Crabtree enhances Saugus purchase power

SAUGUS – Saugus Town Manager Scott Crabtree has been named a Massachusetts Certified Public Purchasing Official (MCPPO) by the state’s Office of the Inspector General, which allows him to make better use of town spending and will benefit the new high school project.To receive the certification, he completed a series of courses and exams on cost-effective, ethical and modern purchasing practices; the stewardship of resources in the public’s interest; and compliance with Massachusetts contracting laws, according to a release from the town manager’s office.”It’s a comprehensive program where you learn and train and take multiple exams on purchasing and procurement,” Crabtree said. “I think it’s extremely important to have that certification when you’re spending taxpayers’ money.”There were three different series of courses and each involved an exam, he said.”The course work gave a broad comprehensive understanding of all the different statutes and different services and construction and contract matters,” Crabtree said.”When you’re spending taxpayers’ money, you should be doing it in the best practices and following statute,” he said. “You should get the best quality and best services.”The law and best practices in procuring services and goods are set up so that you are getting the best price for those services,” he said. “Low bidders with quality work. Not overpaying for good service or construction.”When I took over as town manager in 2012, a lot of them weren’t being followed,” he said.The town manager is the chief procurement officer for the town, so this certification covers all of the statutes, practices and types of purchasing and procurement that he is responsible for from all of the departments.Crabtree also said that he wanted to have department heads who are involved with purchasing and procurement, such as the Department of Public Works and the Police Department, take some of the training courses offered through the Office of the Inspector General.Crabtree’s certification will also benefit plans to build a new high school in upcoming years. The Saugus High School Project Building Committee is currently in the feasibility phase of a process with the Massachusetts School Building Authority.”This is all stuff that would help when hiring a project manager, designer and getting qualified people and companies,” he said. “In fact, the MSBA actually requires that somebody from the School Building Committee has the certification.””It’s helpful and important for a department head to do a lot of this purchasing and procurement,” he said.”An award of this designation demonstrates your commitment to excellence in public procurement,” said Joyce McEntee Emmett, director of the MCPPO program, in a letter to Crabtree.There are six different designations, and MCPPO is the highest. “They are widely recognized by local jurisdictions in Massachusetts as an indication of familiarity with Massachusetts procurement practices,” the release said.