Title
First Reading of an Ordinance to Amend §1-6-310 “Emergencies” of the San Leandro Municipal Code to Increase the Emergency Spending Threshold
Staffreport
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends that §1-6-310 of the San Leandro Municipal Code relating to emergency purchasing be amended to increase the City Manager's purchasing authority without competitive bidding or prior Council approval from $50,000 to $200,000.
BACKGROUND
Ordinance No. 2022-020 amended Municipal Code §§1-6-200 and 1-6-215 by authorizing an increase in the City Manager’s authority to award contracts for public works projects and all other purchases up to $100,000. The ordinance also raised the threshold at which informal competitive bidding is required for the purchase of equipment, materials, supplies, and non-professional services to $60,000. Purchases between $60,000 and $200,000 can be made through informal bidding procedures, and purchases over $200,000 are subject to competitive bidding.
Analysis
The proposed amendment to §1-6-310 increasing the City Manager’s spending authority to $200,000 without competitive bidding or prior Council approval during an emergency is to account for the increased costs of goods and services, streamline administration of the municipal code, and to ensure efficiency when necessary to respond to an emergency which threatens the public health, safety, and welfare.
Environmental Review
Approval of the amendments is exempt from further environmental review under the general rule in California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines §15061(b)(3) that CEQA only applies to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. As a series of text amendments, it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the ordinance will have a significant effect on the environment.
Legal Analysis
The City Attorney drafted the Ordinance, and reviewed the staff report for consistency with the proposed edits.
Fiscal Impacts
There is no fiscal impact with enactment of this ordinance. Increasing the City Manager’s spending authority to $200,000 will facilitate the City’s response to emergencies in an effort to minimize potential damage and extraordinary costs. The City will use cooperative purchasing agreements and/or conduct informal bidding as emergency circumstances allow.
Attachment
Attachment A - Proposed Ordinance to Amend Section 1-6-310 of the San Leandro Municipal Code
PREPARED BY: Felicia Silva, Assistant Finance Director, Finance Department