By Tony Cantú
Contributing Writer

Alamo Heights authorized a contract for vehicle towing and impounding of vehicles at its last city council meeting – but not without some controversy.

During its April 28 meeting, the Alamo Heights City Council approved a contract with Mission Wrecker Service S.A. Inc. for towing and impounding of vehicles owned by motorists owing municipal fines. Undergoing a capital improvements project, the city in October closed its locally operated impound and storage area in anticipation of future construction, yielding the need for a contractor.

The matter was pulled from the April 14 council meeting. By the next week, the city deemed Mission Wrecker most qualified to provide the service.

But the other bidder is now crying foul. Joe Anthony Guerrero, vice president of operations at Danny’s Road Service, Inc., questioned the fairness of the bidding process. He deemed his firm’s offerings as superior: an impound lot just eight minutes away from City Hall, a 20 percent share of towing proceeds allotted to city coffers and a history of municipal work. Yet he says his company’s bid was dismissed after incentives were added post-deadline, although he contends such last-minute revisions were allowed.

“In the RFP [request for proposals] it said we can negotiate at any point in time,” Guerrero said. “The chief said he had put a deadline on it. He came to the city council and said the incentives were put in too late.”

Alamo Heights Police Chief Rick Pruitt – who oversaw the evaluation process – disagreed: “Those incentives did not come forward until well after the RFP was closed. Twenty-five days after the RFP was closed, he submitted his incentives. The rules were specifically spelled out in the RFP.”

Pruitt said the RFP deadline was March 14, and Danny’s Road Service submitted a revamped bid on April 7. Hoping to secure the work, Danny’s Road Service offered the city a 20 percent share of towing and impound fees to Alamo Heights, greater than the 10 percent offered by Mission Wrecker.

Guerrero further noted his company’s impound lot is just six miles from the Alamo Heights Police Department at 315 Rivas, while Mission’s is located in Converse, Texas. He said Balcones Heights residents’ objections to that distance largely led the city to terminate the contract and secure another provider.

“All the residents were having to go to Converse to reclaim their vehicles, Guerrero said, predicting Alamo Heights residents would soon complain over the same inconvenience.

Pruitt rebutted his Balcones Heights counterpart, Bill Stannard, replaced Mission Wrecker because of his past positive history with Banis Towing – not based on Mission’s contract performance. Stannard ascended to the chief’s post after his predecessor’s retirement about two years ago.

Stannard was out of town, and could not be reached for comment. But Balcones Heights Assistant Chief of Police Bobby de la Garza concurred with Pruitt’s assessment, and lauded Mission’s service.

Pruitt noted criteria weighted heavily on security, equipment and other factors, less on lot proximity. He deemed Mission Wrecker – with its fleet of fleet of 34 tow trucks capable of hauling both light and ultra-heavy duty trucks – as best qualified.

Pruitt’s is the last word on the issue, and the matter appears closed: “We absolutely made the best decision for Alamo Heights.”