CITY OF COMMERCEAGENDA REPORTCITY OF COMMERCEAGENDA REPORT
CITY OF COMMERCE
AGENDA REPORT
CITY OF COMMERCE
AGENDA REPORT
TO: Honorable City Council
FROM: Acting City Manager
SUBJECT: Holiday Décor Program Award of Agreement
Meeting Date: March 26, 2024
RECOMMENDATION:
The City Council will consider adopting a Resolution approving an Agreement with St. Nick’s Christmas Lighting & Décor Company for the City’s Holiday Decor Program services for an initial three-year term with the option to extend the term by two years.
BACKGROUND:
The City’s Holiday Décor Program has been provided by St. Nick’s Christmas Lighting & Décor Company (St. Nick’s) since July 18, 2017 for an initial term of three years with an option to extend the term in two year increments. The City Council approved a First Amendment to the Agreement on April 7, 2020 and a second Amendment on November 16, 2021, which is due to expire on July 18, 2024. St. Nick’s has provided good customer service and was very flexible during the CoVID pandemic with reducing costs and programming as requested.
The City Council restored its Holiday Décor Program last year and directed staff to release a Request for Proposals (RFP) for leasing of décor, installation, removal, and minor refurbishment and storage throughout the year. The RFP was released on June 28, 2023 and the City received six proposals as follows:
Proposers
Annual Cost
Polar Bear
$171,950
Brightlife Designs
$175,140
St. Nick’s Christmas Lighting & Décor Co.
$176,750
Trovao & Associates (dba The Christmas Light Guy Co.)
$178,100 (includes an added $2,000 to customize street banners with City name) Christmas Kings
$196,750 (includes an added $20,000 to customize street banners with City name) Dekra-Lite
$304,177.05 (includes added taxes)
ANALYSIS:
Staff met with the City Council Holiday Décor Sub-Committee members to review each proposal, receive feedback on prior holiday programs and suggestions for the new program. After careful review of each proposal for their ability to meet the City’s expectations, experience, quality of décor, themes offered, customer service responsiveness, and flexibility with modifications to the program, the Sub-committee selected St. Nick’s theme #2 with gold, green and blue décor colors (attached) and requested staff to work with them on some modifications for the new Holiday Décor Program which included the following:
Brighter LED lights.
Assign City Hall main entrance exterior as the new permanent location for the City Hall tree and lighting ceremony.
Replace snowflake projection on City Hall wall with casting new décor theme colors on the wall with City’s newly installed commercial lighting.
Add green and blue to gold sled at City Hall.
Add lighting to an additional live tree at City Hall near sled.
Add décor to the Bristow Park fence.
Add décor at Veteran’s circle.
Add décor to the Veteran’s Library fence.
Complement some areas with in-house décor installations such as the Senior Center, Central Library, Bandini Park and Bristow Park front entrances.
One additional request from the Sub-committee was to review the possibility of exchanging the City Hall tree with use of the live Remembrance Tree. Staff met with Greg Alaniz, Parks and Recreation Director, Hector Orozco, Tree and Streets Supervisor, and St. Nick’s. Feedback received was that the Remembrance Tree should be used only as a remembrance area for residents who passed from CoVID. Also, St. Nick’s said lighting live trees of that size are very labor intensive and expensive to do and would cost approximately $50,000. Additionally, attempting to trim that tree into the shape of a Christmas Tree would be difficult and extensive trimming may harm it in the long term.
It was suggested that we proceed with the proposed artificial tree and plant an actual Christmas Tree beside the Remembrance Tree in the grassy area that in a few years can be decorated and lit until which time it becomes large enough to become the City’s official Christmas Tree. There could be a ceremony around the planting of a Christmas Tree with children who will grow up with the tree.
City Council Holiday Décor Sub-Committee Recommendation is to award an agreement to St. Nick’s for an initial three-year term with the option to extend the term by two years and approve their modified proposal.
ALTERNATIVES:
Approve staff recommendation
Reject staff recommendation
Provide further direction to staff
FISCAL IMPACT:
The cost of the modifications to St. Nick’s original proposal, not including decorating the Remembrance Tree, is $11,650. Their original cost was $176,750. The revised cost as recommended is $188,400 per year. If the City Council approved this item, staff will include it in the upcoming FY 2024/25 budget process.
RELATIONSHIP TO STRATEGIC GOALS:
This agenda item relates to the 2016 Strategic Plan Infrastructure and Facilities Guiding Principle # 4: Develop and invest in infrastructure and beautification projects that support economic growth.
Recommended by: Gina Nila, Department of Public Works
Approved as to form: Noel Tapia, City Attorney
Respectfully submitted: Vilko Domic, Acting City Manager ATTACHMENTS:
Resolution
Revised Proposal dated March 4, 2024
Agreement