R2003-168 AUTHORIZING AGREEMENT - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

� , DECATUR POLICE DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM#03-56 October 10,2003 TO: Steve Garman, City Manager FROM: Mazk Barthelemy, Chief of Police � SUBJECT: Expiration of Contract with Prairieland Towing SUMMARY RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the currently expiring contract with the Legal Department's renegotiated terms for Prairieland Towing be approved. BACKGROIJND: The Decatur Police Department entered into a contract with Prairieland Towing several years ago. The contract requires Prairieland respond in a timely manner whenever the Decatur Police Department tows a vehicle in compliance with state statute or departmental policy. The current contract has expired and we are operating on a grace period. The original contract was for a number of years and then a provision existe� to simply extend the contract for an additional year upon mutual agreement of both parties. We have reached the end of that additional year. The options are simply to renegotiate a new contract with Prairieland or rebid the entire process. There are several reasons staff does not believe rebidding this contract is in the City's best interest at this time: ❖ The service we have received under our current contract with Prairieland has been very good. They are a proven product,whereas rebidding and having another"unknown"entity enter the picture is a gamble. ❖ We have knowledge of nearly all of the towing firrns located within sufficient distance of Decatur to provide the require�response time to satisfy the contract. Prairieland is the only one that has sufficient tow trucks and drivers (for all tows, including loaded semi-tractor/trailer combinations) to satisfy our needs. ❖ Vehicles held for evidentiary processing (those involved in homicides, thefts, etc.) must be stored in secured, alarmed bays. Prairieland currently has such and has ideal accommodations suitable for evidentiary processing. ❖ The amount of storage space needed is tremendous. All abandoned cars, impounded cars, and those seized and being held for lengthy forfeiture proceedings account for most of our storage requirements. Only Prairieland has such space in this area. ❖ The new vehicle sound amplification ordinance mandates additional towing and all the needs associated with its enforcement. With the amount of debate and controversy surrounding the passage and anxiety of pending enforcement, it is not prudent to"experiment"with a new towing vendor at this time. RECOMNIENDATION: Council should authorize the City Manager to renegotiate the current towing contract with Prairieland and not move to rebid the towing services.