Sully Miller wins no-bid wastewater project

This story was updated at 3:04 p.m. to clarify voting results.

BARSTOW • The Barstow City Council signed off on new street projects at its meeting Monday evening and viewed a presentation from landscape architects to spruce up the city’s public areas.

By a 2-1 vote, with Councilman Tim Saenz abstaining and Councilman Willie Hailey Sr. absent, the council awarded a $121,514 contract to Sully Miller Contracting Company to rebuild the road that leads to the city’s wastewater plant. Mayor Pro Tem Julie Hackbarth-McIntyre and Councilman Tim Silva voted in favor of the contract, while Mayor Joe Gomez voted against it. Consulting City Engineer Brad Merrell said city staff decided to give the project to Sully Miller by issuing a change order to the company’s ongoing street projects, rather than seek competitive bids for the additional road project.

Assistant City Manager Oliver Chi said because the road was a minor project, he wanted construction to begin without having to complete a lengthier review process. Funds will come from the city’s wastewater fund, which is required to be spent on projects related to the wastewater treatment plant, Chi said.

Saenz recused himself because his employer provides materials for Sully Miller.

More discussion of landscape improvements
A months-long process to beautify Barstow reached the City Council, with council members listening to the results of a community outreach effort led by landscape architects Lawrence R. Moss & Associates of Glendale.

The plan would establish “consistent visual cues that let a person know that they are in Barstow,” landscape architect Marcy Anderson said, like distinctive signs welcoming visitors to Barstow and archways resembling the First Street Bridge surrounding the downtown area.

Saenz said he thought the group’s series of community meetings was effective.

“The candid conversations in there were what this community needs,” Saenz said.

Gomez said he had concerns that the city’s logo might need to be changed as a result of the design changes.

City Manager Curt Mitchell said he expected to return to the council with a list of specific beautification projects the city could complete before the end of the year.

Police take tactical vehicle
The Barstow Police Department will have a new armored tactical vehicle after the City Council unanimously approved acquiring the used vehicle. The behemoth 1980 GMC was declared surplus by the city of Fontana recently when the city purchased a new armored vehicle and promptly scooped up by Barstow’s officers.

Lt. Albert Ramirez told the council that the vehicle was in good condition despite its age. He said he expected officers to use the vehicle for training exercises and in rare serious emergencies.

Public hearing for Food4Less
Council members set a public hearing for concerns over a planned Food4Less gas station at 580 E. Virginia Way for Sept. 17 after a recent Planning Commission decision on the project was appealed by nearby business owners. The owner of an adjacent Chevron station at 913 Barstow Road, Joe Rosano, told the Planning Commission that he thought the new Food4Less gas station would create too much traffic in the neighborhood and lacked enough restrooms for its 14 pump stations. The Planning Commission allowed Food4Less to build a sign visible from the freeway to advertise its gas prices, but required it to complete a limited traffic study of impacts from the project.

Contract awarded for former roundabout location
The council voted unanimously to award a $815,000 contract to Cooley Construction, Inc. to repave Mountain View Avenue between Helen Runyon Drive and South First Avenue.

That section of Mountain View Avenue was split into its own project earlier this year to allow for more time to design a proposed roundabout for the intersection of Mountain View Street and Belinda Avenue, but ultimately the roundabout was removed from the project.

Councilmembers requested that Consulting City Engineer Brad Merrell prepare a change order to build a lighted crosswalk at the intersection instead. Merrell said the project was not likely to be finished before schools were back in session but the city would work with the Barstow Unified School District to reroute affected school buses from the area.

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