The Consent Calendar, circa 2009
— by Jeffrey Wisniewski — 21 July 2010 — 4 comments below »
A reader suggested I cull the routine items from 2009 (in addition to the 2010 list, so far).
The following is the verbatim list of items greater than (or equal to) $100k that appeared in the consent calendar for either the City Council or Redevelopment Agency meeting agendas in 2009. Most of these — if not all — were not discussed substantively during the meeting, and all of them passed unanimously.
- Adopt A Resolution Authorizing An Additional Appropriation Of An Amount Not To Exceed $500,000 To The City Of Hercules First Time Homebuyer Purchase Assistance Program For Fiscal Year 2008-2009
- Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The Appropriation And Expenditure Of An Amount Not To Exceed $100,000.00 For The Purchase Of Two Replacement Pumps And One Stand-By Pump For The Industrial Lift Station
- Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute An Agreement With Carlson, Barbee & Gibson, Inc. To Provide Design Services For The Widening And Relocation Of Willow Avenue Between Palm And Sycamore Avenues For An Amount Not To Exceed $315,215
- Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute An Agreement With Oliver And Company To Provide Construction Manager At-Risk Services For The Construction Of The Sycamore Downtown Street Development For An Amount Not To Exceed $4,050,756
- Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The Appropriation Of $150,000 From The Sewer Fund For Phase II Of The Environmental And Engineering Studies Being Performed To The Pinole/Hercules Wastewater Treatment Plant And Authorizing The City Manager To Disperse Funds Subject To The Joint Powers Authority’s (JPA) Recommendation
- Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The Executive Director To Execute An Agreement With Cornerstone Structural Engineering Group To Provide Design And Structural Services For The Bayfront Boulevard Bridge Project For An Amount Not To Exceed $295,000
- Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The Appropriation Of An Amount Not To Exceed $373,554.39 From The Unappropriated Fund Balance Of The Redevelopment Agency To Compensate DR Horton For A Reimbursement Request Per A Reimbursement Agreement Dated May 22, 2001
- Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The Executive Director To Execute An Agreement With HDR Engineering, Inc. To Provide Additional Work Related to the Waterfront Project and Intermodal Transit Center For An Amount Not To Exceed $1,200,000
- Adopt a Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute An Agreement With Design Community & Environment For The Preparation Of Design And Construction Documents For Duck Pond Park and Preliminary Design Alternatives For Sycamore Park For An Amount Not To Exceed $252,612.00
- Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Realign $192,505.00 Of Facilities Maintenance Project Funding And Authorizing An Additional Appropriation Of $7,495.00 From The Unappropriated Fund Balance Of The Community Development Fund To The Swim Center Facilities Maintenance Projects For A Total Amount Not To Exceed $200,000.00
- Adopt a Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute An Agreement With Morgan Miller And Blair For The Preparation Of An Update Of The City’s General Plan For An Amount Not To Exceed $60,000 And Authorizing The Appropriation Of An Amount Not To Exceed $100,000 From The Unappropriated Fund Balance Of The General Fund
- Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To File An Application To Annex Land Within The City of Hercules’ Sphere of Influence Into Its Corporate Boundaries And To Execute An Agreement With Stevenson, Porto & Pierce, Inc. For Preparation Of The Annexation Application And Related Studies And Documents For An Amount Not To Exceed $392,054
- Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute An Agreement With EDAW For The Preparation Of An Environmental Impact Report For An Amount Not To Exceed $180,000, The City’s Shared Cost For The Project
- Adopt a Resolution Authorizing the Expenditure of An Amount Not To Exceed $131,300 for the Replacement and Upgrade of Computers
- Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute An Agreement With Urban Logic Consultants To Provide Engineering And Technical Services For The City Of Hercules Proposed Sewer Force Main Alignment For An Amount Not To Exceed $206,800
- Adopt A Resolution Authorizing City Manager/Executive Director To Approve All Related Expenditures And Appropriate An Additional $400,000.00 From The Un-appropriated Fund Balance Of The General Fund ($100,000) And P&R DIF Fund ($150,000) And Redevelopment Bond Issue 2005 ($150,000) For A Total Amount Not To Exceed $400,000.00 For Emergency Repairs to The Swim Center Facilities Maintenance Projects
- Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The Executive Director To Appropriate From The Unappropriated Fund Balance Of The Redevelopment Agency Operating Fund A Total Of $1,026,977 For The Education Revenue Augmentation Fund, Known As ERAF, For The Department Of Finance
- Adopt a Resolution Authorizing The City Manager/Executive Director To Execute Agreements and Amendments To Existing Agreements For An Amount Not To Exceed $172,100 For The Preparation Of Design And Construction Documents For Various Capital Improvement Projects That May Be Funded By Future Federal Economic Stimulus Funds
- Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager/Executive Director To Execute An Agreement With Ms. Elizabeth D. Warmerdam To Provide Consulting Services To The Redevelopment Agency And Other City Services For An Amount Not To Exceed $105,000 For The Period Of May 1, 2009 Through June 30, 2010
- Adopt A Resolution Establishing The Appropriations Limit Of $292,948,510 For The 2009-2010 Fiscal Year In Accordance With Proposition 111 And Article XIII B
