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Minutes 10-26-93 MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL CITY COMMISSION WORKSHOP HELD IN COMMISSION CHAMBERS, CITY HALL, BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA, ON TUESDAY, O~TOBER 26, 1993, AT 6:00 P. M. PRESENT Edward Harmening, Mayor J. Scott Miller, City Manager Jose Aguila, Vice Mayor James Cherof, City Attorney Robert Walshak, Commissioner Shannon Burkett, Deputy City Clerk David Katz, Commissioner I, CALL TO ORDER Mayor Harmening welcomed all to this special workshop at 6:00 P. M. to consider the City's Tow Contract for Rebid. He advised that the present contract will expire on January 7, 1994 and the City needs to decide whether to rebid it or change it. II, AGENDA APPROVAL Vice Mayor Aguila moved to approve the agenda as presented. Commissioner Katz seconded the motion, which carried 4-0. III, RECOGNITION OF TOW COMPANIES PRESENT The following tow companies were in attendance: Murphy's Towing Represented by Harold Murphy and Bill Udzinski Kauff's Towing and Transportation, West Palm Beach Represented by Richard Kauff Atlantic Towing and Recovery, 506 N. E. 3rd Street, Boynton Beach Represented by Donald Lindsay Mr. D's Towing, 617 Industrial Avenue, Boynton Beach Represented by Allen Knop Steve's Towing and Wrecker Service, Lake Worth Represented by Tom Lobsinger Zuccala's Wrecker Service, 633 East Industrial Avenue, Boynton Beach Represented by Lawrence Andrew Zuccala David Floering, 2616 N. E. 3rd Street IV, PURPOSE OF WORKSHOP Mayor Harmening stated the purpose of this workshop when he called the meeting to order. V, DISCUSSION ON TOW CONTRACT A, Recommendations for Changes 1, Wrecker Specifications 2, System to be Used 3, Rates -- 1 -- HZNUTE$ - SPECIAL CITY CO)4HI$$ZON WORKSHOP __ _ BOYNTON BF..ACH, FLORIDA OCTOBER 26, 1993 Wilfred Hawkins, Assistant to the City Manager, advised that throughout the years the tow contract was awarded to a single company through a competitive bid process. If this process is changed, the specifications will remain the same, as outlined on pages 5 through 8 of the Tow Service Contract. The City feels it is important to have high quality performers based upon equipment to assure good customer service. Staff recommended that the City maintain control of the rates. Vice Mayor Aguila had no desire to lessen the requirements for the equipment. He was concerned with quality of performance, customer service, reliability, accountability, and profitabiity for the towing companies. He would be in favor of a rotation system, as long as there is a reasonable way to monitor it so that it is fair from the towing company's and the City's perspectives. Commissioner Katz was in favor of rotation and desired that only the companies located in Boynton Beach be considered. He was in favor of charging $90.00 for towing Class A vehicles within the City limits. He would like the Class B, C and D tows given to a company that keeps the proper equipment within the City * limits because he was concerned with response time. He suggested charging $50 per hour for Class B, $75 per hour for Class B, and $150 per hour starting after the first half hour for Class D. Mayor Harmening was in favor of a rotation system; however, he felt that the rates suggested by Commissioner Katz were too high. Discussion ensued regarding how often to rotate the towing companies. Commissioner Walshak suggested rotating them on a call by call basis. To do otherwise would be unfair because Florida has a peak season and a rainy season. Chief Thomas Dettman of the Police Department advised that the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office has a full-time tow coordinator who not only monitors the rota- tion of the tow companies, but who also serves the customers when they run into unsatisfactory service or when they have trouble locating their cars, etc. Hugh McCaffrey, Director of Communications, has had experience with rotation systems. He stated that the record keeping involved is difficult. In a multi- ple accident, problems arise regarding which tow company gets to tow which car. It is also difficult to track which company towed which car. In addition, a question arises as to whether or not a tow company is placed back on the rota- tion list if cancelled at a scene or if it only charged half the fee. Mr. McCaffrey explained there are many problems at the scene that the dis- patchers have no control over. They do not receive the