No Bid $117,000 Contract Offered To Chicago Company By Joliet City Hall For Bicentennial Park Project

JOLIET, IL — The leader of Joliet's City Hall, Beth Beatty, came from the City of Chicago. Beatty's new director of cultural affairs and special events, Ann Sylvester, left the City of Chicago last summer. Next week, the Joliet City Council may approve a $117,000 no-bid contract for a Chicago lighting company to make building improvements at Bicentennial Park.

Tuesday's night meeting agenda calls for awarding the $117,000 contract for the "Bicentennial Park Theatre Stage Rigging Replacement" to the Grand Stage Company on Chicago's West Grand Avenue.

"Grand Stage Company was founded in 1947 to provide quality lighting equipment to the theatrical community of the Midwest. In the past 75 years, we have expanded our product range to include lighting consumables, scenic materials, special FX, theatrical rigging and drapery," the company's website reads.

A copy of the company's November letter to Sylvester is shared at the bottom of this Joliet Patch story.

Dustin Anderson Claims Bicentennial Park's Lighting "Is Out Of Date"

According to the Joliet City Council memo written by Dustin Anderson, Joliet's director of community development, Bicentennial Park, at 201 West Jefferson Street, hosts events in the theater throughout the year, including theatrical performances, youth drama camps, concerts, festivals, and city of Joliet sponsored events.

"The theatre has a hanging rigging system used for the lighting for the stage performances that is no longer sufficient for the needs of the performance space and is out of date," Anderson wrote. "The City of Joliet is seeking an award of payment for the theatre stage rigging replacement for the Bicentennial Park Theatre.

"Staff contacted three vendors to obtain quotes for the scope of work, one returned a proposal. Staff is recommending the purchase be approved and awarded to Grand Stage Company in the amount of $117,000," Anderson's letter indicated.

Anderson's memo explains that under certain circumstances, based on city of Joliet ordinances, purchases whose estimated cost is in excess of $25,000 may be awarded without written specifications or bidding.

Anderson listed the following three criteria that apply in this situation:

• Purchases which may only be practicably made from a single source.
• Purchases when authorized by a concurring vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the Mayor and City Council.
• Purchases of professional services.