CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Approve the award of Option Year Two to Contract 21-382, Parkway Tree Trimming Services, to NJ Ryan Tree & Landscape and Steve Piper and Sons Inc. for an amount not to exceed $200,000 and for a one-year term
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DEPARTMENT: Department of Public Works
SUBMITTED BY: Richard Dublinski, Director
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
N/A
BACKGROUND:
The Department of Public Works (DPW) is responsible for the care and maintenance of more than 70,000 parkway trees throughout the City. Industry best practices recommend a six-year trimming cycle, which equates to maintenance on more than 11,500 trees per year. With the City's growth and the planting of additional right-of-way trees, DPW has been unable to perform all of the tree trimming services in-house. In 2000, the City began using outside contractors to supplement the in-house tree trimming program. In general, approximately 4,000 to 5,000 trees are trimmed by the contractor each year.
On January 4, 2022, the City Council approved the award of Bid 21-382, Parkway Tree Trimming Services, to NJ Ryan Tree & Landscape and Steve Piper and Sons for a one-year term from date of award through December 1, 2022 with four, one-year options to extend. The contractors are paid for trimming on a per tree basis according to the diameter classification of each tree pruned. On November 15, 2022, the City Council approved the first option year.
Due to a reduction in the number of trees trimmed by both the contractor and in-house staff since 2010, DPW is now on an eight-year tree trimming cycle. This has resulted in more than 1,100 service requests for trimming and downed branches per year. DPW's goal is to return to trimming the parkway trees on a six- to seven-year cycle. A more systematic approach to tree trimming will reduce service requests for trimming and downed branches as well as decrease tree-related liability claims for property damage.
DISCUSSION:
During the first option...
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