Pubdate: Tue, 07 Jan 2003
Source: Kansas City Star (MO)
Copyright: 2003 The Kansas City Star
Contact:  http://www.kcstar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/221
Author: Benita Y. Williams

JACKSON COUNTY BACKS NEW EVALUATION OF PROPOSED DRUG-TREATMENT CONTRACTS

The Jackson County Legislature voted 6-2 Monday to let new outside 
evaluators examine contract proposals for the drug-treatment services, 
which sparked a recent lawsuit against the county.

Legislators also agreed to rescind a contract with a new vendor and spend 
up to $124,120 to continue the drug-treatment services of County Court 
Services Inc. during the re-evaluation. They said they expected to have the 
matter resolved by the end of February.

The move came after eight legislators and County Executive Katheryn Shields 
held a closed meeting with attorneys to discuss the lawsuit. The ninth 
legislator, Dan Tarwater, was out of town.

County Court Services sued the Legislature last week, alleging that in 
November it had illegally awarded a contract for the county Drug Court to 
the new vendor, Addiction Recovery Services Inc.

Addiction Recovery's bid was $42,000 lower than the one from County Court 
Services. However, two outside evaluators gave the company failing marks 
and gave high marks to County Court Services.

Kenneth McClain, a private attorney for the legislators, said the awarding 
of the contract to Addiction Recovery "could be upheld legally, but the 
legislators chose to go above and beyond the call of duty" by reconsidering 
the matter.

Shields said new evaluators would bring a fresh perspective to the matter.

Thomas Schweich, attorney for County Court Services, declined to comment on 
how the resolution would affect his client's lawsuit.

"I have not had a chance to review the resolution, but I have discussed the 
matter with the county counselor's office and my client, and the situation 
looks very promising," said Schweich, from the St. Louis office of Bryan 
Cave LLP.

Timothy Donaldson, Addiction Recovery president, said the Legislature 
should move forward with his contract.

"I made a good bid. I made a fair bid. I made the lowest bid and was 
selected by the Legislature," Donaldson said. "The county should honor that."

Legislators Rhonda Shoemaker and Bill Petrie voted against the resolution. 
Petrie said County Court Services was being rewarded for filing a lawsuit.

"They're keeping the contract," Petrie said. "I don't think they should be 
rewarded for suing."

Shoemaker, who began her first term Monday, said she needed more 
information and planned to switch her vote to an abstention.

Before leaving town, Tarwater -- the legislative anti-drug committee 
chairman -- said he opposed reconsideration of the contracts. He also 
denied allegations that Addiction Recovery's contract was based on 
favoritism. Tarwater said the company was picked despite its low evaluation 
because it had the low bid. He also said County Court Services was in a 
similar situation when it first received the contract in 1995.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens