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West Covina puts bus‑shelter cleaning contract on month‑to‑month after residents report missed stops, directs renegotiation
Summary
After residents and council members reported many bus shelters in the city were not cleaned as scheduled, the council moved the bus‑shelter cleaning contract to month‑to‑month and directed staff to renegotiate advertising revenue share and to return with a report in July.
The City Council voted June 17 to continue the city’s bus‑shelter cleaning service on a month‑to‑month basis and return the item at the second July council meeting after residents and council members reported that multiple scheduled stops were not being cleaned.
Councilmember Brian Gutierrez and other council members raised the issue after spot checks by council and city staff. A vendor representative told the council the crews normally operate daytime hours and that schedules vary; council members and residents said they had driven the posted route and found many stops uncleansed.
Councilmember Cantos moved and Councilmember Gutierrez seconded a motion to approve the contract on a month‑to‑month basis and bring the item back at the council’s second July meeting. A roll‑call vote recorded all ayes and the motion passed.
In addition to the short‑term extension, the council gave staff direction to negotiate with the advertising company that controls advertisement panels at some shelters (Clear Channel) about the city’s revenue share and to explore replacing aging shelter hardware. Mayor Wu said the city should seek a higher share of advertising revenue or negotiate improved shelters and branding; council members asked staff to return with proposed terms.
The city’s acting city manager said staff will compile a punch list of problem locations, will survey the installation and maintenance schedule and will work with the vendor to confirm why some sites were missed. Council members asked for field verification and for the vendor to provide photos and a detailed route schedule. The vendor representative said crews typically operate 9:30 a.m.–2:00 p.m. and that if a shelter is occupied crews will move to the next location and return later.
The vote did not end the issue: council members asked staff to check trash‑pickup service at shelters, to monitor vendor performance, and to return with revenue options for advertising panels. The vendor and city staff will report results to council at the July follow‑up meeting.
