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 will be asked to spend roughly $1.22 million Tuesday on a wide range of goods and services, including replacing aging bathrooms on the 2400 block of Ocean Front Walk to conducting a voter survey on a potential ballot measure to pay for key infrastructure projects and possibly build affordable housing.
A California-based company, Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates (FM3), will be recommended by city officials to conduct a voter survey on a potential ballot measure for the 2014 election. If approved by the council, the firm will be paid $27,800, according to a city staff report.
The voter survey is to gauge public opinion on potential ballot measures related to capital projects and affordable housing funding in light of the loss of redevelopment agencies, which were dissolved by the state. Affordable housing, the construction of a new fire station, seismic rehabilitation of Fire Station 3, updated safety communications equipment, and the reconstruction of the Corporation Yards remain unfunded.
Software license
Laserfiche, a California-based company, is being recommended for a $73,674 contract to provide an electronic imaging and document management system. The total contract would be for five years and not to exceed $159,981, but each year the council will have to agree to continue with Laserfiche or contract with another company.
City Hall has used Laserfiche to provide imaging and document management for documents and other media that require long-term retention and/or have particular public significance, including council materials, police reports and citations, building plans and engineering drawings.
Big Blue Bus marketing
City officials hope to reach a $305,942 agreement with Pulsar Advertising, a California based company, for transit projects marketing services for two years for the Big Blue Bus. Some of the upcoming projects include BBB's new farebox system, fare media launch, new customer interfacing technology launches and service planning integration with the Expo Light Rail service expansion.
If approved, there would be three additional one-year renewal options in the amount of $152,971 per year for a total amount of $764,855 over a five-year period.
Over the next six to 18 months, BBB is developing support for new transit modes and technologies as well as appropriate marketing, outreach and educational strategies to ensure that existing and new customers are prepared for these changes, according to a staff report.
New bathroom
The council is likely to approve an agreement with G2K Construction, Inc., a California-based company, for $711,700 for the 2400 Ocean Front Walk (OFW) Beach Restroom Replacement Project. The public restroom would be in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The current restroom is not.
Pump it up!
Lee & Ro, Inc., a California-based company, will be recommended to the City Council to provide engineering services and prepare a preliminary engineering report for the Moss Avenue Pump Station Improvements Project as part of a $83,640 agreement.
City Hall owns and maintains the Moss Avenue Wastewater Pump Station (MAPS), which is part of the city of Los Angeles Hyperion Sanitary Sewer System, and receives revenue from Los Angeles to cover maintenance and operating costs of MAPS as well as the capital improvement costs of the pump station. The station is a key component of the Coastal Interceptor Sewer (CIS) line that parallels the Pacific Ocean within the city of Santa Monica.
The preliminary report is required to evaluate the station's condition and make recommendations for priority capital improvements to meet the future capacity of the Coastal Interceptor Sewer, according to a staff report.
Affordable housing fees
City officials hope to modify an agreement with Rosenow Spevacek Group, Inc., for $16,400 to complete the scope of work associated with preparing the Commercial Development/Affordable Housing Linkage Fee.
RSG has been working on a nexus study for a Commercial Development/Affordable Housing Linkage Fee. The nexus study identifies the specific types of commercial development which create employment with salaries that do not adequately provide for the cost of housing in Santa Monica, according to a staff report. City officials recommend extending the agreement with RSG through June 30, 2014 to complete the analysis.
Back to the drawing board
In a previous consent agenda item, the City Council was asked to spend $3.4 million for a centralized parking system for Downtown, the Main Library, Civic Center, Ken Edwards Center and Santa Monica Pier deck parking lot in an agreement with WPS USA Corp.
It would be for the purchase, installation and maintenance of a new Parking Access and Revenue Control System, or PARCS. The manufacturer of the old system no longer supplies parts for it, which has led to frequent failure, resulting in the loss of $80,000 per month in revenue when the system is down, city officials said.
However, city officials found out that the Los Angeles Department of Transportation representative who helped vet the contract bids has a son who is employed by WPS in Technical/Project Support.
Thus, city officials are expected to ask the council to reject all proposals and direct city officials to complete a new bid process.
ameera@www.smdp.com
