HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/15/2004 - STAFF REPORTS (15) DATE: December 15, 2004
TO: City Council
FROM: Assistant City Manager- Administrations
SUBJECT: Temporary Planning Services
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council: (1) rescind Minute Order 4979; and (2) approve and
authorize the City Attorney to prepare a Contract Services Agreement with Willdan in an
amount not-to-exceed $106,000 for temporary planning services for the period September 1,
2004 through February 28, 2005.
SUMMARY:
The Planning Department has experienced significant turnover in staffing over the past
twelve months. At one point this summer the Planning Department had as many as three
vacant positions. This has created a number of problems including delays in processing
development applications, poor customer service, and declining morale amongst the
remaining staff. In order to provide the resources necessary to keep up with the high volume
of development activity while the City conducted recruitments for the vacant positions, the
City retained Willdan to provide temporary planning services. Although the City has been able
to fill many of the vacant positions, a principal planner position is still vacant. Until this
position is filled, staff believes it would be advantageous to continue utilizing Willdan for
temporary planning services.
On December 15', the City Council approved an additional $40,000 for temporary planning
services. While it was felt that the additional $40,000 would sufficiently cover the anticipated
cost of temporary planning services through February 2005, subsequent information has
revealed that staff grossly underestimated the actual amount of money spent. As a result,
staff is now requesting that the Council rescind their prior approval and authorize an
additional $106,000 for temporary planning services for the period covering September 1,
2004 through February 28, 2005.
BACKGROUND:
This past summer the Planning Services Department experienced several personnel changes
resulting in a number of vacancies in key positions. At one time the Department had as many
as three key positions vacant. These vacancies caused numerous delays, as well as created
a huge backlog of projects in a department that was already at maximum capacity.
To provide the necessary staffing to keep the department functional while recruitments were
being conducted for the vacant positions, staff contacted several firms that provide temporary
staffing to public agencies. Due to the tight job market, only one firm, Willdan, was able to
provide the necessary staffing to meet the City's needs.
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Willdan is an engineering, planning, and financial management firm established in 1964 to
serve public agencies. The firm provides a full range of planning services, from the
preparation of long-range policy plans to assistance with the day to day operations of a
planning department. Since their inception, they have provided services to over 400 public
agencies throughout California, Arizona, and Nevada.
In October, the City Manager entered into a contract services agreement with Willdan to
provide temporary planning services. Under this agreement, Willdan provided two
experienced planners (a Principal Planner and Associate Planner) on a full-time basis. The
firm agreed to an hourly rate of $90.00 per hour for the Principal Planner and $80.00 per hour
for the Associate Planner. The total not-to-exceed cost of the contract was $24,990.
On December I'f, the City Council, at the request of staff, approved an additional $40,000 to
the contract with Willdan for temporary planning services through February 2005. During the
Council's discussion on this item, Mayor Pro Tern Mills raised some concern about the actual
amount spent on this contract. Although staff had initially indicated that only $21,200 had
been spent on the contract, further investigation revealed that the City had in fact been billed
for only two months of service (July and August) and that there were at least three (3)
outstanding invoices that had not been paid. Based on this information, staff determined that
there was a shortfall of roughly $37,000 between what the City Council had approved
($40,000) and actual expenditures through the end of December ($77,000). Although the
City could terminate the contract with Willdan at the end of December, the City Council would
still have to approve a contract amendment in the amount of$37,000 to cover the additional
work that has been performed year to date. If the City Council elects to terminate the
contract at the end of the month, it should be noted that the City will still be short a Principal
Planner position. Even though the City is currently recruiting for this position, it is estimated
that this process will likely take 90 to 120 days to complete. Staff believes that the loss of this
position for that length of time will seriously impact the Department's ability to process
development applications. As a result, it will take longer to process applications and some
projects will experience significant delays due to the lack of available personnel.
Staff recommends that the City Council rescind their previous action and approve a contract
with Willdan for$106,000. If the City Council approves the additional funds requested by
staff, the total contract amount, including the $24,990 that was previously approved by the
City Manager, will be $130,990. Actual salary savings from vacant positions for the period
July 1, 2004 through February 15, 2005 are projected at $91,224.
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APPRO' ED>
City Manager
Attachments:
1. Minute Order Rescinding Minute Order 4979
2. Minute Order Approving a Contract Services Agreement in an amount not-to-exceed $106,000 for temporary
planning services for the period September 1, 2004 through February 28, 2005.
2 .,,I
MINUTE ORDER NO. =�
RESCINDING MINUTE ORDER 4979
APPROVING A CONTRACT SERVICES
AGREEMENT WITH WILLDAN FOR
TEMPORARY PLANNING SERVICES, IN AN
AMOUNT NOT-TO-EXCEED $40,000. /z
I HEREBY CERTIFY that this Minute Order, rescinding Minute Order 4979
approving a contract services agreement with Willdan for Temporary Planning
Services, in an amount not-to-exceed $40,000, was adopted by the City
Council of the City of Palm Springs, California, in a meeting thereof held on
the 15`h day of December, 2004.
KATHIE HART
Acting City Clerk
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