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CC - CONSENT ITEM: Approval of Purchase Orders with Skyline Safety and Supply for Tamper Proof Pull Box Lids in an Additional Amount Not-to-Exceed $30,000, Resulting in an Aggregate Amount Not-to-Exceed $80,000 in Fiscal Year 2024-2025.
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Meeting Date: April 14, 2025
Contact Person/Dept: Gary Wansley/Public Works Department
Phone Number: (310) 253-6444
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Attachments: Yes [] No [X]
Public Notification: Email: Meetings and Agendas - City Council (04/10/2025)
Department Approval: Yanni Dimitri, Public Works Director / City Engineer (03/18/2025)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council approve purchase orders with Skyline Safety and Supply (“Skyline”) for tamper proof pull box lids in an additional amount not-to-exceed $30,000, resulting in an aggregate amount not-to-exceed $80,000 in Fiscal Year 2024-2025.
BACKGROUND
The City’s Public Works Maintenance Operations Division is responsible for maintaining the City’s streetlights. Streetlights are spaced approximately 250’ to 400’ feet apart from one another and are equipped with their own concrete pull boxes that are flush with the sidewalk. The boxes act as junctions to pull copper wire through buried conduit along a series of streetlights that share the same electric circuit. In recent years, the City has experienced a significant increase in wire theft at various locations citywide, including the National Boulevard, Metro Exposition Boulevard bike path, Sunkist Park neighborhood, Centinela Avenue and Bristol Parkway area, and the Culver/Sepulveda Boulevard area.
Throughout Fiscal Year 2024-2025, the City’s crew has responded to 15 streetlighting infrastructure theft incidents and has been successful in quickly repairing the damaged circuits and restoring the streetlights’ operation.
DISCUSSION
Thieves lift the concrete lid of the pull boxes to access and remove the copper wire. Staff studied the effectiveness of installing locking, tamper-proof pull box lids and found them to be an effective deterrent. After reviewing various make/model lids offered by the industry, staff selected Lock Lid Industries “Type 2” lids as the best overall solution. The Type 2 lids were selected as they take 15 minutes to install and they are fully adjustable, allowing them to fit on any size pull box. Other competing lids required two days to install as they required wire removal to create an anchoring point along with pouring concrete. When repairing damage caused by wire thieves, the City’s crew now replaces the pull box lids with the locking, tamper-proof Type 2 model offered by Lock Lid. Skyline is the exclusive distributor of Lock Lid products, as such this procurement is exempt from formal bidding requirements pursuant to Culver City Municipal Code Chapter §3.07.055.A
The City has placed several purchase orders with Skyline throughout Fiscal Year 2024-2025 to repair the damaged pull boxes. At this point in the fiscal year, Public Works has issued purchase orders with Skyline that collectively exceed the City Manager’s $50,000 purchasing authority. Staff continues to need the Lock Lid Type 2 lids to repair pull boxes and secure the wiring for the streetlights. As such, staff recommends the City Council approve purchase orders with Skyline in an additional amount not-to-exceed $30,000, resulting in an aggregate amount not-to-exceed $80,000 in Fiscal Year 2024-2025.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
There is sufficient funding in the Revised Budget for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 to cover the $30,000 in additional purchases from Account No. 10160240.619800 (Public Works Electrical Maintenance - Other Contractual Services). This account can be found in the Public Works section of the budget book on page 422.
ATTACHMENTS
None.
MOTIONS
That the City Council:
1. Approve purchase orders with Skyline Safety and Supply in an additional amount not-to-exceed $30,000, resulting in an aggregate amount not-to-exceed $80,000 in Fiscal Year 2024-2025; and,
2. Authorize the Purchasing Officer to execute such purchase orders on behalf of the City.