REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
March 23, 2017
FROM: THOMAS C. ESQUEDA, Director
Department of Public Utilities
BY: JERRY L. SCHUBER SR., Assistant Director
Department of Public Utilities - Solid Waste Management Division
SUBJECT
Title
Actions pertaining to Consultant Services Agreement with Clements Environmental Corporation (City wide)
1. Award of a Consultant Services Agreement with a six-task, base scope of services not-to-exceed $139,000 to Clements Environmental Corporation, to conduct a multi-discipline feasibility study for the construction and operation of a residential convenience center drop-off location in the City of Fresno (Bid File 9388)
2. Authorize Clements Environmental Corporation to perform a seventh task (Task 7) not-to-exceed $15,000 to provide community outreach services to assess community concerns for the construction and operation of a convenience center at three potential locations.
Body
RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends that the Fresno City Council authorize the Director of the Department of Public Utilities or designee(s) to execute an agreement with Clements Environmental Corporation to evaluate the technical, financial, operational, regulatory, and environmental feasibility of implementing residential convenience center drop off sites (convenience centers) in the City of Fresno to reduce the rate, frequency, volume and cost of illegal dumping that occurs in the community as outlined in the Request for Proposal (RFP) issued by the City (Bid File 9388).
Staff additionally recommends that the Fresno City Council authorize Clements Environmental Corporation to perform a seventh task (Task 7) not-to-exceed $15,000 to provide community outreach services to assess community concerns for the construction and operation of a convenience center at three potential locations.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This Council agenda item is a request to authorize the City to retain the services of a consultant to evaluate the technical, financial, operational, regulatory, and environmental feasibility of implementing residential convenience center drop-off sites (convenience centers) in the City of Fresno to reduce the rate, frequency, volume and cost of illegal dumping that occurs in the community.
The professional services agreement with Clements Environmental Corporation has been approved as to form by the City Attorney’s Office.
BACKGROUND
Illegal dumping occurs in the City of Fresno, and creates unnecessary blight conditions in the community. Under the current service delivery model, the City expends resources to dispatch crews to clean illegal dumping sites, and to dispose of the debris at the City’s contracted transfer station, which then transfers the illegal dumping debris to the American Avenue Landfill. The costs expended by the City to clean illegal dumping sites are not recovered by the offending parties; rather, the cost to clean illegal dumping sites is paid for by ratepayers through their monthly solid waste charges on the utility bill.
During fiscal year 2016, the Solid Waste Management Division received 1,998 calls for illegal dumping, and through the first eight (8) months of fiscal year 2017, the Solid Waste Management Division has already responded to 2,047 calls for illegal dumping.
Given that illegal dumping does not occur on a regularly scheduled basis or in a geographically limited area, the City does not have a dedicated illegal dumping response crew. Rather, the City dispatches personnel and equipment from the Operation Cleanup (OCU) Program on an as needed basis to remove illegally dumped materials. Once these personnel and equipment are dispatched to address illegal dumping, the OCU Program has reduced capacity to timely remove waste materials in neighborhoods, and the waste materials remain in the street at the curbside for an extended period of time. When these delays occur, the Solid Waste Management Division receives calls from residents about the delays and the aesthetic conditions and driving hazards in the neighborhoods.
The existing service delivery model for illegal dumping response is not financially or operationally sustainable, and a reconsideration of strategy is warranted.
In September 2016, the City distributed the Request for Proposal (RFP) Bid File 9388, seeking consultant proposals to develop a feasibility study to identify locations for a residential convenience center. The RFP called for the introduction of a location which would provide an ongoing and convenient way for residents to dispose of bulky trash and recyclable items at a location open year-round. It is expected that the creation of a convenience center will reduce illegal dumping and complement our current OCU service. One proposal was received for Bid File 9388. An interview of the proposer was held on December 14, 2016 to discuss the goals of the project.
Alternative Illegal Dumping Strategies
Three alternative strategies recommended for consideration to address illegal dumping include:
1) Enhanced Public Education and Outreach: This is partially being accomplished with FresGo, but additional education and outreach is warranted to encourage residents to report additional information that can be used to apprehend illegal dumping violators (license plate numbers, make and model of vehicles, physical descriptions of persons, etc.).
