HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 2i: Contract with Animal Pest Management, Inc. for Coyote Trapping ServicesDATE:
TO:
SUMMARY
DISCUSSION
August 17, 2010
Mayor and City Council
Office of the City Manager
FROM: Donald Penman, City Manager IR
By: Linda Garcia, Communications, Marketing and Special
Projects Manager
SUBJECT: RETENTION OF ANIMAL PEST MANAGEMENT, INC. IN AN
AMOUNT OF UP TO $30,000.00 FOR COYOTE TRAPPING
SERVICES AND APPROPRIATION OF SAME AMOUNT FROM
THE GENERAL FUND RESERVE
Recommendation: Approve
On August 3, 2010 the City Council directed staff to hire Animal Pest Management, Inc.
(APM) to conduct a one -year coyote trapping program in the City of Arcadia at a cost
not to exceed $30,000.00. This report confirms the retention of APM and requests an
appropriation from the General Fund Reserve to pay for the program.
Due to complaints received from Arcadia residents about the increasing number of
"bold" coyotes in residential neighborhoods that are entering yards, attacking pets and
in general showing little or no fear of humans, the City Council, at their August 3, 2010
meeting, voted to implement a coyote trapping program.
The program will operate whereby residents will be provided with a telephone number
they can call to report a coyote sighting or problem. After determining which areas are
having the most difficulty, APM will work with the affected residents to install and
monitor a trap or traps until the problem animals are caught. Trapping is done on an as-
needed basis only.
APM's fee is $2,500.00 per 10 -day trapping period. When the City conducted a similar
program a few years ago, trapping occurred in all twelve months. Therefore, staff is
recommending that the City Council authorize an expenditure of up to $30,000 to allow
for the same effort this time.
Mayor and City Council — retention of Animal Pest Management, Inc.
August 17, 2010
Page 2
The expertise and experience required to conduct this type of work puts the services in
the category of being a "professional service," which means that competitive bidding is
not required. APM has proven to be a responsible and effective contractor and they are
able to meet the City's insurance requirements. Both the community and staff were
pleased with APM's work, sensitivity and responsiveness in the past and as a result, we
recommend that they be the vendor of choice for Arcadia's coyote management
services.
In addition to the trapping that will take place, staff will continue public education efforts
to remind the public to be on the watch for coyotes and to refrain from leaving things in
yards that are attractants. While these "reminders" do not always compel people to act
in a certain way, they are important because with or without trapping, the City's lush
landscaping, the Arboretum, pets and the racetrack combine to create an abundance of
food and water opportunities and as long as this is the case, Arcadia will remain an
attractive home to coyotes.
FISCAL IMPACT
The cost to implement the Council - directed trapping program is $2,500 per 10 -day
trapping period. Staff will work with APM to keep the trapping to one 10 -day period per
month, resulting in an annual cost of $30,000.00. Because this program was not
budgeted, funds need to be appropriated from the General Fund Reserve. Any unused
money will be returned to the General Fund at the end of the year.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the retention of Animal Pest
Management, Inc. to provide coyote management/trapping services for a one -year
period at a cost of up to $30,000.00; and further, that $30,000.00 be appropriated
from the General Fund Reserve to pay for the program.