Speaker 1: Five F recommendation to authorize the Interim City Manager to execute an agreement with CSG consulting services for professional plant services for 12 months. Permanent amount not to exceed 300,000.
Speaker 0: And I pulled this item. I don't know if staff wants to present anything about it. I pulled it because it's for up to 300,000 for structural engineer or an engineering firm. And it's my understanding that we, the city had had had an engineer through that, resigned in June. And so now we're being asked to approve a contract with a consulting firm out of San Mateo to make up for that. That would be up to 12 months and $300,000.
Speaker 2: So. Good evening. My name is Debbie Potter and I'm the city's community development director. And it is accurate that we had a plan check engineer that was working with the city. He actually resigned a year ago in June. So we have been using outside planned check services for several years now. We are using these planned check services. We are incredibly busy at the permit center and the flexibility that we have by using planned check services outside, planned check services we can use from one to 10 to 15 plan checkers all at the same time to keep moving our projects through the system. And while we do use planned check services, it should be noted that about 75% of all plan checking happens over the counter right here at City Hall. But 25% of our projects are complicated enough that they have to go out to a structural engineer. We're using CSG. It's the same plan check services that we that the fire department uses for its planned tech services. So that synergy has been very nice for us to have plan checkers that are very familiar with both the city's fire code and then all the building codes. We would like to continue on with the services that we are receiving from CSG. There is no impact on the general fund CSG. The contract is set up so that they charge 65% of the cost of the building permit, so that we are always providing services to applicants within the budget that we charge for building permits. It's no impact on the general fund and we will be continuing to look throughout this fiscal year at how we want to staff up that function within the department. And we're looking at perhaps keeping outside contract services and then possibly under filling the position with a plans examiner so we can do more over the counter. So we feel like we have an efficient model in place and it's really based on that analysis and the track record for the last year and a half that we're recommending approval of this contract for the current fiscal year.
Speaker 0: Do we have any engineers as part of our staff? Can you describe the types of engineers that we have as part of our staff?
Speaker 2: So the building official is has a degree in architecture, which is structural engineers and architects are the ones who can do the plan, check services. And then we have our supervising building inspector is a plan examiner, a certified plans examiner. So those are the two certified staff that we have.
Speaker 0: But do we have any engineers as part of our staff? That's actually my concern.
Speaker 2: We currently do not have a structural engineer, Madame Mayor. We have engineers in our public works department.
Speaker 0: Advanced planning. No, no, no. So that's that's where I'm that's where my question goes. My preference would be that we have at least one engineer on our staff. And it appears that that's counter to what the plan currently is with staff, that you plan to continue to have a consulting firm as opposed to an engineer that's actually an employee of the city, which I we used to have that and I and I think I've seen that that issue has been raised in regards to having an engineer as part of our planning department. So that was my concern. And I pulled out. And I actually think that the community is interested in this issue because there have been multiple letters to the editor regarding engineers as part of our planning department, separate from public works. And I appreciate that.
Speaker 2: Right. Most of those letters, though, are all about the public works engineers. Those letters that we've received have not been about the planning department. But I understand what you're saying, and we can take a look at it, because our building official, who has a degree in architecture, is able to do the same types of plan checking as a structural engineer it we just feel like it's more efficient to be able to access multiple structural engineers during our very busy period. And that's really what what we need and what we need. Internal to our staff are the certified plans examiners. And that's we also we do have several certified plans examiners on staff.
Speaker 0: And I appreciate that. Thank you for the comments.
Speaker 8: No, I just said I'm willing to move approval because I think Mr. Potter gave an excellent explanation if we want to keep these projects moving. Time is money. This is not impacting our general fund, and I think we're serving our community well. So with that, I will move approval of item five after recommendation to authorize the Interim City Manager to execute an agreement with CSG consulting services for professional plant services for a 12 month term in an amount not to exceed $300,000.
Speaker 0: We have a second.
Speaker 3: Second. All right.
Speaker 0: Any other comments? All those in favor.
Speaker 3: I think you.
Speaker 0: Of motion passes 4 to 1. Thank you. Thank you. And now we have speakers on five. Q And five are with you.
Speaker 1: And five Q is a final passage of ordinance amending the Alameda Municipal Code by adding article? What does that 14 to Chapter six concerning review of rent increases.
Recommendation to Authorize the Interim City Manager to Execute an Agreement with CSG Consulting Services for Professional Plan Check Services for a 12-Month Term in an Amount not to Exceed $300,000. (Community Development 481003)