REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OF BLOOMINGTON RECREATION AND PARK DISTRICT
AND RECORD OF ACTION
June 18, 2025
FROM
NOEL CASTILLO, Director, Department of Public Works - Special Districts
SUBJECT
Title
Contract with Garner Holt Productions, Inc. for the Kessler Park Statues Project
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Acting as the governing body of the Bloomington Recreation and Park District, approve contract with Garner Holt Productions, Inc., to provide artistic design, fabrication, placement, and anchoring services for the Kessler Park Statues Project, which includes two original statues at Kessler Park to serve as a visual celebration of local athletic leagues and facilities, fostering community pride and cultural enrichment through public art, in the amount of $249,400, for a term of June 18, 2025, through June 18, 2026.
(Presenter: Noel Castillo, Director, 387-7906)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Promote the Countywide Vision.
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The total estimated cost of the Kessler Park Statues Project (Project) is $270,000, that includes construction, project management, and contingencies, in the amount of $20,600. The recommended contract is funded by an allocation from the Fifth District’s Board of Supervisors operating budget. On December 17, 2024 (Item No. 101), the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved an allocation for the Project of $220,000 from the Fifth Supervisorial District’s 2024-25 operating budget. The remaining $50,000 was funded by a separate allocation from the Fifth Supervisorial District’s operating budget in 2023-24, which was approved by the Board as part of the 2023-24 Year-End Budget Adjustment Report on October 22, 2024 (Item No. 66). Sufficient appropriation for the Project is included in the District’s 2025-26 budget and will be included in future recommended budgets as needed.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The Bloomington Recreation and Park District (District) seeks to enhance Kessler Park through the integration of original public artwork designed to reflect and inspire the community. The proposed contract with the artist and designer, Garner Holt Productions, Inc., will provide for the creation of two custom-designed, life-size fiberglass statues representing a boy baseball player and a girl softball player. These pieces are intended to serve as cultural and inspirational icons placed at the park entrance, symbolizing athletic excellence and community pride.
The Project requires artistic services engagement, with all design and creative components completed off-site and only minor, incidental site preparation and installation work conducted on location. The primary purpose and deliverables of this contract are artistic in nature and involve substantial creative expression, design skill, and fabrication of original sculptures. Approval of this item will provide the artistic design, fabrication, placement, and anchoring services of the two original statues.
PROCUREMENT
In accordance with the County procurement policy for services, the Department of Public Works - Special Districts (Department) approved and authorized the release of Request for Proposals (RFP) No. SPD125-SPDAD-5861 on April 17, 2025, to solicit proposals from interested and qualified artists and firms experienced in the creation, design, fabrication, and placement of public art. The RFP was posted on the County’s Electronic Procurement Network (ePro) and requested detailed qualifications, prior artistic work, and references. Two responsive proposals were received by the deadline:
|
Proposer Name |
Location |
|
Garner Holt Productions, Inc. |
Redlands, CA |
|
Estate Design and Construction |
Culver City, CA |
An evaluation panel with representatives from the Department assessed proposals based on qualifications, technical approach, references, and experience with public art design, development, and fabrication.
Based on the evaluation criteria, the evaluation panel determined that Garner Holt Productions, Inc., demonstrated the highest artistic merit, capability, and ability to best meet the needs of the District. No protests were received within the allowable period. Award and denial letters were sent to all responsible and responsive proposers on May 16, 2025.
The Purchasing Department supports this competitive procurement based on the formal solicitation described above.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Aaron Gest, Deputy County Counsel 387-5455) on May 28, 2025; Purchasing (Jessica Barajas, Supervising Buyer, 387-2065) on May 27, 2025; Finance (Amanda Trussell, Principal Administrative Analyst, 387-4773 and Penelope Chang, Administrative Analyst, 387-4886) on June 2, 2025; and County Finance and Administration (Paloma Hernandez-Barker, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on June 2, 2025.