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Atherton: Companies bid to provide town services
• A total of 18 bids are received.

by Renee Batti

Atherton town officials will be reviewing a total of 18 bids from private companies offering to provide public services to the town that are now provided by paid staff in the building and public works departments.

Layoff notices were handed out to 13 employees in those departments late last month, and plans were announced to outsource the services. But subsequently, the planned June 30 layoff was postponed until July 15, giving the town and labor representatives time to consider proposed concessions in employee compensation.

Employees early this month had offered about 12 percent in concessions, which represented about $167,000 in savings to the town. But they later increased proposed concessions to about $300,000, according to union representative Peter Finn, who noted that the savings to the town from outsourcing was estimated by town negotiators to be roughly $276,000.

Bids for providing the services were due in Town Hall on June 24. City Clerk Theresa DellaSanta said they have yet to be reviewed, but eight proposals were received to provide building services, such as plan examination and inspections; seven bids were submitted for the arborist position; and three bids were received for public works services, which include street and park maintenance.