HICKORY CREEK — A council member parachuted in with an extra bid for a security system during a specially called meeting, derailing a year-old purchase process for another month.

Chris Gordon insisted that the sales representative from Advanced Virtual Surveillance had not seen the bid the town received from Encompass Security, but Gordon did read the company the specifications, based on what was pre­sent­ed in the council packet, over the phone. His purpose, Gordon said, was to find a less expensive system that had more flexibility than the one recommended by city staff.

“I think you’ll find you’ll like the price," Gordon said.

When the discussion began, Court Clerk Gayla Martin presented a bid from Encompass of $5,880 to outfit Town Hall and another $3,138 for the new public works building, with a $52 per month maintenance agreement.

She told the council that the project was proceeding more slowly than desired because one of the town’s police officers be­gan researching the purchase about a year ago and had since left.

But staff recommended a purchase contract with Encompass because its system contains brand-name components, she said.

“So if there are extenuating circumstances, it can be serviced by anyone,” Martin said.

The town needs security cameras at the new public works building and in several locations around Town Hall, including one exterior camera pointed at the soon-to-be-in­stalled veteran’s memorial.

Hamed Mazrouei of Advanced Virtual Surveillance wasn’t among the first round of vendors screened by the town staff.

He told the council that his company’s client base comes almost exclusively by referral.

When Mayor Pro Tem Richard Baker asked why the company seemed to know what Encompass had bid without seeing the documents, Mazrouei said that he was accustomed to seeing the bids of competitors.

His company uses digital recording, with system components from ADT, he said.

“Law enforcement is very accustomed to using it,” Mazrouei said, describing how police cue up the part of the recording they require and take a DVR into evidence.

Advanced Virtual Surveil­lance bid $5,794.65 to install a system at Town Hall and $3,094.75 at the public works building. His company charges no monthly maintenance fee, but does give the option of a three-year service warranty for $150.

Mayor John Smith was reluctant to table the agenda item, but said that, to be fair, the other company needed to be able to make a presentation.

Martin told the council she didn’t know about the bid Gordon had arranged, otherwise she would have called Encompass.

The council agreed to table the item until December to give Encompass a chance to be present and to answer questions.

Mazrouei agreed to leave the bid from Advanced Virtual Surveillance open for 30 days, rather than the seven-day window originally proposed.

The council’s next regular meeting is Dec. 16.

PEGGY HEINKEL-WOLFE can be reached at 940-566-6881. Her e-mail address is pheinkel-wolfe@dentonrc.com .