GLENDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING WRAP-UP

DEMOLITION WORK

The City Council increased the contract amount for a firm that encountered unexpected environmental hazards when preparing buildings along Flower Street for demolition as part of a street-widening project.

Interior Demolition Inc. had to remove an unanticipated amount of lead-based paint, asbestos, contaminated soil and concrete when preparing 11 buildings between Ruberta and Western avenues for destruction, and had requested $86,000 be added to the contract to cover the costs.

The entire $14.59-million Flower Street Widening Project is funded through state and county grants. The widened street would prepare the city’s right-of-way for on- and off-ramps at Flower Street as part of the California Department of Transportation’s I-5/Western Avenue Access Program, slated for completion in June 2010.

WHAT IT MEANS

The larger contract will absorb the extra demolition costs as the Caltrans project proceeds as planned.

CONSULTING CONTRACTS

The City Council, wary of public scrutiny over the use of outside consultants during a time of major belt-tightening, told city officials Tuesday to come back with an itemized list of how they would spend a requested $1 million for emergency infrastructure work.

City officials had originally requested $1 million to engage five consultants to perform as-needed design work on infrastructure projects over a three year period. Council members, however, said they needed more detail on how much money might go to which consultant and why before they would consider voting for it.

Without the additional details, setting aside $1 million at a time when City Hall is preparing to cut millions from the budget would create “the wrong impression” with the public, Councilman Ara Najarian said.

His colleague, Bob Yousefian, had also received a campaign contribution from one of the five consultants, and so could not vote for a blanket contract without knowing how much money was designated for which firm.

Public Works officials said the consultants would only be hired to help prepare unplanned projects to meet strict readiness deadlines for federal stimulus funds, or to handle the public safety needs caused by emergency breaks in the infrastructure.

WHAT IT MEANS

Public Works officials will return in coming weeks with a revised proposal that includes more detail on how they anticipate to spend the money should the need arise.

MAPLE PARK PROJECT

The City Council on Tuesday signed off on the final design for a $4.4-million overhaul of Maple Park.

The 3.8-acre park on the 800 block of Maple Street in south Glendale is one of the oldest and most-used parks in the city, and it has a community building that has fallen into disrepair.

The new design would overhaul the old building with a 5,500-square-foot addition that would act as the main entrance.

Under the proposed plan, the entire building would be brought up to current codes, see increased environmental efficiencies, get modernized gym facilities and be reorganized to better accommodate the myriad community programs that operate there.

A new children’s water play area, to include overhead and groundwater spray/soaker features, would also be constructed at the park, along with additional benches.

Of the $4.4-million cost, $3 million is from a state grant. While it is currently frozen, parks officials expect the state to relinquish the funds later this year in time to award the construction contract. The rest of the project cost is covered by city matching funds.

WHAT IT MEANS

City officials will move ahead with drafting the construction documents and solicit bids for the project.

The park renovation is slated for completion in August 2010.