[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6279236,"mediaKeyId","2625139-892156741de2ade39747a2afab7feeed","parentId",2625139,"title","City explains community workforce agreement; ordinance requires CWAs for contracts over $250,000","audioSeconds",524,"startMs",3301000,"endMs",3825000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2625139-892156741de2ade39747a2afab7feeed&start=3301&end=3825","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2625139-892156741de2ade39747a2afab7feeed/thumbnail_3301000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6279236/San-Benito-County/California/City-explains-community-workforce-agreement-ordinance-requires-CWAs-for-contracts-over-250000","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6279236-0c194098224e05c081136d3657e6b093/orig.mp4?Expires=1771186185&Signature=jHhKRBhpMZIFPYtO5voK4i6aUpdS2B1BSGv9X3VdHe6hEt0o7Q6ZdHs6erg5dPT~mWBaPbGNilTNTfIZV2mD25Se6ZZ7ErMWDBzNFVofR3j-FuEA3MxjG0n5u5ySMtTNi-NC3xxJg2fmiT-OAOJGdGCEMJ8d8x6CtDDIAlP3RhojolN2IyS8B3e1gky5o3bRQQGF1JJg0isVN~1X0XdMWjE~AWBbMrKG4GVYztm5OYdAFECBfBPUfPiG6MuRgw~34ccoj8X5OxJViigpgmaTzGinY-7xoJtMEbMWEfmKrsvOH5szz2tn7Y~8GXgwXvmvVgvQTLemtk1CScJ6Hqkh7A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","San Benito County, CA","date","2025-02-04T00:00:00Z","article","City staff presented an update on the city’s Community Workforce Agreement (CWA), a pre-hire agreement the city has used for public construction contracts and which the council amended into local purchasing rules.

Dave Marione, the city manager, told the council the ordinance was amended in December 2023 to require use of CWAs for public construction contracts valued at $250,000 or more; that ordinance amendment amended section 3.06 of the city’s purchasing code and codified the California Uniform Public Construction Cost Accounting (CUPCCA) provisions the city had previously adopted.

Marione reviewed key CWA provisions: no-strike/no-lockout commitments to keep projects moving; grievance and arbitration procedures; a pre-job conference requirement to align unions, contractors and project managers before work starts; union referral and registration requirements for craft employees; contributions to vacation, pension and benefit trust funds; and mandatory use of state‑approved apprenticeship programs and veteran employment pathways (including references to “helmets to hard hats” programs and local pre-apprenticeship programs).

Marione said the current CWA is a three‑year agreement that became effective Jan. 16, 2024, with an automatic rollover unless parties meet to negotiate changes before expiration. He said the agreement has been used on projects already under construction and noted the city has received differing numbers of bids on CWA projects: for example, a recent roadway project closely matched its engineer estimate and drew multiple bids, while the combined IWTP/Bridal Road package drew only two bids and exceeded the engineer’s estimate.

Council members asked about the $250,000 threshold, noting that other cities use higher thresholds (up to $1 million or more). Marione said the $250,000 figure was a council direction following earlier presentations and that municipalities set thresholds based on their size and procurement patterns.

On benefits, staff said CWAs can expand access to union-sponsored apprenticeship and training pipelines, create partners for grant and funding support, and reduce the city’s risk of substandard work or wage‑theft complaints by enforcing trust fund contributions and prevailing wage compliance. Staff also noted options for the council going forward: wait until the three‑year term expires and then amend or rescind the CWA; or amend the CWA and the ordinance before that date.

The council did not take new formal action on the CWA at the meeting; the presentation was received and staff requested possible direction from the council.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Hollister City Council Regular Meeting - February 4, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","City staff updated the Hollister City Council on the city’s Community Workforce Agreement with the Santa Clara and San Benito County Building and Construction Trades Council and on the ordinance amendments requiring CWAs for public construction contracts over $250,000.","taxTitle","San Benito County, California","taxId",26838,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6279240,"Council approves $8.44 million contract for wastewater treatment and Bridal Road stormwater improvements",988,2276000,3264000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2625139-892156741de2ade39747a2afab7feeed&start=2276&end=3264","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2625139-892156741de2ade39747a2afab7feeed/thumbnail_2276000.jpg","/articles/6279240/San-Benito-County/California/Council-approves-844-million-contract-for-wastewater-treatment-and-Bridal-Road-stormwater-improvements","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6279240-2d08cb20a8502f5d3947d64743d40f34/orig.mp4?Expires=1771186185&Signature=hgp~6ObxqZt1Mb2iwvgvWd0cX1CQiTT~6dwUh6gH7tOcTi8rRfKabBTerjH4N3R9XKTw8Pcyn7vmCF13RYYjsnCOauJgUOvMkGrUgnM8ICrIihPtXD2x6QJNelgA1sYLVdwPSQ6QKle0462cplrC-5LkD174kRVg~2L2URY1EsoIdNldpAq61UyktSWBN1jGJExH0uzT231h4Ibx3zSZekFpikt-YqfjG0crsmd92D6jdc3bZ8bxC~NrEYusAIl~XY0slMerDz5lhtoPGLoxkMeqqL3pesAbPIjl3P~XOnXIZcKJWlL2dLZSXdNiF4mLvFzugnsxA7GgWgxLSHwfJQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Hollister City Council voted to award a contract to the lowest bidder for the Industrial Wastewater Treatment Plant (IWTP) and Bridal Road Stormwater Improvements Project, approving the agreement and authorizing the city manager to execute contract documents.

