City of Gonzales
PUBLIC WORKS / CITY ENGINEER DEPARTMENT
ACTIVITY REPORT
TO: Honorable Mayor Rios and City Council
DATE: June 16, 2025
FROM: Patrick Dobbins, Public Works Director/City Engineer THROUGH: Carmen Gil, City Manager
SUBJECT: Public Works/City Engineer Departments Activity Report
WASTEWATER
1. Industrial Wastewater Pipeline – Construction of the IW Pipeline began on 11/04/2024 and is approximately 95% complete with final completion expected by 6/30/2025. Braga Fresh will be connected to the IW Pipeline on Sunday, 6/15/2025.
2. Industrial Wastewater Treatment Facility - The IW Treatment Facility contract was issued for public bid on 1/15/2025 and six bids were opened on 2/26/2025. As reported at the 3/17/2025 Council meeting, the submitted bids exceeded the project budget, so staff has requested a $6M Amendment to the $29M State Revolving Fund loan for the IW System. The City Council awarded the IW Treatment Facility contract to Gateway Pacific Contractors (low bidder) at the 5/19/2025 Council meeting. On 5/30/2025 SWRCB staff emailed City staff that our $6M SRF Amendment has been approved. Staff will recommend issuance of the Notice to Proceed at the 6/16/2025 Council meeting.
3. Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) – Staff continues to deal with slow percolation at the three Disposal Ponds and will discharge treated wastewater onto a bermed area at the site of the future IW Treatment Facility. Staff have been in touch with Regional Board staff on this effort to drain and rehabilitate the disposal beds. A geotechnical consultant will take borings at the Emergency Basin to determine an approach to improving its percolation.
BUILDINGS
1. Fire Station Roof – On 5/28/2025 SSB Construction completed the roof recoating project. City PW and Fire staff removed the BBQ pit and exhaust stack prior to the work so the opening in the roof could be covered with plywood and an underlayment prior to the roof work. Funding for this $24,000 project is from the County thanks to Supervisor Chris Lopez.
AGENDA
ITEM
12 2. Community Center Complex Project – The project is on schedule to be completed by December 1, 2025. Last week staff and the construction team presented the project and provided a site tour to three high school classes. On 6/03/2025 staff, the City Attorney and the construction manager met with County staff to discuss the 20-year lease for the County Library. Staff discussed the delivery of electric power with PG&E Government Affairs staff on 6/09/2025.
The construction team will provide an update at the 7/21/2025 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
STREETS
1. Fourth Street Pavement Rehab – Staff authorized Harris Associates to prepare the construction documents to reconstruct the 100 Block of Fourth Street and the 400 block of Alta Minor. A Kick-off meeting and site walk were held on 5/6/2025. Funding is $636,150 in SB 1 funding.
2. TAMC Safe Routes to School Program - Staff engaged TL Engineering to design the Pedestrian Safety Improvements along Fifth Street from the Southbound Highway 101 on/off ramps. A site walk was held on 5/05/2025. Funding is a $250,000 RSTP grant from the TAMC.
3. Fifth Street Truck Ban – Staff plans to present the bid results for the truck ban signage at the July 21 Council meeting
SOLID WASTE
1. Tri-Cities Disposal Franchise Agreement – Staff is presenting a new Franchise Agreement with TriCities Disposal at the 6/16/2025 Council meeting.
2. Quarterly Tri-Cities Franchise Meetings – Staff from the Salinas Valley Solid Waste Authority, TriCities 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 Muscio and Police staff to discuss Emergency Preparedness. Topics include tabletop exercises, emergency notifications to residents and outfitting the Emergency Operations Center. The City’s Emergency Operation Center (EOC) is being set-up in the space in the Old Medical Building in the space recently vacated by Sun Street Centers.
2. Geographic Information System (GIS) – City staff continues to work on the City’s GIS mapping system by inputting field data for water, sewer and storm drainage systems. Staff hold monthly meetings with ProWest (GIS consultant) to seek their assistance with our mapping efforts. Other mapping efforts include assessing sidewalks to map uplifted or missing sidewalk panels and performing a street sign inspection.
PUBLIC WORKS OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE
WASTEWATER
Staff check the influent and effluent, run daily inspections and testing of Dissolved Oxygen levels, pH, and conductivity at the wastewater treatment plant on a daily basis.
The disposal ponds are full. Staff have requested an Addendum to our discharge permit, to land apply effluent to the fields at the new Industrial Treatment Facility site. Staff have prepared to land apply for the next 6 weeks in order to relieve the plant of excess effluent.
Staff have found that an old brick manhole on Fifth Street needs repair, as it is moving when traffic crosses it. Staff is determining the best option for rehabilitating this manhole. The City has about fifty brick manholes in its system.
WATER
Staff tests for chlorine residual daily, and maintenance on the water system. Staff repairs chlorine leaks and performs maintenance on the wells.
Staff taking residuals at the Processing Facilities
For the month of May, all water samples taken at the sampling stations for the water system tested negative for coliform.
Staff addressed one water leak this month. This leak was going to mean a major shutdown of the water distribution system. Staff and West Valley were able to repair the leak without a shutdown.
Water Leak on Fanoe Road
There were forty-eight door tags this month, prior to shut offs. We had four disconnects because of nonpayment.
PARKS
Staff mows turf areas in the City parks regularly. Staff cleans restrooms, cleans trash, and make repairs in parks. Staff repair and maintain irrigation in Central and Centennial Park.
Staff weed and clean Bio Swales and the redwoods regularly.
GOVERNMENT BUILDING
Staff clean the Vosti Center restrooms daily. Staff cleans the Council Chambers weekly. Staff orders all supplies for City buildings and disburses them appropriately.
Staff aided the Fire Dept. by removing the BBQ pit from the Firehouse. Staff also removed the vent hood to prepare for the roofing project.
Staff removing the fire pit from the Firehouse.
STREETS
Precision Concrete Cutting completed another phase of sidewalk cutting. Staff repaired and replaced street signs that were damaged and/or knocked over.
Signs needing replacement.
EVENTS
Staff assisted the community garden for days where Cadre and Blue Zones were onsite planting the pollinator garden.