DATE: 04/16/2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
Honorable President and Board Members
FROM: Utilities Department
2025-147
REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL AND
CORONA UTILITY AUTHORITY ACTION
SUBJECT:
TERMINATE CONTRACTED EMERGENCY TRANSMISSION WATER MAIN AND PARKING LOT REPAIRS AT 515 SOUTH PROMENADE AVENUE AND RATIFY
MAINTENANCE/GENERAL SERVICES AGREEMENTS WITH MERLIN JOHNSON CONSTRUCTION, INC. AND CT&T CONCRETE PAVING, INC. FOR THE REPAIRS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This staff report asks the City Council to terminate the emergency action as the work has been completed and to ratify the Maintenance/General Services Agreements with Merlin Johnson Construction, Inc. and CT&T Concrete Paving, Inc. in the amount of $110,909.23 and $95,243.54, respectively, for the repairs at 515 South Promenade Avenue.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
That the City Council:
a. Terminate the emergency action for contracted emergency transmission water main line break and parking lot repairs at 515 South Promenade Avenue pursuant to Corona Municipal Code (CMC) Section 3.08.130(A).
b. Ratify the Maintenance/General Services Agreement with Merlin Johnson Construction, Inc. of Mentone, CA, in the amount of $110,909.23, including any non-substantive extensions, change orders, purchase orders, and amendments up to the amount authorized in Corona Municipal Code (CMC) Section 3.08.060(J), which is equivalent to 10% or $11,090.92, for performing the emergency repair of the transmission water line at 515 South Promenade Avenue. c. Ratify the Maintenance/General Services Agreement with CT&T Concrete Paving, Inc. of Diamond Bar, CA, in the amount of $95,243.54, including any nonsubstantive extensions, change orders, purchase orders, and amendments up to the amount authorized in Corona Municipal Code (CMC) Section 3.08.060(J), which is equivalent to 10% or $9,524.35, for parking lot asphalt and concrete repairs at 515 South Promenade Avenue.
That the Corona Utility Authority review, ratify, and to the extent necessary, direct the City Council to take the above actions.
BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
On March 6, 2025, at approximately 4:00 p.m., the City of Corona Utilities Department responded to a water main break. A thirty-inch diameter transmission water main line at South Promenade Avenue, south of Sampson Avenue, experienced a significant failure.
The thirty-inch cross-town transmission water main provides water to the Home Gardens and Zone 2 service areas.
On March 19, 2025, the City Council was formally notified of the contracted emergency repairs related to the transmission water main line break on South Promenade Avenue pursuant to Corona Municipal Code (CMC) Section 3.08.130(A).
On April 2, 2025, the City Council was formally notified of the bids solicited for the asphalt and concrete repairs on the parking lot related to the transmission water main line break.
ANALYSIS:
Due to the emergency nature of the situation, staff contacted multiple contractors with experience in water main repairs and the adequate equipment to respond to a water-main failure of this magnitude. The Utilities Department (UD) contacted the City’s on-call contractors, but they did not have the proper equipment. Merlin Johnson Construction, Inc. was selected based on their immediate availability and proper equipment such as an excavator capable of reaching the broken transmission water main 25-30 feet deep underground to perform the repairs.
