Item Number: 34
City Council / Board of Directors
Written Communications
Meeting of: August 20, 2024
Submitted By:
Jorge Duran, Code Enforcement Official
Subject:
Purchase of 94 Midmark above floor animal kennels from MWI Animal Health for the City of Victorville Animal Care and Adoption Center planned for 16648 E Street Recommendation:
That the Honorable City Council approve the purchase of 94 Midmark above floor animal kennels from MWI Animal Health in the amount not to exceed $358,480.72.
Fiscal Impact:
This action will result in a fiscal impact of $358,480.72. Measure P funding for this purchase, and other items related to the conversion of the Goodwill High School into a City Animal Shelter, was included in the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Capital Improvement Project budget as Animal Shelter Contract Services, Account No. 1055203-55060-45034.
No additional appropriations are needed.
Strategic Plan Goal:
This item aligns with Strategic Plan Goal B, Public Safety – Implement public safety strategies to support a growing and safe community. The benefit of this purchase will provide the Animal Care and Control Division with specialized animal shelter equipment to safely, adequately, and humanely shelter stray and relinquished animals, provide an opportunity for the animals to be adopted, and the ability to utilize existing buildings to easily install commercial-grade kennels to support animal shelter operations.
Background:
The Animal Care and Control Division is responsible for the regulation and control of animals within the City of Victorville. The care and management of animals includes the need to appropriately and humanely shelter animals. In early April 2023, the City of Victorville received a 30-day notice from its longtime animal shelter partner, the Victor Valley Animal Protection League, informing the City that it would cease operations, thereby discontinuing the sheltering of City of Victorville animals transported by City 3 7
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Animal Care and Control staff or its residents. In May 2023, the Animal Care and Control Division immediately formed an emergency animal shelter and animal adoption operation located at the City’s equipment yard off Palmdale Road and the City’s Animal Care and Control office located on Amargosa Road. The emergency shelter operation consists of 80 large residential use kennels purchased at local retailers. In addition, the City proceeded to purchase 12 galvanized steel, 3 inch caster raised kennels to be used at our temporary adoption area.
Concurrently, the City began to search for a long-term animal shelter solution. In December 2023, the City identified a viable animal shelter site and entered into a lease agreement with the Victor Valley Union High School District to lease the unutilized the former Goodwill High School campus located at 16648 E Street. In January 2024, City staff began the process to prepare site layout plans to convert the vacant school site into an animal shelter. This process included identifying the appropriate alternations needed within existing buildings, as well as beginning to plan for future expansion in the coming years. Assessments and alterations to the site have already started, such as abatement of lead and asbestos materials, soil reports, and assessments of site air conditioning systems and accessibility requirements.
The unique approach to convert a school site into an animal shelter required City staff to consider use of specialized equipment for shelter animals within modular classrooms and concrete foundation classrooms. As such, the use of specialized equipment includes the use of above floor animal kennel systems designed to be used in areas where floor drainage is not feasible, as shown in Attachment C. In March 2024, in preparation for an initial animal shelter and adoption operations at the E Street location, City staff proceeded with an initial purchase (Attachment F) of 29 Midmark above floor animal kennel systems from MWI Animal Health. MWI Animal Health is a vendor that specializes in the supply of animal shelter and humane equipment. The initial use of the 29 kennels would allow for initial operations in classrooms with a concrete foundation upon completion of rehabilitation work.
Considering the length of time to complete site work improvements and planning for future expansion, City staff focused efforts on utilizing modular classrooms that are already in existence and the use of more above floor animal kennel systems within these buildings.
In coordination with the City’s Facilities Division and Building Department staff, the approach towards utilizing above floor kennel systems was carefully evaluated to ensure adequate use and that there was available plumbing infrastructure near the buildings.
Discussion:
Pending the purchase of the requested kennels and the completion of various site and building improvements, staff anticipates that operations at the Animal Care and Adoption Center at the E Street site will be initiated before the end of the calendar year. This initial operation will directly benefit City residents by increasing kennel capacity. There will be an increase of 55 kennels which totals 135 canine kennels to provide added animal shelter capacity. With respect to the City's feline shelter population, the City currently has 3 7
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adequate feline shelter equipment to support our initial operation. Site pictures and site layout plans are included as Attachment E.
