The Denver City Council rejected a that would have allowed the city to continue working with a company that creates marketing videos for the Office of Human Resources.
The council, which seldom rejects contracts, was split evenly in its vote, with six members in favor and six opposed. Tied votes are counted as rejections under the council rules.
The proposal would have brought the city’s payment to Sunny Side Up Solutions LLC, a Florida-based company, to a total of $1 million and extended the partnership until 2031.
In the first three-year deal, the company created marketing materials, including videos with the brand #SeeYourselfHere, a weekly Denver employee podcast and job recruitment campaigns.
Councilwoman Shontel Lewis called the proposal up off of the council’s consent agenda to raise questions about it and to request a full vote during the meeting Monday. She asked the Office of Human Resources to provide metrics showing the effectiveness of the program and what the new dollars would fund.
Councilwoman Jamie Torres also raised questions about whether the Office of Human Resources should have allowed for a more competitive process to play out before extending the contract.
Lewis, along with council members Amanda Sandoval, Jamie Torres, Stacie Gilmore, Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez and Kevin Flynn, voted against the proposal.
