Explanation
This legislation authorizes the Director of Public Utilities to enter into a renewal and modification of the Green Infrastructure contract that supports the management of facilities that support stormwater control and Watershed management in Columbus. The raingardens and watersheds require inspection and maintenance at least once a month to remove vegetative debris, trash and pruning of plant material to keep the basins in working order. Additional plants, soil and mulch are installed as needed as a result of analysis during the monthly inspections.
The inspection, maintenance, and restoration of the raingardens and bio retention basins are critical to ensure they remove and treat the stormwater at its source. They temporarily hold rainwater, thus eliminating street flooding and allowing pollutants to be filtered in the plant roots and soil and eliminate this flush of water from the roadways to enter the streams and rivers in Columbus
The City is currently responsible for the maintenance of 62 Facilities with 1,061 basins and wetlands. These facilities are located in Clintonville, Linden, Eastmoor, American Addition, Southwest Columbus, Blacklick, Hilltop, the South Side, Dublin, Reynoldsburg, Easton, Barthman Parsons, West Town Street/US 62, 2nd Street, River South Roadways West Rich Street, West Main Street Riversouth, West Broad St. at Starling Street, Hoover Reservoir, 910 Dublin Road, Dublin Road Water Plant, Griggs Reservoir, O’Shaughnessy Reservoir, Mound Street Booster Station and the Smoky Row Booster Station. Each facility and location may have multiple sites with basins, swales or other types of green infrastructure. Additional facilities may be added in the future.
The existing contracts were authorized by Ordinance 1816-2025, and per PO0521753 (Davey Resource Group), PO522028 (Watershed Organic), PO521998 (4K Landscape), and PO521631 (ABIX LTC), expire July 1, 2026. The term of these contract modifications will be from date of execution by the City of Columbus through and including June 30, 2027.
1. Amount of additional funds: The amount of additional funds needed for these contract modifications # is $2,149,496.76. Total contract amount with these modifications equals $3,463,536.76.
2. Reason additional funds were not foreseen: The need for additional funds was expected at the time of the initial contract, both due to ongoing maintenance needs and the expiration of new basins from their warranties.
3. Reason other procurement processes were not used: Regular procurement processes were utilized.
4. How was cost determined: The modifications are based upon rates bid per the existing contracts.
SUPPLIERS ABIX LTD. DAX# (052309),Davey Resource Group DAX# (027546), 4K Landscape LLC DAX# (012319), and Watershed Organic Lawn Care LLC. DAX# (005742)
FISCAL IMPACT: $2,149,496.76 is the total budgeted and available for this project. Funds are to be distributed among the suppliers as follows: ABIX LTD. $600,510.00, Davey Resource Group $821,445.00, 4K Landscape $258,756.00, Watershed Organic Lawn Care LLC. $149,496.76, and $319,289.00 as contingency. These funds are budgeted from Storm Sewer’s object class 03 for $2,000,000.00, and from Water’s object class 03 for $149,496.76.
$1,385,000.00 was spent in 2025
$680,000.00 was spent in 2024
EMERGENCY DESIGNATION: An emergency designation is requested to expedite funding in order to continue to allow for the full compliance and maintenance as required by our MS4 permit. There are some basins that are coming off warranty and it is ideal to start green infrastructure maintenance as soon as possible to get ahead of growth due to wet weather rather than start approximately two months from now.
Title
To authorize the Director of Columbus Water and Power to modify service contracts with ABIX LTD., Davey Resource Group, 4K Landscape LLC., and Watershed Organic Lawn Care LLC.; and to authorize the expenditure total of $2,149,496.76. $2,000,000.00 from the Storm Sewer Operating Fund. ($2,000,000.00), and $149,496.76 from the Water Operating Fund ($149,496.76); and to declare an emergency. ($2,149,496.76)
Body
WHEREAS, this ordinance will authorize the Director of Public Utilities to enter into contract renewals and modifications for professional services for the City’s Green Infrastructure Inspection and Maintenance Project, and
WHEREAS, the Department of Public Utilities, also known as Columbus Water and Power wishes to renew and modify contracts with Watershed Organic Lawn Care, and issue new contracts to ABIX LTD. Davey Resource Group, 4K Landscape LLC., for Green Infrastructure Inspection and Maintenance Project; and
WHEREAS, the vendors have agreed to modify to extend the expiration of the contract and to increase the contract at current prices and conditions; and
WHEREAS, the term of this contract will be from the date of execution by the City of Columbus through and including June 30, 2027; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of Columbus Water and Power, Division of Sewerage and Drainage, and the Division of Water, in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director Columbus Water and Power to modify and renew the contracts with Watershed Organic Lawn Care, ABIX LTD. Davey Resource Group, and 4K Landscape LLC to expedite funding in order to continue to allow for the full compliance and maintenance as required by our MS4 permit and there are some basins that are coming off warrant and it is ideal to start green infrastructure maintenance as soon as possible to get ahead of growth due to wet weather rather than start approximately two months from now, all for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; and now, therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of Public Utilities be and is hereby authorized to modify contracts with ABIX LTD., Davey Resource Group, 4K Landscape LLC, and Watershed Organic Lawn Care LLC. The term of this agreement will be from the date of execution by the City of Columbus through and including June 30, 2027.
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of $2,149,496.76 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized as $2,000,000.00 in Fund 6200 Storm Sewer Operating, and in Fund 6000 Water Operating Fund in the amount of $149,946.76 in object class 03 Services per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 4. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.