Tuesday, April 1, 2025

The council approved two expenditures totaling approximately $970,000, both drawn from federal CDBG funds from separate fiscal years. A $697,517 contract was awarded to Innovative Playgrounds Co., Inc. for playground equipment replacement at Lueders Park (CDBG FY2022), approved 4-0 with Council Member Spicer absent; no contract document was attached to the agenda item at the time of the vote — the city manager stated the contract would be drafted after council approval — and procurement was routed through SourceWell, a cooperative purchasing consortium, rather than a standalone competitive bid. A $272,305 purchase order was issued to Creative Bus Sales for two gasoline-powered buses for the Dial-A-Ride program, drawn from FY2020 CDBG funds, also approved 4-0 with Spicer absent; the city manager cited the need to expend five-year-old grant funds before they lapsed as the reason gas engines were selected over alternative-fuel vehicles rather than any performance or cost basis. A travel authorization for elected officials to attend a Palm Desert conference April 30–May 1 passed 3-1, with Council Member Duart dissenting and Spicer absent. No members of the public addressed any of the three spending items.