HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance 17692-08-2007Ordinance No. 17692-08-2007
AN ORDINANCE INCREASING APPROPRIATIONS IN THE GENERAL FUND IN
THE AMOUNT OF $570,000 AND DECREASING THE UNAUDITED,
UNRESERVED, UNDESIGNATED FUND BALANCE BY THE SAME AMOUNT,
FOR THE PURPOSE OF EXECUTING A CONTRACT WITH AMERICAN
TRAFFIC SOLUTIONS, INC. FOR AN AUTOMATED RED LIGHT
ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM THROUGH AN INTERLOCAL COOPERATIVE
PURCHASING AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF. ARLINGTON; PROVIDING
FOR A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; MAKING THIS ORDINANCE CUMULATIVE OF
PRIOR ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT HEREW[TH; AND PROVIDING AN
EFFECTIVE DATE.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT WORTH,
TEXAS;
SECTION 1.
That in addition to those amounts allocated to the various City departments for Fiscal Year 2006-
2007 in the Budget of the City Manager, there shall also be increased appropriations in the General
Fund in the amount of $570,000 and decreasing the unaudited, unreserved, undesignated fund
balance by the same amount, for the purpose executing a contract with the American Traffic
Solutions, Inc. for an automated red light enforcement program through an Interlocal Cooperative
Purchasing Agreement with the City of Arlington.
SECTION 2.
That should any portion, section or part of a section of this ordinance be declared invalid,
inoperative or void for any reason by a court of competent jurisdiction, such decision, opinion or
judgment shall in no way impair the remaining portions, sections, or parts of sections of this
ordinance, which said remaining provisions shall be and remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 3.
That this ordinance shall be cumulative of Ordinance No. 17142 and all other ordinances and
appropriations amending the same except in those instances where the provisions of this ordinance
are in direct conflict with such other ordinances and appropriations, in which instance said
conflicting provisions of said prior ordinances and appropriations are hereby expressly repealed.
SECTION 4.
This ordinanee,shall take effect upon
LEGAL
ADOPTED AND EFFECTIVE: August 9, 2007
Cif ®f F® VV®h, 1°exas
Mayor and Council Comr~~nication
COUNCIL ACTION: Approved on 8/9/2007 -Ord. No. 17692-08-2007
CONTINUED FROM A PREVIOUS WEEK
DATE: Tuesday, July 31, 2007
LOG NAME: 20REDLIGHTRUN REFERENCE NO.: C-22277
SUBJECT:
Authorize Execution of a Contract with American Traffic Solutions, Inc., for an Automated Red Light
Enforcement Program through an Interlocal Cooperative Purchasing Agreement with the City of
Arlington and Adopt Appropriation Ordinance
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council:
1. Adopt the attached supplemental appropriation ordinance increasing appropriations in the General Fund
in the amount of $570,000 and decreasing unaudited, unreserved, undesignated fund balance by the same
amount;
2. Authorize the City Manager to execute a contract with American Traffic Solutions, Inc., for an automated
red light enforcement program through an Interlocal Cooperative Purchasing Agreement with the City of
Arlington; and
3. Authorize the initial five-year contract term to begin August 10, 2007, with two three-year renewal
options.
DISCUSSION:
The goal of this program is to improve public safety by reducing collisions and injuries related to red light
running through a combination of law enforcement and improvements to the way traffic signals work
throughout the city.
The passage of Senate Bill 1119 creates additional program requirements for red light photo enforcement
contracts executed on or after September 1, 2007. These program requirements will make the
implementation of Fort Worth's program much more cumbersome and problematic. Therefore, to ensure
that Fort Worth has a contract executed before this deadline, staff has initiated a fast track process to award
a contract for a red light photo enforcement program for the City of Fort Worth. Cities in Texas have the
ability to use an interlocal cooperative purchasing option to essentially "piggy back" off another local
government entity's contract. Using this option fits the "fast track" schedule and will thus allow the City to
meet the September 1st deadline.
By "piggy backing" off another local government entity's contract, we are essentially using their selection
process as our own. With that in mind, staff evaluated the red light photo enforcement procurement
process used by several of our sister cities to verify that their procedures were solid, objective, and would
have been similar to a City of Fort Worth process. We found that the City of Arlington's evaluation of their
contractors fit very closely to a "typical" Fort Worth procurement process. In fact, Arlington staff went the
extra mile, literally, to visit the operations of their short listed vendors to evaluate each firm's day to day
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operations. Arlington's process was very deliberate and staff feels that their approach was well thought out
and produced an outstanding evaluative procurement process. Other entities are seeing this as well. For
example, the City of Irving has used Arlington's process to acquire their red light photo enforcement
contractor. In anticipation of this action, Council authorized execution of an interlocal cooperative
purchasing agreement with the City of Arlington on July 24, 2007.
In addition to evaluating the process that our sister cities have used to choose their contractors, staff also
evaluated the actual contracts that the cities have executed. The City of Arlington's contract meets Fort
Worth's needs. It calls for an initial five-year contract term with two three-year renewal options.
Lastly, although staff was very impressed with the City of Arlington's process, we also performed a limited
evaluation of the vendors that our sister cities have chosen. Our research showed that each vendor has
strengths and each can provide references where their operation is providing a good service to their client
cities. Therefore, based primarily on the City of Arlington's extensive research, but also on our own
evaluation, staff is confident that Arlington's contractor, American Trafi•ic Solutions, Inc., (ATS), will meet
Fort Worth's needs for our automated red light enforcement program.
In summary, staff found that: 1) the City of Arlington's procurement process was solid and objective; 2)
Arlington's contract with ATS meets Fort Worth's needs; and 3) the contractor, ATS, will be able to provide
everything Fort Worth needs for our automated red light enforcement program.
After execution of the contract, automated red light enforcement cameras will be placed at 10 intersections
beginning in November, 2007. Staff is developing a list of potential intersections and will communicate
these alternative locations to Council as soon as possible. Cost of installation, operation, and maintenance
of the cameras will be the responsibility of ATS. The City's cost will be about $4,750 per camera per
month.
An exception package will be required to staff the City's portion (administration, citation review and appeal,
etc.) of the program. The program's revenue should be sufficient to fund these positions. This package will
be submitted for Council's review during the upcoming budget sessions.
The Automated Red Light Enforcement Program will be self-sustaining. The $570,000, required for
expenditures before receipt of civil penalties, will be reimbursed to the General Fund from revenue
generated by citation fees.
American Traffic Solutions, Inc. has committed to 10 percent certified MWBE participation.
FISCAL INFORMATION/CERTIFICATION:
The Finance Director certifies that upon approval of the above recommendations and adoption of the
attached supplemental appropriation ordinance, funds will be available in the current operating budget, as
appropriated, of the General Fund. Upon approval the unaudited, unreserved, undesignated fund balance
of the General Fund will be $4,365,474, which is the amount available above the minimum reserve fund
balance of $46,845,951 required by the City's Financial Management Policy Statements (i.e., 10 percent of
the current-year adopted budget expenditures less the annual transfer from the General Fund to the Debt
Service Fund.
TO Fund/Account/Centers FROM Fund/Account/Centers
GG01 539120 0202504 $570.000.00 GG01 539120 0202504 X570,000.00
Submitted for City Manager's Office b~ Marc Ott (8476)
Originating Department Head: Robert Goode (7804)
Additional Information Contact: Randy Burkett (8774)
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