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— Property maintenance and nonprofit funding are responsible for the $965,403 in spending to potentially be approved by City Council tonight.
No tanks
City Hall will likely approve $383,910 to the California-based Charles E. Thomas Co. to remove two 40,000-gallon diesel fuel tanks from underneath the Big Blue Bus facility.
BBB, in a commitment to natural gas, is decommissioning its eight remaining diesel buses and therefore does not need diesel tanks. The tanks are slated for removal as soon as BBB makes the full switch to natural gas, which city officials say will be by the end of the fall.
A shoring system will be designed and built to protect other buildings in the bus yard.
Underground storage tanks require regular maintenance and testing per state regulations. With the removal of these tanks, the testing and maintenance costs as well as the potential environmental harm associated with diesel run-off will be gone.
Charles E. Thomas Co. bid for the project at $349,000, beating the next top firm by more than $70,000 and the city engineer's estimate by $1,000. The final total, $383,910, reflects the firm's initial bid plus a 10 percent contingency.
Burden of roof
Three companies could split the $325,000 annual roofing contract for City Hall-owned buildings. With two renewal options, the potential three-year total could be $975,000.
Apex Roofing Contractors, Best Contracting Services, and TECTA America Southern California were selected by city officials to divvy up roofing jobs over the next year. They were the only companies to submit bids.
The use of three contractors assures that roof replacements and leak repairs are handled quickly, city officials said. It also increases competition for jobs over $5,000, for which all three competitors will have to submit bids.
About 50 roof repair jobs are performed each year, city officials said. The $325,000 would allot an average of $6,500 per job.
Youth grants
Two nonprofits could receive a combined $239,688 in grants for youth programs.
A standing grant agreement with St. Joseph Center would increase by $147,000, bringing the total to $802,266.
In June, following two gang shootings and the Santa Monica College shooting, City Council approved a grant to support vulnerable older youth, aged 16 to 24.
St. Joseph Center and Pico Youth & Family Center applied for the grant, but Saint Joseph was awarded the grant as it uses nationally recognized, evidence-based best practices, including employing clinically trained staff knowledgeable in motivational interviewing, harm reduction and cognitive-behavioral therapy, city officials said.
The Hospitality Training Academy would also receive a youth-related grant of $92,688. The grant would fund an employment assistance program for 50 at-risk young adults.
OPCC money for advocate
OPCC, which provides Santa Monica's only domestic violence shelter, is expected to receive a $16,805 one-year agreement, with four additional renewal options bringing the potential total to $84,025. The money is to be used to partially fund a domestic violence advocate who would help a victim throughout trial as they prepare to testify for the prosecutor.
City Hall has been funding and providing a workspace for OPCC, formerly called Ocean Park Community Center, for more than 20 years.
Vacant house to sell for a million
The council could authorize the sale of a million-dollar residential property. Approval would give city officials the go ahead to negotiate the sale of a single family home located at 1122 22nd St. to Pezhman Firoozfam for $1,067,000. If that sale falls through, the agenda item also allows for city officials to negotiate the sale of the property to Maryland Estates, Inc. for $1,025,000.
Proceeds would be set aside for affordable housing.
In 1994, the nearly 6,000-square-foot property was given to City Hall by the estate of Anna Blackburn. City Hall spends about $7,500 a year for upkeep.
The 1,107-square-foot home is vacant. The property is zoned for low density, multi-family development and could allow four new residential units.
In June, City Hall put the house up for sale and received 28 bids. Both the recommended offers are above market value, city officials said.
BBB seeking sublet
Big Blue Bus is looking to lease out its customer information store to the retailer California Love, LLC.
BBB would receive more for the California Love sublease, which would start in November, than it pays City Hall for the spot. It would save about $219,000 over the next four years.
BBB would relocate its customer service center from the current location at 223 Broadway to the ground floor retail space in a parking structure on Fourth Street at Broadway. Additionally, BBB hopes to open a customer service location at City Hall by next year.
dave@www.smdp.com
