SANTA MONICA BLVD. — The bumpy ride along one of the most heavily traveled roads in the city will soon get a lot smoother.
Fresh pavement is planned for a nearly one-mile stretch of Santa Monica Boulevard from Cloverfield Boulevard to Centinela Avenue as part of a federally-funded project that will include repairing sidewalks and installing concrete gutters.
The City Council is expected to approve two contracts for the Santa Monica Boulevard Resurfacing Project that’s part of a $13.7 million spending package on the table tonight.
Those contracts are slated to go to All American Asphalt for construction services, totaling $674,638, and Tetra Tech for project management at a cost of $67,100.
The project will be funded through the federal stimulus package.
Aiding the flow of vehicles once the project is completed will be the new Advanced Traffic Management System, which will centralize all signal controllers and other transportation command devices.
The council will be asked to authorize a $320,000 contract with Iteris Inc. to design the communication infrastructure for the system, which will include features such as favoring the flow of public transit on streets like Santa Monica and Wilshire boulevards. Approximately 38 signalized intersections will be included.
Selling state loans
A $3.1 million loan to the state using local property tax revenues could be paid back well in advance of the 2013 reimbursement deadline.
City Hall is planning to sell the loan to the California Statewide Communities Development Authority, a joint-powers agency between the California State Association of Counties and the League of California Cities that issues bonds to immediately repay member municipalities while assuming ownership of the state’s obligation in exchange.
The council will be asked to authorize the sale of the loan, which would allow City Hall to receive $3.1 million from the authority this fiscal year.
The state is borrowing 8 percent of property tax revenues apportioned to cities, counties and special districts and legally has until June 30, 2013 to pay back those loans plus interest. With the sale of the loan, the state will later reimburse the authority.
Property tax revenues are expected to decrease next year but not because of state borrowing.
The council will be asked to approve Mills Act contracts with the owners of five historic properties, including the famous beachside cottage at 2219 Ocean Ave., which drew attention several years ago when its former owner proposed demolishing the aging structure.
The Mills Act is a state law that authorizes local governments to award property tax reductions for qualified historic sites as a financial incentive for preservation. The contracts will go to craftsman-style residences at 405 Palisades Ave., 514 Palisades, 236 Adelaide Drive and 3018 Third St.
The contracts are expected to reduce property tax revenue by $23,264 next fiscal year.
Temping at City Hall
A dozen different staffing agencies will be responsible for providing temporary relief to City Hall for the next five years.
Council will be asked to authorize the Human Resource Department to issue the purchase orders for temporary staff from the various agencies through the 2013-14 fiscal year. Among the agencies are Corestaff Services, First Call Staffing Services and Chrysalis, which provides employment opportunities to homeless individuals looking to build their resumes.
City officials estimate that temporary staffing will cost less than $750,000 a year.
The council is also slated to approve annual premium payments for city employees’ group life and long-term disability insurance plans with Prudential Insurance Company of America. The annual premiums are estimated to be $1.2 million for calendar years 2010-12.
New grants for homeland security
City Hall will receive two grants to enhance its capability to prevent and respond to threats and incidents of terrorism.
The grants, totaling more than $146,000, will come from the State Homeland Security Grant Program and the Urban Area Security Initiative.
Consulting for bonds
A relationship with Stradling, Yocca, Carlson and Rauth, which has been providing legal services related to bonds, will continue a while longer as City Hall evaluates various debt financing options, including two that could save the municipality an estimated $1.6 million.
City staff will be asking the council to increase the contract by $150,000.
The two debts that are being considered for refunding concern bonds for the Public Safety Facility construction and Hyperion Wastewater Treatment Plant.
City Hall retrofit project still going
The council will be asked to approve a series of contract extensions and new agreements related to the retrofit of City Hall and conversion of the old jail space to house the Information System Department.
They include a new $3.8 million contract with West Valley Investment Group; a $580,429 extension with Black and Veatch for the retrofit portion of the project; a $55,938 extension with Black and Veatch for the HVAC (Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning) replacement project; and a new $727,504 contract with Data Specialties to design and build the new City Hall Data Center, which will be housed in the old jail space.
The extension with Black and Veatch concerns the addition of construction administration services.
melodyh@www.smdp.com
