HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998-02-02 City Council (11)City of Palo Alto
City Manager’s Report
TO:HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT:CITY MANAGER’S
OFFICE
DATE:FEBRUARY 2, 1998 CMR: 122:98
SUBJECT: 1996-97 DONATED BICYCLES
This is an information report and no Council action is required.
BACKGROUND
On November 13, 1995, (CMR:484:95), the City Council amended the Palo Alto Municipal
code to allow the City Manager to donate certain unclaimed bicycles to authorized charitable
or nonprofit organizations for use in programs or activities designed to prevent juvenile
delinquency. In addition, the amended Municipal Code requires the City Manager to prepare
an annual written report regarding the number of unclaimed bicycles which were donated.
The purpose of this information report is to report the number of bicycles donated in 1996-97
as well as anticipated future bicycle donation activity.
DISCUSSION
In August 1996, 200 bicycles valued at $20 apiece were donated to the Major Taylor Cycling
Club. In November 1996, 27 bicycles valued at $10 apiece were donated to the Major Taylor
Cycling Club. In total, 227 bicycles have been donated in 1996-97, at a value of $4,270.
Since this time, the availability of unclaimed bicycles for donation has declined significantly.
Space for bicycle storage at the Municipal Services Center is extremely limited, requiring the
majority of unclaimed bicycles to be sent directly to an auction company, which stores them
for the City for 90 days prior to their auction. Consequently, as the Major Taylor Cycling
Club has been informed, it is not likely that bicycles will be available for donation in the
future.
RESOURCE IMPACT
In order to continue the practice of making unclaimed bicycles available for donation, the
City would be required to incur the cost of renting storage space, due to the shortage of space
at the Municipal Services Center. Discontinuing the practice of donating unclaimed bikes
will save the City from incurring this cost. In addition, discontinuing the practice will
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prevent further workload demands and staffing costs associated with administering the
donation of bicycles. Such demands could be expected to increase since other organizations
have begun to express interest in receiving donated bicycles.
PREPARED BY: Audrey Seymour, Senior Executive Assistant
CITY MANAGER
Major Taylor Cycling Club
SON
Assistant City Manager
CMR: 122:98 Page 2 of 2