Vancouver spent $1 million on cops' laundry, $50,000 on bike helmet gadget

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      The City of Vancouver spent $50,000 on the development of the prototype for a “bicycle helmet distribution machine” last year. That’s one item in the list of private contracts detailed in the City of Vancouver’s annual procurement report, which went to council on April 24.

      The document describes “procurement activities and performance”—such as contracts awarded to private companies—and covers the period from January 1 to December 31, 2012. Such expenditures accounted for 30 percent of non-salary city spending, the report notes.

      In 2012, the city conferred $129.1 million worth of contracts, 96.8 percent of which were assigned using a competitive bidding process.

      A comprehensive list of those contracts was topped by a $14-million deal for integrated security services from Securiguard Services Ltd.; a landfill closure and construction project worth $13.7 million and awarded to King Hoe Excavating; and a group benefits program for city employees valued at $9.4 million and divvied among multiple vendors.

      Other notable items include $1 million spent on dry cleaning and laundry services for the Vancouver Police Department and a little more than $134,000 for dry cleaning for Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services; $1 million for the delivery of electric cars and roughly $266,000 for hybrid vehicles; and $500,000 in legal services paid to Shapiro Hankinson & Knutson in relation to the 1 Kingsway project.

      You can follow Travis Lupick on Twitter at twitter.com/tlupick.

      Comments

      6 Comments

      dk

      Apr 24, 2013 at 3:00pm

      What a crook of you know what. With the money these people make they should look after their own dry cleaning and if they show up for work in non pressed uniforms or unpolished boots send them home with no pay. Welcome to the real world and if you don't like it find another job like the army.

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      PeterPeter

      Apr 24, 2013 at 3:51pm

      Your labor law says "If an employer requires an employee to wear a uniform or special clothing, the employer must provide, clean and maintain it at no cost to the employee.

      Special clothing is clothing that is easily identified with the employer; for example, clothing with a company logo or unique company colours."

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      trixie

      Apr 24, 2013 at 3:58pm

      dk . . . that's "crock" . . . and you've obviously never had to deal with a solid union. Wake up to the real world.

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      Kat

      Apr 24, 2013 at 4:23pm

      $1 million for dry cleaning shouldn't be all that surprising when considered that the VPD has ~1300 constables and numerous civilian staff.
      $12 one-time fee to clean one set of pants/shirt * 52 weeks * 1300 officers = $811K a year

      I'm not a police apologist but misleading or misinterpreted information/stats don't help the public make informed opinions.

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      PJ

      Apr 24, 2013 at 6:21pm

      1,260,000 for electric and hybrids ?.What would real cars have cost?half ,but no they produce more carbon and people would rather pay double,even though the battries in the electric,hybrid probably will only last 3 to 5 years in the extreme use and recharging.Now there is a non recycling carbon pile.

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      Ken Lawson

      Apr 24, 2013 at 9:03pm

      For that price they could have installed their own laundry and dry cleaning unit in the VPD headquarters, these people really think when it is not their own money, how many again in VDP make over $250,000 which they are not worth in the first place!

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