Council digs down deep to help law enforcement
By Daily Press staff
(Editor’s note: This is part of an ongoing series that tracks the city’s expenditures which appear on the upcoming Santa Monica City Council consent agenda. Consent agenda items are routinely passed by the city council with little or no discussion from elected officials or the public. However, many of the items have been part of public discussion in the past.) COUNCIL CHAMBERS — City Hall officials are expected to spend an estimated $1 million tonight in attempts to clean house and bring their operations into the future.
Most of the money will go towards dusting off Santa Monica’s computer software licenses and having them renewed by Dell Software and Peripherals. Meanwhile, the city’s banking services contract will remain in Bank of America’s basket, after the city tested the waters with several other financial institutions.
Also among the consent items on the agenda, the city will allocate grant funding towards protecting its dive team and bolstering its fight against violent criminals.
In an effort to keep the city’s hands clean for the next five years, officials will agree to pay Dell Software $903,588 to update their computer program licenses. The city is purchasing new Microsoft software licenses, upgrading old licenses and tracking them all through a web-based system.
The contract does not cover the purchase or repair of the actual computers, but the city already has $180,717 set aside for hardware upgrades and could re-new that amount for the next four years.
City Hall will also sweep $102,500 to Bank of America this year as part of a four-year contract with the financial institution. Bank of America has worked with the city for the past five years, and after evaluating proposals from nine other banks, City Hall officials are sticking to a successfully tested service.
The new contract will go into effect after the Sept. 30 expiration date of the old agreement. The five-year agreement could be extended to as many as nine years if the city uses its option to renew in five years. The cost of the services will be re-evaluated on a yearly basis.
Santa Monica will also receive $50,121 in federal grant money to be soaked up for local law enforcement, as long as the city matches 10 percent of the money. City Hall recommends $26,846 of the grant money and $2,685 of the city’s matching funds be used to buy eight new Viking Pro 100 dry suits for the Police Harbor Unit dive team. Because the divers spend a concentrated amount of time in the water, even when water pollution advisories are in effect, the suits will serve to protect them from the bacteria in the Santa Monica Bay that could cause respiratory, digestive and skin diseases.
The remaining $28,844 of the grant and $2,884 of the city’s money will fund DNA and advanced forensic services to help wipe away violent criminals. The DNA and forensic services provide detectives with an important evidence tool in their investigation of violent crimes.
Residents in the 1300, 1400 and 1500 blocks of Fifth Street and 500 block of Broadway could find themselves neighboring with the city some time soon. City Hall is considering the purchase of 11 properties on Fifth Street and Broadway, and after tonight, officials will be able to explore and possibly negotiate a contract for the properties.
If purchased, the plots could be used for temporary parking while three downtown parking structures are demolished and replaced with fresh new lots. The final cost of buying the properties will be released if and when City Hall strikes a deal.
City Council is also expected to oppose a bill that could give the families of fire-fighters more time to file a claim for work-related death benefits. Currently, families of Santa Monica’s firefighters are able to file a claim for benefits if the fire-fighter died within 240 weeks of being injured. Under the proposed bill, however, the families would be able to hold the city liable 10, 20, or even 30 years after the fireman retired or was exposed to a fire.
City Hall wants the bill dumped because it wouldn’t be realistic to investigate the cause of death so many years after retirement or any injuries. If the legislation is passed, the city will face an immeasurable and costs that could effect other resources.
The council will also officially bid farewell to one of the city’s furriest police officers, Carlo, who has helped eradicate many a felon from the city streets.
Carlo will be retired tonight after serving Santa Monica faithfully for 8 1/2 years. One of Santa Monica’s best friends has helped in many felony arrests here as well as in other cities. Carlo, 12, will go home with his best friend — Officer Mario Toti — and from now on, he’ll only be seen off duty.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 27, 2004. Read the original PDF.