State Auditor found no procurement violation in Orem's 2022 school-split study contract

In a May 2, 2022, letter, the Office of the State Auditor said Orem's selection of a vendor for its school district feasibility study appeared to fall within an exception to bidding requirements in city ordinance 2-7-6(A). ^[1]

"Therefore, we do not believe a violation of Orem's procurement ordinance occurred in this case," the letter said. ^[1] It encouraged governments to use competitive procurement "to the greatest extent possible, even when not required by code, ordinance, or policy." ^[1]

The letter said a relationship the complainant described as a conflict of interest did not appear to rise to non-compliance with state law. ^[1] It referred concerns under the Open and Public Meetings Act to the Attorney General's Civil Review Committee. ^[1]

The study

The council voted unanimously on Feb. 8, 2022, to start the study, and DEC Consultants was selected on April 4, 2022, according to the city's study page. ^[2]

The city solicited six firms and received two proposals, a city spokesman told the Daily Herald. ^[3]

On Aug. 2, 2022, the council voted 4-3 to put the creation of an Orem school district on the November ballot, and on Nov. 8, 2022, voters chose not to create one. ^[2]

Attorney General

In November 2022, the Daily Herald reported that the Attorney General's Office found no open meetings violation in the council's decision to cut portions of its Sept. 27 and Oct. 11, 2022, meeting broadcasts, and closed that inquiry. ^[4]

An Attorney General spokesman told the paper at the time that other complaints about the mayor and council were still being reviewed. ^[4]