City Council
Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL DATE: JANUARY 16, 2024
FROM: MUSEUM DEPARTMENT WARD: 1
SUBJECT: APPROVE A PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANT SERVICES AGREEMENT FOR THE TREATMENT AND REMOVAL OF THE INSCRIPTION WALL AT HARADA HOUSE WITH ARG CONSERVATION SERVICES, INC., A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION, FOR A TERM OF ONE CALENDAR YEAR FROM THE DATE OF THE AGREEMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $129,824.23 WITH 10% CHANGE ORDER AUTHORITY OF $12,982 FOR A TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $142,806.
ISSUE:
Approve a Professional Consultant Services Agreement for the treatment and removal of the inscription wall at Harada House with ARG Conservation Services, Inc., a California corporation, for a term of one calendar year from the date of the agreement in the amount of $129,824.23 with 10% change order authority of $12,982 for a total contract amount of $142,806.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
Approve the Professional Consultant Services Agreement with ARG Conservation Services, Inc., for the treatment and removal of the inscription wall at Harada House, for a term of one calendar year from the date of the agreement in the amount of $129,824.23.
Authorize a 10% change order authority of $12,982 for project changes including but not limited to unforeseen conditions for a total contract amount not to exceed $142,806.
Authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to execute the Professional Consultant Services Agreement with ARG Conservation Services, Inc., including making minor and non-substantive changes.
BACKGROUND:
The National Historic Landmark Harda House (Harada House) was donated to the Museum Department (Museum), City of Riverside (City), by Harada family heirs (deed recorded 2004) on the condition that it be preserved as a civil rights resource for the public. Since that time, funds have been expended to arrest further deterioration or respond to weather-related emergencies, as well as to offer interpretation of the Harada story on other sites. On January 22, 2019, City Council approved the accession of Harada House into the Museum’s permanent collection.
Jukichi Harada, his wife Ken, and their first son Masa Atsu, settled in Riverside, California, in 1905. Following the death of their first American-born son, Jukichi and Ken sought a home with healthier conditions for their family. Aware of the 1913 California Alien Land Law prohibiting aliens from owning property, in December 1915, Jukichi Harada purchased the house at 3356 Lemon Street in the names of his three American-born children, Mine, Sumi, and Yoshizo. In 1918, he prevailed in a landmark court battle to retain the home.
On July 5, 2022, City Council approved an agreement with IS Architecture for architectural design services for 1) architectural design services for exploratory work pursuant to re-leveling the house 2) documentation, stabilization of materials, protection of materials, and materials salvage; 3) re-leveling the house and demolition as required to accomplish replacement of the foundation; 4) civil improvements and drainage systems; and 5) the structural stabilization and preparation for installation building systems.
DISCUSSION:
There is an inscription, written in graphite, on one of the plaster walls on the second floor of Harada House that says, “Evacuated on May 23, 1942 Sat. 7AM.” This inscription was written by Harold Harada (HH) on the day the Haradas were forcibly removed from the house at 3356 Lemon Street and incarcerated in World War II concentration camps for Japanese immigrants and Japanese Americans. This inscription is historically significant, and the architectural team recommends removing and preserving the section of wall with the inscription to avoid potential damage during the foundation replacement work.
The Museum solicited a proposal from ARG Conservation Services to preserve and salvage the inscription wall. The work consists of a treatment of the fragile plaster with the inscription on it, removal of a portion of the wall prior to the foundation work, and creation of a storage crate to protect the inscription wall.
There are very few firms that can perform this specialized type of preservation and salvage work, and Section 702 (l) in conjunction with section 406 of the City of Riverside’s Purchasing Resolution provides exceptions to competitive bidding for services peculiar to the Museum Department. The professional consultant services agreement for the removal of the inscription wall at Harada House falls under this exception.
Purchasing Resolution 23914 Section 702 states that “Exceptions. Competitive Procurement through the Informal Procurement and Formal Procurement process shall not be required in any of the following circumstances: (l) When the Procurement is subject to Section 406 of this Resolution, which generally allows for Gift Shop Exhibit Materials for Profit, Academics, Curators, Exhibition Developers, Exhibit Books and Catalogs to be made through Informal or Negotiated Procurement.” Additionally, Purchasing Resolution 23914 Section 406 states that “Riverside Museum Exception. The following supplies, materials and services are determined to be peculiar to the needs of the Museum Department. If it appears to the Manager to be in the best interest of overall economy and efficiency of the City to do so and is within existing budget appropriation, may be acquired by Informal Procurement or Negotiated Procurement, regardless of their estimated Procurement expenditure amounts, provided that the City Council shall have approved the proposed acquisition if required under the provisions of the City Charter, either by approval of the procurement contract or approval of annual purchase orders:
Gift Shop Exhibit Materials for Profit
Academics, Curators and Exhibition Developers
Exhibit Books and Catalogs
Other Needs as determined by the Manager”
Purchasing Manager concurs that the recommendation complies with Purchasing Resolution 23914, Section 702 (l) in conjunction with section 406.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
The activities of the Museum of Riverside align with the Envision Riverside 2025’s Strategic Priority, “Arts, Culture and Recreation.” The project described in this report align in particular with Action 1.2.1 relating to providing diverse year-round programming to the community. All current work on Harada House supports the future opening of the house to the public.
Community Trust – The treatment and removal of the inscription wall will protect and preserve this piece of history and honors the commitment the City of Riverside made to the Harada family when the City of Riverside accepted the donation of Harada House.
Equity – Project outcomes support the preservation of Harada House. Upon completion of the rehabilitation of Harada House, programs and exhibitions will be offered equitably to the public.
Fiscal Responsibility – The work for this agreement is funded by a state grant through the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA).
Innovation – The project utilizes up-to-date and specialized preservation and salvage techniques.
Sustainability & Resiliency – This project will preserve this important artifact that will be reinstalled into the rehabilitated Harada House.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total fiscal impact of the action is $142,806. The funds are budgeted and available in the Grants & Restricted Programs Fund, Harada House Project account number 9272220-462050.
Prepared by: Ann Lovell, Administrative Service Manager Approved by: Robyn G. Peterson, Ph.D., Museum Director Certified as to
availability of funds: Kristie Thomas, Finance Director/Assistant Chief Financial Officer Approved by: Kris Martinez, Assistant City Manager Approved as to form: Phaedra A. Norton, City Attorney
Attachments: Agreement
Harada inscription removal ● Page 2