The conversion of the school site requires the use of specialized animal kennel equipment. Animal shelter equipment is a limited and unique market. City staff identified MWI Animal Health as a suitable supplier, located in the Midwest of the United States.
The company specializes in commercial and industrial animal shelter and humane equipment to support both animal shelters and veterinarians nationwide. MWI Animal Health owns a variety of quality animal shelter brands, such as Midmark, Shoreline and Mason, all of which manufacture industry standard and industry leading animal kennel and animal health equipment.
The City's goal to appropriately repurpose the modular and existing concreate foundation classrooms required us to consider the use of Midmark above floor kennel systems.
Above floor kennel systems allow for the installation of indoor kennels in spaces not normally constructed for housing of animals. The solid one-piece molded fiberglass base known as the Ultra-Base tub are available in two sizes, 4’x4’ and 4’x5’, and have a beveled side radius that extends 6 inches in height so there is no floor side seem to flex, crack, or leak overtime. The Ultra-Base attaches to stainless steel side panels and feature double pane glass doors for a water-tight seal and quality look and feel. The Ultra-Base tubs feature a slip resistant floor base engineered with an easy to clean special permanent texture and adjustable legs that allow for insulation on uneven floors. The Ultra-Base kennels provide water drainage through a 2 ½ inch floor drain and is plumbed in a series connecting to a sewer drain for adequate cleaning and sanitizing. Pictures of this kennel design are provided in Attachment C. Such a system is manufactured exclusively by Midmark and sold by MWI Animal Health.
In addition to the Ultra-Base kennels, the City intends to purchase and utilize Shoreline T-Quad kennel systems to shelter smaller animals – refer to pictures in Attachment D. T- Quad kennel systems are stainless steel construction and are double stacked for maximize space and they also have built in drainage systems that are similar to the Midmark above floor Ultra-Base kennel systems.
With assistance from Midmark staff, City staff identified that a total of 94 additional above floor kennel systems consisting of 70 Ultra-Base kennels and 12 double stack kennels (24 total) would be needed to support the objective of fully establishing the animal shelter at the E Street school site and demobilizing the temporary Amargosa Road and Palmdale Road operations. The quote for the Midmark above floor kennel systems is provided in attachment A. The above floor animal kennel systems would be assembled by City staff with costs for the 94 kennel units being as follows:
•70 Midmark Above Floor Kennels: $262,862.10
•8.75% Tax $ 22,999.56
•12 Shoreline T- Quad Kennels $ 42,877.30
•8.75% Tax $ 3,751.76
•TOTAL $332,480.72
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An estimated freight cost, not to exceed $26,000, has been added to the overall total.
Actual freight cost will be provided upon the issuance of a purchase order to the vendor.
Per Victorville Municipal Code Section 2.28.060 - City Manager Authority, the authority to approve this purchase is upon the Honorable City Council as the requested purchase exceeds the City Manager’s purchasing authority limit of $125,000 per single transaction.
Per Victorville Municipal Code Section 2.28.100, purchases of general services or supplies and equipment with an estimated cost in excess of $50,000, exceptions to the bidding procedures under this section maybe applied when it is determined that such a procurement constitutes a sole source purchase. In accordance with Section 2.28.050, a sole source purchase means unique services and equipment that can be obtained from only one vendor or distributor authorized to sell the specific needed equipment and such equipment has singular characteristics for performance and capabilities. The sole source request form is provided in Attachment B. The above floor kennel systems are unique in design and available only through MWI Pet Health.
The 135 animal kennels will be installed within 7 existing school site buildings consisting of 4 modular buildings, an administrative building, and two large classrooms. Refer to Attachment E for site pictures and an aerial of the campus and building floorplans.
Accordingly, staff recommends that the City Council approve the purchase of 94 Midmark above floor animal kennel systems from MWI Animal Health in the amount not to exceed $358,480.72, which includes sales tax and estimated freight costs.
Staff remains available for any questions the City Council may have.
Attachments: A. Midmark Quote for 94 Above Floor Kennels B. Sole Source Request
C. Picture Above Floor Animal Kennel System
D. Picture of T-Quad Kennel System
E. Site Pictures, Aerial of Buildings and Building Floorplans F. April 2024 Purchase of Above Floor Kennels