information and, there- fore, do not have to ability to answer people's questions. Commissioner Walshak felt that Mr. McCaffrey's supervision is lacking if the dispatchers are not receiving the appropriate information, and that if there is a problem in this area, then it is up to Mr. McCaffrey and Chief Dettman to work it out. Mayor Harmening was concerned with the public and the City being able to func- tion in this environment as simple, easy, and cheaply as possible. - 2 - * For Class B the tow should be $50 and after the first half hour, the charge should be-$50 per hour. For Class C tows, the tow should be $75 and after the first half hour it should be $75 per hour and for Class D tows, the tow should be $150 and after the first half hour $150 per hour. #~NUTE$ - SPECIAL C~TY CO##~$SZON WORKSHOP _~_ BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA OCTOBER 26, 1993 Commissioner Walshak pointed out that a rotation system would allow for a tre- mendous resource of equipment, thereby providing better service to the public. Chief Dettman was willing to address this matter as a training issue. He felt the whole situation that Mr. McCaffrey described can be avoided by making sure each wrecker service on the rotation list can handle the entire accident (up to four vehicles). In response to Commissioner Katz, Chief Dettman said a tow com- pany that does not have a full range of equipment may want to subcontract with another company that does. Mr. Zuccala advised that $20.00 a tow and $5 per day for storage is insUf- ficient. The trucks cost $45,000 to $50,000 each and Workmens Compensation cost $28 per hundred. He felt many problems can be avoided by going with the County's Rules and Regulations. Mr. Zuccala was in favor of one towing service taking care of an entire incident. He would like the City to go back to contract if they set the rates lower than the County rates because it would not be worth it. Mr. Zuccala stated that all the tow companies agreed to monthly rotation on the junk. Commissioner Katz would like all Class A City vehicles (including the vehicles of the employees who use them for City business) towed for free. Vice Mayor Aguila felt this was unfair. Mayor Harmening saw no reason to treat City employees special. He pointed out that they receive mileage and a car allowance. Mr. Knop spoke in favor of a rotation system and letting only one company handle an entire incident. He stated that Consumer Affairs could handle the com- plaints. Mr. Knop is on the Towing Liaison Committee between the County and the tow companies. Their next meeting with Consumer Affairs is on November 4, 1993. He stated that this has eliminated many problems. Mr. Knop advised that it cost $350 for a County license, plus $175 per truck. He also advised the Commission of the increase in expenses (the new Federal Fuel Tax, insurance, gasoline, workmens compensation, and tires). Mr. Knop advised that one tow takes about an hour. Mr. Lindsay spoke in favor of the rotation system and against towing City vehicles for free. Mr. Murphy currently holds the contract with the City. During the past several years, he worked with the Governor's Committee on Towing in Tatlahassee to set the current laws into effect because of the problems the towing industry had throughout the state. He felt the rotation system will work well. He was in favor of one company servicing one incident to avoid problems. Mr. Murphy advised that through State laws, the County is allo~ed to set the rates if the municipalities do not. Mr. Murphy stated that the $90 charge encompasses all the work done at the scene for the first hour. He further stated that Consumer Affairs handles the monitoring of the rate system and complaints are turned over to them by the law enforcement agencies. Consumer Affairs then meets with the tow companies to review the complaints. He felt this monitoring system would 3 - HINUTE$ - SPECIAL CITY COHHI$$ION NORKSHOP BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA OCTOBER 26, 1993 work for the City. With regard to City and Code Enforcement cars, Mr. Murphy stated that very large lowboys and wreckers are needed to move some of the newer state of the art equipment that the Fire Department has. He suggested the City- owned Vehicles and Code Enforcement cars be put out to bid for those who have the equipment, rotate Class A tows and, if a Class B tow is needed, one of the companies that has this equipment can be called. Mr. Murphy was in favor