ACTION REQUESTED:
Title
Communication from the City Manager and Community Development Director with a Request for the Following:
A. APPROVE a CONTRACT with BURNSIDE BROTHERS for the 2022 WEED AND LITTER CONTRACT; and
B. APPROVE a CONTRACT with JIMAX LANDSCAPING for the 2022 WEED AND LITTER CONTRACT.
Body
BACKGROUND: The Community Development Department is responsible for ensuring private property is maintained (grass, weeds, debris, litter, etc.) at a level determined by the City Council. If a property owner fails to maintain the property, the City hires a private contractor to complete the work at the expense of the owner. This contract is challenging for most small landscaping companies, as heavy-duty equipment for mowing difficult lots and removing heavy debris is often needed and removing debris or cutting grass on private property can lead to contentious incidents.
During the pre-bid meeting, emphasis was put on the quality of work being performed. As part of this contract, scrub trees will be eliminated from fence lines, litter will be cleaned up before mowing, and lots will be cleared to the alley line.
In 2021, the Community Development Department issued about 7,000 work orders on private property. The cost of work orders performed is the responsibility of the private property owner. The owner is billed for the cost of the work order plus an administrative fee. Unpaid invoices are placed as liens on the property and attached to the property tax bill the following year.
Three (3) complete proposals were received. The proposals were evaluated based on approach, experience, price, qualifications, and MBE/WBE participation. The proposals were scored by four staff members and the scoring totals are below.
|
Vendor |
MAX SCORE |
Jimax Corp |
Steve Walton Construction |
Burnside Brothers |
|
Total |
400 |
271 |
219 |
286 |
Burnside Brothers and Jimax Landscaping has been a contractor for multiple years with the Department. In the RFP and at the pre-bid meeting, the City indicated they would likely select multiple contractors. As Burnside had the highest score, the got to choose which area they preferred. Jimax, then selected an area and we spilt the remaining area based on workload and discussions with both contractors. After discussions with the contractors, Burnside Brothers will be assigned work orders issued on the Southside of Peoria and West Bluff area and Jimax Landscaping will be issued work orders for the rest of the City. Historically work orders on the Southside of Peoria constitute about 40 to 50% of the assigned work orders.
The contractors will serve as backups to each other. If either contractor falls behind and cannot complete work orders assigned to them within the five-day requirement of the contract, the Community Development Department may issue work orders to the backup contractor.
The City of Peoria budgets $600,000 annually for the execution of this contract which covers private property. Public Works manages the maintenance and contract for Peoria County Trustee and City of Peoria lots through separate contracts.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The City of Peoria budgets $600,000 annually for private property work orders. The City attempts to collect these funds back by billing the property owner and sending unpaid bills to collections.
NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS: Removing environmental code violations from properties improves property values and support neighborhood development.
IMPACT IF APPROVED: The Community Development Department will continue to issue work orders to remove environmental code violations from private property.
IMPACT IF DENIED: The Community Development Department will not be able to remove code violations from private property and will only be able to issue citations for the violations.
ALTERNATIVES: NA
EEO CERTIFICATION NUMBER:
WHICH OF THE GOALS IDENTIFIED IN THE COUNCIL’S 2017 - 2032 STRATEGIC PLAN DOES THIS RECOMMENDATION ADVANCE?
1. Beautiful Peoria
2. Financially Sound City
3. Grow Peoria
WHICH CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR(S) FROM THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DOES THIS RECOMMENDATION IMPLEMENT?
1. Reinvest in neighborhoods.
2. Have an efficient government.
3. Choose an item.
DEPARTMENT: Community Development