By Lookout Staff

August 15, 2012 -- Santa Monica’s City Council Tuesday approved a seven-year, $12,117,791 contract with TruGreen Landcare for landscape maintenance services at parks, on street landscapes and at City facilities.

Though TruGreen Landcare, which has had the City contract since 2005, was not the lowest bidder (coming in at $1.5 million a year), staff said they had the most experience with unique conditions in Santa Monica.

The lowest bidder, Conejo Crest -- which offered a bid of $1.2 million -- lacked “cemetery landscape maintenance experience… and experience with bluff debris removal,” according to staff.

“TruGreen Landcare’s current municipal experience includes the cities of Beverly Hills and La Miranda,” staff said. “TruGreen Landcare also provides services to the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors.”

The Council also approved the budgets for two of the City’s most popular destinations -- Downtown and the Pier.

As part of their 2012/2013 budget, Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. (DTSM) is expecting almost $6 revenue, according to the staff report.

Some $1.2 million will pay for the Ambassador program, another $1.2 million for maintenance, $1 million for marketing and another $1 million for personnel.

DTSM, which generates the lion's share of its revenues from assessments and $650,000 from its seasonal ice rink, is expected to break even.

The Pier is expected to come out slightly in the black, according to the staff report. For the 2012/2013 financial year, City officials are anticipating $1,535,350 in revenue and $1,528,500 in expenses.

Pier revenues come from a base grant from the City ($507,350), anticipated revenue generated from event deck rental, film permits, carousel rental, corporate promotions, visitor center and merchandise sales ($455,000) and program sponsorships ($573,000).

The Pier spends most of its money on programming, including the Twilight Concert Series, ($603,000) and staff salaries ($497,000).

The Council also approved more than $1million in miscellaneous expenses for the City, including $208,394 for three new trucks for the Street Maintenance Division.

Also included in that bill is $164,000 for the Michigan Avenue Greenway, “a backbone bicycle facility of the network envisioned in the Bike Action Plan,” according to staff. The bike way runs east-west and connects Santa Monica High School to Bergamot Station.

The Council also approved the $128,518 purchase of an “agricultural tractor to be used by the Beach Maintenance Division.”