Title
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO PURCHASE MARCO DIAMOND CLAY SOIL AMENDING CONDITIONER FROM WALKER SUPPLY FOR THE INSTALLATION OF INFIELD MATERIAL AT THE BARLOW FARM PARK BASEBALL COMPLEX; AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.
Brief Description: In review, the four (4) baseball fields at Barlow Farm Park required safety related repairs/renovations due to years of excessive wear and failing infrastructure. The immediate Phase I safety improvements were completed in late spring of 2020. Phase II construction work was publicly bid and awarded to S&S Processing (Athletic Field Pros). In an effort to keep costs down on the project the parks department will be purchasing and providing the infield soil material required from sole source vendor Walker Supply Co. Staff is prepared to execute the purchase at this time. The phase II work is scheduled to be completed over five days in late June and has been coordinated with the affected baseball organizations.
Body
Legislative History
17-149 - Authorized a two-year contract with Vizmeg Landscape; 10/3/2017 -amended in 2019 to start phase 1 of baseball field renovations.
Resolution No. 19-185, authorizing the City Manager, during the year 2020, to advertise for bids or to utilize the various Charter-authorized governmental competitive purchase programs for equipment; passed December 17, 2019.
Resolution 20-34, authorizing the City Manager to enter into a contract with S&S Processing (Athletic field Pros) for the installation of infield material and fortification of infield infrastructure at Barlow Farm Park. Passed April 27,2020.
Purpose & Explanation
After numerous concerns regarding the safety and playability of the Barlow Farm Park baseball fields (acknowledging that spring 2019 was extremely excessive with rainfall), Staff has had discussions with multiple field consultants to determine a solution to correct the current adverse conditions. Following these discussions about the concerns that had consistently arisen at the Barlow Farm Park baseball fields during the beginning of the 2019 season, staff had documented several underlying issues of concern.
1. The initial construction of these fields provided for run off drainage through the infield dugout areas. This has caused many infield base line issues with safety and playability problems over the past15 years particularly during excessively wet seasons.
2. The original soils materials used to construct the infields has a very high silt content that allows the infields to “move” with rainfall and wind. Any sub surface drainage that was originally placed is no longer functioning.
We are in the process of a two-stage approach.
First Stage Repairs/Renovations - completed spring 2020.
First to be addressed was the infield improvements for safety of play purposes. The fields were lowered in elevation and regraded to achieve positive drainage around the dugout areas and away from the infields. The work included removal of existing materials under the fence lines and along all baselines. The outfield/infield interface was stripped and re-seeded to receive the new grading. Lastly the fields were laser graded for positive drainage and safe playability.
Second Stage Repairs/Renovations - Current for Summer 2020
This work includes integrating new infield mix material that alleviates the high silt concern and provides for proper water drainage and repelling capabilities. Sub-surface fortification bricks would be installed at pitchers’ mounds and home plate area for improved wear tolerance and safety/playability. This work is scheduled to be completed over a five-day period at the end of June 2020
Based on soil analysis and our observations at numerous other fields the most compatible material to amend the existing soils is Marco Diamond Clay. This product offers the best solution to the poor existing soils and will be purchased from Walker Supply Company, the sole source vender of the Marco Diamond Clay mix in our region.
Marco Clay Amending Mix, $81.25 per ton delivered / 504 tons = $40,950
Legal Authority for Proposed Legislation
Pursuant to Charter Section 6.04:
to be competitively bid and advertised for two consecutive weeks.
Joint or Cooperative Purchase Program
Professional Services
x Other - (Sole Source Provider)
Fiscal Impact
X Currently Budgeted
Supplemental Appropriation Required
Appropriation Not Required.
Does this legislation require use of an emergency clause?
X Yes, in order to quickly complete the improvements without excessive wear on fields or disruption of play for the 2020 baseball season.
No
Recommendation
Suggested Action
Staff recommends that City Council authorize the City Manager to purchase Marco Diamond Clay soil amending conditioner from Walker Supply, 6000 Scott Rd., Coraopolis PA, 15108, for the purchase of infield mix at Barlow Farm Park at a not to exceed cost of $40,950; And declaring an emergency.
Submitted by,
Jane Howington, City Manager
Frank Comeriato, Assistant City Manager-Operations
Trent Wash, Assistant Director Public Works