CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Approve the award of Option Year Two to Contract 17-169, Parkway Tree Trimming, to Steve Piper and Sons for an amount not to exceed $150,000
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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 maintaining a healthy urban forest within the City. Industry best practices recommend a six-year trimming cycle, which currently equates to more than 11,500 trees per year. As the City has grown and additional trees have been planted in the City’s right-of-way, DPW was unable to perform all of the tree trimming services in-house and began using outside contractors to supplement the in-house tree trimming program about 20 years ago.
In response to the 2008 recession and the arrival of the Emerald Ash Borer, DPW reduced the number of trees trimmed annually putting the City on an eight-year tree trimming cycle. This resulted in more than 1,100 service requests for trimming and downed branches per year. The department’s goal is to return to trimming parkway trees on a six to seven-year cycle by using a more systematic approach to tree trimming to reduce service requests for trimming and downed branches as well as tree related liability claims for property damage.
The most recent tree trimming contract (17-169) was awarded by the City Council in August 2017 to Steve Piper and Sons for a one-year term from December 1, 2017 to November 30, 2018, with four one-year options to extend. The first option year was approved by the City Council in October 2018. In general, approximately 5,000 to 6,000 trees are trimmed by the contract each year depending on the size of the trees.
DISCUSSION:
During the first extension of the contract, Steve Piper and Sons trimmed approximately 5,000 parkway trees in the following subdivisions: Crestview Knolls, Clow Creek, Saddle Creek, Harmony Grove, High Meadow, South Pointe, River Run, Ashbury, and Rosehill Farms.
Based upon the vendor’s performance, DPW would like to extend the contract for the second option year. Steve Piper and Sons has requested a 3% increase to offset rising labor costs.
Under the current tree trimming cycle, DPW intends to have the contractor trim parkway trees in the southeast part of town, including University Heights, Riverwoods, Farmington, Naper Carriage Hill, Walnut Hill, Hunters Woods, Signal Point, and Walnut Woods. In addition, Steve Piper and Sons will provide deadwood and clearance trimming (primarily of ash trees) in designated subdivisions between the months of May and September, if requested. It is anticipated that DPW will reach a seven-year trimming cycle by the end of 2020 because of the assistance of trimming through this contract.
The term of the second option year is December 1, 2019 to November 30, 2020, with two one-year options remaining on the agreement.
FISCAL IMPACT:
CIP #: PA040 - Emerald Ash Borer Program
Parkway tree trimming is expensed to the operational service and infrastructure accounts listed below. A total of $100,000 has been requested for contracted tree trimming in the General Fund account below in 2020. Parkway tree trimming is also related to PA040, Emerald Ash Borer Program, which includes funding for EAB related tree trimming. A total of $287,000 has been requested for PA040 in 2020. This extension will occur primarily in 2020. It is anticipated that there will be sufficient funds to accommodate the requested award of $150,000.
|
Account Number |
Fund Description |
Proposed 2020 Total Budget Amount |
|
31251100-531308 |
General Fund |
$1,798,700 |
|
31252200-551502 |
Capital Projects Fund |
$287,000 |