2) Enhanced Surveillance Methods and Techniques: At this time, the Department of Development and Resource Management (DARM) has procured several portable surveillance cameras that can be temporarily installed in areas with a high frequency of illegal dumping. The cameras have been successful in apprehending illegal dumping violators, and plans are underway to make additional camera purchases.
3) Construction and Operation of Convenience Centers: Convenience centers are facilities that local governments use to provide a convenient location for residents to dispose of waste materials in a safe, clean and controlled manner. So, rather than illegally dumping materials in alleys, vacant lots, the rear of commercial buildings, along the railroad tracks, along irrigation canal banks, etc., individuals can dispose of materials legally at a convenience center. Such a facility provides greater convenience for residents as it is operated on a year-round basis for waste disposal services, and more efficient for the City as it will reduce the number and frequency of calls for illegal dumping services.
This Council agenda item is to authorize the City to retain the services of a consultant to evaluate the technical, financial, operational, regulatory, and environmental feasibility of implementing residential convenience center drop-off sites in the City of Fresno to reduce the rate, frequency, volume and cost of illegal dumping that occurs in the community. The proposed convenience centers are not intended to replace the City’s current OCU Program; rather, the convenience center program will supplement the City’s current OCU Program.
Convenience Center Feasibility Scope of Services
The completion of the project will be a multi-discipline effort involving the Department of Public Utilities, the Public Works Department, and DARM, Fresno County, and the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle).
The scope of services to complete the feasibility study is presented below for Council consideration:
Task 1 - Data Collection (current quality, quantity, and geographic distribution of illegal dumping)
Task 2 - Define Level of Service Requirements (accepted materials, banned materials, etc.)
Task 3 - Develop Typical Site Plan Configuration (traffic flow, disposal area locations, types of rolling stock and disposal containers, etc.)
Task 4 - Prepare Preliminary Operations Plan for Typical Convenience Center (days of operation, hours of operation, staffing requirements, utility requirements, annual operating cost estimates)
Task 5 - Alternative Site Options (up to seven potential sites identified, and three sites fully developed with configuration and layout)
Task 6 - Prepare Final Report (summary and consolidation of previously completed tasks)
OPTIONAL: Task 7 - Community Outreach for Convenience Center Construction and Operation (outreach to community representatives in the vicinity of the three sites with developed configurations and layouts)
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL PROCESS
In September 2016, the City distributed RFP Bid File 9388, seeking proposals for the citing and feasibility of a residential convenience center. The proposal due date was established as October 28, 2015, and the City received one proposal on that date in response to RFP. An interview was scheduled to discuss the proposal with the respondent on December 14, 2016.
Committee Members
Solid Waste Management Division Staff, with the assistance of a committee reviewed the submission to RFP Bid File 9388.
• John Thompson, Deputy Director, Fresno County, Public Works and Planning
• Michael Greenberg, Senior Staff Analyst, Fresno County, Public Works and Planning
• Jerry Schuber, Assistant Director, City of Fresno, Department of Public Utilities
• Bonique Emerson, Planning Manager, Development Department/Current Planning
• Scott Mozier, Public Works Director, Public Works Department/Admin CAP Administration
Committee Findings
Evaluation committee agreed that the proposal met the requirements of the RFP as well as the proposer is qualified to meet the City’s requirements for completing the feasibility study. Specific emphasis on the engagement of and outreach to the community was identified.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
This is not a “project” for the purposes of CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines § 15378(b) (4), as it is a fiscal governmental action that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes to the environment.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was not implemented because there was only one proposer.
FISCAL IMPACT
This project has no financial impact on the General Fund. Fiscal impact to the Solid Waste Enterprise Fund No. 41001 for the six-task, base scope of services will be a not to exceed sum of $139,000, and the seventh task will be $15,000. These funds are available in the FY17 budget. Future costs associated with the potential implementation of a convenience center program will include land acquisition, planning, permitting, design, construction, construction management and annual operations; all of which will require Council approval.
Attachments:
FresGo Heat Map - Location of Illegal Dumping Calls for Services
Photographs - Typical Illegal Dumping Sites and Materials
Professional Services Agreement with Clements Environmental Corporation