The following article appeared in the October 28 edition of the GUleph Mercury:
Longtime hotdog vendor Moe Ghomishah will have to bid for his downtown food vendor locations in an open tender process this January, despite his request for a partial exemption.
Ghomishah explained to city council last night that he has held the downtown locations for 15 years, they are his sole source of income and that he wants the exemption because he is dealing with family illness.
His original request was to extend his contract at the three downtown locations, which are supposed to open for tender every four years.
Councillor Bob Bell, who said he spoke with Ghomishah before last night’s meeting, offered an amendment for the vendor to hold onto only one of his St. George’s Square area locations for a year exemption.
“Within fairness there are grains of compassion,” Bell said.
But it was in arguing fairness for all would-be vendors that city staff and other councillors argued the tender needed to be opened in accordance with purchasing bylaws. Bell was the only councillor who voted against opening to tender.
“Are we opening Pandora’s box?” Coun. Mike Salisbury asked.
Margaret Neubauer, the city’s finance director, said she believed deferring the bid, even for a year, may set a dangerous precedent and jeopardize bidding practices.
“We are talking about restricting competition,” she said.
Responding to Coun. Ian Findlay’s question as to whether the bidding process is extraneous, Bill Stewart, the city’s procurement manager, said the bid form is only one page, however once the contract is granted, there are a number of legal steps such as obtaining a licence.
Speaking directly to Ghomishah, Findlay asked whether he would still submit a bid.
“I sent the letter a long time ago,” an exasperated Ghomishah said about his request, before finally nodding and saying he would still bid.
Other councillors expressed their desire to see vendors selling food other than hotdogs. So long as the vendor qualifies under health regulations, other types of food are allowed.
Stewart said food venders will undergo an overall service review in the coming year.