City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: MAY 7, 2024
FROM: PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WARDS: ALL
SUBJECT: MEASURE Z - FIFTH AMENDMENT TO THE AGREEMENT FOR MUNICIPAL TREE MAINTENANCE SERVICES WITH WEST COAST ARBORISTS, INC. OF ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA, IN THE AMOUNT OF $4,306,389 FOR SERVICES THROUGH JUNE 30, 2025, FOR A TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $21,692,407 ISSUE:
Approve a Fifth Amendment to the Agreement for Municipal Tree Maintenance Services with West Coast Arborists, Inc. of Anaheim, California, in the amount of $4,306,389 through June 30, 2025, for a total contract amount of $21,692,407.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
Approve a Fifth Amendment to the Agreement for Municipal Tree Maintenance Services with West Coast Arborists, Inc. of Anaheim, California, in the amount of $4,306,389 for services through June 30, 2025, for a total contract amount of $21,692,407; and Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute the Fifth Amendment, including making minor and non-substantive changes.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Riverside is responsible for maintaining street trees within the public right-of-way and parks to enhance the quality of life for all residents. Staff estimates there are approximately 35,000 trees located in City parks and 150,000 street trees primarily located within parkways and along the front or side of homes and businesses, with approximately 15,000 located within medians and other areas maintained by the Public Works Department (Public Works). The City’s Street trees have an estimated value of over $449 million.
Grid Trim Cycle
In 2017, $1 million in annual Measure Z funding was allocated to Urban Forestry to improve the 11-year tree trimming frequency cycle. In the years since the initial Measure Z funding was provided, the trim cycle has been improved to approximately 4-5 years. Trimming cycles contend with increasing tree trimming costs, resulting in fewer trees trimmed each year.
On June 21, 2022, the City Council approved an additional $2,250,000 in Measure Z funding for trimming of City-maintained palm trees during FY 2022/23 and to plant additional trees throughout the city. This additional funding enables palm tree trimming every 2 years and helps retain a shorter trim cycle for the remaining City-maintained trees.
Trimming trees on a long grid cycle results in increased service requests, more emergency calls, and more claims (e.g., tree limbs falling on private property such as houses or vehicles). Shorter trim cycles enable Public Works to be more proactive, as the tree contractors will visit the trees more often and report concerns to the Public Works Tree Inspectors resulting in earlier identification of diseased or dying trees before they become problems.
Proper long-term care is essential to maintaining the health of the City’s urban forest and contributes to the community’s quality of life. Trees increase property values, filter the air we breathe by removing dust and other particles, cool the environment by reducing the urban heat islands, reduce storm water runoff, and bring natural elements and wildlife habitats into the urban area. Additionally, a shorter palm tree trimming cycle has reduced fallen fronds which may damage property and have historically required a great deal of staff time to cleanup following wind and storm events.
Agreement With West Coast Arborists, Inc.
On February 14, 2018, a Request for Proposals (RFP 1775) was issued to solicit proposals from qualified tree maintenance contractors to provide tree maintenance services for Public Works, with optional pricing for 35,000 park trees for the Parks, Recreation & Community Services Department. In response to the RFP, three proposals were received and evaluated by a review panel consisting of staff from several different City departments. The proposal from West Coast Arborists, Inc. (WCA), was deemed responsive and determined to be the most qualified.
The history of the agreement with WCA is as follows:
June 12, 2018 – The City Council awarded an agreement to WCA in the amount of $6,679,536 with an initial two-year term through June 30, 2021 and with three optional one-year extensions.
July 6, 2021 - A First Amendment was executed to increase compensation by $1,995,748 and extend the term by one year to June 30, 2022.
May 4, 2022 - A Second Amendment was executed to increase compensation by $2,154,345 and extend the term by one year to June 30, 2023.
December 21, 2022 - A Third Amendment was executed to increase compensation by $2,250,000.
June 30, 2023 - A Fourth Amendment was executed to increase compensation by $4,306,389 and extend the term by one year to June 30, 2024.
DISCUSSION:
In an effort to maintain fiscal stability in an unpredictable environment, the City’s Finance Department has considered contract extensions if a vendor agrees to maintain current pricing at the level of services throughout the extended term. The Public Works Department is satisfied with the performance of WCA and successfully negotiated with WCA to hold their prices for one additional year. This extension will enable the Public Works Department to provide the same level of tree trimming services to the community for another year.
This Fifth Amendment to extend for one year will be the final extension to this Agreement. Public Works will prepare a Request for Proposal for tree maintenance services beyond June 30, 2025.
Purchasing Resolution 24101 Section 702(h) allows for an exception to competitive procurement “When Services, except for Professional Services, can be Procured from a Contractor who offers the same or better price, terms and conditions as the Contractor previously offered as the Lowest Responsive Bidder under Competitive Procurement or negotiations conducted by the City or another public agency, provided that, in the opinion of the Manager, it is in the best interests of the City to do so.” The Purchasing Manager concurs that the recommendations comply with Purchasing Resolution 24101 Section 702(h).
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
This item supports Strategic Priority 4 – Environmental Stewardship and Goal 4.5 - Maintain and conserve 30% of Riverside’s natural lands in green space including, but not limited to, agricultural lands and urban forests in order to protect and restore Riverside’s rich biodiversity and accelerate the natural removal of carbon, furthering our community’s climate resilience.
This item aligns with the Cross-Cutting Threads as follows:
Community Trust – Management of the city’s urban forest and landscapes benefits all the community by helping to remove gaseous air pollutants and sequestering carbon.
Equity – Approval of this action benefits all who live near or travel throughout the City of Riverside.
Fiscal Responsibility – Maintaining City-owned trees and landscapes (and their infrastructure) supports Public Works’ efforts to minimize inefficiencies and maximize reliability.
Innovation – Approval of this action is neutral towards this cross-cutting thread.
Sustainability & Resiliency – Trees have been noted as being the “lungs of the earth”. By providing additional funding to maintain our city trees, provides proof that the City of Riverside and the Public Works Department, are committed to sustainability and resiliency by maintaining and supporting our valuable urban forest on a continuous and more frequent basis, helping to improve the environment and the quality of life for our community.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total fiscal impact of the action is $4,306,389. Sufficient funds have been included in the Department’s budget submission for the FY 2024-2026 Biennial Budget to be presented to the City Council for adoption in June 2024.
Fund
Account Number
Account Description
Amount
General Fund
4110110-421205
General Fund, Forestry & Landscape, Tree Maintenance Contract $1,056,389
Measure Z
8003001-411011
Measure Z Fund, Measure Z Spending Item #30, Tree Trimming $3,250,000
Total:
$4,306,389
Prepared by: Robert Filiar, Urban Forestry Manager
Approved by: Gilbert Hernandez, Public Works 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:
Fifth Amendment to the Agreement
Presentation
Fifth Amendment to West Coast Arborist Agreement ● Page 4