Contracting Controversy in Pennsylvania

Montgomery County, Pennsylvania is embroiled in a controversy over professional service contracting selection procedures.

In a contentiously divided vote, the County's three commissioners recently voted to repeal a 1998 law requiring at least five solicitations to be sent out.  In its place, they have adopted a new law requiring the commissioners to approve all new contracts.

One commissioner, Bruce L. Castor, Jr. challenged previous commission actions that he maintains did not follow proper solicitation procedures.  In response, commissioner James R. Matthews asserted that "I will never admit there was any illegality in securing contracts." 

Commissioner Castor also chided the county for not enforcing an ethics ordinance approved in April 2009 that requires elected officials to publish financial campaign reports on a website, as part of a government transparency initiative.

Click here to read an article about this issue from The Times Herald.