Montebello officials say city is back in good standing with Caltrans after audit
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Summary
City staff briefed the Montebello City Council on a multi-year Caltrans audit and the steps the city took to comply with state and federal requirements; council members described the outcome as restoring the city's ability to receive federal transportation funds without restriction.
Montebello city staff told the City Council on Wednesday that the city completed corrective actions tied to a Caltrans audit and is now eligible to receive federal and state transportation funds without limitations.
In a presentation, the city’s director of public works, identified in the meeting as Caesar, reviewed the city’s work over roughly the last 18 months to align local policies and procedures with Caltrans and Federal Highway Administration requirements. Caesar said the city updated purchasing and contracting rules, adopted a quality-assurance program tied to federal construction specifications, and submitted required chapters of the Local Assistance Procedures Manual (LAPM) to the state.
City Manager (name not specified) described the outcome as a “testament” to the work of public works and finance staff. “Everything that Caesar and his team have done has put us in a position where the city is able to receive any funds without any limitation,” the City Manager said.
Why it matters: Federal and state transportation grants typically require recipients to demonstrate consistent procedures for procurement, labor compliance and material testing. Council members said restoring the city’s eligibility removes a procedural barrier to pursuing Caltrans-administered grants for traffic signals, sidewalks and other capital projects.
The Public Works presentation listed specific steps and adopted measures: in 2024–25 the city adopted ordinance 2481 to amend purchasing and contract chapters, updated a five-year quality assurance program by resolution 24-51, adopted LAPM chapter 7 by resolution 24-82 (architectural and engineering consultant standards), adopted resolution 24-83 delegating LAPM section 16.2 responsibilities to the city manager and public works director, and in February 2025 adopted resolution 25-12 authorizing execution of Caltrans forms and agreements. The council also adopted resolution 25-60 in August 2025 to address Title VI civil-rights requirements for eligibility for federal and state funds.
Councilmember Peralta praised the work: “I think this is a very big win for the city in terms of being able to access future Caltrans federal grants with no limitations,” he said.
The presentation did not include or request any immediate council action; staff said the city has complied with the corrective actions Caltrans required and would continue to follow LAPM guidelines when administering federal-aid projects.
Discussion points raised by council members and staff included the role of training and documentation in demonstrating compliance, the need for ongoing internal controls in procurement and construction, and recognition of finance staff assistance in aligning local policies with state expectations.
Looking ahead: Staff said compliance enables the city to apply for Caltrans-administered federal aid for future transportation projects. Council members did not take new action at the meeting but thanked staff for the work that led to the restored standing with Caltrans.
