City of Gonzales
PUBLIC WORKS / CITY ENGINEER DEPARTMENT
ACTIVITY REPORT
TO: Honorable Mayor Rios and City Council
DATE: March 21, 2022
FROM: Patrick Dobbins, Public Works Director/City Engineer THROUGH: René L. Mendez, City Manager
SUBJECT: Public Works Activity Report
BUILDING PROJECTS
1. Community Center Complex Project – Based on the presentation at the 2/22/2022 City Council meeting, Group 4 Architects is finalizing the “Design Criteria” documents for use in the Request for Proposals to the top three shortlisted Design/Build teams. City staff and Swinerton Consulting submitted a grant application for EV vehicle charging stations on 3/11/2022 and will submit a grant application for funding related to the library on 3/18/2022.
2. Emergency Generator Replacements – At the 2/07/2022 City Council meeting, a $175,000 contract with Alltech Services was approved to replace the emergency generators at City Hall, Police Station, and the California Breeze Sewer Lift station. The contract has been executed, a kick-off meeting was held on 3/02/2022 and the three generators have been ordered.
WASTEWATER PROJECTS
1. Industrial Wastewater (IW) System/Reclamation Plant – The Project EIR was approved at the 9/20/2021 City Council Meeting. Dudek is completing the design for the IW Conveyance and Treatment Facility contracts. Staff and the City surveyor are finalizing the temporary and permanent easements needed for the project. Staff is completing the SWRCB State Revolving Fund loan for project financing
WATER PROJECTS
1. Equip Well 7 Project – Water quality samples were taken by County staff on 1/11/2022. Preliminary lab results were received on 1/28/2022 and the final test results were received on 2/18/2022. Final AGENDA
ITEM
10 steps to operate the well include completing the SCADA controls and a site visit and inspection by the State Drinking Water Division staff.
2. Alpine Court Water/Sewer Service – Grant agreements with the State Water Resource Control Board (SWRCB) to fund the preliminary and final design of extending water and sewer service from Gonzales River Road to Alpine Camp were approved at the 7/06/20 City Council meeting. On 7/22/2021 Schaaf & Wheeler submitted a draft preliminary design report. On 12/14/2021 Schaaf & Wheeler submitted the 60% plans, specifications, and cost estimate for our review. Staff is holding bi-weekly progress meeting with SWRCB staff.
ROADWAY PROJECTS
1. Slurry Seal Contract – MNS Engineers provided draft construction documents for this contract for review by city staff. Staff will bid the contract in March 2022 with the work to occur in June 2022.
2. Gonzales River Road Bridge Rehabilitation (Monterey County) – On 12/03/2021 Staff issued a letter of comments to County staff on the draft Initial Study/Mitigated Neg Dec for County consideration.
Staff requested a meeting with County staff and the Consultant Design Manager to discuss our concerns with the 18-month closure of the bridge while construction takes place
3. Tenth Street –As authorized at the 11/01/2021 City Council meeting, STOP signs were placed on the Tenth Street legs at the intersections of Belden Street and Day Street in mid-December.
DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
1. Vista Lucia Development (City’s Sphere of Influence - East of US 101) a. City staff reviewed the Admin Draft #1 and Admin Draft #2 of the SEIR and provided comments to the Community Development Director.
b. City staff is holding monthly Zoom meetings with Pembrook Development and their consultants regarding their development project.
c. Psomas developed a capital program of improvements to convey sewage from the SOI to the City WWTP for treatment and provided the draft technical memo in Mid-November for staff’s review. d. Staff and our on-call traffic engineer meet with Caltrans District 5 staff on 6/10/2021 to discuss the process of a Project Study Report/Project Development Support (PSR-PDS). Staff will issue a Request for Proposals to engage a transportation engineer to prepare the PSR-PDS documents. e. On 3/28/2022 Staff will meet with Monterey County PW staff to discuss the applicant’s preliminary offsite roadway design.
