City of Gonzales
PUBLIC WORKS / CITY ENGINEER DEPARTMENT
ACTIVITY REPORT
TO: Honorable Mayor Rios and City Council
DATE: May 16, 2022
FROM: Patrick Dobbins, Public Works Director/City Engineer THROUGH: René L. Mendez, City Manager
SUBJECT: Activity Report
BUILDING PROJECTS
1. Community Center Complex Project – Group 4 Architects submitted the final “Design Criteria” documents on 4/07/2022. The Design Criteria package is comprised of 98 drawings, a Program Summary and Systems Criteria Narratives, and Technical Specifications. These materials will be used in the Request for Proposals to the three shortlisted Design/Build teams. Swinerton is finalizing the Request for Proposals to the three shortlisted Design/Build teams
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.
3. Radio repeater – Last month, Monterey County IT staff installed the radio repeater on the roof of the fire station and Gonzales Fire Dept staff programmed the handheld radios for public works field personnel’s use.
WASTEWATER PROJECTS
Industrial Wastewater (IW) System/Reclamation Plant – Dudek is wrapping up the final 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. On 5/03/2022 staff and our consultants met with several staff with the SWRCB and discussed their review of the city’s State Revolving Fund loan application.
AGENDA
ITEM
10 WATER PROJECTS
1. Equip Well 7 Project – On 4/07/2022 we received the permit to operate the well from the State Drinking Water Division staff. Final step to operate the well is completing the electronic and remote controls.
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 12/14/2021 Schaaf & Wheeler submitted the 60% plans, specifications, and cost estimate for 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 this month with the work to begin 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
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 twice monthly Zoom meetings with Pembrook Development and their consultants.
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) – The applicant submitted a revised Specific Plan on 4/05/2022 for city’s review.
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. Assessment Districts – Harris Associates recently prepared the Engineer Reports for the FY2022/23 Assessment Districts and they will be presented at the 5/16/2022 Council Meeting to set the public hearing for the 6/06/2022 Council Meeting.
3. 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.
4. FEMA Flood Map Updates – Over the two years, 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. 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 presentation on this effort along with a letter to be sent to FEMA with our comments and questions on their mapping effort. A 90-day appeal period began on 5/12/2022.
5. 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.
6. Microgrid Project – Staff has been coordinating with Concentric Power and Sage Energy (Program Manager) on various elements of the project. Staff participates in biweekly coordination meetings.
7. 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 their efforts.
PUBLIC WORKS OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE
WASTEWATER
Staff continues regular maintenance and daily testing at the treatment plant. Grinder 1 at Channel A has gone down. Staff has been troubleshooting and repairing it. The Pista Grit needs a new enclosure and some repair and maintenance. Staff continues to maintain the generator and headworks equipment. PG&E has been repalcing power poles on Fermin Lane and as a consequenc there have been several power outages at the plant.
Pictured above is Andrew who is seen doing daily reads and testing WATER
Staff reads residuals daily to confirm chlorine in the water system. Staff continues to replace dead and dying meter registers and fix leaks as they appear. Fluid Resource Management will be onsite the week of the 16th- 20th to install SCADA at well 7. Tesco should follow the next week if all goes well.
FRM has corrected several issues with SCADA.
STORM WATER
Staff is working with the Building Department to ensure that all information required by the Annual report is being recorded. Inspections and processes continue to be performed.
PARKS → CANYON CREEK & MEYER PARKS
Parks continue to be mowed, edged, and cared for. Rodents are an issue this time of year and rodent control is underway.
Little league and softball have begun using the Vosti bathrooms again. PW staff clean the bathrooms every morning for them to be cleaned and sanitized for Kid Power.
GOVERNMENT BUILDING
City Hall is refreshing the conference room. Staff has helped refresh offices for new employees. PW staff is cleaning the Council chambers regularly.
STREETS
Staff continues to provide traffic control every weekday morning from 7:20-8:15 am.
Street paint has been difficult to get as soon as we receive a shipment, street painting will resume.
Traffic Control
PW Staff removed several old payphones around the downtown area.
Roverto is pictured removing one of the several inoperable payphones.
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 continues to take part in water webinars to increase their knowledge. Staff took part in flood fight training with the Fire Dept. As a result, staff will be planning drills and modifications of their Emergency Preparedness program.
Staff also participated in Flagger review training with the South County Public Works Departments.
EVENTS
Staff helped prepare for Cinco De Mayo.
INTERNSHIP
Birana Medvecki will be leaving us May 16, 2022. She has done some clever work with us. We are now looking for a new intern.