The Town Council voted to extend its cooperative purchasing agreement with Mesa Energy Systems for services to maintain HVAC equipment for town facilities.

The council approved its fourth amendment to the agreement in the amount of $85,000 annually. The agreement was originally approved in 2022.

Last year staff asked the council to replace a previous vendor due to underperformance, and Mesa Energy Systems was approved on a trial basis. The amendment extends the agreement through the term of the company’s cooperative purchase agreement through the State of Arizona.

Public Works Director Justin Weldy told the council that after working with Mesa Energy Systems for the past year, staff is confident in the work of this vendor.

The vote to approve the agreement was 6-1 with Councilman Allen Skillicorn dissenting. Skillicorn stated that he is not a fan of cooperative purchase agreements and prefers that the town use its own competitive bidding process for all services. He has been consistent in this position.

Through a cooperative purchase agreement, the bidding process is done by a single entity, usually a larger municipality, the state (as in this case), a county or in some instances a cooperative established for just such a purpose. This purchasing power of the larger entities normally results in lower pricing for all participants. The town has used this process for larger projects as well as continuing maintenance work for years.