Cities seek state grant for joint purchasing program

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by Amanda Harnocz

Reporter

Tallmadge -- Tallmadge is moving forward with the idea of creating a joint purchasing cooperative with other local cities to help save money by buying things in bulk.

City Council approved legislation July 10 allowing the city to seek out money from the state of Ohio Government Services and Regional Collaboration Grant Program.

Tallmadge Mayor Christopher Grimm said he is hoping to get about $80,000 from the grant to hire "a coordinator to compare everyone's needs. Draw up a list of items we all use and recommend purchasing recommendations."

Grimm said he is hoping to pay a professor from a local college to be the coordinator.

One qualification needed to apply for the grant is to have eight or more cities on board for the collaboration of purchasing power, said Grimm.

Ten communities are on board so far -- Tallmadge, Stow, Ravenna, Kent, Springfield, Brimfield, Suffield, Munroe Falls, Cuyahoga Falls and Twinsburg, according to Grimm.

"Summit County and Akron have shown an interest, as well," said Grimm.

Representatives of the 10 cities met in Tallmadge July 8 to discuss the program further, he said.

Each committee -- safety, service, recreation and general -- elected chairs and set meeting dates to decide on what products they will jointly bid on, Grimm said.

The cities have agreed to join forces to go out for cooperative bids on items such health insurance, gravel, asphalt, rock salt and some smaller, but necessary products like toilet paper, he said.

Cities are currently purchasing products in amounts only necessary for their respective municipality, said Grimm.

"If we join together, we can purchase by rail car or truck load, saving a lot of money by buying in bulk," he added.

E-mail: aharnocz@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-686-3911