The City Council passed a resolution requesting an IG investigation into potential ethical violations in the procurement process.

The city official at the center of the contract-fixing allegations is set to answer questions under oath at a City Council meeting this week.

Council members also approved a resolution to halt a proposed short-term contract for the project, which could be adopted without their approval.

The documents include a draft contract and hundreds of emails showing frequent communications going back years between city officials, a ‘pro bono’ consultant and companies that would eventually win the city bid for the project.

The four-page letter does not address many of the council’s questions and concerns, but it does provide more information about the plan than was previously available.

The Cantrell administration is now considering beginning the project — originally pitched as a multiyear contract — with a one-year agreement, which would not require council approval.

The City Council still needs to approve the multi-year contract for the contract, but so far, that contract hasn’t been presented to the public or Council President Helena Moreno.

Emails show that city consulted with a ‘pro bono’ consultant connected to the winning bidder weeks before advertisements for bids went out.