By Daniel Larios
Staff Writer

May 29, 2014 -- The Santa Monica City Council approved approximately $2 million in expenditures Tuesday to treat water, enhance the neighborhood around a future rail stop and purchase natural gas vehicles, among other expenses.

One of the two biggest expenditures allocates $378,000 to purchase and delivery of sodium hypochlorite, which is used in water treatment and purification, from Olin ChlorAlkali Products. 

The sodium hypochlorite is needed at the City’s Charnock and Arcadia Treatment facilities to "remove contaminants from the groundwater and for the disinfection, softening and fluoridation of the City’s domestic water supply on an ongoing basis,"  staff said. Sodium hypochlorite is used to aid in the removal of iron and manganese and to disinfect the water.

The council also approved a second allocations of $378,000 to hire AMEC Environment & Infrastructure, Inc., a Washington D.C. based environmental consulting firm, for environmental consulting services related to the Memorial Park Neighborhood Plan (MPNP).

The plan would implement the land use, urban design, and transportation vision of the City’s Land Use and Circulation Element (LUCE) by "developing standards and guidelines for an active and sustainable neighborhood surrounding the city’s future 17th Street Expo Light Rail Station,"  staff said.

The plan was initiated last fall and is being funded by California Prop 84 Sustainable Communities Planning Grant funds. Its adoption requires an environmental clearance process to comply with California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).  

The consultants hired will “analyze the potential environmental effects associated with the MPNP," said Rachel Kwok, a City Environmental Planner.

The required CEQA documentation is anticipated to be completed within a year, according to the staff report.

The council will also allocate  $149,925 in order to receive grants for the purchase of three heavy-duty Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles and the installation of a small time-fill CNG station at the City Yards.

In an effort to reduce air pollution from City vehicles, council approved a contract with the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), a smog control agency that serves LA County, which will provide grants to match the city funds of $149,925 per year.

The grant funds would offset the City’s replacement cost of these vehicles and the installation cost of the time-fill CNG station. 

The council also approved a $85,630 agreement with Windstream, an Arkansas-based communications company, to provide citywide Internet telecommunication service.

According to city staff, Windstream was the only provider that could accommodate the City's technical specifications of internet-based services that would make use of the City’s proprietary fiber optic network to improve network speed and reduce transmission costs. 

"Windstream was determined to be the best bidder, based on price and their ability to deliver a solution that incorporated the fiber optic network," staff said.

Also on the consent calendar was an item to withdraw from a contract agreement with Hertz Corporation for a pilot car share program in the City. 

The Council also renewed the “Any Line, Any Time” unlimited ride transit program between the Big Blue Bus and Santa Monica College with no financial impact to the city.