2. Puente Del Monte Development (City’s Sphere of Influence - East of US 101) - On 10/30/20 City staff held a coordination meeting with Jackson Family Investments regarding wastewater conveyance and treatment for their proposed development project. City staff has followed up with more information on the wastewater system expansion and coordination with Caltrans on future improvements to the freeway interchanges.
OTHER PROJECTS
1. Skate Park Improvements – Phase two of improvements to the skate park will be funded by the 2018 Parks Bond Act. On 3/03/2022 staff received the executed grant agreement with the State Department of Parks and Recreation. American Ramp Company will provide a revised scope for the improvements due to an increase in costs over the last year.
2. GIS – City staff continues to work on a GIS mapping system by inputting field data for water, sewer and storm drainage systems. Our water and wastewater consultants are using the GIS to develop capital improvement projects to serve the proposed development projects in the SOI. We hold monthly coordination meetings with a GIS Consultant.
3. FEMA Flood Map Updates – Over the last year, FEMA and their consultants have been remapping seven watersheds in the Gabilan Mountains in the vicinity of South Salinas, Chualar, Gonzales and Soledad to update their Flood Maps. In July 2020 City staff engaged Schaaf & Wheeler to review the mapping and drainage data collected. Preliminary flood insurance maps were released for public review on 10/21/2021. At the 12/06/2021 City Council Meeting, City staff made a follow-up presentation on this project along with a letter to be sent to FEMA with our comments and questions on their mapping effort.
4. City Construction Standards – As approved at the 8/16/2021 City Council meeting, MNS Engineers is preparing new construction standards. MNS submitted draft standards for city staff review on 1/31/2022.
5. Microgrid Project – Staff has been coordinating with Concentric Power staff on various elements of the project design including participating in biweekly coordination meetings. At the 7/19/2021 City Council meeting, a contract for Program Management services was approved with Sage Energy. A kick-off meeting was held on 8/11/2021 and we hold bi-weekly progress meetings with Sage Energy staff.
6. PW Intern – Since mid-August 2021, Briana Medvecki, a second year student at Hartnell College has worked as a part-time intern. She updates the city’s GIS system and helps Public Works staff with some of their efforts.
PUBLIC WORKS OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE
WASTEWATER
Staff continues to monitor the WWTP, daily tests and inspections. Staff is continuing to work with Industrial dischargers to ensure pretreatment systems a working correctly.
One of the grinders in channel B ceased to work. Crews pulled the grinder, had the motor checked for operability and greased the gears and returned to operation. Staff performed monthly maintenance on the headworks.
Staff continues to perform weed control at the wastewater treatment plant.
WATER
Staff continues to change out bad meter registers. Staff has worked on the meter reading programs and streamlined some of the information needed to perform meter reads. Staff repairs leaks and replaces meters as needed. Staff has ben inspecting ADU’s when needed for Public Works items.
Staff is getting ready for swim season. The pool needs some minor repairs. A few of the lights in the pool need replacing, the fill level transducer needs replacing, and the heater needs to be restarted after the gas shutdown. We are on track to have the pool filled, heated, and balanced by May 1.
STORM WATER
Staff is maintaining stormwater records and inspections needed for the annual stormwater report.
PARKS → CANYON CREEK & MEYER PARKS
Crew is preparing fields for little league and softball season.
The gate at canyon creek slough has been repaired.
GOVERNMENT BUILDING
Now that we have had time to catch up on work orders, crew has had time to give city buildings much needed cleaning. Council Chambers will, again, be cleaned on a weekly and timely basis.
STREETS
Thanks to youth group from Gonzales High School, we have been getting help picking up trash around city.
Staff continues to fill potholes on a regular basis.
PLANNING
Public Works Director and City Engineer continue to work on the Capital Improvement Project Plan, the Pavement Management Plan, and the needed upgrades to the Wastewater Treatment Plant, and the Community Center.
TRAINING
Staff has been participating in water webinars to increase their knowledge. Staff will participate in south County Public Works training in April. Briana and Noemi attended the APWA awards ceremony with Tiffany in March. A few staff will participate in Pool School in March.
INTERNSHIP
Briana Medvecki continues to work on GIS and has made several videos for Facebook. Check out a day in the life of Public Works.