TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Greg Ruddy, Public Works Director
SUBJECT:
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Ordinance Amending the 2025 City of Joliet Annual Budget for the City-Wide Tree Inventory and Award of Contract to Great Lakes Urban Forestry Inc. in the Amount of $307,395.00
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BACKGROUND:
The City of Joliet Roadways Division is responsible for the maintenance of all trees within the roadway right-of-way (ROW). This includes trimming, treating, removal, and planting. In order to properly maintain the health, welfare, and diversity of City trees, it is necessary to have a current inventory of all trees located within City rights-of-way. Based on industry and municipal standards, requirements were developed for a GIS based City-Wide Tree Inventory. The development and maintenance of a City-Wide Tree Inventory is common for communities with a proactive tree maintenance program.
The Mayor and City Council previously approved the 2025 City of Joliet Budget, and it contains partial funding in the amount of $154,000 for a City-Wide Tree Inventory. The balance of the funding was allocated and approved as a part of the 2023 City of Joliet Budget. The funds were not spent at that time as the start of the project was delayed. The funding allocation from 2023 was not explicitly shown in subsequent budgets.
Additionally, the City received a reimbursable grant as a part of the Inflation Reduction Act, Urban and Community Forestry for the total amount of $216,519.00. Of this amount $104,500.00 is designated for the Tree Inventory/Urban Forest Management Plan. This grant funding will offset the total cost of the tree inventory project. The remainder of the grant funding is to be utilized for public outreach, tree planting, and tree trimming in disadvantaged areas of the City.
The Department of Public Works is requesting a budget amendment in the amount of $155,000.00 to cover the award of the contract for the City-Wide Tree Inventory Project.
The Public Service Committee will review these matters.
CONCLUSION:
The Department of Public Works invited six (6) consultants to submit their qualifications and cost to provide Professional Engineering Services for this project. Three (3) proposals were received and evaluated. Proposals were reviewed and ranked by City staff, and it was determined that Great Lakes Urban Forestry Inc. was best qualified to complete the requested services within the designated time frame.
The Scope of Services and Cost Estimate have been reviewed and are acceptable to the City of Joliet. The City-Wide Tree Inventory project shall be awarded as submitted for the lump sum cost of $307,395.00.
Section 2-438 of the City of Joliet Code of Ordinances states that purchases whose estimated cost is in excess of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00) may be awarded without written specifications or bidding under certain circumstances. Two (2) of these circumstances apply:
(f) Purchases when authorized by a concurring vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the Mayor and City Council;
(g) Purchases of professional services.
Funds will be charged as Capital Improvement Fund/ Forestry Land Improvements (Org 30090060, Object 557400, $307,395.00).
As this expenditure was not fully funded in the original 2025 City of Joliet Budget, a Budget Amendment Ordinance, in the amount of $155,000.00, is attached for approval.
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Based on the above, it is recommended that the Mayor and City Council take the following actions:
1. Approve the Ordinance amending the 2025 Budget in the additional amount of $155,000.00 for the City-Wide Tree Inventory Project.
2. Award the Contract for the City-Wide Tree Inventory Project, in the amount of $307,395.00, on behalf of Great Lakes Urban Forestry Inc.
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