OCEAN CITY – The competing bidder to the awarded Vehicle Vending Franchise came before the Mayor and City Council this week in an attempt to overturn the recent decision.
At the conclusion of Monday evening’s Mayor and City council meeting, Bradley Ball of Hamilton Vending came before the Mayor and City Council appealing their decision of choosing Georgeo’s Water Ice, Inc.
Last week City Clerk Kelly Allmond recommended awarding the Town of Ocean City’s four-year Vehicle Vending Franchise to Georgeo’s Water Ice in the amount of $32,100 per year.
After a drawn out bidding process for the town’s Vehicle Vending Franchise, just two bids were received from Georgeo’s Water Ice and the second was from Hamilton Vending, for the amount of $33,930 per year. The council acknowledged the apparent highest bid from Hamilton Vending and remanded the bids to staff for review.
Upon recommendation, Allmond submitted both vendors were evaluated for credit worthiness, quality and service of product based on reference checks, the annual bid amount and refrigeration plan, and Georgeo’s scored the highest overall.
George Swayngim of Georgeo’s began his frozen treat business as a mobile vendor in 1980 and operates frozen dessert distribution warehouses in Pennsylvania and Selbyville, Del.
This week Ball asserted he had worked for prior Vehicle Vending Franchise owner Gregory Ferrante from 1995 to 1998. Following that experience, he owned one of the town’s three beach photography franchises from 2003 to 2006 paying the town $1 million during the four-year term while also holding the beach photography franchise in Wildwood and North Wildwood, N.J.
“I am here tonight because my name and signature was on the vehicles vending franchise and I was the high bidder,” Ball said. “There were criteria in the bid package that the city deemed necessary. As far as credit reference is concerned I have the city itself as a credit reference. I have paid the city in full, never late, always on time and never requested my $254,687.90 per year to be reduced in the two toughest weather seasons of 2003 and 2004. I am a little confused on why I wasn’t selected as the high bidder … I signed that document personally, which makes me 100 percent liable therefore my credit and my experience should have been taken into consideration.”
Ball concluded by addressing City Solicitor Guy Ayres in regards to “Offer and Acceptance,” stating the bid can be rescinded if the awarded bidder’s check has not been cashed. Ball took his seat without receiving a response from the council or staff.
“Brad Ball appealed the Mayor and City Council’s award of the Vehicle Vending Franchise to Georgeo’s. He cited that he has excellent credit with the city and that he has experience. While all of that may be true, compared to Georgeo’s who has been in the ice cream vending business for over 30 years, I chose them due to years of experience, quality of service and excellent client references. Brad [Ball] had excellent client references, too, but he took exception to the fact that he was not selected,” Allmond said on Wednesday.
Upon receiving the bids, Allmond researched Hamilton Vending and did not find record of the company.
“The bid requires 80 percent of the first annual fee as a deposit. The law says they can renege on their choice as long as they haven’t cashed the check,” Allmond said, adding the check has not been cashed.
To Allmond’s knowledge, council members have not indicated they are interested in overturning their decision, and the city is moving forward with Georgeo’s Water Ice being the new vehicle vending franchisee.