The Kalispell City Council moved toward a formal change in an ordinance related to competitive bid purchasing at its meeting Tuesday night.

City ordinance has long required the city to use competitive bidding for all purchases exceeding $50,000. But a change in state law raised that limit to $80,000, and the council aims to match the new limit in its city code.

At a recent council meeting, the council rejected bids on two dump trucks because city staffers considered them to be excessive. Officials were confident that the trucks could be purchased for less simply by shopping on the open market, but that requires the limit in the city ordinance to be changed.

“We would just have that flexibility,” City Manager Doug Russell explained.

Questioned by the council members about whether they would still be informed of significant purchases that were pursued without competitive bidding, Russell said it wouldn’t be wise for him to neglect informing the council, and he quipped that it wouldn’t be good for his job security.

The council unanimously voted for the ordinance change on first reading; a final vote will be taken at the next council meeting.

Also Tuesday, newly elected council member Sandy Carlson was sworn into office.