PLEASANTON, Calif. – At its regular meeting on April 16, 2024, the City Council approved funding for projects that will repair various city sites that were damaged during the storms in early 2023. Th contract will include the design of three projects partially funded by FEMA and two City-funded storm infrastructure improvement projects that will permanently repair sites damaged during the severe winter storms from December 2022 through March 2023. Funding for these projects will come from an adjustment to the four-year Capital Improvement Program that defers funding for the Ken Mercer Skate Park upgrade and the Century House facility renovation.
Over the past year, the City has completed temporary repairs to restore the storm drain systems in preparation for the 2023-2024 rainy season and worked with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), and the City’s on-call consultants to complete site damage assessments and identify the scope of work for locations requiring permanent repairs.
While the City will receive FEMA reimbursement for several of the necessary repair and replacement projects, that reimbursement only covers 75 percent of the total project cost, and it is unknown when reimbursement funds will be received. Two additional critical projects are necessary to ensure the safety of our streets and trails but do not qualify for federal funding and must be funded by the City.
The previously approved Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and two-year budget could not absorb the additional costs to make the necessary improvements to the City’s storm drain system. At its regular meeting on March 19, the City Council approved a recommendation to defer approximately $18.9 million in funding from approved CIP projects to address these needs while maintaining a balanced mid-term capital budget. Key deferred projects included an update to the Ken Mercer Skate Park, the renovation of the Century House facility, an upgraded HVAC system and pool deck at the Delores Bengtson Aquatic Center, annual median landscape renovation and park and trail pathway resurfacing, and various park renovations, among other projects. The estimated costs for the necessary stormwater system improvements, including the City’s portion of the FEMA projects, range between $9.5 million and $16 million.
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