Merlin Johnson Construction, Inc. successfully completed the emergency repairs between March 6, 2025, and March 12, 2025, and provided the following costs to the City following the completion of the work:
Item Scope of Work Cost
1 3/6/2025–3/7/2025 - 30” CML&C water main leak. Mobilize, excavate and repair, backfill, compaction and clean up
$63,626.07
2 3/8/2025 - Continue backfill, compaction and clean up $24,045.16 3 3/10/2025 - Completed backfill and clean up. Re-installed City material – 18” & 6” Storm Drain
$17,316.61
4 3/11/2025 - Unload Material, buckets, etc. @ MJC yard $432.19 5 3/12/2025 - Demobilize all equipment $1,899.85
6 3/3/28/2025 – Payment Bond and Licensing $3,589.35
Total Repair Cost $110,909.23
The water main line break caused significant damage to the parking lot at 515 South Promenade. The Utilities Department (UD) solicited an informal bidding to four qualified contractors experienced in asphalt and concrete repairs and moved forward with CT&T Concrete Paving, Inc. as they were the lowest responsive bidder with the following quote:
Item Scope of Work Unit Quantity Cost Subtotal
1 Mobilization/Demobilization LS 1 $5,665 $5,665
2 Concrete Slab Installation CY 107 $516.74 $55,291.18
3 Removal of existing damaged
asphalt
CY 36 $184.73 $6,650.28
4 6” Thick Asphalt Placement and
Backfill
Sq Ft 1,904 $8.22 $15,650.88
5 Remove and Replace Planter
Curb
FT 40 $90.16 $3,606.40
6 Remove and Replace Gutter CY 5 $704.88 $3,524.40
7 Catch Basin – Cut & Adjust as
necessary
LS 1 $1,089 $1,089
8 Paint striping as needed per
exhibit (Asphalt Area)
LS 1 $2,662 $2,662
9 Utility Adjustment: 2 potable
water manholes and 1 valve lid
LS 1 $1,104.40 $1,104.40
Total Repair Cost $95,243.54
CT&T Concrete Paving, Inc. completed the parking lot restoration to minimize the adverse impact to the business at 515 South Promenade Avenue.
BASIS FOR EXCEPTION TO COMPETITIVE BIDDING:
Staff believes that an exception to competitive bidding was warranted for this action pursuant to Corona Municipal Code Section 3.08.130(A), which states as follows:
(A) Emergencies. In situations determined by the City Manager to constitute an emergency for a public project pursuant to § 22035 of the Act and Cal. Public Contract Code § 22050. The City Council hereby delegates to the City Manager the power to declare a public emergency and take any directly related and immediate action required by the emergency, up to a total of $175,000, pursuant to § 22035 of the Act and Cal. Public Contract Code § 22050. Emergency expenditures of more than $175,000 shall first be approved by the City Council. Work shall be performed without the benefit of competitive bidding, either formal or informal, only so long as necessary under those sections.
For projects of more than $45,000, a report on the emergency and work performed shall be provided at the next regular meeting of the City Council, and then at every meeting thereafter required by § 22050. At such meetings, the City Council shall determine, by a four-fifths vote, that there is a need to continue the action without the benefit of informal or formal competitive bidding in accordance with § 22035 of the Act and Cal. Public Contract Code § 22050. The City Council shall terminate the emergency action at the earliest possible date that conditions warrant, so that the remainder of the emergency action may be completed pursuant to a formal bidding procedure.
Staff believes the emergency repair of the 30-inch transmission water main line and the restoration of the parking lot meets the definition of emergency as the immediate repair of the water main and parking lot asphalt and concrete at 515 South Promenade Avenue was essential to limit the impact on the business.
Staff requests that City Council terminate the emergency action for contracted emergency transmission main line and parking lot repairs as the work has been completed.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Funding for the recommended actions is available in the Waterline Infrastructure Operating and Maintenance Project No. 71930 within the Water Utility Fund 570.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
This action is categorically exempt pursuant to Section 15302 (c) of the Guidelines for the California Environmental Quality Action (CEQA), which states that “operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of use beyond that existing at the time of the CEQA determination” and is therefore exempt from CEQA. This action involves repairs to existing infrastructure to maintain public health and safety. Therefore, is exempt from the requirements of CEQA, and no environmental analysis is required.
PREPARED BY: AFTAB HUSSAIN, ASSISTANT UTILITIES DIRECTOR REVIEWED BY: TOM MOODY, UTILITIES DIRECTOR
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Exhibit 1 – MGSA with Merlin Johnson Construction, Inc.
2. Exhibit 2 – MGSA with CT&T Concrete Paving, Inc.