Editor's note: This story is part of an ongoing series that tracks the city's expenditures appearing on upcoming or recent 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 — Senior transit services made up close to two-thirds of a nearly $3.7 million consent agenda Tuesday night. The agenda was approved unanimously with no objections from City Council members.
The Santa Monica council spent $2,070,337 to cover transport for senior residents and residents with a disability. MV Transportation Inc. scored the contract with two, one-year extension options totaling $1,429,183.
Residents aged 62 and older pay 50 cents for curb-to-curb transit, as do adult residents with a disability.
"On designated days, trips are offered to select medical facilities outside of Santa Monica," city officials said. "Evening service to any location within the city is provided on City Council meeting dates. Monthly shopping excursions are also offered."
Backhoe loaders
City Hall needs two new backhoe loaders. One of the current backhoes is too old and the other was crushed by a tree.
On June 18, a tree fell on the cab of the latter backhoe, damaging most of the control and air conditioning assemblies. Quinn Company got the bid at $245,801.
Living wage expenses
The decision to increase the living wage for city employees and city contracted employees will cost City Hall $382,295 this consent calendar.
Council recently voted to increase the living wage from $14.08 per hour to $15.37 per hour starting on July 1.
City Hall will cover the added costs for two contractors with previously determined agreements that end in December.
Diamond Contract Services, which does the custodial work at the Santa Monica Pier and the Public Safety Facility, will get the extra cash for the second half of this year.
Traffic light
The intersection of Olympic Drive and Avenida Mazatlan needs a stop light and City Hall will pay Select Electric Inc. $222,000 to put it in. Currently, there's a four way stop at the intersection but an increase in pedestrians and vehicles makes it inefficient, city officials said. With the extension of Olympic Drive, it's expected to get more congested.
"The construction of the extension of Olympic Drive is a public benefit negotiated as part of the (Village Development Project) development agreement," officials said. "The Village project will also install three new traffic signals along Olympic Drive."
Motorcycle gear
Santa Monica Police recently bought nine new motorcycles from Hollister Honda but realized, after they got the first three, that they needed another $13,068 worth of additional equipment. Hollister Honda will also perform the installations.
City building designs
City Hall agreed to pay the Hathaway Dinwiddie Construction Company $258,500 to design the City Services Building. City officials need more office space so the building will go just east of the current City Hall. Last fiscal year they spent $2.4 million on off-site leased office space so this building will help cut that spending.
They hope to start construction next year.
Cemetery investments
Woodlawn Cemetery and Mausoleum, the City Hall-owned cemetery needs $63,000 a year for investment management services. Income from some of the plots is set aside to cover perpetual care costs. Nelson Capital Management will invest the principal for the next five years and take a percentage cut that comes out to be an estimated $63,000 annually.
Vehicle maintenance software
It's going to cost City Hall $162,675 to upgrade software that monitors the 928 city vehicles and pieces of equipment.
Chevin Fleet Solutions, LLC got the contract in return for their recently released FleetWave 2.1 software, which monitors vehicle maintenance.
dave@www.smdp.com
