City of Gonzales
PUBLIC WORKS / CITY ENGINEER DEPARTMENT
ACTIVITY REPORT
TO: Honorable Mayor Rios and City Council
DATE: August 15, 2022
FROM: Patrick Dobbins, Public Works Director/City Engineer THROUGH: Carmen Gil, Interim City Manager
SUBJECT: Public Works Activity Report - July 2022
BUILDINGS
1. Community Center Complex Project – Group 4 Architects completed the “Design Criteria” documents in April 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. At the 5/31/2022 Council Meeting, a Special Mailed Ballot Election was approved for voters to consider increasing the City’s Transactions and Use Tax (Measure D) on 8/30/2022. At the 8/01/2022 Council meeting, staff provided a progress report on the project.
2. Emergency Generator Replacements – The city received a $150,000 grant from Cal OES in 2021 to replace the emergency generators at City Hall and the Police Station. At the 2/07/2022 City Council meeting, a $175,000 contract with Alltech Services (low bidder) was approved. The generator at the Calif Breeze Sewer Lift Station will also be replaced under this contract but will be funded with Sewer Impact monies. The contract has been executed, a kick-off meeting held on 3/02/2022 and the generators were ordered on 3/07/2022. The two 25KW generators (one for city hall and one for the Calif Breeze Sewer Lift Station) have an expected ship date of 8/09/2022 and the 80KW generator for the police station has an expected ship date of 10/02/2022.
WASTEWATER
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 and 5/25/2022 city staff met with staff with the State Water Resources Control Board and discussed status of their review of the city’s State Revolving Fund loan application.
AGENDA
ITEM
13 WATER
1. Well 7 – In mid-July, staff began manually operating the well under our permit from the State Drinking Water Division while 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. Staff prepared a draft agreement with the property owner and the City Attorney is reviewing it.
ROADWAYS
1. Slurry Seal Contract – Staff issued this project for bid on 5/16/2022, bids were opened on 6/09/2022 and the award of contract to VSS International was made at the 6/20/2022 Council Meeting. A Preconstruction Meeting was held on 7/27/2022 and the field work is expected to begin on 8/29/2022.
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.
PARKS
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 provided a revised scope and cost for the improvements due to an increase in costs over the last year.
2. Canyon Creek Park Phase 2 – Staff is working with one of the city’s on-call engineering consultants on a scope of work for the design of Phase 2 of Canyon Creek Park. A contract for this work is expected to be presented at the 9/06/2022 Council meeting.
3. Centennial Park – Staff worked with city’s recreation staff on the special event permit for the circus to use Centennial Park from 8/09/2022 through 8/15/202.
SOLID WASTE
1. Patrick Dobbins and Maury Treleven performed a “windshield survey” of solid waste containers and dumpsters at multi-family residential complexes, commercial businesses, and industrial facilities on 8/08/2022. They were primarily looking for overfilled containers and dumpsters, illegal dumping, and adequate food waste collection.
2. California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (“Cal Recycle”) Coordination – Our annual meeting with staff from Cal Recycle, Salinas Valley Solid Waste Agency, Tri-Cities Disposal & Recycling, and the cities of Greenfield, Soledad and Gonzales was held on 8/02/2022. Agenda items included compliance with:
o SB1383 Organic Waste Collection services to all residents and businesses o AB341 Commercial Recycling Program
o AB1826 Commercial Organics Recycling
3. Quarterly Tri-Cities Franchise Agreements Meetings – Staff from the Salinas Valley Solid Waste Authority, Tri-Cities Disposal & Recycling and the cities of Gonzales, Soledad, and Greenfield meet on a quarterly basis to discuss the various waste collection programs (commercial accounts, food waste, organic waste), compliance with latest state regulations, public outreach and education, customer surveys, etc.). Most recent meeting was 8/10/2022.
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 bi-weekly 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.
Final Technical Memorandum was submitted in April 2022. 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 met with Monterey County PW staff and discussed the applicant’s preliminary offsite roadway design. Staff sent follow-up emails to County staff on 5/05/2022 and 6/14/2022 and have not received a response.
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.
3. Rianda Cooler Development Project (Gloria Road) – The applicant’s design consultant is preparing a Project Description for the project CEQA document. Staff is coordinating with the applicant’s site civil engineer and water/wastewater consultant on the initial design and layout.
4. In June 2022, DR Horton executed an agreement with D'Arrigo Bros to look at the feasibility of developing the 130 acre parcel in the city. A kick-off meeting with DR Horton and city staff was held on 7/07/2022 and DR Horton made a presentation at the Joint Planning Commission/City Council meeting on 8/01/2022.
OTHER PROJECTS
1. Assessment Districts – Harris Associates prepared the Engineer Reports for the FY2022/23 Assessment Districts and the public hearing is scheduled for the 6/20/2022 Council Meeting. The Assessment Rolls will be forwarded to the County Assessor by 8/04/2022.
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 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 and we emailed our comment letter to FEMA staff on 7/26/2022.
4. Microgrid Project – Staff has been coordinating with Concentric Power and Sage Energy/NV5 (Program Manager) on various elements of the project. Staff participates in biweekly coordination meetings. A progress meeting with staff from Concentric Power, Sage Energy/NV5 and the Electric Authority’s legal counsel was held on 8/11/2022
PUBLIC WORKS OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE
WASTEWATER
Staff continues to take daily reads, inspections, and tests. Staff continues to monitor the discharge from the major industrial users.
Staff has been cleaning sewer lines and manholes. Staff discs and rips discharge fields regularly.
Staff is working hard to control the squirrel population at the wastewater treatment plant ponds.
WATER
Staff monitor the four city wells and sampling stations around town.
Staff reads meters and investigate leaks and repair meters. Staff replaces the water meter registers as they fail. Staff is working on a water conservation program, including education of the public on drought conditions and things that can be done to help conserve.
STORM WATER
Staff continues to perform inspections and testing. Staff trains regularly for illicit discharges.
Staff will begin preparing for the annual stormwater report, and participate in stormwater training in September
PARKS
Staff regularly mows and edges the parks. Staff has been working on maintenance needs at Meyer Park. Staff has been filling squirrel holes, replacing concrete, and trimming trees. Staff continues to replace and repair irrigation and sprinkler heads at Centennial field
GOVERNMENT BUILDING
Staff cleans the Vosti restrooms every morning. Staff also cleans the Council Chambers several times a week.
STREETS
Staff is getting ready for school to start and Traffic control to begin. Staff continues to fill potholes. Staff will begin a survey of city sidewalks. When the survey is complete, a list of sidewalks and street tree’s that need to be addressed will be created in order of priority. Staff will begin to repair/replace sections that are hazardous.
The city’s street paint rig is down, we hired a company to stripe the crosswalks and stop bars in front of the schools in time for school to begin.
TRAINING
Staff attended the Forklift training held on 7/28/2022 with the other south county cities.
Upcoming trainings are pump repair, arc flash and stormwater preparedness.