Marco Martinez, a public works engineer, presented the item and described scope and procurement history. The combined project includes trash capture structures, inlet/outlet and diversion structures, hardened spillways at several ponds, an emergency backup generator, flow-splitter infrastructure, manhole improvements, reconstruction of an existing city parking lot, relocation of a city water line and additional solar lighting near Bridal Road.

Martinez said the two previously separate projects were combined for bidding and cost-saving purposes. The city had earlier advertised the IWTP portion and rejected a single, significantly over-budget bid in August 2023. The combined packet went back out to bid and on Jan. 8, 2025 the city received two bids; the lowest was submitted at $8,441,982.

The engineer’s combined estimate before bids was approximately $7.5 million, Martinez said, leaving the low bid about $1 million above the estimate. The city’s staff explained the funding mix: part of the project will be paid from a Prop 1 water-quality grant that requires matching funds, and the city’s matching share will come from stormwater impact fees that the city has collected.

Council members discussed the bid results and procurement process. Council member Pesce said the cost over the estimate meant a meaningful reduction in dollars available for other projects in his district, but moved to adopt the resolution authorizing the award. Several council members raised concerns about the limited number of bidders, the effect of combining projects on contractor interest, and how the community workforce agreement (CWA) interfaces with procurement and prevailing wage obligations.

Council member Pesce made the motion to adopt the resolution awarding the contract; a second followed. The council approved the resolution by voice vote (ayes only recorded). No public comments were received on this item.

City staff said the improvements are required under the state’s trash amendment to the city’s Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit, which applies to municipalities serving populations under 100,000. The project construction will be the next step after contract execution and pre-job coordination with the trades and contractor.

Action on the item authorizes the city manager to execute the contract and related documents with the awarded contractor and to proceed to construction per the contract schedule.","The council awarded a contract for an industrial wastewater treatment plant and Bridal Road stormwater improvements after receiving two bids. The work is required by a state stormwater (MS4) permit and will be funded through a mix of state Prop 1 grant funds and local stormwater impact fees that require matching funds.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6279245,"Caltrans begins EIR for Highway 25; short-term safety fixes under study",165,345000,510000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2625139-892156741de2ade39747a2afab7feeed&start=345&end=510","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2625139-892156741de2ade39747a2afab7feeed/thumbnail_345000.jpg","/articles/6279245/San-Benito-County/California/Caltrans-begins-EIR-for-Highway-25-short-term-safety-fixes-under-study","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6279245-f7e35ad3948956873e21272e9876ec53/orig.mp4?Expires=1771186185&Signature=Tp6O8Erk6aAiktOfgG4a9mnrcV8DVB7QdXWNRAYC0M38T065s0IMkBO99Ta8xxxUxPYWXNJzor3ZEEkuohaWLp8NtYOgLpV3uBcpTZCHAtpvzvnEO5VCJSNvg0rCSVbg86yoOt6RGeE38yrGiAmLDiOUaEP8bu0gcvnNo5eipg34t22WF0D5ZU2ZDtn1J3MFEgLhyj-7r50csTGv-gVNpivNMjwk4IMx7ItLOHCducSHNMXf5usq3SkP4l1VhbaDve~InebZ6joRSaUwYZdxmdLZL0OYEZgr3hE-eYgsY36RzTCKTjDP~xT2lpj662YXVWecr0DZJapc2U0GclD-cA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Caltrans has started environmental review for the Highway 25 corridor project and expects the combined state and federal studies to be complete by the end of 2026, a regional transportation official told the Hollister City Council.

Binu Abraham, the meeting’s presenter, said the agency completed a notice of preparation in December and is carrying out CEQA and NEPA reviews concurrently. She said a public comment period and outreach will be held once draft documents are available late in 2026 or in early 2027.

The work follows landowner meetings on Jan. 28 where residents along Highway 25 asked for the project’s history and details about route choices made in 2009, 2016 and 2020. “Caltrans went back to collect all the data and the facts,” Abraham said, and offered two in-person sessions plus a virtual meeting for people who could not attend.

Separately, Abraham said the Speaker’s office has driven a short-term safety initiative that brought together Caltrans District 4 (the Santa Clara portion) and District 5 (the San Benito portion) to identify immediate countermeasures after recent collisions and fatalities on Highway 25. She said Caltrans has completed a safety analysis that will be released in the next month or two and that possible interim steps being explored include barriers, striping and rumble strips.

