15.2-2102 - How bids received and to whom franchise awarded.
§ 15.2-2102. How bids received and to whom franchise awarded.
The presiding officer shall read aloud, or cause to be read aloud, a briefsummary of each of the bids that have been received, for public information,and shall then inquire if any further bids are offered. If further bids areoffered, they shall be received. The presiding officer shall thereafterdeclare the bidding closed. The presiding officer shall receiverecommendations from the staff relative to any bids received in advance andstaff's recommendations, if any, on any bids received at the advertisedcouncil meeting. After such other investigation as the council sees fit tomake, the council shall accept the highest bid from a responsible bidder andshall adopt the ordinance as advertised, without substantial variation,except to insert the name of the accepted bidder. However, the council, by arecorded vote of a majority of the members elected to the council, may rejecta higher bid and accept a lower bid from a responsible bidder and award thefranchise, right, lease or privilege to the lower bidder, if, in its opinion,some reason affecting the interest of the city or town makes it advisable todo so, which reason shall be expressed in the body of the subsequentordinance granting the franchise, right, lease or privilege. The processdescribed in this section may run concurrently with any other advertisementor public ordinance requirements of this title, or such requirements as maybe contained in charters of such cities or towns.
(Code 1950, § 15-730; 1962, c. 623, § 15.1-310; 1997, c. 587; 2001, c. 498.)