- Adopt A Resolution Approving The Construction Budget For The Sycamore Downtown Street Development For An Amount Not To Exceed $55,984,001 And Directing The City Manager/Executive Director To Administer The Budget And Execute All Resulting Subcontractor And Trade Agreements
- Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The Executive Director To Execute An Agreement With Nilex Corporation For An Amount Not To Exceed $874,913 To Provide For The Installation Of Vertical Wick Drains In The “Village” Area Of The Waterfront Development To Prepare For The Construction Of John Muir Parkway Phase 2, Bayfront Boulevard, and Transit Loop Drive
- Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The Executive Director To Execute An Agreement With Swinerton Management & Consulting, Inc. For An Amount Not To Exceed $203,500 To Provide For Pre-Construction, Construction Management, Administration, Accounting Services, And Related Work Pursuant To The Installation Of Vertical Wick Drains By Nilex Construction
- Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The Executive Director To Execute An Agreement With Ruggeri, Jensen, Azar And Associates Inc. For An Amount Not To Exceed $113,800.00 To Provide Engineering Services For The Palm Center Project
- Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute Amendments To Existing Annual Professional Services And Maintenance Agreements For Fiscal Year 2009-10 For An Amount Not To Exceed $3,460,277
- Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute An Agreement With Reddick Professional Services For An Amount Not To Exceed $166,000 To Provide Electrical Engineering Services To The Hercules Municipal Utility
- Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute An Agreement With D.R. Lemings Construction For An Amount Not To Exceed $285,980 For The Santa Fe Avenue Force Main Replacement Project No. 2009-03
- Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The Executive Director To Execute An Agreement With HDR Engineering, Inc. In An Amount Not To Exceed $720,000 For Design And Engineering Of Transit Loop Drive And Bridge, And The Temporary Parking Lot On Block K
- Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Negotiate And Execute Annual Purchase Contracts And Authorizing The Expenditure Of An Amount Not To Exceed $2,541,439.00
- Adopt A Resolution Authorizing An Additional Expenditure Of An Amount Not To Exceed $426,644 Payable To Ghilotti Brothers For The BART Replacement Parking Facility Project
- Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The Executive Director To Execute A Second Amendment To An Existing Agreement With Chiodo Art Development To Provide Additional Professional Services Related To The Design Development Of A Veterans’ Tribute For An Amount Not To Exceed $100,000
- Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The Executive Director To Execute Amendment No. 2 To An Existing Agreement With Obrestad Landscaping For The Installation Of Ninety-Three (93) New Wooden Mail Box Frames For An Amount Not To Exceed $76,730.00 And Authorizing The Purchase Of An Additional 284 Mail Boxes For An Amount Not To Exceed $24,765.75 For A Total Appropriation Not To Exceed $101,495.75 For The Completion Of Phase V Of The Secure Mail Box Replacement Program
- Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The Executive Director To Execute An Agreement With Pacific Biology To Provide Wetland And Habitat Permitting Services For An Amount Not To Exceed $120,000
- Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The Executive Director To Execute Amendments To An Agreement With T.Y. Lin International/CCS To Complete Reports And Obtain Approvals From Caltrans For The Relocation Of State Highway Ramps And Authorizing The Expenditure Of $850,000 Of Redevelopment Funds For Capital Improvements
- Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The Executive Director To Execute An Amendment To An Existing Agreement With Woldemar And Associates For an Amount Not to Exceed $151,900.00 To Provide For Phase Two Of The Palm Center Project
- Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute An Agreement With The West Contra Costa Unified School District To Provide One School Resource Officer At Hercules Middle High School For Fiscal Years 2009-2010, 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 For An Amount Of $160,000 Per Year
- Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The Executive Director To Execute An Agreement With HDR Engineering, Inc. For An Amount Not To Exceed $1,731,433 To Provide For The “Leadership In Environmental And Energy Design” (LEED) Certification, Preparation Of The State And Federal Environmental Documents, And Additional Scope Items Related To The Hercules Intermodal Transit Center Project
- Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Approve The Expenditure Of An Amount Not To Exceed $110,000, Accepting The Completion, And Authoring The Filing Of The Notice Of Completion With The Contra Costa County Recorder’s Office For The Sewer Lining Project At Newbury, Project No. 2009-02
- Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute An Amendment To The Existing Agreement With Stevenson, Porto & Pierce, Inc. Increasing The Scope Of Work And Compensation by $203,509 For Preparation Of The Annexation Application And Related Studies And Documents For A Total Contract Amount Not To Exceed $595,563
- Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The Executive Director To Appropriate $185,000 From The Unappropriated Redevelopment Agency Fund Balance And Authorize Its Expenditure For Work To Complete The BART Replacement Parking Facility; And Accepting The Completion Of Project 2008-02 To Construct A BART Replacement Parking Facility And Authorizing The Filing Of A Notice Of Completion With The Contra Costa County Recorder’s Office.
- Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Approve The Expenditure Of An Amount Not To Exceed $110,000, Accepting The Completion, And Authoring The Filing Of The Notice Of Completion With The Contra Costa County Recorder’s Office For The Sewer Lining Project At Newbury, Project No. 2009-02
- Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The Carryover Of 2008-2009 Fiscal Year Operating, Program, Contractual And Project Balances In The Amount Of $1,136,970.92 To The 2009-2010 Fiscal Year To Allow For Completion Of Projects
- Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute An Agreement With DR Lemings Construction For An Amount Not To Exceed $190,000 To Provide For The Sycamore Avenue Utility Relocation Project – Phase I, Project No. 2009-04
- Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Execute Agreements With H & R Plumbing For An Amount Not To Exceed $20,000 And SFE Global For An Amount Not To Exceed $93,500; And Authorizing An Additional Appropriation In The Amount Of $100,000 To Provide For Potential Sewer Line Replacement For A Total Project Amount Of $213,500 For The Sanitary Sewer Master Plan (SSMP) Capital Improvement Projects
- Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The Executive Director To Execute An Amendment To The Existing Agreement With Morgan Miller Blair In An Amount Not To Exceed $150,000 For Continued Review Of The Intermodal Transit Center Environmental Documents, The Hercules Bayfront Environmental Documents, And Processing The Applications For Both Projects Through Public Hearings
Again, routine. (Easy-bake.)
Congratulations Jeff! Your blog has truly evolved into something special within Hercules. Your earlier blogs started with parts of Tom Lochner articles rehashed to provoke feedback from the people. However, you now have footage on council members and other Hercules officials. You have building designs, pictures, renderings. You are the epitome of someone who loves Hercules.
I follow your blog closely as I want to get the pulse of a lot of the informed Herculeans. I do not read the West County Times Hercules articles as I feel that Lockner has some agenda of his own. Yours, though, is creative, funny at times, thought provoking, refreshing. I do not agree with you in some issues but I really appreciate the effort and time that you put into this.
As your blog gets more popular, I hope you will not turn into an “us versus them” power tripping monster like our current council members. I hope that your blog will contribute to a better Hecules and foster community spirit amongst Herculeans through the years.
@ pragmatist — Wow, you must be a new reader. Feel free to peruse the archives. Long live the grand conspiracy, and thank you for reading.
I guess all the doling out of millions and millions in redevelopment moneys to unknown consultants is considered by the council to be “routine” and only needs to be “acted upon summarily”. The council’s own words in their response to the Grand Jury recommendations.
The council in their defense also states, “Every item on a consent calendar is read verbatim at the public meeting before being acted upon.” Not really. What is read is merely the title of the item as provided by staff. The title alone does not inform the public what the matter is really about, what the city gets for that, or why it is necessary. It does nothing to establish the qualifications of the recipient of taxpayer money. Even if the staff report were read into the record, it would say very little, as Hercules staff reports are infamously short of detail, amounting in most instances to, “staff recommends approving the contract for the services to be provided.”
Random example: “Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The Appropriation Of An Amount Not To Exceed $373,554.39 From The Unappropriated Fund Balance Of The Redevelopment Agency To Compensate DR Horton For A Reimbursement Request Per A Reimbursement Agreement Dated May 22, 2001″
Just to underscore my previous point, what does this title tell anyone?
Compensate DR Horton for what?
Pursuant to a “reimbursement agreement” from 2001?
What does that agreement require?
Just WHAT is the city spending $374,000 on here?
Why are payments being made to DR Horton a full 8 years after the 2001 agreement?
NONE OF THESE BASIC QUESTIONS ARE ANSWERED IN THE TITLE.
And this kind of vague description is typical as you go down the list Mr. Wisniewski provides.
It makes a joke of the emphatic claim made by the mayor (and ghost scripted by the city attorney) that, “EVERY item on the consent calendar is read VERBATIM at the meeting.” WOW! They read the title into the record!!! And that’s all you need to know, so shut up!!!!
Even if, as the city claims, the city follows its public notice criteria “to the letter”, it is clearly insufficient to read a title that does not provide enough information for the average member of the public to know what the city is getting for the amount expended. These matters should be on the regular agenda, and staff should be required in each case to explain in detail the circumstances surrounding the expenditure.
Meanwhile, I bet if the rest of the meetings were analyzed, we would find that 90% of the meetings were spent on “fluff”, like doling out civic awards to political cronies, while the decisions that really matter were being approved as “routine” on the consent calendar, bypassing public scrutiny.
Do you think this is an accident that things are done this way?
Bottom line, THEIR convenience is more important than YOUR right to know what is going on.
And if you don’t like it, TOUGH LUCK!!! They are thumbing their nose at the Grand Jury, it is clear they have no intention of reforming their current practices. Until enough of you get the nerve to demand more and vote for candidates who promise to put YOU first, nothing will change, because the current crop of public officials don’t think anything is wrong with the way they conduct public business.