New minimum purchasing requirements to match inflation OK’d

NEW ULM – The New Ulm City Council agreed to raise the minimum purchasing requirement for New Ulm City’s staff from $2,500 to $5,000.

During Tuesday’s New Ulm City Council meeting, City Finance Director Nicole Jorgensen recommended the council update the purchasing policy. In 2015, the city set the minimum purchase order requirement at $2,500. This means anything ordered by city staff at $2,500 or over this price needed a formal purchase order.

Jorgensen said since 2015, inflation has increased significantly. Certain items that previously did not require a purchase order now required a purchase order increasing. This applies to even low-risk purchases and has increased the volume of staff paperwork. In some cases; specifically for maintenance, staff need to address problems quickly and t