City of Gonzales
PUBLIC WORKS / CITY ENGINEER DEPARTMENT
ACTIVITY REPORT
TO: Honorable Mayor Rios and City Council
DATE: August 19, 2024
FROM: Patrick Dobbins, Public Works Director/City Engineer THROUGH: Carmen Gil, City Manager
SUBJECT: Public Works Activity Report
BUILDINGS
Community Center Complex Project – Staff is presented a progress report at the 7/22/2024 Council meeting and will provide an update at the 9/03/2024 Council meeting. The current three-week look ahead schedule is attached.
WASTEWATER
Industrial Wastewater (IW) System – Staff and a real estate appraiser are presenting the temporary and permanent easements needed for the pipeline contract to the various property owners. The IW Pipeline Contract was issued for public bid on 6/27/2024 and staff opened five bids on 8/06/2024.
Staff is currently reviewing the submitted bids and anticipates presenting a staff report at the 9/03/2024 Council meeting recommending an award of construction.
ROADS
1. Safe Routes to School Steering Committee – TAMC staff presented the steering committee’s two recommended projects at the 6/17/2024 Council meeting. Staff will engage a consultant for design services on the two recommended projects.
2. Monterey Salinas Transit Circulator – Over the last three years, MST staff coordinated with City staff to replace the Dial-a-Ride Service with a fixed route bus service in Gonzales. MST staff issued the project for bid and Don Chapin Company was the low bidder. A Preconstruction meeting was held on 7/30/2024 and construction is expected to begin in late August.
AGENDA
ITEM
13 PARKS
Meyer Park – On 6/07/2024 Prop 218 ballots were mailed to the 330 property owners in the Calif Breeze subdivision regarding the proposed increased assessment for the Benefit Assessment District and Parks and Open Space District. The submitted ballots were tabulated at the 7/22/2024 Council meeting and the assessment increases did not pass.
SOLID WASTE
Quarterly Tri-Cities Franchise Agreements Meetings – Staff from the Salinas Valley Solid Waste Authority, Tri-Cities Disposal 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.
OTHER PROJECTS
GIS – City staff continues to work on a GIS mapping system by inputting field data for water, sewer and storm drainage systems. Staff purchased several iPads for use by Public Works field personnel.
Staff holds monthly meetings with ProWest (GIS consultant). Current mapping efforts include assessing sidewalks to map uplifted or missing sidewalk panels and performing a street sign inspection.
WASTEWATER
Staff perform testing and daily inspections of the influent and effluent at the wastewater treatment plant.
Staff perform rodent control. Staff has been discing at the existing and future wastewater treatment plants.
Staff maintain the sewer lift stations.
WATER
Staff continue to perform testing and maintenance on the water system. Staff continues to actively map the water and sewer system for the City’s GIS program
Well 7 had a power glitch and the pump was pulled for servicing to prolong the life of the motor. Well 7 is still offline. Staff maintains the swimming pool, cleaning and maintenance is done on Mondays.
Staff cleaning the swimming pool
Staff have also built a mister for the pool for use during really hot days.
Staff will be performing the tri-annual lead and copper testing in July.
STORM WATER
Staff continue to clean and maintain bioswales. Staff will begin annual maintenance of the storm water ponds and outfalls.
PARKS
Staff mows parks regularly. Staff cleans restrooms, cleans trash, and makes repairs in parks regularly.
Staff repair and maintain irrigation in Central and Centennial Parks.
Staff did a large amount of weed eating around town in preparation for the Fourth of July and fire season.
Staff set up for the Fourth of July celebration.
Staff trimming trees at Central Park
GOVERNMENT BUILDING
Staff continue to maintain City owned buildings. Staff cleans the Vosti Center restrooms and the Council Chambers weekly. Staff serviced the HVAC units at the Medical Center. Staff ordered new flagpole ropes for the flagpoles.
Trini’s Plumbing recently replaced the water heater in the sleeping quarters at the Fire Station
STREETS
Staff painted Stop bars and legends on the south-west side of town.
Staff hung the new American City banners in time for Fourth of July.
Staff hanging banners Staff training new crew in street painting Staff trimmed trees on Fifth Street in preparation for utility work along Fifth Street related to construction of the Community Center. Staff also trimmed trees at Central Park.
Staff making sidewalk repairs.
Staff replaced several sidewalk panels on the corner of Belden and C Street, and on Fairview Street.
EVENTS
Staff hosted two Public Works days for Kid power. The first day Public Works discussed the importance of the water cycle, focusing on the difference between clear and lumpy water. The second day, Public Works staff demonstrated our equipment and allowed the kids to take pictures sitting in the tractors and other equipment. Then we turned on the sprinklers at Centennial Park and the kids were able to run through the sprinklers with some of the Public Works personnel. They had a blast.
Attachments:
1. 240807 Gonzales CCC Look Ahead