Fannin County Board of Commissioners Approves New Process for Procuring Fuel Purchases that Requires Bidding Procedure

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During last week’s Board of Commissioner (BOC) meeting, the board approved a new process for procuring fuel. The process, which received a ‘yes’ vote by both Post Commissioners Johnson and Sosebee, was not voted on by Bill Simmons, Commission Chairman.The issue was first addressed by a citizen attendee, John Mullinax.

Mullinax engaged in a ‘tit-for-tat’ with the Chairman on the subject before County Attorney, Lynn Doss, responded that, having researched the issue, she knew of only 2 Georgia counties that bid out their fuel procurement.

She added that both counties had fuel storage facilities.

The chairman stated that the county’s cost of fuel was comparable to that of the Board of Education. He told Mullinax: “I’ll look into it.”

A discussion about the timing and logistics of the bid and fuel purchases ensued.

Post Commissioner, Earl Johnson, stated that, because fuel was the largest county expenditure-with the exception of payroll – it should be ‘bid out.’
Afterwards, Johnson told the audience:

“Everyone bids it out-besides Fannin County.” He called the contention that it was too complex to warrant a bidding process a “charade of excuses.”
He further stated: “Nothing in Fannin County is bid out.”

Johnson noted that Jones Oil Company (the currently procured company) is not located in Fannin County.

Johnson then made a motion to require that the county obtain 3 bids for fuel purchases annually.

The motion later changed to exclude the provision that 3 bids be included.

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