For City Council Meeting May 14, 2024
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
APPROVAL: Tanya Williams, Acting City Manager
FROM: Tim Sullivan, Director of Maintenance and Facilities
Title
Request City Council to Authorize the Release of Bids for Fire Station 204 Generator Installation, City Project No. 240202.
Body
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the Release of Bids for Fire Station 204 Generator Installation, City Project No. 240202.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Rialto has five fire stations strategically located throughout the City. Each station acts as a frontline response to fires, medical emergencies, natural disasters, and other critical incidents. Fire Station 204, one of the City’s five stations and located at 3288 Alder Avenue, plays a pivotal role in the safety and well-being of the Rialto community and certain San Bernardino County Fire District services.
Fire Station 204 is currently without a reliable backup generator. The existing generator is prone to failure, and because of its age, staff experiences significant difficulties obtaining repair parts. Further, it is a non-tiered diesel generator that supplies power to a limited section of the fire station.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION:
The backup generator is an essential facility component contributing to the timely dispatch of firefighting units, paramedics, and other emergency responders during a power outage.
On May 16, 2023, a purchase order for $89,907 was issued to Harris and Associates within the City Manager’s signature authority for the design of a backup generator at Fire Station 204. The project design has been completed and is ready for construction bids.
The new electrical and temporary power supply will expand the power feeds to additional areas of the building, allowing it to remain operational in the event of a power failure. This would ensure that the Fire Department delivers an uninterrupted level of service. The design incorporates a top-tiered emissions-rated generator that will operate on renewable diesel, a fuel classified as an ‘alternative fuel.’ Renewable diesel is a cleaner-burning and lower-carbon alternative to traditional petroleum diesel produced from numerous biomass types, such as used cooking oils and fats, waste vegetable oils, and vegetable oils of diverse origins.
The tentative timeline for the award is as follows:
Anticipate Release of Bids to be Issued June 2024
Anticipate Award by City Council August 2024
Anticipate Start of Construction October 2024
Anticipate Construction Completion October 2025
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:
The requested action is not a “Project” as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Pursuant to Section 15378(a), a “Project” means the whole of an action, which has the potential to result in either a direct physical change in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. According to Section 15378(b), a Project does not include: (5) Organizational or administrative activities of governments that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY:
This action is consistent with Guiding Principle 3A in the General Plan:
Our City government will lead by example, and will operate in an open, transparent, and responsive manner that meets the needs of the citizens and is a good place to do business.
Approval of this action also complies with the following City of Rialto General Plan Goals and Policies:
Goal 5-8: Provide effective and comprehensive fire, EMS, and Disaster Preparedness services that meet the safety needs of Rialto.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed the staff report.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Operating Budget Impact:
The proposed action will not affect the Operating Budget.
Capital Improvement Budget Impact:
The currently adopted project budget for the Fire Station 204 Generator Installation, City Project No. 240202, is $175,000, and an available budget of $95,000.
The final engineer’s estimate is $500,000, and construction support costs are estimated at $100,000, with a total project estimate for the construction phase of $600,000.
The adopted budget for the Fire Station 204 Generator project initially covered only the design services. However, staff have worked with the Fire Department to determine the funding required for installation costs. To fund this part of the project, the Fire Department's Development Impact DIF Fund 2217 has been proposed. The fund currently has an estimated balance of $500,000.
Additionally, there is currently a budgeted and available expenditure balance of $757,000 in Account No. 22175176-53001. These funds were budgeted to be utilized for a portion of a proposed training tower project; however, it has been determined that the generator is a critical infrastructure component that cannot be further delayed. Therefore, staff will recommend the transfer of funds from the training tower project to the Fire Station 204 Generator Installation project for the City Council's approval at the time of the contract award.
Licensing
A business license or payment of applicable fees are not required for this action.