City of Wildomar

During interviews with employees, city officials, and citizens of the City, it was identified that several of the city positions are filled with paid employees and other positions are filled by contracted vendors. The City website (www.CityofWildomar.org) and the organizational chart do not identify which positions are filled by city employees (with city paid benefits) and which positions are contracted personnel (without city paid benefits). Lack of identification has caused confusion with residents of the City. 1

The City documented purchasing procedure is Ordinance No. 25 which covers both professional and consulting services. Within the procedure are the following sub-sections to which the city has failed to adhere: §3.06.110: “SEALED BID PROCEDURE FOR PURCHASES GREATER THAN $50,000.” §3.06.110 (a) (1): Public notice. The City Clerk shall cause notices inviting bids to be published at least twice in a newspaper of general circulation ten days before the date of opening of bids, with the second publication occurring at least five days after the first, or posted for ten days in three public places in the City that have been designated by the City Council. §3.06.110 (c): …Bids shall be opened in public at the time and place stated in the public notice… §3.07.030: “CONSULTING CONTRACTS OVER $50,000” A contract for consulting services valued over fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) must be entered into by use of a competitive sealed proposals. Proposals for the contract shall be solicited through a Request for Proposal. § (a) Public Notice. Public notice of the Request for Proposals shall be given in the same manner as provided in section 3.06.110 (a). [sic] During the grand jury interviewing process, a contracted department head and a city official stated the amended contract dated August 10, 2011, for community services, was awarded to Diamond W Events Inc. based on prior work relations with the City. This contract was for $87,600 per year and therefore in violation of the purchasing ordinance §3.06.110 and §3.07.030. In the Grand Jury Report of 2009-2010 Diamond W Events, was listed as a finding. The City had awarded the original contract, dated October 20, 2009, to Diamond W Events without competitive bidding as required by purchasing procedure Ordinance No. 25. The current renegotiated contract between the city and Diamond W Events was entered into without following Ordinance No. 25 as it applies. During the investigation, the Grand Jury requested to see documentation that would identify any other bids submitted on this contract. The City did not present any such documents. A review of the current contract awarded to Diamond W Events identifies rates to be used that over a yearly contract would exceed $50,000. 2