of going by the County rates (which are established and monitored) to take the bur- den off of law enforcement. Mr. Hawkins stated that Mr. Murphy is talking about two different contracts. Under the current contract, the City is paying for Class C tows. Since the $5,000 budgeted for fiscal year 1992/93 was insufficient, $8,000 was budgeted for fiscal year lgg3/g4. Mr. Hawkins pointed out that the City is presently not paying to have Code Enforcement vehicles towed. If the City has separate con- tracts for a large wrecker service and a junk service, it may end up paying for the towing of the junk cars. Mr. Murphy explained that the City would not be charged to tow the Code Enforcement vehicles. He said he was talking about a rotation system for nonconsent tows. If the City chooses to bid the City vehicles, rather than rotating every Code Enforcement car into the system, this would go in the contract and would not cost the City any money. Commissioner Walshak felt this would defeat the rotation system. If the company on the rotation list does not have the appropriate equipment for a particular car, then the next towing company on the list would be called. In response to Vice Mayor Aguila, Commissioner Walshak indicated that if a Class A and a Class C tows are required and the company on top of the rotation list does not have the appropriate equipment, the second company on the list is called and the first company stays on top of the list. Commissioner Katz was not in favor of rotating anything above a Class A. He * felt that if the tow companies want to participate in Class A tows, they should keep the appropriate equipment within the City twenty-four hours a day because of the response time on big vehicles. Mr. Knop explained that response time on a Class C tow is longer than a Class A tow nationwide because the oil and air pressures have to rise before the moving the truck, and even if kept in the City, it will still take ten to fifteen minutes to get the truck moving. Commissioner Walshak agreed that the City should consider the people who have their business here in Boynton Beach. Mr. Lindsay suggested maintaining two separate lists; one for Class A and one for Class C. He stated that companies can be on both lists if they have the appropriate equipment. If a rotation system is chosen, Mr. Hawkins recommended utilizing an RFP process to set the rates and limit the number of companies. He also suggested meeting with the companies to find out which ones can tow Class A vehicles, which ones can tow Class B vehicles, etc. Mr. Hawkins pointed out that $90.00 a tow is too expensive for most citizens in Palm Beach County. -4- *"Class A" should read "Class B, C and D". NINUTES - SPECIAL CITY CONNI$$ION NORKSHOP ~ BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA OCTOBER 26, 1993 B. Final Consensus on Changes The Commission was in agreement to go' with a rotation system. The tow companies present preferred one tow company to handle an entire incident and two rotation lists--one for Class A and one for all other tows. Commissioner Katz would like to see anything above Class A equipment located in the City limits twenty-four hours a day. Mr. Murphy asked if it would be accep- table to keep one truck in the City. It was acceptable to Commissioner Katz * that just a Class C truck be kept in the City. Mr. Zuccala stated that all the tow companies agreed to rotate the Code Enforcement vehicles on a monthly basis. Mr. Lobsinger spoke in favor of rotation, including rotating junk cars. Vice Mayor Aguila was concerned with accountability and record keeping and that a certain level of info~ation be dispensed to the person in the field. He asked Mr. Hawkins if he foresees a problem with these standards being main- tained. Mr. Hawkins did not forsee a problem. He advised that a fo~ will be developed for the person in the field to fill out. Vice Mayor Aguila wants some sequential number of accountability. Mr. Hawkins advised him that Sgt. McGowan has already developed a form. Mr. Hawkins suggested that the purchasing agent survey the going rates of other counties, not just Palm Beach County. He will begin the RFP process and report back to the City Commission at its November 16, 1993 meeting. VI, ADJOURNHENT There being no further business to come before the City Commission, this special workshop adjourned at 7:49 P, M, ~r~ia~s~eCretary ~ ~,/- -' Co~m~ ssi~n2r 5- *It was agreed to keep a Class 5 truck ±n the C±ty, not a Class C truck.