The Manager's report back on the availability of menstrual products in all restrooms

June 19, 2019 Re: AR-19-65 : Report on the pilot program and whether it could be implemented as a permanent program, which made menstrual products available in all restrooms, regardless of the gender identity assigned to that restroom.

In response to the 2016 Council Order requesting that menstrual products be made available in public restrooms in the city, eight duel dispensing units, which dispensed tampons and napkins, were installed in the following locations:

City Hall basement female restroom (1) Frizoli Youth Center 1st floor woman’s restroom (1) Gately Youth Center 1st floor woman’s restroom (1) Moore Youth Center woman’s restroom (1) Moses Youth Center 1st floor woman’s restroom (1) Russell Youth Center 1st floor woman’s restroom (1) Wolfe Building 1st and 2nd floor woman’s’ restrooms (2) In summary, the eight units cost $1,146.32 to procure, installation was done by in-house crews; and between February 2017 and the end of April 2019 approximately 4,750 items have been dispensed at a cost of approximately $650.

The total cost of for the procurement and installation of the dispensing units and products between the spring of 2017 and the spring of 2019 was less than $2,000. There have not been any significant issues with the maintenance of the installations to date.

To meet the request as stated in the order an additional 116 bathrooms would need to be outfitted with the dispensing units. The cost associated with the placement of the units is approximately $35,000 with an additional cost of approximately $10,000 annually for maintenance and resupply. These bathrooms are located in all of the various fire stations, all of the libraries, the youth centers, the various administration buildings, the public safety building, the DPW complex and the Water Department facility.

The Department of Public Works will begin the deployment of the additional dispensers this fall and will continue with the installation of such through the end of 2019.

I will be recommending an appropriation later in FY20 to support the expansion of this program.