Title
Approve and authorize the General Manager of the Water Resources Agency to accept a donation of pump equipment valued at $23,292.10 from Hitchcock Farms Inc.; and authorize the Water Resources Agency to use the equipment for operation of the Water Resource Agency’s Espinosa Pump Station.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Monterey County Water Resources Agency Board of Supervisors:
a. Approve and authorize the General Manager of the Water Resources Agency to accept a donation of pump equipment valued at $23,292.10 from Hitchcock Farms Inc.; and
b. Authorize the Water Resources Agency to use the equipment for operation of the Water Resource Agency’s Espinosa Pump Station.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
The Monterey County Water Resources Agency (MCWRA) owns and operates the Espinosa Pump Station southeast of Castroville. On June 25, 2007, the Board of Directors approved a contract in the amount of $425,000 to Monterey Peninsula Engineering for the construction of the new Espinosa Pump Station. The project consisted of removing the existing storm-water pump station structure and appurtenances and replacing it with a complete fully operational storm-water pumping station for an area south and east of Castroville called Espinosa Lake.
At that time, Monterey Peninsula Engineering submitted the low bid in the amount of $431,000. To stay within the total money allocation for this project, which was $425,000, the MCWRA requested that Monterey Peninsula Engineering remove one pump from the bid for a reduction of $15,578.57 thus making the contract bid $415,421.43. The encumbrance of $425,000 allowed the MCWRA to have a contingency of $9,578.57.
The Certification of Completion for construction of the Espinosa Pump Station was accepted on November 26, 2007. Since then, Hitchcock Farms Inc. has offered a donation of the third pump that was removed from the original bid due to the lack of available funding. The pump has been valued at $23,292.10. The Espinosa Pump Station was configured to accept the third pump resulting in minimal additional expenses necessary. The MCWRA has approved the specifications for this pump and proposes to install it.
The MCWRA Board of Supervisors is empowered to accept this gift in order to serve a public purpose, here, operation of an existing facility. If the MCWRA Board of Supervisors authorizes acceptance of the donated equipment, the Operations Division of the MCWRA has an opportunity to improve existing operations of the Espinosa Pump Station at minimal cost to the MCWRA.
The Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) requires, by regulation, that local officials that accept gifts for local agency purposes document the transaction and post information about the transaction on the agency website if the fair market value is worth more than $2,500. Upon approval of acceptance of the donation, the MCWRA will comply with the FPPC regulation and will post the appropriate information on the MCWRA website.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
County Counsel has reviewed and assisted with this donation.
FINANCING:
The installation and operation of the new pump will fall within the FY 19-20 approved budget for the Reclamation Ditch, Fund 122.
Prepared by: Shaunna Murray, Senior Water Resources Engineer, (831)755-4860
Approved by: _____________________________________________________
Brent Buche, General Manager, (831) 755-4860
Attachment:
Pump Quotation