CITY OF POMONA
COUNCIL REPORT
March 16, 2026
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Anita D. Scott, City Manager
Submitted By: Meg McWade, Public Works Director
SUBJECT: AUTHORIZATION TO INCREASE THE NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT TO THE AGREEMENT WITH WEST COAST ARBORISTS, INC. FOR STREET TREE PLANTING FOR THE STRATEGIC GROWTH COUNCIL TRANSFORMATIVE CLIMATE COMMUNITIES GRANT RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council:
Authorize an increase of $180,000 to the not to exceed amount in the agreement with West Coast Arborists, Inc. (allowed by the agreement’s Extra Work term) for street tree planting to ensure compliance with the Strategic Growth Council Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) Grant; and Authorize the City Manager to execute the amendment with West Coast Arborists, Inc., subject to review by the City Attorney.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Authorization of the recommended actions will allow the City’s current tree maintenance contractor to begin planting the 1,000 trees under the Extra Work term of the previously authorized agreement as required for the award of the Strategic Growth Council Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) grant funding.
SB1439/GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLICABILITY:
☒ When this box is checked, it indicates the agenda item is subject to the Levine Act SB1439 requirements. Councilmembers are reminded to check their campaign contributions and determine whether they have received a campaign contribution of $500 or more that would require disclosure and/or recusal from discussing or acting on this agenda item. Campaign contributions of $500 or more made 1) by any person or entity who is identified in the agenda report as the applicant or proposer or 2) on behalf of the applicant or participant, including a parent, subsidiary or otherwise related business entity, or 3) by any person who has a financial interest in the agenda item requires a councilmember to comply with SB1439.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Adopted Fiscal Year 2025-26 Operating Budget has a total of $780,440 for the TCC Tree Planting Program in FD215, Grant – Miscellaneous | CC4021, Street Tree Maintenance | Controllable Contract Services GR58827 TCC Program Implementation – 5.
Tree watering services will be provided under a Maintenance Services Agreement with San Gabriel Valley Conservation Corps (SGVCC) in an amount up to $500,000 leaving a budget of $280,440 for tree planting and additional costs.
Approval of the amendment with West Coast Arborists, Inc. (WCA) will result in an increase of $180,000 to the current agreement through June 30, 2026.
PREVIOUS RELATED ACTION:
On December 15, 2025, City Council authorized Staff to reject the bids for Citywide Tree Maintenance and Emergency Response Services and to extend the agreement with WCA for Citywide Tree Maintenance Services for six months, extending services through June 30, 2026.
On December 15, 2025, City Council adopted Resolution No. 2025-158 Amending the FY 2025-26 Operating Budget by increasing revenue estimates and appropriations in the amount of $780,440 in Fund 215 for Tree Planting as part of the California Strategic Growth Council TCC Grant Funding and approved a maintenance services agreement with SGVCC in an amount of $500,000 for tree watering.
DISCUSSION:
In 2023, The Energy Coalition, as the lead applicant, along with co-applicants, including the City of Pomona, received $22,125,000 through the California Strategic Growth Council’s TCC grant. One of the project components to receive funding is for the planting and maintenance of 1,000 City/street trees within the project area highlighted in blue in the Project Map (Attachment No. 2).
This action is necessary to allow the City’s current tree maintenance contractor, WCA, to begin planting trees under the “Extra Work” provisions of the existing agreement to meet the TCC grant requirement to plant 1,000 trees by December 2028. Although the agreement term expires June 30, 2026, an increase to the not-to-exceed amount is required to allow WCA to begin planting efforts.
Timely initiation of planting activities is critical. The City is approximately one year behind the original TCC schedule. Failure to meet the grant’s completion deadline would result in forfeiture of awarded funds and the loss of a significant opportunity to expand the City’s urban tree canopy.
Authorizing the existing contractor to proceed with planting represents the most efficient and least disruptive approach. WCA is familiar with City standards and is currently performing tree-related services for the City. This approach avoids delays associated with separately bidding the TCC planting work, onboarding a new contractor, executing a new agreement, or deferring planting until completion of the ongoing rebid process for tree maintenance services.
The City is in the process of rebidding tree maintenance services for an anticipated new contract effective July 1, 2026. The proposed amendment does not impact that procurement process. The planting work under this amendment is limited to the existing contract term and is necessary to meet grant requirements that cannot be deferred until the new contract is in place. Any work beyond June 30, 2026, would be subject to the outcome of the rebid and awarded contract. Approval of this amendment is essential to ensure timely progress toward the TCC grant deadlines.
Prepared by:
Lindsay McElwain, Senior Management Analyst
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment No. 1 – Amendment
Attachment No. 2 – Project Map
Approval to Amend Agreement with WCA, Inc. for Street Tree Planting for Strategic Growth Council TCC Grant