Murrieta council awards $2.7 million contract for Fire Station 1 site improvements

The Murrieta City Council on Nov. 4 voted unanimously to award a construction contract for site improvements at Fire Station 1 to Dayarc E and C Inc., the low bidder at $2,700,000. Councilmember de Forest moved the award, which Councilmember Holliday seconded; the motion carried 5-0.

City staff described the project as a two-phase effort to maintain full fire operations during construction. Garrett Strang, civil engineering assistant, said the work will include removing existing concrete, asphalt paving in a training area, connecting the station to a sewer lateral on Juniper Street (removing reliance on septic), installing new gates and an automatic gate for rear access from Juniper, relocating an on-site natural gas generator, electrical modifications and landscape work. The project will also add stormwater-treatment measures such as mechanical sump pumps, underground detention basins and a modular wetland system, Strang said.

Strang told the council that the city opened bids on Sept. 23 and received 15 proposals ranging from $2.7 million to $5.7 million; he said the top five bids clustered within about $100,000 of each other while one high bid was an outlier. To cover the project, staff recommended appropriating approximately $1,800,000 from the Measure T unassigned fund balance and $35,000 from the Measure T fire facility reserve, which would bring the total project budget to about $3,500,000, including hard and soft costs and a 15% contingency. Strang recommended authorizing the city engineer to approve change orders up to 15% and authorizing the mayor to execute the contract.

Council members asked about construction timing, noise and neighborhood notification. Strang and Jeff Hitch, city engineer, said work will be performed during daytime hours to maintain station access and to avoid added cost and logistical challenges of nighttime concrete work; they also confirmed staff will coordinate notifications with the adjacent school and daycare. Chief Dave Perez attended the presentation and was available for technical questions.

The council formally moved, seconded and voted to award the contract to Dayarc E and C Inc., authorize the city engineer to execute change orders not to exceed 15%, and authorize the mayor to sign the construction contract. The council recorded the motion as passing 5-0.

The project is listed as CIP 21019, city project number 22-452; staff said construction is expected to begin in December and the contract’s working time is 80 working days as shown in project documents presented to council.