-6 in June to sue the city to void the contract, claiming Ballard signed it in secret without any council oversight.

Call Star reporter John Tuohy at 317 444-6418 and follow on Twitter @john_tuohy.