HomeMy WebLinkAboutEmailed Comments from Robert Goldberg - Regular SessionGloria Harper
From: Robert Goldberg <rgoldberg@live.com>
Sent: Sunday, March 07,202111:08 AM
To: Thomas Moore; Schelly Sustarsic; Mike Varipapa; Sandra Massa-Lavitt; Joe Kalmick
Cc: Jill Ingram; Gloria Harper; Charles M. Kelly; Jeannette Andruss; Joe Bailey; Iris Lee; Steve
Myrter
Subject: Questions & Comments for Open Session 3/8/21
Attachments: 3.08.21 Questions & Comments.doc
Dear Council and Staff,
Please see the attached questions and comments for this Monday's open session.
Thank you for your consideration and service,
Robert Goldberg
estions & Comments for 3/08/21 Oaen Session from Robert Goldbe
Item B: Demand on Treasury (Warrants)
Page 1, Check #18697 to APLPD HOLDCO INC for $287 for "services 2-9 to 3-8-2021."
What is this for?
Item E: On -Call Agreements for Emergency Utility Repairs
I would like to thank the Public Works staff for their efforts to secure these on-call contracts for
pipe breaks. Unfortunately, breaks seem to occur about once a year, and typically result in the
performance of emergency work binding the City to pay amounts above staff's spending authority
without prior Council approval. As I mentioned about a year ago, the City Charter appears to be
deficient in that it does not provide for such binding without prior Council approval unless there is
a formal declaration of disaster under Section 107. A new Charter provision is needed that allows
unlimited binding to make urgent, but non -disaster related, repairs prior to Council approval. Until
the Charter is amended, the proposed on-call contracts are a good "work -around" in that Council
has at least pre -approved the pricing for urgent repair services and maximum expenditure
amounts.
In regards to pricing, one would hope that the RFP process would perhaps yield pricing below
what we have recently paid for emergency repairs. Unfortunately, this does not appear to be the
case. Of the three firms selected by staff, Valverde appears to be the lowest cost contractor.
However, their proposed contract labor costs are substantially higher than what we recently paid
Valverde for the emergency Lampson Avenue Water System Repair Project EM 2101 (Agenda Item
H, 1/11/21). Based on the invoices from September and November 2020, there were four worker
classifications that were billed for less than the lowest cost classification in the proposed contract
(see table below that includes Contractor markup of hourly labor costs).
Valverde Proposed Contract:
Hourly Base Pay
Worker Classification + 15% Contracter Markup
Laborer $92.78
Valverde Labor Rates from Emergency Repairs in
September and November 2020:
Hourly Base Pay
Worker Classification + 20% Contracter Markup
LG4
$86.45
LG2
$83.40
LG1
$82.18
C MA6
$74.82
While Valverde's proposed contract charges for hourly equipment use appear to be very similar to
those charged last fall, I think the contract's overall charges for pipe break repairs will be higher
due to the proposed labor rates. This does not seem to be avoidable, since Valverde's net labor
charges (base + markup) are still less than the other two contractors. Additionally, Valverde is the
only one of the three that does not charge a mobilization fee.
Item G: Mid -Year Budget Amendment
There are four proposed budget revisions for the Aquatics (swimming pool) Program. These are
shown in the table below with figures from prior budgets as a frame of reference.
073 Aquatics (General Fund)
Revenue- Swim Passes
Revenue- Swim Lessons
Revenue- Swimming Pool Rentals
Expenditure - Part -Time Salaries
Estimated
Actual (6/20)
FY 2018-19 FY 2019-20
Adopted Proposed
Budget Revised
FY 2020-21 Budget
$50,536
$36,000
$30,000
$60,000
$44,662
$27,000
$20,000
$45,000
$4,454
$3,000
$1,200
$36,000
$92,556
$68,300
1 $98,000
1 $144,000
The first two revenue increases would be consistent with a revised assessment that swim passes
and swim lessons returned to their pre-COVID levels in FY 20-21. However, revenue from pool
rentals for FY 2020-21 is being presented as having increased by a factor of 8 from pre-COVID
levels ($36,000 proposed vs. $4,454 in FY 2018-19).
Please explain the large increase in pool rental income despite (or because of) COVID.
Pool -related part-time salaries for Pool Lifeguards and Pool Managers are proposed to increase by
$46,000 or 47% from the adopted budget of $98,000. While Pool Lifeguards did receive an 8-11%
minimum wage increase effective 1/1/21, this would explain only about $5000 of the requested
$46,000 increase. Of note is that the original budgeted figure of $98,000 was not discounted due
to COVID considerations.
Please explain the basis for the requested large increase in part-time Aquatics salaries.