City of Gonzales
PUBLIC WORKS / CITY ENGINEER DEPARTMENT
ACTIVITY REPORT
TO: Honorable Mayor Rios and City Council
DATE: October 16, 2023
FROM: Patrick Dobbins, Public Works Director/City Engineer THROUGH: Carmen Gil, City Manager
SUBJECT: Public Works Activity Report
BUILDINGS
Community Center Complex Project – An award of contract to Otto Construction/WRNS Design/Build Team was approved at the 6/5/2023 Council meeting. The Notice to Proceed for design services for Phases 1 and 2 was issued on 6/16/2023 and a kick-off with the Otto Construction/WRNS Team was held on 6/28/2023. UPDATES: In addition to the weekly meetings, the Design/Build Team recently held the following meetings:
• On September 12, the Design/Build team presented the project to students at Gonzales High School during their lunch hour and received their thoughts and feedback on the layout, interior look, and use of the center.
• On September 15, the Design/Build team met with the contract Building Official and Building Plan Reviewer and stepped through the 50% Design Development submittal. • On September 28, the Design/Build team held a follow-up meeting with County Library staff and presented the updated library layout, associated restrooms and courtyard space. • On September 28, the Design/Build team presented the updated 50% Design Development submittal to Fire Chief Muscio and Public Works staff.
• On October 10, the Design/Build team met with the Community Hall and Commercial Kitchen User Groups and presented the updated design and received their feedback. • On October 10, the Design/Build team met with the GYC and presented the updated layout of the Teen Innovation Center and received their feedback.
AGENDA
ITEM
11 WASTEWATER
1. Industrial Wastewater (IW) System – Construction documents for the IW Conveyance and Treatment Facility were completed in September 2022. Staff, City surveyor and real estate appraiser are finalizing the temporary and permanent easements needed for the pipeline contract. City staff is coordinating with the State Water Resources Control Board regarding the City’s State Revolving Fund loan application (next virtual meeting is 10/17/2023).
2. Water/Sewer Rate Study – A contract with Lechowicz & Tseng to prepare a Water/Sewer Rate Study was approved at the 11/21/2023 Council meeting. They reviewed the City’s rate structure, utility billing data, impact fee studies and capital improvement programs and developed a financial model.
Staff and the consultant presented the initial rates at the 8/07/2023 Council meeting. On 9/18/2023 Staff and consultant met with Industrial Business Park facilities managers to discuss the Draft Water/Sewer Rate Study. Staff and consultant presented the Draft Water/Sewer Rate Study at the 9/18/2023 Council meeting. UPDATES: Proposition 218 Notices were mailed to all Property Owners and Utility Customers on 9/29/2023. The Public Hearing will be held as part of the 11/20/2023 Council Meeting.
3. Capital Improvement Program (CIP) – Psomas updated the wastewater projects of the City’s CIP for use in the Water/Sewer Rate Study. The sewer CIP was approved at the 8/07/2023 Council meeting.
WATER
1. Johnson Canyon Parallel Waterline – A design contract with Schaaf & Wheeler was approved at the 6/20/2023 Council meeting. The contract was executed, and a kick-off meeting was held on 6/29/2023. The 60% Design Submittal was received on 9/14/2023.
2. Capital Improvement Program – Schaaf & Wheeler updated the City’s Water Model and updated the water projects of the City’s Capital Improvement Program for use in the Water/Sewer Rate Study.
The water section of the CIP was approved at the 8/07/2023 Council meeting.
3. Alpine Court Water/Sewer Service – At the 8/07/2023 meeting, the City Council approved submitting grant agreements with the State Water Resource Control Board (SWRCB) to fund construction of extending water and sewer service from Gonzales River Road to Alpine Camp.
ROADS
1. Fifth Street Truck Ban – This project was issued for public bid on 7/17/2023 and one bid was opened on 8/17/2023. Staff is presenting a recommendation to award the contract at the 10/16/2023 Council meeting.
2. Monterey Salinas Transit Circulator – Over the last two years, MST staff has coordinated with city staff to replace the Dial-a-Ride Service with a fixed route bus service in Gonzales. MST and city staff met on 10/09/2023 and drove the proposed route to observe the various stops and developed some adjustments that MST staff will review.
PARKS
1. Meyer Park – Staff has coordinated numerous maintenance items over the last several months including fixing light fixtures, replacing uplifted sidewalk, pruning trees, and replacing the rubber mulch under the swings with wood fiber. We are working with MST on installing a bus shelter that the City and MST will split the cost for.
SOLID WASTE
1. Maury Treleven with Tri-Cities Disposal coordinated a Reuse, Recycle & Cleanup Event on 6/24/2023. The event was held at Fairview Middle School and 168 vehicles showed up. This event meets the outreach criteria for the City’s storm water permit as it provides alternatives to illegal dumping (especially the safe collection of items commonly dumped in storm drains) and outreach surveys conducted by Save the Whales. The next Reuse, Recycle & Cleanup Event is scheduled for 10/21/2023.
