Yukon appears to violate competitive bidding law

YUKON, Okla. (AP) – Records indicate that an Oklahoma City suburb facing a budget shortfall and accusations of financial mismanagement circumvented state competitive bidding laws by engaging in bid splitting to purchase $600,000 in trash carts.

The Oklahoman reports emails and memos from various Yukon city department heads appear to show former Yukon City Manager Grayson Bottom encouraged city staff to ignore competitive bidding policies during his five-year tenure.

Documents received in an Open Records Act request show that in 2012, the city received 24 invoices from a Canadian company, IPL Inc., none exceeding the $25,000 threshold that would require city council approval. The 24 invoices were paid with 24 different checks within a one-month span.

The Oklahoman was unable to find any record of the city council approving the entire $600,000 purchase.