RubberBuzz || Akron Unleashed: Is that really a Conflict?

2.09.2006

Is that really a Conflict?

The Setup:

City and school officials overseeing Akron's $800 million school construction project have approved a kitchen-equipment contract that raised ``conflict of interest'' concerns.

The lowest bidder on the Jennings Community Learning Center project, Brysco Foodservice Equipment & Design of Pittsburgh, is owned by the same company that designed the new kitchen, S.S. Kemp of Cleveland.

S.S. Kemp has the consulting contract to design the kitchens in all the city's new schools, which will double as community centers.

Brysco already had won subcontractor bids to supply smaller kitchens for the Voris and Resnik elementary school projects.

The Opinion:

That's a little shady. Wait... I shouldn't jump to conclusions. Maybe S.S. Kemp didn't design a kitchen with the specific goal of using equipment that a company owned by the same parent company they are could provide at the best price. Maybe Brysco's like the Value City of institutional kitchens. Maybe it's a legitimate deal. The school board did choose the supplies/equipment that will be used in the kitchen. In any case, the whole situation is going before the school board.

The BJ :: School contract raises concerns of conflict

(joe :: Is that really a Conflict?)

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