2. 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.
3. On 3/17/2023 the Salinas Valley Solid Waste Authority issued a Request for Proposals for Collection of Solid Waste, Recyclables and Organic Waste. The RFP includes compliance with the recent State mandates such as AB 341, AB 1826, and SB 1383. Three proposals were received by the 6/30/2023 deadline. A meeting with representatives from the four South Valley cities was held on 8/11/2023 to discuss the proposals and “next steps” such as potentially scheduling interviews with two or all three companies.
DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
1. Vista Lucia Development (City’s Sphere of Influence - East of US 101) a. 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.
The Final Technical Memorandum was submitted in April 2022. b. Staff and our on-call traffic engineer have coordinated with Caltrans District 5 staff on the process for preparation of a Project Study Report/Project Development Support (PSR-PDS). Staff are preparing a Request for Proposals to engage a consultant to prepare the PSR-PDS documents. c. Staff met with Monterey County staff on 10/7/2022 and discussed executing a Maintenance Agreement for the City to be responsible for maintenance of Associated Lane when it’s widened as part of the Vista Lucia Development (maintenance will be funded by an assessment district formed as part of the development). UPDATE: Staff attended a follow-up meeting with County staff on 8/16/2023.
2. Rianda Cooler Development Project (Gloria Road) – Staff is coordinating with the applicant’s site civil engineer on frontage improvements along Gloria Road and the extension of City water/sewer service to the project site. We participate in bi-weekly meetings with the applicant’s consultant team.
On 6/12/2023 staff and the Building Official met with the applicant to discuss the building plan review process and the expected construction schedule.
OTHER PROJECTS
1. Computer Network Server Replacement – Alvarez Technology is replacing the computer servers for City Hall, Fire Station, and the Police Department. This $130,000 effort began with an eight month procurement phase and the physical work is being performed over a six month period which is expected to be completed by the end of October 2023.
2. South Salinas Valley Broadband Authority – On 7/05/2023, the City received the High-Level Design package funded by the $250,000 CPUC Local Agency Technical Assistance grant. UPDATE: Staff are currently reviewing an encroachment permit application to extend the fiber to the Police Station where the IT Servers for City Hall, Police Department and Fire Department reside.
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 GIS to develop capital improvement projects to serve the proposed development projects in the SOI. GIS Staff with AMBAG is supporting our efforts including coordinating with County GIS staff to obtain additional mapping layers.
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. FEMA did not revise the flood maps based on City review comments and the new maps are effective 11/30/2023.
5. Transportation Agency for Monterey County – Patrick Dobbins attends the monthly Technical Advisory Committee meetings and is the TAC Vice Chair for 2023.
PUBLIC WORKS OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE
WASTEWATER
Staff perform daily testing and inspections of the influent and effluent at the wastewater treatment plant.
The percolation ponds are regularly disced and ripped to ensure good percolation. Staff also performed rodent control and weed abatement at the WWTP.
Staff preparing to collect samples
at monitoring wells.
Staff met with SHAPE, our contractor for lift station pumps, to install a new pump at Arroyo Lift station.
WATER
Staff continue to perform testing and maintenance on the water system.
Staff repaired several more water leaks at meter boxes this month. Staff also had some hands on training in fixing leaks at corp. stops with black pipe, normally repaired by outside contractors. Staff can now repair leaks in this type of pipe.
Staff replaced the injection quill for the chlorine injection system at well 5. .
Staff repairing meter leaks.
Staff repaired the dolphin vacuum at the pool.
STORM WATER
Staff have been cleaning storm drains for the winter weather season. Staff performs outfall inspections and has coordinated with industrial users to maintain storm drains and maintenance on their properties.
PARKS
Staff mows turf areas in city parks on a weekly basis. Staff cleans restrooms, cleans trash, and makes repairs in parks regularly.
Staff burned the soccer lines into Centennial Park for the season. Staff continues to mow and edge at Central, Centennial and all parks.
Staff repairs irrigation lines and fertilize the lawns.
Staff met with Wings of Knowledge to discuss their proposed community garden near the skate park.
Staff perform maintenance at Central Park, Centennial Park, Meyer Park, Venice Park, Canyon Creek Park and Canyon Creek Tot Park.
CANYON CREEK & MEYER PARKS
Staff continued rodent control at Meyer Park and regular maintenance.
GOVERNMENT BUILDING
This month, staff finished replacing all HVAC filters throughout all buildings.
STREETS
Staff aerated the redwoods trees along Minor Alta Street and adjusted the irrigation to increase the watering.
Staff removed two concrete slabs from the sidewalk around Herold Parkway. Staff installed decomposed granite in the interim.
Staff hung school banners on Fourth Street and removed the parklet in front of Rinconcito Restaurant.
Staff fixed an irrigation leak at the front of PD.
Staff laid cold mix at the crosswalks on First and Belden to make the crosswalk smoother for residents that walk that route.
Staff installed new benches across from La Gloria School and Fairview school.