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Council Approves Emergency Measures to Prevent Lapse in Gang-intervention Services; Replaces Underperforming Contractor
Summary
The council approved emergency findings and contract actions July 3 to prevent an interruption of LA Bridges gang-intervention services after a committee review identified performance and compliance problems with a contractor.
At the July 3 meeting the council approved two special motions to prevent a lapse in gang-intervention services funded through the LA Bridges program after staff and committee review found performance problems with one contractor. The council made the required urgency findings (that the need to act arose after agenda posting and immediate action was required) and approved contracts to continue services while a formal procurement is completed.
Why it matters: LA Bridges provides intervention services for at-risk youth. Council members said terminating services without replacement would put vulnerable young people at risk. Committee reports and an audit process were cited as the basis for the decision to replace a contractor identified as noncompliant.
Council discussion and due diligence: Members asked for documentation supporting the determination of noncompliance. Community Development Department staff said the motion’s findings and the committee record include extensive documentation; members asked that the department make those reports available to councilmembers. Several councilmembers emphasized the need for a firm record of specific failures (cited as items 1–6 in the committee materials) so the council’s action is documented and defensible. The chair recognized that making the documentation available to members was appropriate and necessary.
Action: The council approved the urgency findings for both special items and subsequently approved the motions to continue contracts with alternate providers so services would not be interrupted. The clerk recorded rolls on the findings and the motions (findings approved 14 ayes in one instance; subsequent motions recorded 13 ayes on the roll in the excerpt). The city attorney advised that the findings were necessary because the original contracts had expired June 30 and the services could otherwise stop.
Follow-up: Council asked staff to provide the committee report and supporting documentation to members and to ensure the RFP process for a permanent contractor proceeds without interruption.
