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 likely to invest $400,000 in Santa Monica's fiber optic network Tuesday to keep the city's voice, video and data pipelines flowing and meet contractual obligations to dark fiber leaseholders.
City Hall promises in its contracts to complete utility undergrounding and excavation for installation of fiber optic services within 90 days of executing a contract with a client.
The schedule ensures that City Hall exceeds standards met by other telecommunications companies competing for the same business.
Historically, City Hall bid out each installation project separately, but the process increased prices. This time, it has chosen Dynalectric, the same company responsible for pieces of the traffic signal system.
Officials believe that the single contract will result in cost reductions and better service, according to the staff report.
The Dynalectric contract makes up the majority of the $579,294 in requests on Tuesday's consent agenda.
Summer fun
A company that runs youth soccer camps has been put up for a $150,000 contract to provide classes and camps for young people in Santa Monica.
The company, Socceropolis, conducts instructional camps and has a large following in the community, according to the staff report. It beat out five other youth soccer proposals to snag the recommendation of Community and Cultural Services Department employees.
Socceropolis scored big for its popularity with residents, high quality of instruction and proven track record with City Hall, according to the report.
Under the contract, the camp will get 80 percent of the fees paid for the class, which officials estimate at $150,000 and City Hall would keep $37,500. If approved, Socceropolis would hold the contract for a year with an option for two additional one-year terms.
Tire contract
The Public Works Department has requested a $28,813 increase in a municipal contract with a California tire company in the face of an increased need for tire purchase, delivery and repair.
Less than $10,000 remains on the original $52,000 purchase order with Byron Woodley Tire Company, Inc. which the City Council signed off on in February 2012, leaving the contract unable to keep up with expected demand.
The extra cash will cover expected purchases for the remainder of the fiscal year, according to the report.
Rent increase
Everyone has to deal with landlords, including City Hall.
City officials recommend that the City Council agree to a $240 per month rent increase to extend a lease through March 2014 while it waits for a new location to open up at a city-owned site.
City Hall leases a 3,723-square-foot building for its print shop and mail room at 1660 Lincoln Blvd., although it expects to move those services to the City Yards when the space is ready for move-in.
The existing lease for 1660 Lincoln Blvd. is month-to-month, and officials recommend it should be replaced with a slightly more expensive contract from May 1, 2013 through March 31, 2014 in order to lock in the space until the new site is ready.
The new lease would be $240 more than the existing $8,000 per month, if approved. City Hall would also gain more flexibility with a 30-day notice to vacate the property rather than the 90-day notice currently required.
The new rent would be effective May 1, 2013, through the end of the fiscal year. Future funding would be contingent on council approval.
Emergency supplies
City officials may lock in one of the cheapest rents in Santa Monica Tuesday night.
2800 Wilshire, LLC. is looking for a new tenant on an existing one-story commercial property at 2800 Wilshire Blvd., but the deal leaves 2,513 square feet of warehouse space available for rental.
The owner agreed to lease the space on a month-to-month basis for $1 per month for the storage of emergency supplies for the Office of Emergency Management so that food, water and sheltering materials will be available for nearby residents.
If the City Council says no, there are no alternative storage spaces available so cheap, and there would be no other warehouse and storage facility to meet the needs of the eastern portion of the city in the event of a disaster, according to the report.
ashley@www.smdp.com
