EDITOR’S NOTE: This story is part of an ongoing series that tracks the city’s expenditures appearing on upcoming Santa Monica City Council consent agendas — items routinely passed that have been part of public discussion in the past.
CITY HALL — The City Council is expected tonight to spend more than $1.18 million on a handful of contracts with private firms that will provide a wide range of duties city staff cannot do themselves or would be too costly.
Contracts range from a $486,510 agreement with ICF International, LLC to monitor gases generated from the former landfill under portions of the City Yards and Stewart Street Park, to an additional $16,949 for an amended contract with Martin & Chapman for services rendered during the Nov. 7 municipal election.
The anticipated expenditures come as the City Council continues to debate the way in which city staff recommend contracting with private firms. Elected officials Saturday called into question a matrix used by staff that takes into account whether or not City Hall has the personnel needed to complete a task; if there is enough equipment available and if not, how much would acquiring it cost; if benefits are issued and at what cost; and if knowledge of Santa Monica is crucial to performing the task at hand.
Councilman Ken Genser said he would like City Hall to be more socially responsible in its decision-making and look to do as many jobs in-house so that the best benefits are offered to workers instead of being “like Wal-Mart.”
Contracts will continue to be discussed as City Manager Lamont Ewell looks for the council to develop a comprehensive policy towards contracting, which will include when City Hall should hire consultants.
PASSING GAS The largest contract expected to be approved is the $486,510 agreement with ICF to monitor emissions from the former landfill located under the current City Yards and part of Stewart Street Park.
Currently, a gas extraction and treatment system has been installed and is fully operational, meeting all permit requirements set forth by the South Coast Air Quality Management District and the Los Angeles County Department of Health, according to a city staff report.
The extraction system was installed in July 1998. The contract is for two years, with a third option not to exceed $261,648, for a total of $748,158 over three years to operate, maintain and monitor the extraction system.
PumpMan, Inc. could be the beneficiary of a $248,000 contract if the council approves the expenditure tonight. The contract is for one year and calls for PumpMan to provide water pump maintenance and repairs to the city’s wastewater system. The estimated cost for the first year is $248,000, which amounts to $873,000 over a three-year period.
City Hall owns several wastewater pumping stations and runoff diversion systems, all operating around the clock — except for the diversion plants, which are shut down during storms — and require routine pump maintenance, trou-bleshooting/repair and replacement parts.
PumpMan is currently providing the same services.
With a staff that has outgrown City Hall, the council has to often rent space in local, privately-owned buildings. The council tonight is considering amending a lease with Metropolitan Pacific Capital, LLC so that the proper improvements to the building can be made.
The amendment is not to exceed $170,000. Currently, City Hall receives a tenant improvement allowance of $38 per square foot. Tenants improvements have included new electrical wiring and fixtures, fire alarms, plumbing, computer wiring, flooring, walls, doors and paint.
City Hall has been able to save over $30,000 on the improvements, however, the cost of upgrading the building at 1433 Fourth Street is more than anticipated.
The building currently houses the Civil Engineering and Architecture Division.
What would Big Blue Bus be if riders had no idea when or where to catch a lift?
To make sure riders are informed of routes and times of departure, the council is expected to award Positive Existence, Inc. a one-year contract of $125,000 for the printing of bus schedules. The schedules show the locations of bus stops, routes, transfer points, fare information and special holiday schedules.
Positive will be required to print the schedules using recycled paper and soy or vegetable based inks in accordance with the Sustainable City Plan.
Keeping the pier pristine is a difficult job given the millions who visit it each year, which is why the council is expected to hire The Resource Collection for janitorial services. Resource was selected out of 13 firms who applied for the job.
The one-year contract is for $110,100, with two additional one-year renewals for an estimated total of $343,500, according to a city staff report. The contract is subject to living wage increases.
Keyser Martin Associates, Inc, a real estate consultant working on The Village development near City Hall, is asking for a contract extension in the amount of $25,000 for services rendered. The firm has provided real estate economic analysis and negotiation assistance between the Redevelopment Agency and the developer of The Village.
The council is being asked tonight to amend a contract with Martin & Chapman in the amount of $16,949.56 to reflect additional services rendered during the last election. It seems the consultant hired a mailing house to send out voter information guides to residents and wants to get reimbursed.
Tonight will not be all about spending money. The council will be asked to accept a $35,000 grant from the California Endowment for a statewide homeless community court conference. Homeless Czar Ed Edelman secured a commitment from the endowment to fund the conference following City Hall’s establishment of a community court, which will open sometime this month or in February.
The conference is scheduled for March 29 and is intended to attract those who are interested in innovative solutions to homelessness that supplement those of the homeless courts. The conference is co-sponsored by City Hall, the endowment, the State Administrative Office of the Courts, the Center for Court Innovation, Public Counsel and RAND.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on January 9, 2007. Read the original PDF.