June 17, 2025
TO: City Council
REQUESTED BY: Preston Sullens, Superintendent
APPROVED BY: Robert A. Johnson, City Manager
SUBJECT: West Coast Arborist, Inc. – Amendment No. 1 to PSA for Tree Trimming and Maintenance Services
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff Recommends that the City Council:
1.Approve Amendment No. 1 to the Professional Services Agreement between the City of San Jacinto and West Coast Arborist, Inc.
2.Authorize the City Manager to execute Amendment No. 1 to the Professional Services Agreement between the City of San Jacinto and West Coast Arborist, Inc., subject to review and approval by the City Attorney.
DISCUSSION:
On July 19, 2022, the City Council approved a Professional Services Agreement with West Coast Arborist, Inc., for Tree Trimming and Maintenance Services. The agreement was effective July 1, 2022, for an initial three-year term with two possible one-year extensions.
Under the program, trees in the public right-of-way, including streets, medians, and parks, are trimmed annually or bi-annually, and as needed on an ongoing annual grid pruning schedule, which specifies the frequency of trimming for each tree in the City’s inventory. Additionally, dead and declining trees are removed as needed.
The current agreement is set to expire on June 30, 2025. To avoid service interruption and ensure ongoing maintenance, staff is recommending that the City Council exercise its rights under Section 3.1.2 – Term, which states that “The City shall have the unilateral option, at its sole discretion, to renew this Agreement automatically for no more than two additional one-year terms” and approve the two (2) One-Year Extensions to the Agreement extending service through June 30, 2027.
Staff further recommends that Amendment No. 1 include a CPI adjustment provision for Fiscal Years 25/26 and 26/27. As proposed, beginning July 1, 2025, and on each annual anniversary thereafter, the hourly rates listed in Exhibit “C” will be adjusted based on the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) from December to December of the preceding 12-month period. The applicable index is the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, All Items, Not Seasonally Adjusted, as published by the U.S.
Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Any annual increase shall not exceed four percent (4%). If the index reflects a decrease, the rates shall remain unchanged.
Finally, Section 3.3.1 – Compensation of the original agreement established a not-to-exceed amount of $1,500,000 for the initial three-year term, based on the City’s projected needs and available funding at that time. When the program began, limited resources constrained the City’s ability to fully include deferred areas such as LLPD1, which rely on General Fund subsidies due to outdated assessments with no cost escalation. As a result, tree maintenance in those zones was minimal or postponed. Today, with improved financial stability, the City is expanding service to these areas to ensure more equitable maintenance citywide. In addition, as the City has continued to accept new subdivisions, parks, and landscaped public spaces, those areas have been added to the trimming program. These newer neighborhoods are typically within LLPD2 or CFD 2020-1, which are financially self-sustaining through special assessments. The proposed increase to the not-to-exceed amount reflects this expanded scope and supports the City’s commitment to maintaining a well-manicured and visually appealing urban environment, enhancing neighborhood character and reinforcing community pride.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The financial impact of the contract with West Coast Arborist, Inc. for tree maintenance services was approximately $1,075,614 over the initial three-year term ending June 30, 2025.
Amendment No. 1 proposes exercising both one-year extension options and increasing the notto-exceed amount to $2,402,452 to reflect the expanded scope of services through FY 2026–27.
The proposed increase does not constitute a new funding request. All associated costs are already incorporated into the City’s annual budget process and are consistent with planned service levels and anticipated expenditures. LLPD2 and CFD 2020-1 zones continue to fully fund their respective maintenance through property-based assessments. LLPD1 services, which rely on General Fund support due to the absence of assessment escalation factors, are also accounted for in the adopted budget for FY 2025–26. As such, there is no additional fiscal impact to the General Fund beyond what has already been planned and appropriated.
ATTACHMENTS:
West Coast Arborist, Inc. Professional Services Agreement Amendment No. 1 West Coast Arborist, Inc. Professional Services Agreement