Sunnyvale council approves Trip/Jobson drainage and trail design, green‑ribbon Collins Road contract; authorizes settlements and utility releases

Sunnyvale Town Council on Monday approved an engineering design contract to replace failing culverts and create a trail connection at the Tripp Road/Jobson Road intersection, awarded a construction contract for the South Collins Green Ribbon landscaping project, received quarterly financial and investment updates, and authorized two settlement and release agreements following an executive session.

The council voted unanimously on the two contract awards and later approved, also unanimously, authorization for the town manager to sign a pending settlement agreement and to execute releases of claims related to utility billing overages.

The engineering design contract for the Tripp/Jobson area will be with McManus & Payne Consulting Engineers LLC for $133,600 to survey and design drainage improvements and a trail connection from the northeast corner of Tripp and Jobson to the Samuel Farms trail network, according to town engineer Matt Holzapfel. "They're only about 24 inches, I think, maybe," Holzapfel said of the existing cross culverts, describing them as corrugated metal pipes roughly 50 to 60 years old that are rusted and undersized. He told the council the design will consider concrete pipe or box culverts sized for current 100‑year storm criteria and said crews will likely need to cut the roadway to replace the pipes, with work staged to minimize traffic impacts.

Mayor Sajid George and councilors unanimously approved the design contract after a motion by Mr. Allen and a second by Dr. Woodrow. The item authorizes the town manager to execute the contract.

The council also approved a construction contract from Central North Construction LLC for what the staff described as the Collins Road Green Ribbon Project. The low conforming bid was $580,051.50; the project is funded primarily by a TxDOT Green Ribbon grant that provides $561,750 for construction, leaving the town responsible for the remaining roughly $18,000. The contract authorizes landscaping and median improvements on South Collins (State Highway 352) intended to visually match landscaping work already under way on North Collins. Council member Ms. Danny made the motion to approve and Mayor Pro Tem Finch seconded; the motion carried 7–0. Staff said construction could begin in late May or June after TxDOT review and a pre‑construction meeting, and the contract is for 180 calendar days.

Finance staff provided the council with the quarterly financial report for the period ending March 31, 2025. Presenting the report, Mikaela said the town’s general fund budget is about $15 million and the council has collected roughly $11.2 million to date, with property tax receipts arriving earlier in the year and sales tax collections about $200,000 higher than the same point in 2024. Expenditures were about 45% of budget. Mikaela noted an unplanned arbitrage payment of about $105,000 required by federal rules because investment earnings exceeded bond interest in a prior period. The utility fund’s planned capital spenddown was $5 million; staff said roughly $3 million has been spent to date, largely on the Harris sewer project. Staff noted a $430,000 reimbursement grant tied to the rails‑to‑trails project that is paid on a reimbursement basis after expenditures are made.

Rachel presented the required investment report, stating the town’s total portfolio market value is about $36.9 million, with approximately two‑thirds in liquid funds (pools, CDs and money markets) and about 34% in fixed‑income securities. She said the portfolio yield to maturity was 4.4%, slightly outperforming the three‑month U.S. Treasury benchmark cited in the report.

Assistant Manager Mark Rauscher delivered the town’s April capital improvements update. Among the items he summarized: the Collins Road 1B landscaping work in front of Town Hall; the South Collins Green Ribbon project (the contract approved this meeting); a Clay Road corridor reconstruction and concrete panel replacement project planned for bidding this summer with construction in fall and completion in spring 2026; Beltline signal coordination and fiber work tied to a new Gateway Park traffic signal and developer improvements; East Tripp corridor work (water‑line replacement and pavement rehabilitation) planned to begin in late May or June; coordination with TxDOT on US‑80 waterline relocations tied to TxDOT’s forthcoming US‑80 reconstruction; Barnes Bridge replacement work by TxDOT expected to finish in September; and water pump‑station and storage recommendations from the completed water master plan that will lead to a future design contract for Riverstone pump station enhancements.

Rauscher also described parks work: council and the 4B board earlier selected a Jobson Park concept (alternative A2) and a plan (B2) to turf Vineyard Park and partner with Sunnyvale ISD to turf the middle‑school field. He said staff will bring a Jobson Park design contract to an upcoming council meeting and that the Vineyard Park and school‑field turfing are expected to begin after the current playing season ends in June, with contractors projecting turf completion by the end of the calendar year. Rauscher said Jobson Park will require a longer design process — roughly 10 months — because the concept needs geotechnical, drainage and detailed grading design work before bids can be issued.

In executive session the council authorized the town manager to execute a settlement agreement with Sunnyvale US‑80 and Collins LP and D.C.G. Engineering Inc., pending legal review, and separately authorized the manager to execute release‑of‑claims agreements for utility billing overages. Both motions were adopted unanimously after closed‑session consideration.

Votes at a glance

- Consent agenda (items 1–4): Motion to approve by Dr. Woodrow; second by Mayor Pro Tem Finch. Outcome: approved, vote 7–0.

- J1 — Engineering design contract (McManus & Payne Consulting Engineers LLC) — $133,600 for survey/design of trail connection and drainage improvements at Tripp & Jobson; authorize town manager to execute: Moved by Mr. Allen; seconded by Dr. Woodrow. Outcome: approved, vote 7–0.

- J2 — Construction contract (Central North Construction LLC) — $580,051.50 for Collins Road Green Ribbon improvements (TxDOT grant $561,750; town share ≈ $18,000): Moved by Ms. Danny; seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Finch. Outcome: approved, vote 7–0.

- Executive session item — authorize town manager to execute settlement agreement with Sunnyvale US‑80 and Collins LP and D.C.G. Engineering Inc. (pending legal review): Moved by Councilor Allen; seconded by Clark. Outcome: approved, unanimous.

- Executive session item — authorize town manager to execute release of claims agreements for utility billing overages: Moved and seconded; outcome: approved, unanimous.

Why it matters

The Tripp/Jobson design contract responds to recurring flooding and failing cross‑culverts that staff said are corroded and undersized, pose roadway damage risk and have already caused property flooding. The Collins Road contract advances a federally and state funded streetscape effort on State Highway 352 that will alter landscaping and median treatments within a TxDOT right of way and requires coordination with TxDOT reviews. The capital plan update identifies multiple roadway, water, drainage and parks projects that will affect traffic, utility relocations and construction through late 2025 and into 2026. The settlement and claim releases close outstanding legal and billing matters that the town manager was authorized to execute after the executive session.

Councilors and staff said they will publish scheduling and traffic‑impact details as they are finalized; staff also said they will ask TxDOT for specific timing on nearby US‑80/635 work that could affect Sunnyvale motorists. The council did not receive public comment on the contract items at the meeting.

The council is scheduled to meet again on April 28, when staff said design contracts for Jobson Park and some water‑line relocations could come before the council.