THE STAR-LEDGER: HUDSON COUNTY FREEHOLDERS SHOULD DROP JAIL CONTRACT APPEAL

Published: January 23, 2010

The solution is so simple that the stubbornness of the Hudson County freeholders could lead people to believe there is something shady going on with a five-year, $22 million medical services contract for the county jail.

At every level, the courts have instructed the county to rebid the contract, but instead, freeholders are running up taxpayer costs by filing costly (and fruitless) appeals.

After putting the contract out to bid, freeholders awarded it in April to Correctional Health Services of Verona for $29.7 million. Later, after a report by a consultant, the freeholders whittled the terms and cut the cost to $22 million. But instead of rebidding the contract, the county amended its agreement with CHS.

That was a no-no, Superior Court Judge Maurice Gallipoli said. He ruled the bid changes were tantamount to awarding a new contract that “was never really put out to bid.” He added that it would be easy to rig a bid this way by telling a favored bidder: “Bid very low to get the award,” because the cost of the contract would be cut later.

The situation is muddied even more by a $1,000 campaign contribution made by the president of CHS to freeholder Anthony Romano. A rival bidder says the contribution violates the state’s pay-to-play laws and should eliminate CHS. The freeholders also are being sued for denying an OPRA request for closed-session transcripts of discussions pertaining to the contract.

Gallipoli instructed the county to void the contract and rebid. His ruling was upheld by an appellate panel, and the state Supreme Court refused a stay. The freeholders complied, but moved to let CHS continue working while it continues its appeals.

But there’s an easy way to settle all of this, save taxpayers further unnecessary expense and remove any cloud of impropriety: Rebid the contract.