TO:Andrew P. Powers, City Manager
FROM:Clifford G. Finley, Public Works Director
DATE:April 9, 2024
SUBJECT: First Amendment to Multi-Agency Agreement for Weed Abatement Services
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Approve First Amendment to Contract No. 12670-2021 with The Standard.
Construction dba SoCal Brush (Newbury Park, CA) to add $136,722.10 in scheduled services and $294,000.00 in extra services, with a revised not-to- exceed amount of $1,490,009.35.
2. Authorize budget appropriation in the amount of $20,000 in FY 2023-24 from A/C #142-0000-311-1000 (Landscape Assessment District Fund Balance) to A/C #142-5630-632-5611 (Landscape Assessment District Fund Contracted Services (Private)/Weed Abatement).
3. Authorize budget appropriation in the amount of $25,000 in FY 2024-25 from A/C #142-0000-311-1000 (Landscape Assessment District Fund Balance) to A/C #142-5630-632-5611 (Landscape Assessment District Fund Contracted Services (Private)/Weed Abatement).
4. Authorize additional expenditure in the total amount of $26,534.66 in FY 2023- 24 as follows: $18,330.93 from A/C #142-5630-632-5611 (Landscape Assessment District Fund Contracted Services (Private)/Weed Abatement); and $8,203.73 from A/C #001-5630-632-5611 (Contracted Services (Private)/Weed Abatement) for scheduled services.
5. Authorize additional expenditure in the total amount of $30,979.71 in FY 2024- 25 as follows: $21,438.34 from A/C #142-5630-632-5611 (Landscape Assessment District Fund/Weed Abatement Services); and $9,541.37 from A/C #001-5630- 632-5611 (Contracted Services (Private)/Weed Abatement) for scheduled services.
First Amendment to Multi-Agency Agreement for Weed Abatement Services April 9, 2024
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4 6. Authorize additional expenditure in the total amount of $75,000 from A/C #142- 5630-632-5611 (Landscape Assessment District Fund/Weed Abatement Services) and A/C #001-5630-632-5611 (Contracted Services (Private)/Weed Abatement) as available for extra services.
7. Find that this action is not a project as defined under the California Environmental Quality Act
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
$20,000 Increase to Adopted FY 2023-24 Landscape Assessment Fund Budget and $25,000 Increase to Adopted FY 2024-25 Landscape Assessment Fund Budget. $20,000 increase to the Adopted FY 2023-24 Landscape Assessment Fund Budget and $25,000 increase to the Adopted FY 2024-25 Landscape Assessment Fund Budget is requested to supplement available budget for the City’s portion of Weed Abatement Services. Budget for the remaining term of the contract will be requested during the upcoming biennial budget process.
BACKGROUND:
The City, Conejo Recreation and Park District (CRPD), and Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency (COSCA) are responsible for maintaining over 350 acres of open space to create defensible space between urban areas and potential wildfires. The practice of weed abatement is an annual requirement of the Ventura County Fire Department Fire Hazard Reduction Program (FHRP) and includes trimming, cutting, and clearing of weeds, brush, shrubs, and trees within 100 feet of structures.
City staff collaborated with representatives from CRPD and COSCA to combine the weed abatement responsibilities of the three agencies (Agencies) under one multi-agency agreement. The purpose of this joint venture is to ensure all represented agencies meet FHRP’s requirements at a reduced cost by standardizing maintenance operations and encouraging competitive proposals.
In January 2021, a formal Request for Proposals (RFP) for Weed Abatement Services was published. After a thorough review of the proposals, The Standard.
Construction dba SoCal Brush (SoCal Brush) was selected to address the Agencies’ weed abatement responsibilities while still allowing for each agency to maintain oversight and administration of their respective areas. On March 16, 2021, City Council approved a five-year agreement with SoCal Brush.
The current contract’s not-to-exceed amount allows for $176,000 to be used for extra services, including re-mowing areas where regrowth has occurred, and any additional work identified by FHRP. The unanticipated heavy precipitation of 2023 First Amendment to Multi-Agency Agreement for Weed Abatement Services April 9, 2024
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4 caused a significant amount of regrowth after the initial clearing. Due to the additional work related to the regrowth, the original extra services funds have been depleted. Additionally, SoCal Brush has requested a rate increase for the remaining two years of the contract to help offset increased operational costs resulting from an inflationary market. The Agencies find the request to be reasonable. The increase of $.03 per square foot in FY 2023-24 and $.04 per square foot in FY 2024-25, will remain binding until the contract expires in 2026.
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS:
Recent wildfires demonstrated the importance of having adequate defensible space. Over the past three years, the FHRP identified additional areas requiring weed abatement, not included in the original locations. Also, numerous areas required additional clearance of vegetative regrowth due to heavy precipitation during the 2023 rain season. The additional clearance contributed to increased costs for open space areas that are primarily maintained by COSCA and CRPD.
Staff anticipates the need for extra services will remain elevated because 2024 rainfall is currently projected to be higher than normal.
Staff needs to amend the current contract to add $136,722.10 in scheduled services and $294,000.00 in extra services for a new not-to-exceed total of $1,490,009.35. The proposed amendment will accommodate the rate increase and replenish the extra services funds, which were meant to cover the entire five years of the contract. The amended cost breakdown among the Agencies is shown in the following table.
Agency Initial 5-year
Contract
Additional
Amount Needed Total
City Scheduled Services* $ 371,087.15 $ 57,514.37 $ 428,601.52 CRPD Scheduled Services $ 283,099.95 $ 43,357.69 $ 326,457.64 COSCA Scheduled Services $ 229,100.15 $ 35,850.04 $ 264,950.19 Extra Services $ 176,000.00 $294,000.00 $ 470,000.00 Total Cost $1,059,287.25 $430,722.10 $1,490,009.35
*City Services are split between Landscape Fund A/C #142-5630-632-5611 and General Fund A/C #001-5630-632-5611 The respective agency will continue to pay for their portion of the weed abatement areas. Each agency is only responsible for their share of the Weed Abatement Services performed on their behalf. Staff recommends approval of the First Amendment of the Multi-Agency Weed Abatement Agreement with SoCal Brush (Attachment #1).
First Amendment to Multi-Agency Agreement for Weed Abatement Services April 9, 2024
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4 COUNCIL GOAL COMPLIANCE:
Meets the following City Council goal:
C. Operate City government in a fiscally and managerially responsible and prudent manner to ensure that the City of Thousand Oaks remains one of California's most desirable places to live, work, visit, recreate, and raise a family.
PREPARED BY: David Chavez, Landscape Maintenance Supervisor Attachments:
Attachment #1 – First Amendment to Contract No. 12670-2021 DPW:821-20\ev\Council\2024\040924\First Amendment to Multi-Agency Weed Abatement Services staff report.docx