City of Gonzales
PUBLIC WORKS / CITY ENGINEER DEPARTMENT
ACTIVITY REPORT
TO: Honorable Mayor Rios and City Council
DATE: March 17, 2025
FROM: Patrick Dobbins, Public Works Director/City Engineer THROUGH: Carmen Gil, City Manager
SUBJECT: Public Works/City Engineer Activity Report
WASTEWATER
1. Industrial Wastewater (IW) System – Construction of the IW Pipeline began on 11/04/2024 and is approximately 50% complete. The IW Treatment Facility contract was issued for public bid on 1/15/2025. Staff held a Prebid Meeting on 1/24/2025 attended by 13 contractors. The bid opening was held on 2/26/2025 and staff will provide an update at the 3/17/2025 Council meeting.
BUILDINGS
Community Center Complex Project – The project is on schedule and a celebration of “dry-in” milestone was held on 3/06/2025. The construction team will provide an update at the 3/17/2025 Council meeting. The on-site project camera can be accessed at this link:
https://share.earthcam.net/GonzalesCommunityCenter/gonzales_community_center_complex/camera /view_1/timelapse
ROADWAYS
Staff is seeking letter proposals from consultants to design the following street projects:
• Resurface two blocks of Fourth Street (Alta Minor to Center Street). Funding is $636,150 in SB 1 funding. The first block needs to be reconstructed, and the second block is a slurry seal. • Pavement rehabilitation in two Assessment Districts:
o In the Canyon Creek subdivision
o In the Industrial Business Park
AGENDA
ITEM
13 • TAMC Safe Routes to School Program.
o The selected projects are #1) Pedestrian Improvements on Rincon Road and 5th Street and #2) Pedestrian Improvements on 5th Street and Highway 101 on and off ramps.
o Limits are from Highway 101 Southbound on/off ramps to the eastern edge of the Community Center site
o Seeking a preliminary design for curb extensions at the Fifth Street/Rincon Road intersection
o Funding is a $250,000 RSTP grant from the TAMC. These projects will be combined into one project as it’s the same road corridor.
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
1. Emergency Preparedness – The PW Director and PW Supervisor meet monthly with Fire Chief Jason and Police staff to discuss Emergency Preparedness. Topics include table top exercises, emergency notifications to residents and outfitting the Emergency Operations Center.
2. Geographic Information System (GIS) – City staff continues to work on a GIS mapping system by inputting field data for water, sewer and storm drainage systems. Staff hold monthly meetings with ProWest (GIS consultant). Other mapping efforts include assessing sidewalks to map uplifted or missing sidewalk panels and performing a street sign inspection.
3. South Salinas Valley Broadband JPA – On 2/09/2025, the City received the completed Design Package for the fiber optic project funded by a Local Agency Technical Assistance (LATA) Grant from the CPUC. Next step is securing state funding for construction.
PUBLIC WORKS OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE
WASTEWATER
Staff checks the influent and effluent, runs daily inspections and testing of Dissolved Oxygen levels, pH, and conductivity at the wastewater treatment plant daily. The effects of high flows during October and November are still impairing the plant. The new discharge pond is working well. Staff have been attempting to rebuild an existing trash pump to avoid purchasing a new one.
The contractor on the Industrial Wastewater pipeline hit the existing 21-inch sewer line and caused a minor sewer spill. City staff worked with the contractor to contain and mediate the spill. The spill was contained in a deep pit and didn’t reach ground level. The proper County and State agencies were notified, and the spill was cleaned and repaired. County personnel were onsite to approve the cleanup.
Temporary repair at existing pipeline.
Staff also inspected a sewer lateral repair on Brockmann.
Repair work at Brockmann Drive.
WATER
Staff tests for chlorine residual daily, and maintenance on the water system. Staff repairs chlorine leaks and performs maintenance on the wells. For the month of February, all water samples taken at the sampling stations for water system tested negative for coliform. Water test results from the County of Monterey Environmental Health are attached.
Staff fixed six water leaks this month, four of which were on the city side of the meter. West Valley Construction repaired a major leak on Palamino Drive. Staff addressed leaks on Brockman, Ayrshire, Rincon and Belden. Depending on the size and type of leak, it takes two staff members several hours to repair water system leaks.
Leak at Palamino Drive
Senate Bill 998 is a law that went into effect in 2018 and requires that community water systems allow consumers 60 days to pay their utility bill before water service can be disconnected. The City’s policy is:
a 7-day notice must be posted before a customer can be shut off. For the month of February, PW staff posted over 50 door tags for shut offs. Seven days later PW staff disconnected seven residents for lack of payment including a $50 reconnect fee. It takes several PW staff members approximately four hours to post +50 door hangers. On the day of shut-offs, staff disconnect unpaid water services before 8:00 am to allow residents to pay their utility bill so PW staff can restore their water service that day. PW staff then spend part of the day turning those water services back on.
PARKS
Staff mows turf areas in the City parks regularly. Staff cleans restrooms, remove trash, and make irrigation repairs in parks. Staff repair and maintain irrigation in Central and Centennial Park. Staff are replacing the solenoids on several irrigation valves at Centennial Field.
Staff working on irrigation valves.
GOVERNMENT BUILDING
Staff clean the Vosti Center restrooms daily. Staff cleans the Council Chambers weekly. Staff order all supplies for City buildings and disburses them appropriately.
STREETS
Staff cleaned the bioswales along Center Street before the recent rains. It takes a week and up to four staff to clean (weed) the bioswales.
Staff cleaning bioswales
EVENTS
The Monterey Bay Area Self Insurance Authority (City’s insurance pool) offers select training for free.
Other training is offered at a price. Staff are utilizing any free training offered and some that is cost effective.
Staff will participate with colleagues from other South Valley cities in Ladder safety and ergonomics in King City on 3/12/2025. Two PW staff attended pesticide training in Salinas on 2/05/2025.
Attachments:
1. Monterey County Lab Testing Reports