The council on Monday approved an amendment to its contract with Base Hill, Inc., for more janitorial services. The vote was 4 to 1, with District Three Councilwoman Lisa Landau casting the dissenting vote.
This was originally a Consent Calendar item.
However, District Three Councilwoman Lisa Landau pulled the item for separate consideration.
The council also approved a budget amendment for $133,000, according to the written staff report. The new contract increases the company’s compensation by $264,644.78 for a maximum of $375,582.33 for each one-year extension, according to the written staff report. This apparently included $132,322.39 for cleaning the First Street restrooms.
According to Management Analyst Sean Sabo, the contract amendment is needed services to city facilities in addition to the First Street restrooms at the current rate would exceed the budget before the expiration of the current contract.
Seal Beach and the tenants at 15 First St., also known as the Beach House restaurant, disagree about which of them should be paying for the cleaning of the First Street restrooms. That dispute is the subject of a lawsuit between the city and the restaurant owners. Meanwhile, the city is paying for the service, according to the staff report.
Landau asked if the $132,322.39 was for a two-year term.
Sabo said it was for the current fiscal year.
“I guess my concern is, I believe city is invoicing the Beach House for those services that’s accumulating at $2,000 a month,” Landau said.
Sabo said it used to be a daily cleaning. Moving on, the company would provide porter services.
“Have we gone out to bid on this?” Landau asked. “I’m sorry, but $132,000 seems excessive to clean out the bathrooms. I’ll clean it.”
District Two Council Member Tom Moore asked what were porter services.
Sabo said an attendant usually stays there.
Public Works Director Iris Lee said the intent of porter services is to have somebody there during much of the operating hours of the restroom.
“On October 24, 2022, the City Council adopted Resolution 7341 awarding a professional maintenance services agreement to Base Hill, Inc. (“Base Hill”) for janitorial services,” according to the staff report prepared by Management Analyst Lauren Barich.
“Their general scope of work included routine janitorial maintenance services to twelve (12) City facilities including: City Hall, City Yard, Fire Station #48 Community Room, Lifeguard Headquarters, Marina Community Center, Mary Wilson Library & Senior Center, McGaugh Pool Restrooms & Deck, North Seal Beach Community Center, Seal Beach Pier Restrooms, Police Department Headquarters, Police Department Substation, and Zoeter Softball Field Restrooms,” Barich wrote. The city also included $10,000 a year for as-needed cleaning services, according to the report.
