After careful evaluation, we are recommending that annual Tree Planting and Maintenance be conducted by the Department of Public Services as opposed to an outside vendor. Right-Of-Way Maintenance will provide the personnel to plant 500 trees. Landscape and Forestry will provide oversight by providing a project manager to coordinate the delivery of the trees from the vendor, planting locations, and line locations. The project manager will also be responsible for inspecting, approving or rejecting the incoming plant materials from the vendor.
The Landscape and Forestry Division will be responsible for the maintenance of the newly planted trees.
Background: In the past, an outside vendor has been awarded a contract for both the planting and the maintenance of trees for the City. Maintenance includes weekly watering and weeding around the newly planted trees for a 15-month period. The bid per tree has been in the past approximately $163.00/tree to both plant and maintanence. This year the lowest price was 47% higher at $305.00/tree to both plant and maintain the tree.
Analysis: The Department of Public Services believes that we can plant and maintain the newly planted trees with additional equipment and temporary personnel provided to the Landscape and Forestry Division. The Department of Public Services personnel could plant and maintain 500 trees. If awarded to an outside vendor to plant and maintain the trees, only 300 trees could be planted with the current amount budgeted for planting and maintaining trees.
Financial Considerations: Budgeted funds in the contractual services account of the Landscape and Forestry Division for tree planting and maintenance is $92,400.00. The Department of Public Services could provide the planting and maintenance of the trees and in addition, plant more trees per year with the same funds than an outside vendor by obtaining the following with this years budgeted funds:
1. Purchase two (2) ? ton pickups with heavy duty towing packages.
$19,000 each = $38,000.00
2. Estimated cost of maintenance for equipment/year for 4 years = $800.00
3. Hire two (2) temporary employees from April 1 ? November 1
$8.89/hr @40 hrs/week for 31 weeks = $11,023.60 each = $22,047.20
FICA tax @ 7.65% = $843.31 each = $1,686.62
4. Fuel: estimated = $3,875.00
5. ?TreeGator Irrigation system?
600 @ $19.95 each = $11,970.00
TOTAL: $78,378.82
As you can see, even with the addition of the temporary employees and the acquisition of equipment and materials, 200 more trees can be planted and an additional $14,020.00 in savings can be had.
The requested positions will be authorized in the mid-year budget adjustment that will be presented to council for approval in mid January, 2002.
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