Amendment to Housing Department Operating Budget on Monday’s Consent Calendar

As part of Monday’s consent calendar, the City will vote to amend the Housing Department’s operating budget and a contract with LA County.

On January 24, 2022, the City Council authorized a $765,467 contract with the County for the receipt of Measure H funds for homeless services. 

The contract includes $504,064 of the City’s Fiscal Year 2022 direct Measure H funding allocation as well as $261,403 of carryover funding from contracts with the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LASHA) that were expiring June 30, 2022. 

The City has since closed both contracts with LAHSA; however, additional unspent funding in the amount of $521,016 was identified. 

As directed by the LA County Board of Supervisors, all unspent funds from the LAHSA contracts are to be carried over and included in the new contract with the County. 

The proposed amendment will add a total of $1,025,080 of Measure H funds. This includes the City’s FY 2023 allocation of $504,064, which is equivalent to the FY 2022 allocation, as well as the additional $521,016 of unexpended funds. 

The amendment will also extend the contract term through June 30. The Board of Supervisors approved the County’s FY 2024 Measure H budget on February 7 which includes funding for the City’s FY 2024 direct allocation of Measure H. 

While the County has yet to calculate the City’s exact allocation, the Board of Supervisors approved more funding for Continuums of Care in FY 2024 compared to previous fiscal years. Thus, staff expects to receive a higher allocation, but it will not exceed $800,000. The proposed amendment will allow the City to accept its FY 2024 allocation of Measure H funding once an amendment is issued by the County.

Here are the other items on Monday’s consent calendar.

• Approval of the Pasadena Assistance Fund grant awards in the total amount of $100,000 for program years 2023 and 2024. The PAF is an endowment fund managed by PCF. The City retains authority over awarding grants from earnings generated by the fund. All donations to the endowment become part of the principal and remain in the fund in perpetuity. Profits are grown from the principal through investment tools utilized by PCF. Those profits are then granted to Pasadena non-profit agencies that provide human services to Pasadena residents. On March 1, 2013, the City of Pasadena transferred $1. 7 million from the Human Services Endowment Fund to the Pasadena Community Foundation (PCF) to create the Pasadena Assistance Fund (PAF). As a supplement to the federally-funded Community Development Block Grand (CDBG) program, the PAF Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) in the amount of $100,000 was issued on January 26. Applications were received from Families Forward Learning Center, the Flintridge Center, the Boys and Girls Club and Coffee With a Cause. 

• Authorization for the City Manager to amend a $33,000 contract with Dixon Resources Unlimited and an extension the contract through June 30.  On September 12, 2022, City Council authorized an increase of $14,064 to the contract to allow for additional work, including additional outreach efforts. Work on the Parking Strategic Plan began in June of 2020 with initial internal and external stakeholder meetings. Outreach efforts have included Internal and External Stakeholder Meetings; Business Community Neighborhood Association Meetings; Citywide Pasadena; Internal and External Stakeholder Meetings; Commercial District and Business Association Meetings; Business Community Site Visits; Old Pasadena Management District Board Meeying; and Parking Strategic Plan Community Outreach Meetings (online and in-person at City Hall).

The parking division staff has worked closely with Dixon to refine the Parking Strategic Plan through each round of outreach in order to address and incorporate feedback provided through the public engagement process. Since the release of the most recent draft of the Parking Strategic Plan in March of this year, staff has received a significant amount of feedback, mainly in relation to a recommendation regarding the overnight parking ordinance. This proposed contract increase will allow for additional outreach and updates to the final draft of the strategic plan based on any additional feedback that is received, with a goal of finalizing the document by fall of 2023. 

• Accept the bid dated March 14, submitted by Iteris, Inc. in response to specifications for Video Detection Cameras, and authorize the issuance of a Purchase Order contract in an amount not to exceed $100,000. The Department of Transportation, through this recommended purchase order, would procure video detection cameras from Iteris, Inc. for three signalized intersections located at Fair Oaks Avenue at Washington Boulevard. The Department of Transportation (DOT) was awarded $187,000 in grant funding through the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) for a Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Outreach Program. The funding was awarded for the implementation of a Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Outreach Program and to upgrade existing aging video detection infrastructure to newer technology that also has the capability to count bicycles and vehicles in addition to operating the traffic signal. The OTS Grant Funds for this proposed program are intended to be expended between October 1, 2022, to September 30, 2023. As part of this grant, $100,000 was reserved for equipment purchase of technology that would integrate with the City’s existing traffic count database to provide pedestrian, bicyclist, and vehicle counts. 

• Authorize contract award to Trane US Inc. (Trane) for the replacement of Trane chiller equipment to replace the existing system at the Police Department for an amount not-to-exceed $155,705 (including $14,155 contingency).
  The chiller equipment at the Police Department provides critical cooling for the Property and Evidence Room. This unit is over 15 years old and is due for replacement.  In November 2021, City Manager approved the issuance of a purchase order to Allison Mechanical, Inc. to furnish a Trane 20-ton Air-Cooled packaged chiller as a result of the formal competitive bid process posted in October 2021. Installation was originally to be performed by BSFMD technicians. However, supply chain issues resulted in a one-year delay between the time of order and delivery. Since then, due to unexpected staff attrition in BSFMD, it has now become necessary to hire an outside vendor to provide installation services.

