UG considers stronger oversights of BPU

BPU watchers definitely want to read Mark Wiebe’s column in The Kansas City Star‘s Wyandotte Couny section about oversight of the troubled utility company. Wiebe does a great job of outlining the failure of the BPU to self-police and the need for independent oversight. The Unified Government looks to be fed up with letting the BPU raid the liquor cabinet while mom and dad are out of town. The UG is thinking about keeping a closer watch on the BPU.

Last Thursday, BPU General Manager Don Gray said the BPU was implementing changes recommended by a special master and a legislative auditor. That all sounds good. But here’s the part that grabbed me:

The BPU, he [Gray] said, is in the process of re-bidding its older contracts. A new policy governing professional services requires the BPU to advertise for all projects over $100,000.

Why only $100,000 contracts? The legislative auditor reviewed contracts at $50,000 and above and discovered that the utility had handed out 21 out of 25 no-bid contracts. If the BPU sets the bar at $100,000, how many of those contracts would have fallen through the cracks? The BPU should advertise bids starting at $50,000 and up. Otherwise, a lot of ratepayer money will flow under the radar.