Agenda Report
Fullerton City Council
MEETING DATE: August 20, 2024
TO: CITY COUNCIL / SUCCESSOR AGENCY
SUBMITTED BY: STEPHEN BISE, P.E., PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR PREPARED BY: JEROME JOAQUIN, ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER
SUBJECT: NEW STREET SWEEPING OPERATION IMPLEMENTATION – COST AND SCHEDULE ANALYSIS
SUMMARY
City Council approved implementing a biweekly, alternating street sweeping operation on August 6, 2024 and directed staff to provide an implementation cost and schedule analysis.
PROPOSED MOTION
Approve street sweeping parking enforcement suspension once sign replacement begins (roughly February 2025). Reinitiate enforcement once the City has installed all signs. Issue warnings for the first month of enforcement prior to issuing citations.
Approve in-house street sweeping signage installation supplemented by overtime.
Authorize staff to proceed with street sweeping signage replacement project.
ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS
Approve the Proposed Motion
Approve outsourcing street sweeping signage production and installation to expedite implementation and limit impact on in-house maintenance activities Reconsider changing the current street sweeping operation Maintain current operation until funding becomes available and continue street sweeping parking enforcement suspension permanently or until signage removed and fully replaced Other options brought by City Council
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the Proposed Motion.
CITY MANAGER REMARKS
The City is projecting an annual savings of $185,000 in the Sanitation Fund with the change in Street Sweeping operations (not including the change in signage).
By doing sign replacement in-house, the City would either take several years to implement the signage or would need to utilize landscape staff reducing the park maintenance or utilize overtime to expedite the signage implementation. But even with the expediting it would take a minimum of 1 to 2 years for full implantation.
The City Manager recommends that City Council reinstate enforcement until the every other week on alternating sides begins which will be in early 2025. If the City Council decides to continue to suspend enforcement then there will be less incentive to have vehicles move when street sweeping is occurring.
The City is currently only providing warnings based on the action to suspend enforcement. If that action is continued, the City will suspend enforcement including warning permanently for this Fiscal Year.
PRIORITY POLICY STATEMENT
This item matches the following Priority Policy Statements:
Fiscal and Organization Stability
Infrastructure and City Assets.
FISCAL IMPACT
The modified sweeping operation would potentially create an annual $185,000 street sweeping contract cost savings in Sanitation Fund (Fund 23).
The City would incur sign replacement costs. Staff requests funding additional costs including signage production, materials, equipment and installation with the General Fund (Fund 10). Staff has developed the following options to perform signage replacement either in-house or to outsource.
Option 1a. In-House Straight Time (Part-Time): The cost of sign production would require additional budget appropriation. Staff does, and would, appropriate sign installation labor cost in the Department adopted operation budget.
Option 1b. In-House Straight Time (Full-Time): Sign production would require additional budget. Staff does, and would, appropriate sign installation labor cost in the Department adopted operation budget.
Option 2. In-House Overtime Time: The Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-25 Department adopted operation budget does not have appropriation for sign production and installation. Both would require additional budget appropriation.
Option 3. Out-Source: The Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-25 Department adopted operation budget does not have appropriation for sign production and installation. Both would require additional budget appropriation The discussion section of this report provides cost breakdowns for each option.
City Council approval of an overtime option or outsourcing would increase the General Fund deficit. Eliminating enforcement immediately or in spring 2025 would increase the projected deficit.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
Staff presented several alternatives for street sweeping operations to City Council to provide parking relief to residents on street sweeping days on August 6, 2024. City Council approved implementing a biweekly, alternating street sweeping schedule and directed staff to return with additional cost and time analysis for the new operation. This new operation would replace the current weekly, non-alternating street sweeping operations. Staff conducted further research to assess the proposed changes in response to City Council direction.
New Street Sweeping Operation:
Current street sweeping regulations require vacating both sides of the street for effective cleaning. Transitioning to a biweekly, alternating schedule could reduce the City's annual street sweeping contract costs by approximately 23%, lowering expenses from $800,000 to $615,000.
Staff is collaborating with the street sweeping contractor, Sweeping Corporation of America, to develop a modified citywide route for the new biweekly schedule while considering refuse collection and school schedules. Staff estimates developing these routes will take approximately three months.
Implementing the new operation includes replacing all street sweeping parking restriction signage. The City cannot repurpose current signage for revised street sweeping operations.
Sign Production:
The City installed approximately 5,000 street sweeping signs throughout the City. Staff installed signage on one side of the street in certain areas due to resident concerns about the visual and aesthetic impact on their neighborhoods. Introducing the new biweekly alternating street sweeping schedule would require installing these signs and posts to ensure compliance. Staff estimates it would need an additional 1,000 signs to cover these areas adequately.
The signs would be fabricated from durable, corrosion-resistant aluminum materials, featuring a reflective engineer-grade finish that ensures visibility both day and night and require poles, rivets and anchors to mount the signs. Staff would need to relocate signs in some areas to enhance visibility, which would also require mounting materials.