Council member Morales asked whether the short-term work was in response to a specific fatal crash; Abraham confirmed it was triggered by recent collisions and fatalities on segments of the route in both counties and said Caltrans headquarters in Sacramento is coordinating with the districts and the Speaker’s office on possible immediate fixes.

The Highway 25 corridor crosses county lines, requiring coordination between two Caltrans districts, Abraham noted: “District 5 Caltrans … is the San Benito portion; District 4 is the Santa Clara portion. We have to interact with both districts.”

There was no public comment on the Highway 25 update during the meeting. The council did not take any formal action on the item; the presentation was received as an informational update.

Looking ahead, Abraham said Caltrans and partner agencies will publish outreach dates for the environmental review and will post project details on the VTA/SBCOG web pages and local websites as they become available.

For now, residents seeking additional or more timely information about specific construction schedules (for example, closures related to the 101-to-25 ramp improvements) were advised to check Santa Clara County/VTA project pages; Abraham said the 101-to-25 ramp phase 1 had been delayed by utility relocations and was expected to begin in April or May of the year discussed.

The Highway 25 topic will return to the council for updates as the EIR and safety analyses progress.","Caltrans has started concurrent CEQA and NEPA environmental studies for the Highway 25 project, with an EIR expected by the end of 2026. Local agencies and landowners have held meetings on route history and the speaker's office and Caltrans districts 4 and 5 are pushing a separate short-term safety study and potential interim fixes.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6279231,"Public commenters highlight senior‑center programs, small‑business training needs and firefighter contract concerns",560,850000,1410000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2625139-892156741de2ade39747a2afab7feeed&start=850&end=1410","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2625139-892156741de2ade39747a2afab7feeed/thumbnail_850000.jpg","/articles/6279231/San-Benito-County/California/Public-commenters-highlight-seniorcenter-programs-smallbusiness-training-needs-and-firefighter-contract-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6279231-aa9bc7aeb6bad1d44a0b99b121c4cadd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771186185&Signature=Dywe8pP0iREB-75wa9e8HjIk-wU2w4Jybuf9VqAXNNr52Myusdp7q1wIrh8QL81I2VU0ckl0bcHZ6iLFZEEuF~HxpHQBaNrW7AU80wZfetV0KYtJSDht0a0CVbPMh0luMYtgXhpbXYrJBU4FydMZLf8NZ5bDlHDR7IJF99mrTBwSMPQcASlFjPJ7laa4ARSYHDPuECf729zXijTfOWZZ2APQSeKWKoj29oarDMQj~amVafcyBl9qFfeU2VQaYMnmOTTUA0rT67qo6O1Ln0sqbOE6t9iM~ZpnNFGWm2rQVwxTgdIwxhQVPrAZbNS0z8fSCv8Z-eLdQFlA3z0pu9AXag__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Multiple members of the public used the council’s general public‑comment period to highlight local services, small‑business needs and public‑safety concerns.

A representative of the senior center (identified at the meeting as Mr. Guerrero) told the council the center is entering its 50th anniversary and described ongoing programs including exercise classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, a tai chi class starting in March, the center’s lunch program and Meals on Wheels deliveries. Guerrero invited council members and residents to ride along on Meals on Wheels routes to observe service delivery and said the center is negotiating renewal of a transportation contract used to take seniors to appointments.

Margarita Vejar, a newly joined senior center participant, said she enjoys the center’s lunches and programs.

Luis Espinal, a local small‑business owner, described his background in insurance and asked city staff and council members to help connect him with workforce training programs and trainee placement opportunities; he said he has tried to hire trainees through city programs in the past without success and invited council follow‑up.

Mia Casey spoke about the city’s unresolved firefighter contract negotiations and urged the council to prioritize those talks, saying she had heard multiple firefighters consider leaving the department. Casey also questioned public transparency around city costs for a proposed biker rally event, saying she had heard cost estimates ranging from $300,000 to as much as $400,000–$500,000 and asked why public safety and the firefighter contract were not prioritized over event expenses.

The council thanked the speakers and noted the senior‑center invitation for ride‑alongs. No formal action was taken during public comment; council members encouraged follow-up with staff on the issues raised (transportation contract negotiations for the senior center, trainee-placement assistance for the business owner, and transparency around firefighter contract status and event budget estimates).","Speakers praised the senior center’s 50th‑anniversary programming and Meals on Wheels volunteer ride‑alongs, a small‑business owner asked for trainee-placement help, and a resident urged the council to finalize ongoing firefighter contract negotiations and asked for transparency on event budgeting for an upcoming biker rally.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

City explains community workforce agreement; ordinance requires CWAs for contracts over $250,000

Council approves $8.44 million contract for wastewater treatment and Bridal Road stormwater improvements

Caltrans begins EIR for Highway 25; short-term safety fixes under study

Public commenters highlight senior‑center programs, small‑business training needs and firefighter contract concerns