01-04-2000 - Supplemental Trash Pickup in City ParksCity Manager and City Council
Jeffrey W. Collier, Director.
Public Services Department
SUBJECT: SUPPLEMENTAL TRASH PICKUP
IN CITY PARKS
.. City of West Covina
Memorandum
AGENDA
ITEM NO. B-8a
DATE January 4, 2000
SUMMARY: The Maintenance Division of the Public Services Department is requesting City
.Council approval to increase litter pickup in. City parks utilizing savings from park
maintenance contract services.
BACKGROUND:
As a result of the failure of Measure "C" on the April 28, 1998 ballot, the funds available for the
maintenance of City parks were substantially reduced. This reduction in funds reduced service
levels by approximately 25 percent.
One of the most noticeable reductions was, trash and debris removal in City parks which was
reduced from twice a week, to once a. week. This has been a continued problem because of the
high volume of people frequenting the City's parks. ,
On June 15, 1999, the City . Council awarded a contract for the landscape maintenance of
southerly City parks to Mariposa Horticultural Enterprises in the amount of $4,655 per, month.
This contract was a 33 percent decrease from the previous contract. With this monetary savings,
staff reviewed the potential for increasing the trash and debris pickup in all City parks.
DISCUSSION:
In order to address the supplemental trash pick up in City parks, staff solicited bids from several
vendors including Mariposa, the landscape maintenance contractor for all of the City's parks. The
following vendors were contacted:
No: "
Contractor
Ci
1Vloi thl. ' 'Bid,Amount,
L
Delhaven Community Center
La Puente
$ 920.00
2.
Mari osa Horticultural Enterorises
Irwindale
$3,225.00
3.
Valley Light Industries
Covina
No bid
In addition to the bidders listed above, staff has been in contact with LA Works (established in 1976
as the Human Services Consortium of the East San Gabriel Valley). LA Works is interested in
establishing a Welfare -to -Work Public Sector Employment Partnership (PSEP) program for the City
of West Covina.
PSEP provides welfare recipients residing in the City with entry-level "career path work
experience to lead to the participants' independence from public assistance. This is a "wage -base"
program which enables the PSEP participants to receive wages in lieu of welfare grant payments.
The City would provide the difference between the participants' grant payments, and minimum
wage and payroll taxes for up to 32 hours per week. The estimated cost is . $0.54 per hour per
participant for a total cost of $210.00 per month:
Unfortunately, at this time LA Works is waiting for the Los Angeles County Department of Public
Social Services to authorize funding for the proposed program with the City. It is anticipated that a
final determination will be made within the next few. months. -Staff believes ' that the PSEP
participants could provide a high level of service at the lowest cost to the City.
In' the interim, staff is proposing to enter into a six=month agreement with Delhaven Community
Center to provide the extra trash and debris pickup in the City's parks. Delhaven is a non-profit
organization which provides a variety of low skilled services 'utilizing the services of challenged
adults.. Delhaven is currently providing the City with the removal of illegally placed signs.