• Authorize the City Manager to enter into a contract as the result of a competitive selection process, pursuant to Pasadena Municipal Code Section 4.08.047 with Dudek to provide on-call construction management and inspection services for an amount not to exceed $4,000,000 or four years. Pasadena Water and Power (“PWP”) regularly completes projects such as pipeline replacements, well drillings, reservoir repairs and upgrades, and booster station improvements associated with the Water Division’s Capital Improvement Program (“GIP”), and as recommended in the 2020 Water System and Resources Plan, which is a 25-year strategic roadmap for PWP’s capital and water resources planning. Due to the volume and often specialized nature of the projects, a mix of in-house personnel and outside contract resources is needed to complete projects, including those requiring construction management and inspection services. The recommended contract will be used on an as-needed basis to supplement existing resources in the Water Division for various water utility capital and maintenance projects. Construction management services may include assisting PWP’s project manager with contractor schedule, work coordination, and contract correspondence. Inspection services may include on-site observation and documentation of contractor work to ensure compliance with safety programs, workmanship, and contract documents. Multiyear contracts have proven to be beneficial by allowing PWP to efficiently obtain timely access to on-call service firms and to reduce the administrative burden and time associated with contracting for such services on a project-by-project basis. 

• A $125,830 purchase order contract, as the result of a competitive selection process with AAMCOM for call center services for the Water and Power Department for a period of four years, whichever occurs first. PWP owns, operates, and maintains a complex power and water delivery infrastructure that reliably provides electricity and water services to customers spanning a 26-square-mile service area. PWP requires a company to provide call center services to support PWP’s Outage Management System (“OMS”) Interactive Voice Response (“IVR”) system when PWP customers opt out of the IVR call tree to speak with a live representative. The OMS IVR is separate from the City of Pasadena IVR. system which includes PWP billing inquiries. The call center service will disseminate information from live calls and recorded messages: handle routine overflow calls for emergencies and disasters, and citizen requests and complaints. The call center will handle calls transferred from PWP’s OMS IVR system to speak with a representative or requesting Spanish speaking assistance. The call center will be responsible for inputting water and power trouble-related calls into one of two hosted web-based systems (one for water and one for power) that will assist the PWP Power Dispatchers in providing the highest level of customer support for interruptions of service, whether planned or unplanned. 

• A resolution amending the schedule of hourly pay rates of the non-represented non-management salary resolution. Human Resources staff has reviewed City-wide compensation schedules in order to identify the classifications affected by the July 1 minimum wage increase. There are nine classifications covered under the non-represented non-management Salary Resolution with pay rates below the hourly wage of $16.93 as illustrated in the table below. All employees who currently earn less than the July 1 minimum wage will receive a wage adjustment to at least $16.93 per hour effective the first day of the pay period that includes July 1. 

•  An amendment to the salary schedule of the July 1, 2022 -June 30, 2026 Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Human Resources staff has reviewed City-wide compensation schedules in order to identify the classifications affected by the July 1, 2023 minimum wage increase. There are two classifications represented by LIUNA with pay rates below the hourly wage of $16.93 as illustrated in the table below. All employees who currently earn less than the July 1, 2023 minimum wage will receive a wage adjustment to at least $16.93 per hour effective the first day of the pay period that includes July 1.

• Authorize the City Manager to execute agreements with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) associated with the receipt of $325,000 in reimbursable Local Agency Technical Assistance (LATA) grant funding for a Strategic Broadband Plan; and amend the City’s budget to recognize and appropriate funds for the LATA grant in the amount of $325,000 to Capital Improvement Program Project 71167 (City Fiber Network Expansion FY 2020 -FY 2024) for expenses related to the development of a Strategic Broadband Plan. On October 28, 2022, the Department of Information Technology (DolT) applied for funding from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to develop a Strategic Broadband Plan to include a market analysis, feasibility study, and needs assessment. The goal of the plan is to increase broadband access to underserved and unserved areas in the City. The plan would also be used to help coordinate any investments with existing and potentially new telecommunications companies to improve competition, reliability, and resiliency of broadband services for the community. The Strategic Broadband Plan is an important step in ensuring that everyone in the City has access to affordable, reliable, and high-speed broadband. The CPUC awarded $325,000 on March 27, 2023 to the City that will fund the entire amount of the project within a 24-month timeframe. The City Council’s approval will allow the City to receive reimbursement for project. 

• Amendments to the Housing Department’s Fiscal Year 2023 Operating Budget by recognizing revenue and appropriating $302,105 in the Other Housing Fund for Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Round 2 grant funding for homeless services; and approval of contracts with Union Station and the SycamoresOn August 2, 2021, the City executed an agreement with the State of California Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency (BCSH) for Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Program Round 2 (“HHAP-2”) funding in the total amount of $302,105. Per state statute, jurisdictions receiving HHAP-2 funds must obligate 50% of HHAP-2 dollars by May 31st, 2023. Jurisdictions that do not meet this obligation deadline will be required to submit an alternative disbursement plan on or before June 30, 2023. The City’s HHAP-2 application included funding for the following eligible activities: $256,790 (85%) for rapid rehousing, $24,168 (8%) for youth set-aside emergency shelter and $21,147 (7%) for administration costs. Of the $21,147, the City will retain $12,147 for administration costs and will contract $9,000 out to Union Station. Staff recommend amending an existing Measure H-funded rapid rehousing contract (No. 31836) with Union Station Homeless Services (“Union Station”) in the amount of $265,790 and a HHAP-1/ESG-CV emergency shelter contract (No. 32093) with Sycamores in the amount of $24,168 to obligate the remaining HHAP-2 funding. Both contracts were originally awarded as the result of a competitive RFP process. The scope of work will mirror the activities that were solicited in the original RFP and the contract amendment will incorporate any additional funding source requirements.