Council presses staff on CHP paperwork, yard proximity, on-site staffing and fleet capacity

Council members used the meeting to press staff on the technical checks that influenced vendor rankings, focusing on three recurring topics: CHP Form 234B documentation, the distance of tow yards and public-transit access, and fleet size/equipment to handle heavy tows.

Assistant City Attorney Richard Romero explained the RFP requirement: "The form was an explicit part of requirement of the contract," and staff said vendors either had to include signed CHP inspection forms or provide an explanation during the Q&A process. Sergeant Scott Shanahan described site inspections and said the committee gave vendors time during the RFP process to document inspections, but Angelo's was the only finalist that provided neither the signed forms nor the required explanation at the time of submission.

Council members also raised proximity and access concerns: Quality Towing's call center is monitored off-site (Lemon Grove), which the committee said diminishes on-site security staffing; Road 1 questioned a possibly misidentified bus stop and noted its National City impound lot has historically handled localized flooding but staff said the yard is paved and has drainage. Council asked staff to return with documentation of lot sizes, on-site staffing plans, and fleet counts for the recommended vendors.