Please join us for the next virtual meeting of Ridge Lane Neighbors at 7p on Tuesday, March 2.
If you’d like to join, please email ridgelaneneighborssf@gmail.com to receive the link to the virtual meeting.
Stay safe and healthy, neighbors!
AGENDA
1. Welcome
2. Monthly updates:
– SF Parks Alliance
– DPW
– Contractors
– Grant applications
– Other ongoing issues
– Your concerns
3. Closing
In Attendance: Neighbors: Robert; Moneka; Mary Beth; Warren; Barbara
Designers: Nahal and Eric
SFPA: Sarah; Thaïs
PARCEL 4 UPDATES
From a recent conversation with Steven from MOHCD, it was discovered that there are more restrictions and regulations on how the grant money can be spent, which means we have to reconfigure our plans. Apparently the contractor has to purchase all the materials for any work he does, which would put our projects for the building and installation of the kiosk with signage, as well as the installation of the garbage cans and dog waste station (the latter of which materials we were going to purchase outside of the contractor’s bid) over the $10,000 mark, which then requires that the work goes out to bid.
It also came to light that any contractor, regardless of the amount of the project cost, must register with the Industrial Labor Relations Board ($400 fee); pay prevailing wages (even if the contractor is the sole worker); and attend an information session.
This prompted much discussion on how we can proceed from here. We do not want to have to put the work out to bid, for among several reasons including how this could well double the costs for the same work; the fact that not many contractors seem to want to take on such a relatively small job, especially when there are so many rules to follow and paperwork to file, thus we may not even get any bids; this would further prolong the process.
It seems as though the regulations of this MOHCD grant are designed for large capital projects with big time contractors who already have done work with the City. They are not a good fit for somewhat smaller projects. All the restrictions and regulations make it difficult to actually use all the funding. Perhaps the Mayor’s Office (and the Mayor) are not aware of this.
At any rate, it was determined that we should just focus on getting the Kiosk built and a sign installed which acknowledges our donors (we are actually required to do this).
We learned that if we just get the one donor sign, this would cut down the originally budgeted signage amount greatly.
Thus we came up with a plan and a backup plan.
PLAN A is to have Patrick, the contractor buy the materials, and build and construct the kiosk. Since his original bid for this was under $10,000, he could increase the costs to cover the added costs needs to meet the additional requirements. This could include his also buying one donor sign, which should come to less than $200. The additional work that we asked him to include in his second bid would not be included here.
Robert will talk to him about doing this.
If Patrick does not want to take on these additional requirements, and gives up on the project, then we go to PLAN B, which involves getting the donor sign made and attaching it to one of the baboon benches at the top of Parcel 4. No kiosk will be built.
Robert will let us know what Patrick has to say about this, and we may have another meeting using Moneka’s Zoom link.
Whether or not we have garbage cans and a dog waste station is still to be decided, especially as long as the City does not pick up the garbage.
It does appear that the contractor can install a donated item.
Also unclear, at this point, is whether we can still pay Eric and Nahal as Project Managers from this grant. Designers are not subject to the same prevailing wage and other restrictions as contractors are. Hopefully, we can get some direction on this from SFPA.
OTHER BUSINESS
Since there was a little bit of confusion among some members about finding the Zoom link, we request that Danielle send out a separate email with the link a day or two before the meeting, so it is easy to find.
Parcel 1 really needs a work party weeding effort, which will then get in such good shape that the monthly clean up wardens will be able to maintain it easily. Moneka agreed to organize this. She will be in touch with Danielle to get our email list and decide on a date. There was discussion about whether we should try to get a bigger response by putting out a call on Next Door and doing leafletting, but due to concern about social distancing, we thought it might be better to keep it smaller this time. Perhaps have a 3 hour window, with at least one of us present (but not necessarily same person the whole time), and then people can spread out the time and stay for a shorter amount of time each. Should probably ask for rsvp’s including what time.
Respectfully submitted,
Barbara
Ridge Lane Neighbors 