Item:
Title
Approval of Budget Ordinance Amendment No. 21BCC000094 - Utilizing $731,683 of Contingency Set Aside Funds for COVID-19 Related Janitorial Services and One-Time County Facilities Cost.
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Date of BOCC Meeting: March 8, 2021
Request for Board Action:
Agenda Text
The Board is requested to approve Budget Ordinance No. 21BCC000094 utilizing $731,683 of contingency funds set aside at the outset of FY 2020-21 Budget to increase the General Fund operating budget of General Services for COVID-19 related janitorial Services and several one-time County facilities cost that are emergency repairs not captured in the FY 2020-21 approved budget.
This request encompasses several areas of service for General Services. The largest portion of the request is related to COVID-19 janitorial services at $454,683 to extend contracts through June 30th. The remaining $277,000.00 is to meet the exceptionally high operating expenditures associated with major systems failures and emergency repairs.
Through the General Services Department, Durham County is currently contracted with six janitorial firms (The A Plus Group, B & R Janitorial, CJ Enterprise, DeWhit Facility Services, Freddrick’s Housekeeping, & Kreative Koncepts) for regular/routine janitorial services in County owned facilities. The fiscal year 2020-2021 approved contracted services budget for janitorial was $953,526 and this budget was supplemented with CARES funding in the amount of $436,977 in January and further supplemented with roll over funds from fiscal year 2019-2020, bringing the Current budget to $1,516,567.16. Following the directive from the County Manager to increase the janitorial presence within County facilities, in an attempt, to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, additional expenditures have been incurred and will continue as long as the threat of an outbreak is present. Additional information around COVID-19 janitorial services is provided in the supplemental documents.
Based on current expenditures for janitorial services outside of the regular scope of work (increased manpower, extended janitorial hours, additional supplies, etc.), General Services estimates that a total of $454,683 will be needed in addition to the current budget to continue funding janitorial services as presently provided through June 30, 2021. If approved, the addition of this funding would increase estimated janitorial contracted services budget to $1,971,250.16.
Additionally, $277,000 is requested to fund emergency replacement of equipment in the Building and Grounds Divisions that are not accounted for in the FY 2020-21 approved budget, emergency replacement/repair of equipment in multiple county facilities related to HVAC, boilers, hot-water heaters, and other mechanical systems, the remediation of a sediment vault at the County Courthouse, and replacement of the cables in the elevator at the County Courthouse. Each of these repairs was an unforeseen repair of a major mechanical or technical system and at current the General Services budget does not have the capacity to absorb these costs. Additional information around these costs is available in the supplemental documents.
At the outset of FY 2020-21 Budget due to the economic uncertainty in revenue and expenditure needs funds, captured from the hiring freeze, were set aside for potential use later in the fiscal year. As the year has evolved revenues have been received as expected, thereby allowing some of these funds to be available for expenses related to the current needs of the County.
While a Budget Amendment is not required by ordinance, to increase transparency and visibility of these set aside funds, one is being requested. The actual budget action taking place is all within a single functional area, a subtraction of funds from the non-departmental Business Area and adding of funds to the County Manager’s Office. The Legal form reflects a net change of $0.00 to the General Government Functional Area.
Alignment with Strategic Plan: Goal 2: Health and Well-being for all, Goal 3: Safe and Secure Community, Goal 5 Accountable, Efficient, and Visionary Government.
Resource Persons: Motiryo Keambiroiro, Director of General Services; Josh Edwards, Deputy Director of General Services; Shawn Swiatocha, Assistant Director of General Services Joel T. Jones, Quality Control & Contract Specialist; Eli McCutcheon, Quality Control & Contract Specialist
County Manager’s Recommendation: The County Manager recommends that the Board approve Budget Ordinance Amendment No. 21BCC000094 utilizing $731,683 of contingency funds set aside at the outset of FY 2020-21 Budget to increase the General Fund operating budget of General Services for COVID-19 related janitorial Services and several one-time County facilities cost that are emergency repairs not captured in the FY 2020-21 approved budget.
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