CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Approve the award of Option Year Three 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, for the City, 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, outside contractors began to be used to supplement the tree trimming program. In general, approximately 5,000 to 6,000 trees are trimmed by the contractor each year, depending on the size of the trees.
In response to the 2008 recession and the arrival of the Emerald Ash Borer, DPW reduced the number of trees trimmed annually and put the City on an eight-year 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.
DISCUSSION:
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 and second option years were approved by the City Council in October 2018 and October 2019 respectively.
During the second extension of the contract, Steve Piper and Sons trimmed approximately 5,000 parkway trees in the following subdivisions: University Heights, Riverwoods, Farmington, Naper Carriage Hill, Walnut Hill, Hunters Woods, Signal Point, and Walnut Woods.
Under the current tree trimming cycle, DPW intends to have the contractor trim parkway trees in Sleights Addition, East Highlands, Oak Hills (Silvan Cir), Kings Terrace, Pembroke Greens, Olesen Estates, Huntington Hill, Hobson Woods, Hobson Village, Pembroke Commons, Huntington Estates, Huntington Ridge, Knolls of Huntington.
Steve Piper and Sons will also provide deadwood clearance trimming (primarily of ash trees) in designated subdivisions, between the months of May and September, if requested. With the assistance of the contractor, DPW anticipates reaching a seven-year trimming cycle by the end of 2021.
Due to an increase in labor costs, Steve Piper and Sons has requested a 3% increase for the option year. Based upon the vendor’s performance, DPW would like to extend the contract for the third option year. The term of the third option year is December 1, 2020 to November 30, 2021, with one, one-year option 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 2021. Parkway tree trimming is also related to PA040, Emerald Ash Borer Program, which includes funding for EAB related tree trimming. A total of $235,000 has been requested for PA040 in 2021. This extension will occur primarily in 2021. It is anticipated that there will be sufficient funds to accommodate the requested award of $150,000.
|
Account Number |
Fund Description |
Total Budget Amount |
|
31251100-531308 |
General Fund |
$1,798,700 |
|
31252200-551502 |
Capital Projects Fund |
$1,342,000 |