The Pasadena City Council will deliberate on a number of service and procurement contracts, including the supply of protective equipment for the City’s firefighters, and interceptor vehicles for the Pasadena Police Department.
The Pasadena Fire Department is seeking authority from the City Council to increase the purchase order with supplier Municipal Emergency Services Inc. from $149,000 to $298,000, covering Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for the firefighters, which includes fire-resistive coast and trousers, also known as “turnouts.”
The previous amount was approved in June this year before recent movements in the fire department, including the “retirement” of worn-out equipment and the hiring of new personnel. Now, the department has a total of 161 sworn positions, each of whom is supplied with PPE. The department is also training 12 new personnel and 20 others have been hired within the past 18 months.
The department has also retired 11 PPE sets after reaching their 10-year life in accordance with National Fire Protection Association standards.
Taking the maintenance of reserves into consideration, the department is required to purchase more sets than usual to meet these fire protection standards.
Meantime, the Pasadena Police Department is seeking authority to procure 10 patrol vehicles to replacement units that have been in use for over five years. The department has specified Ford Explorer Interceptor vehicles in the contract, with a total cost not to exceed $293,200, according to an Agenda Report prepared by the City’s Department of Public Works.
Public Works says buying the new vehicles for the police department will eliminate the need for costly repairs due to the age and condition of the existing fleet. The purchase will also continue the transition from Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptors to the Ford Explorer models which began in fiscal year 2016.
Other contracts up for discussion Monday include a proposal to extend a contract with Wittman Enterprises LLC for paramedic billing services for six months. Wittman’s contract which started in 2009 will be ending in December and the City’s Finance Department is seeking authority to extend it.
Vart Construction is selected as the lowest responsible and responsive bidder among five interested contractors.
Before the regular meeting at 5:30 p.m., the City Council will meet in a special meeting at 4 p.m. to discuss plans for the holding of an AB 1234 ethics training session for City Council and City Hall employees, as required by California law.
AB1234 requires elected and appointed officials who received compensation to take two hours of training in ethics principles and laws every two years.
The office of the City Attorney handles the required training.