Council approves on-call engineering and construction-management contract amendments; public raises concerns about multiyear PSAs

The Glendale City Council approved several consent items authorizing or amending professional services agreements (PSAs) and on‑call engineering contracts at its June 24 meeting, and members of the public used the consent discussion to press for shorter term agreements.

Consent item 4B authorized a three‑year professional services agreement with Harper & Associates Engineering, Inc. to serve as the owner’s engineer for water storage facility rehabilitation work, for a not‑to‑exceed amount of $450,000. Staff explained the multi‑year term was necessary because design, bidding and construction oversight for the two rehabilitations will span roughly three years. The motion passed on roll call with all council members voting yes.

Consent item 4D included multiple amendments and increases to on‑call and project PSAs tied to the San Fernando Road beautification Phase 2 project and other public‑works needs. Notable contract changes announced in the staff report included a $59,660 amendment to Mark Thomas & Company for landscape and irrigation design (Phase 2), and further increases to on‑call traffic engineering, geotechnical and construction management contracts (increases of $200,000, $150,000, $750,000 and $200,000 across several vendors as listed in the staff report). The council separated Phase 2 for individual consideration; one councilmember abstained on the Phase 2 vote because they were not on council when the project was approved. The remaining 4D items passed by roll call.

Public commenters Beth Brooks and Mike Mohill objected to the city routinely entering multi‑year PSAs with large “not to exceed” totals, arguing such arrangements saddle future councils with spending decisions and make re‑appropriations likely. City staff replied that where project schedules and construction timelines require multi‑year professional services to avoid repeated procurements, a multi‑year term is standard and avoids repeated council actions for the same continuous work.

Council approved the consent motions after brief discussion and public comment. The votes authorize staff to execute the listed amendments and to proceed with the design and construction‑management work as described in the staff reports; dollar amounts and vendor names are recorded in the official agenda packet and the minutes. Council directed staff to continue providing project updates and noted that where feasible staff should limit long-range commitments when the work is discretionary.