Board tables policy requiring vendor disclosures

By Eileen Oldfield Staff Writer
   HILLSBOROUGH — The Board of Education on Monday tabled a policy on political contributions that would have forced vendors bidding for contracts to mention any contributions made to board members’ campaigns.
   The motion to table the plan was made by Policy Committee member John Donnadio, passed with seven votes supporting it, and a single vote, from board member Frank Blandino, opposing the motion.
   Policy Committee Chairman Marc Rosenberg was not at the meeting.
   The suggested changes would require vendors entering non-fair and open contracts — contracts that do not have to be publicly advertised and that the board does not have to solicit proposals from multiple vendors — report any contributions, regardless of amount, to a board member’s election or re-election campaign.
   The current policy requires vendors entering non-fair and open contracts in excess of $17,500 to file Political Contribution Disclosure forms, but does not require the forms for contracts under that amount.
   The board debated the policy prior to tabling it, with Mr. Blandino questioning the need for changing the current policy.
   ”What is the compelling reason to change the current policy if it complies with the current law?” Mr. Blandino said.
   Mr. Donnadio, who spoke on behalf of the Policy Committee, expressed the committee’s desire for “transparency” in the districts business deals, though he thought the revisions did not provide the transparency the district desired.
   ”I think it would be more productive to prohibit the district from entering into non-fair and open contracts,” Mr. Donnadio said. “I think that hits upon, more openly, what the Policy Committee was going for.”
   Mr. Donnadio later said that he thought entering contracts only through fair and open processes would be in the board’s best interest.
   Since District Superintendent Edward Forsthoffer came to the district, most of the board’s business dealings occurred through fair and open contracts, with the board sending Requests for Quotations to vendors for most projects, Business Administrator and Board Secretary Aiman Mahmood said.
   Board member David Lin asked whether the district needed to enter non-fair and open contracts, particularly in the case of emergency repairs.
   ”Do you foresee at any time in the future, that we would need to go to bid on a contract that we would have to go through a non-fair and open contract?” Mr. Lin said.
   Mr. Mahmood said there were guidelines for emergency repairs, and that he did not see any reason to enter a non-fair and open contract.