Council presses contractor after third absence from Camino Del Sol sewer, water and street project update

City staff told the Nogales City Council on Oct. 1 that they are monitoring phase 2 of the Camino Del Sol Sewer, Water and Street Improvement Project but that the contract's prime contractor, identified in materials as Enova/Inova, has not attended council meetings to provide required periodic reports.

A staff speaker said the firm had been invited to the meeting but declined to attend for the third time. Council members said the public expects accountability when the city spends multi-million-dollar amounts and asked that the contractor at least supply written reports when it is unable to appear in person.

Councilmember Royce Meyer noted the agenda includes an item requiring the contractor to furnish periodic reports at such times and in such forms as the city requires, and he told staff he expects the city to enforce that contract provision. Staff said Juan Guerra and Noe Garcia are overseeing the project internally and that the departments responsible for water and sewer are ensuring the project follows the contract and the bid documents.

Council discussion focused on transparency and taxpayer expectations rather than on technical project details. No formal sanction was announced at the meeting; staff said they had been receiving updates from city personnel but that the contractor had been “requested to provide these reports at council meetings and has now for the third time refused to come and provide those reports.”

Councilmembers asked staff to provide copies of communications with the contractor and to continue monitoring compliance with the contract terms. The council did not vote on a contract amendment or termination at the Oct. 1 meeting.

The project remains under city oversight; the council can direct staff to return with a recommended enforcement action, a schedule of required reporting, or a written status update to be distributed to the public at a future meeting.