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Politics & Government

Grosse Pointe Woods Council Approves New Contracts, Solicitor

Also at Monday's council meeting, Councilwoman Lisa Pinkos Howle continued to fight against door-to-door solicitation in the city and a sewer contract was awarded without any other bids.

The City Council approved a new phone contract that will save $350 a month, one of only a few agenda items handled in the 20-minute meeting Monday.

The contract from AT&T will last three years and include phone service—wireless or otherwise—for all 88 city employees.

The new plan will save the city $12,600 in total over the three year contract and continue the 93 telephone lines that are actively used within the city, according to the renewal proposal from Gary Capps, the Information Technology manager.

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Under the new monthly contract the city will pay about $2,500 a month for service, which is spread across all departments, according to the proposal.

Solicitation License Approved

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Council also approved a solicitation license for Steven Walsh, who sought permission to sell home security systems door-to-door. Councilwoman Lisa Pinkos Howle voted against the application continuing her opposition to door-to-door solicitation.

“Especially with the number of senior citizens we have, I don’t believe that Mr. [Walsh] is going to be the sole person going into each and every house,” said Howle after the meeting. “One of these days they’re not going to know who they’re letting into their house, and something bad is going to happen one of these days.”

Sewer Root Control Treatment Approved

The council approved a contract with the sole bidder for sewer root control treatment after on the recommendation of City Administrator Al Fincham. 

Of the four companies known to offer the service, the other three did not submit a bid despite the request from the Woods and Fincham said no other bids were necessary since the sole company that submitted a bit has not raised its prices on the Woods since 1999.

The council's approval allows the city to spend up to $10,000 on treatment with Duke's Sales and Services out of Syracuse, NY, and the treatment was planned for in the annual budget, according to a proposal submitted by Joseph Ahee, director of public services.

The Woods council has one meeting left, on Nov. 7, before the Nov. 8 general election . Allison Secord, Michael Koester and Richard Shetler, all of whom are vying for council seats, were in the audience Monday.

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