City of Gonzales
PUBLIC WORKS / CITY ENGINEER DEPARTMENT
ACTIVITY REPORT
TO: Honorable Mayor Rios and City Council
DATE: November 17, 2025
FROM: Patrick Dobbins, Public Works Director/City Engineer THROUGH: Carmen Gil, City Manager
SUBJECT: Public Works/City Engineer Department Activity Report
WASTEWATER
1. Industrial Wastewater Treatment Facility – The Contractor (Gateway Pacific) began construction on 7/21/2025. The contractor, construction manager, design consultant and City staff hold weekly progress meetings to discuss open items, status of submittal reviews, schedule and other business.
The contractor completed the grading work including the four basins on 9/30/25. Completion of this important project is expected in April 2027.
2. Rehabilitation of Brick Sewer Manholes – The bid opening for rehabilitation of two sewer manholes on Fifth Street was 10/23/2025. We opened three bids, and the contract was awarded to Don Chapin Company at the 11/03/2025 Council meeting. The contract has been executed, and we are scheduling a preconstruction meeting. The field work will occur while the schools are closed for winter break.
WATER
1. Alpine Camp – The State Water Resources Control Board engaged NV5 (engineering consultant) to prepare technical studies, environmental studies and real estate appraisals and to support a grant application to connect Alpine Camp to the City water and sewer systems. A kick-off meeting was held on 7/23/2025 and the project team holds monthly coordination meetings.
2. Well 4 – Maggiora Brothers Drilling has been directed to clean and repair this Well as authorized at the 11/03/2025 Council meeting.
AGENDA
ITEM
12 BUILDINGS
Community Center Complex Project – The project is on schedule to be completed by 12/15/2025.
Current work includes interior painting, carpeting, concrete walkways in the courtyard, and site landscaping/irrigation. In mid-December, the County Library staff will begin installing equipment, furniture and shelving from the existing library in the Gonzales Shopping Center. The ribbon cutting ceremony is scheduled for 1/10/2026.
STREETS
1. 2025 Slurry Seal Contract – The contract with Pavement Coatings has been executed and the field work began with the contractor removing striping and cracking filling the streets to be slurry sealed.
The slurry seal work was completed on 11/7/2025.
2. Fourth Street Pavement Rehab – Harris Assoc is preparing the construction documents to reconstruct the 100 Block of Fourth Street and the 400 and 300 blocks of Alta Minor. Harris Assoc submitted 65% plans, technical specifications and cost estimate on 8/08/2025.
3. TAMC Safe Routes to School Program - Staff engaged TL Engineering to prepare several alternatives for pedestrian safety improvements along Fifth Street from the Southbound Highway 101 on/off ramps. On 5/09/2025 TL Engineering submitted draft alternatives for City staff review. Funding is a $250,000 RSTP grant from the TAMC.
4. TAMC Vision Zero – Staff met with the Vision Zero Project Manager on 7/11/2025 and discussed potential traffic safety project to be designed and implemented. On 8/28/2025 a draft list of safety projects was emailed for City staff’s review. The next South Valley team meeting is 11/19/2025 in the Community Room at the Police Station.
5. Fifth Street Truck Ban – The bid opening was 7/23/2025 and a single bid of $121,436 was received.
The contract with Chrisp Company was approved at the 9/15/2025 Council meeting. Funding is $16,788 in RSTP Fair Share Reserve Funds and $113,512 in a Mid-Cycle RSTP Grant from the Transportation Agency for Monterey County. We received the Caltrans Encroachment Permit. The contract has been executed, and staff is reviewing the contractor’s submittals.
SOLID WASTE
Quarterly Tri-Cities Franchise Agreements Meetings – The new 10-year contract with Tri-Cities Disposal was approved at the 6/16/2025 Council meeting. The most recent quarterly meeting with SVSWA, Tri-Cities Disposal and city staff was 11/12/2025.
OTHER EFFORTS
1. Salinas Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency - It’s Gonzales turn to represent the four south valley cities on the GSA Board. The PW Director participated in the 9/11/2025 and 10/9/2025 board meetings and the next board meeting is 11/13/2025.
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.
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.
Staff have been repairing several levies within the main ponds. Staff continue to empty Disposal Basin A to prepare it for the geotechnical and the grading work to restore its performance.
Staff provided weed control and rodent control at the wastewater treatment plant.
This work was executed on 10/27-10/31 of 2025.
WATER
Staff tests daily for chlorine residual, and maintenance on the water system. Staff repairs chlorine leaks and performs maintenance on the wells.
Well 4 is down for repairs. Maggiora Bros. will begin the process of cleaning Well 4 this week.
For the month of October, all water samples taken at the sampling stations for the water system tested negative for coliform.
There were 65 door tags issued last month, prior to water service shut off. We had 12 disconnects because of non-payment.
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 continues to weed and clean Bio Swales and the redwoods regularly including trimming of hedges that need to be addressed.
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.
STREETS
Staff continue to fill potholes. Staff made sandbags for the upcoming storm season.
Staff completed the cleaning and clearing of all alleys on the week of 10/20/2025-10/25/2025.
EVENTS
Staff participated in the Trunk or Treat event on 10/25/25 by assisting with the set up and clean-up.
Attachments:
1. Fall Cleanup Day Report