Council spreads word about new beach club
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. 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.
CITY HALL The City Council is expected to spend more than $5 million tonight, the majority of which is slated for the annual street and park lighting upgrades, which will include the installation of energy efficient light fixtures and new street lights on the beach bike path from Bay Street to the southern city limits.
The construction contract with Dynalectric for $4,284,390 includes the replacement of existing lighting circuits on various city streets and parks with multiple circuits and the installation of new lighting fixtures.
The following locations have been identified as the highest priority and will be upgraded: ■Santa Monica Boulevard from 12th Street to 16th Court; 17th Court to 26th Street; 26th Street to Centinela Avenue. ■ Main Street from Pico Boulevard to Strand Street, Strand to Norman streets; Norman to the south eastern city limits. ■ Fourth Street from Colorado to Pico boulevards. ■ Ocean Avenue from Bicknel to Hollister avenues. ■ Barnard Way from Hollister to Ashland avenues and Ocean Park Boulevard from Barnard to Nielson ways. ■ Nielson to Marine Street and Ocean Park. ■ Beach bike path and parking lots. ■ Lincoln Boulevard from San Vicente Boulevard to Alta Avenue; and from Wilshire to Santa Monica boulevards. ■ Ocean Park from Nielson to Seventh Court. ■ Nielson from Pico to Ocean Park. The council appropriates money each year to upgrade the streetlight infrastructure. Dynalectric, which was one of six companies to bid for the contract, has done similar work for Burbank, Glendale, the Sepulveda Corridor for Los Angeles, and the city of Los Alamitos.
The TCM Group will inspect the construction work for $293,062 under the proposal submitted by city staff.
In an effort to improve and streamline the data collection process for fire fighters and emergency medical technicians, the council is considering purchasing a new tracking and reporting system for $242,895 from Proper LLC.
Currently the fire department uses a tracking system that requires its employees to enter patient information manually, which is lengthy and inadequate, hampering the effective use of the data, according to a city staff report.
Proper’s FireMed Pro system was deemed their clear choice in a detailed product comparison matrix developed by staff because it uses scanners to digitize hardcopy EMS forms, then automatically extracts patient care information and writes it to a database, where it is available for searching and reporting.
The system would allow data collection to occur at the fire houses rather than at a centralized location, allowing paramedics to scan their own reports. CREATING A CULTURE The Annenberg Community Beach Club is scheduled to open in January 2009, but without the proper marketing campaign, there may not be anyone around to attend.
That’s why the council is being asked to approve a $150,000-contract with AdamsMorioka Inc. for community education and outreach, special event marketing and cultural programming.
City staff believes it is important to present a consistent look and message through site signage, interactive media, and printed materials to contribute to the public’s perception and recognition of the location. Essentially, they are looking to AdamsMorioka to help them create an identity for the public beach club.
The challenge for the beach club is to develop a site identity that reflects the unique characteristics of the site but one that also recognizes the identities of Santa Monica and state parks, city staff said.
AdamsMorioka has worked with Cal Arts, USC, RedCat Theater and the Sundance Companies.
The contract comes with an option to extend the score of services in an amount not to exceed an additional $100,000.
Choosing a new product can be difficult, especially if you don’t know what to look for. To assist City Hall in purchasing a new homeless management information system, the council is being asked to enter into a contract with consultant Canavan Associations in the amount of $81,402.
Canavan will be called on to assist in the transfer of data from the current tracking system, and make sure that City Hall is complying with federal standards.
Tonight will not completely be about spending. The council will have the pleasure of accepting a $58,993 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, which will help pay for the DNA/Advanced Forensic Evidence project, which have helped detectives solve five of Santa Monica’s most troubling cold case homicides.
No local match is required for the grant. The funds will ensure continued access to the crime lab through December 2010. The grant gives the police department a “potent” investigative tool that is too expensive for the city to pay for on its own, according to a city staff report.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 25, 2007. Read the original PDF.