Staff expects sign production to take approximately four months with an estimated $375,000 cost. This investment would ensure all areas of the City have proper marking for the new street sweeping schedule, assisting residents to comply and improve the effectiveness of City street sweeping operations.
Sign Installation:
A crew of two to three City employees installed the current street sweeping signage over an approximately four-year span. This city-wide initiative required significant effort and added responsibility to maintenance staff day-to-day operations. Staff proposes four options for sign installation: in-house performed at straight time (part-time), in-house performed at straight time (full time), in-house performed at overtime and outsourced.
Option 1a: In-House Sign Installation, Straight Time Rate (Part-Time):
Staff modeled this option on the recent sign-installation approach that took approximately four years to complete. Staff calculated the in-house costs to install signs. This effort would divert street maintenance staff from regular duties. A crew of two street maintenance staff would dedicate a portion of normal operations (approximately two to three hours per day) to street sweeping sign installations for the next three years. However, staff anticipates this loss of street maintenance labor resources from would incur overtime during the installation process. In addition, this prolonged process would incur Consumer Price Index (CPI) increase in materials, equipment and labor over the course of three years. Staff estimates the installation to take approximately 36 months to complete with installation cost appropriated in the Department adopted operating budget.
In-House Cost
Duration
Est. Cost
Re-routing Analysis
3 months
$0
Sign Production
4 months
$374,323.50
Sign Installation
36 months
Budgeted
Total:
43 months
$374,323.50
NOTE: This is not a recommended option.
Option 1b: In-House Sign Installation, Straight Time Rate (Full Time):
Alternatively, the Department could reassign and dedicate two Landscape Maintenance Division staff members to work on this project. This would directly impact landscape maintenance frequency for approximately 18 months. This approach, like Option 1a, could incur overtime due to the loss of two dedicated maintenance staff members. Staff estimates installation to take 18 months to complete with installation cost appropriated in the Department adopted operating budget.
In-House Cost
Duration
Est. Cost
Re-routing Analysis
3 months
$0
Sign Production
4 months
$374,323.50
Sign Installation
18 months
Budgeted
Total:
25 months
$374,323.50
Option 2: In-House Sign Installation, Over Time Rate:
Staff calculated the in-house costs to install signs at overtime rates. The Department would allocate additional employees to assist to expedite the installation process, effectively halving the installation time. The City would mobilize two crews on weekends to remove and install signs. Staff estimates this effort would take 18 months to complete with a $368,726.40 projected cost. The Department adopted operating budget does not have appropriation for installation at overtime rate.
In-House Cost
Duration
Est. Cost
Re-routing Analysis
3 months
$0
Sign Production
4 months
$374,323.50
Sign Installation
18 months
$368,726.40
Total:
25 months
$743,049.90
Option 3: Out-Source Sign Installation:
Staff solicited contractor estimates for the sign installation project and found the estimated labor cost for sign removal and installation costs approximately $535,825. Contractors indicated that the project would take approximately eight months to complete. Outsourcing installation to experienced professionals with staff availability provides a more precise timeline and ensures that the work is completed efficiently, minimizing disruption to City operations.
Out-Source Cost
Duration
Est. Cost
Re-routing Analysis
3 months
$0
Sign Production
4 months
$374,323.50
Sign Installation
8 months
$535,825.00
Total:
15 months
$910,148.50
To implement this operation, SP+ (the City’s parking enforcement contractor) would suspend operations once sign replacement starts. Citation enforcement would resume once the City has replaced all signage.
Staff believes alternating street sweeping operations on a biweekly schedule would alleviate the burden on residents and businesses with limited parking options. However, this new schedule may initially confuse residents and businesses, particularly during the early stages of implementation.
Conclusion:
The street sweeping program operated since 1980 as an effective method stormwater regulations compliance — a practice widely adopted by cities across California. Transitioning from weekly to biweekly street sweeping operations would maintain stormwater regulation compliance while offering parking relief to residents impacted by street sweeping enforcement.
Sanitation Fund (Fund 23) supports street sweeping expenses. However, this fund is restricted to covering existing street and landscape maintenance needs and has a limited annual appropriation, while costs for materials, equipment and labor continue to rise.
Any prolonged option could result in ineffective sweeping and delayed cost recovery for the project and operation. Any in-house option presents an impact on Streets and/or Landscape Maintenance Divisions services.
If City Council chooses to proceed with one of the proposed signage options, staff recommends funding the associated costs through the General Fund (Fund 10). This approach ensures continued street sweeping program effectiveness and provides necessary financial resources to implement the new sweeping operation.
Attachments:
Attachment 1 – PowerPoint Presentation
Attachment 2 – Option 1a, 1b, 2 In-House Sign Installation Cost Attachment 3 – Outsourced Sign Production and Installation Cost cc: City Manager Eric J. Levitt
New Street Sweeping Operation Implementation – Cost and Schedule Analysis August 20, 2024 - Page 2