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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution No. 14-7472 - Appove the Youth Employment Plan For Improvements Completed At The Columbia Memorial Space CenterRESOLUTION NO. 14-7472 l A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DOWNEY APPROVING THE YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PLAN FOR IMPROVEMENTS COMPLETED AT THE COLUMBIA MEMORIAL SPACE CENTER WHEREAS, the City was awarded a grant in the amount of $150,000 through the County of Los Angeles Regional Park and Open Space District Safe Neighborhood Parks Proposition of 1996 grant program for improvements at the Columbia Memorial Space Center; and, WHEREAS, said improvements, which were completed in 2013, consisted of the installation of a shade structure in the amphitheater and picnic area and a decorative and chain link fence surrounding the native plant garden located adjacent to the space center; and, WHEREAS, the Safe Neighborhood Parks Proposition of 1996 program requires, as a condition for reimbursement by the grant funds, the grant recipient to make a good faith effort to employ at-risk youth labor on projects completed with said grant funds and to prepare a Youth Employment Plan for each project funded with said grant funds showing how the grant recipient is utilizing at-risk youth labor on the project or explaining why the grant recipient was unable to employ at-risk youth on the project; and, WHEREAS, the City was not able to employ at-risk youth on the shade structure and decorative fence projects due to the nature of the two projects, which required skilled labor and did not involve any light duty tasks wh'1 ch could be completed by at-risk youth; and, WHEREAS, as required by the grant program requirements, the City has completed a Youth Employment Plan for the projects explaining why the City was unable to utilize at-risk youth for the two projects NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DOWNEY DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. The City Council of the City of Downey hereby approves the Youth Employment Plan for the improvements recently completed at the Columbia Memorial Space Center, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit ’'A" APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 11 th day of February, 20 BBa/ ATTEST: Mayor City Clerk RESOLUTION NO. 14-7472 PAGE 2 I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Resolution was adopted by the City Council of the City of Downey at a regular meeting held on the 11th day of February 2014, by the following vote, to wit AVcer\ 1 l_\J NOES: ABSENT: ABSTAIN Council Members: Brossmer, Guerra, Saab, Marquez, Mayor Vasquez Council Member: None Council Member: None Council Member: None bbl laW/ ADkA City Clerk EXHIBIT A YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PLAN City of Downey Columbia Memorial Space Center (58C8-12-2265) BACKGROUND The County of Los Angeles Regional Park and Open Space District provided a $150,000 grant through the Safe Neighborhood Parks Proposition of 1996 to the City of Downey for improvements of the Colurnbia Memorial Space Center in 2011. The improvements to the Space Center included replacing the chain link fence surrounding the native plant garden with a permanent decorative steel cable-rail fence and building a shade shelter structure over the center's amphitheater and picnic area. The purpose of the fence is to provide separation between the center’s garden and the adjacent athletic fields at the Discovery Sports Co''mplex. The purpose of the shade structure is to provide shade to the amphitheater and picnic area. In order for the shade structure to properly complement the existing architectural features of the Space Center building, a contemporary pentagonal-shaped shade structure was selected. In addition, the decorative fence consisted of steel cables and rails to match the aeronautical theme of the adjacent space center. Plans and specifications were prepared to allow for separate contracts for each of the improvements and the two projects have since been completed. Furthermore, the City concluded that youth employee assistance would not be used on the two projects due to the complexity of the projects' specifications and plans for reasons discussed below. PROJECT TASKS The specific shade structure improvements included the following: • Engineering and fabrication of a pentagonal-shaped shade structure, consisting of two 28-feet by 40-feet architectural fabric covers (approximately 1,600 square feet), made of a UV-stabilized, high-density polyethylene fabric knitted with monofilament and tape yarn filler and supported by six structural steel posts: • Installation of the architectural shade structure fabric cover atop six structural steel posts at a height from 10 to 12 feet above the amphitheater and picnic table area; •Construction of concrete footings and installation of steel posts. The decorative fencing improvements included the following: • Installation of the fence at a varying height between five and seven feet and measuring 530 feet in length; • Implementing a "cable rail'' design to the portion of the fence facing north, complementing the adjacent architecture of the Space Center building; • Installation of a black vinyl-coated chain link fence for the remainder of the perimeter fence RESOURCE ALLOCATION Due to the projects' complex designs and construction expertise required, completion of the above-listed tasks did not lend to the assistance of youth employees. Many of the construction materials and products involved particular construction standards and criteria that were required to be carried out by an experienced installer. In addition, the labor requirements for the two proiects required involvement of specific trades, and there were no simple tasks (i.e., clearing and grubbing, landscaping, painting) which could be completed by non-skilled labor. For instance, the '’cable rail" design of the fence required precise on-site cutting of the pickets as each segment of the fence was installed. The contractor was able to produce the least amount of variation among measurements, minimizing errors and discrepancies. This constituted the majority of the tasks for the fence project. Consequently, the project's scope was not extensive enough to warrant youth assistance. The shade structure was also best completed in its entirety by the selected contractor due to safety hazards that may have put an untrained individual at risk through the construction of the taII steel posts and shade structures. As such, the City believed that it was appropriate for the contractors to perform all work specified in the plans and specifications for each of the projects ESTIMATED COST OF YOUTH EMPLOYMENT The City decided not to allocate any funds towards employing youth per the reasons stated above METHOD OF YOUTH EMPLOYMENT AND EMPLOYMENT GOAL Ordinarily, the City engages the assistance of organizations such as the Long Beach Conservation Corps in order to offer at-risk youth and other youth an opportunity to participate in the completion of its projects to the practical extent. However, the City did not undergo any outreach efforts or outline a youth employment goal pertaining to the Columbia Memorial Space Center shade structure and fence projects since selected contractors completed each of the projects' activities due to the skilled labor that was required.