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Council approves Mill Street plaza restain and reseal contract; decision draws public criticism over cost
Summary
The council approved a sole‑source agreement for restaining and resealing Mill Street Plaza concrete to address stain adhesion failures, authorizing change orders up to 10% and using contingency funds. The procurement and cost drew multiple critical public comments during the meeting.
The Grass Valley City Council voted to authorize a sole‑source contract to restain and reseal the Mill Street plaza after deterioration of the original stain and seal revealed adhesion problems.
Staff told the council the original form release used during stamping prevented the stain from penetrating in some areas; the contractor who performed the original stain recommended etching and a thicker seal coat and offered to hold pricing close to the original charge. The city manager said contingency funds would be used and that the work should be done by the contractor familiar with the existing coloration to achieve a uniform finish.
Council action: The council approved the staff recommendation to accept the contractor's quote, authorize the city manager to execute the agreement, allow change orders up to 10%, and direct the finance director to make required budget adjustments. One council member recused earlier in the meeting (declared a conflict because of proximity of his business) and the vote carried 4–0 in favor with that recusal recorded.
Public response: Multiple members of the public criticized the expenditure — citing the overall Mill Street project cost (discussed in the meeting as more than $6 million) and urging a greater focus on basic infrastructure such as pothole repair, water lines and neighborhood maintenance instead of plaza aesthetics. Speakers called the restaining estimate's size into question and asked for itemized cost breakdowns and stronger vendor accountability.
Contract and maintenance notes: Staff said the work will include etching the concrete, reapplying stain to match existing intact patches and applying a thicker seal coat that the city expects to maintain the finish longer and allow in‑house maintenance (annual resealing) in future years. The project will be done in phases to limit pedestrian impacts; staff said work would typically start early in the morning and be finished in time for Friday pedestrian use in phased quadrants.
