ANOTHER EXCLUSIVE BIG VALLEY NEWS EDITORIALMadera - This Saturday my kids are taking their baseball photos for the Madera National Little League. Except this year there is a new photographer with a new contract. That photographer is Gomes Images owned by Billy and Cathy Gomes.
Not only that but Kathy Gomes was the person who requested and accepted bids from other photographers. Now I do not know if Mrs. Gomes looked at all the bids before one was selected but she sure did have the opportunity. I also know she did not contact all the photographers that shoot youth sports in the area, let alone Madera, for bids.
I try to do business above board. If it's even a little bit in the gray, I stay away. I don't know how anyone looking at this contract can"t see it's at the very least a conflict of interest.
Taking bids for a contract is a way of getting the best price for the best work. If the person who wins the bid is also the person sending out the requests for bids and the person accepting the bids, common sense says there is a problem with this?
If this were a city contract and a city councilmen won the bid and voted to approve it, everyone would be screaming foul. How could the board of the Madera National Little League be so arrogant to think they would get away with this and no one would be yelling FOUL?
Not to mention that the photo prices are all higher this year then they were last year. And last years photographer's bid this year was less than the one that won the bid. Most of the packages offered this year are marked up over 500 percent. The largest package sells for $33 but has a print cost of only $6.50 (based on Snap Photos wholesale prices).
If your kid plays for the Madera National Little League you need to start attending board meetings. You need to start getting involved. This is your league and these are your kids. Get involved or get run over.
