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Union and inspectors urge review after council-authorized HB Restoration amendment

Modesto City Council · January 28, 2026
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Summary

Union representatives and a certified coatings inspector told the Modesto City Council that an increase to an HB Restoration contract should be reviewed because of wage-theft judgments and an OSHA serious violation; the company owner said the firm has done public work since 2013 and asked the council to check references.

Union representatives and independent trade professionals asked the Modesto City Council on Jan. 27 to review and pause further work under an already-authorized amendment to a coating/restoration contract with HB Restoration Inc., citing labor and safety concerns.

Juan Rosales of District Council 16, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, told the council the city had authorized expanding the HB Restoration agreement to more than $1.5 million and that new information about the vendor’s history “demands immediate oversight and a reevaluation of how public funds are being managed.” Rosales said the company had multiple judgments for unpaid wages with the California Labor Commissioner’s Office and that HB Restoration was cited for a serious OSHA violation in December 2023 (inspection number 1672322.015). “By continuing to funnel taxpayer monies into this contract, the city is effectively rewarding a business model built on wage theft,” he said, and called for suspension of payments, a city-auditor review of compliance, and mandatory vendor-responsibility reporting before further discretionary amendments.

TJ Gardner, a certified coatings inspector, described technical risks with expanding the contractor’s scope to wastewater and potable-water facilities, saying those sites require elevated standards for materials and application. Gardner said past reviews of HB Restoration projects raised workmanship and coating-practice concerns that could lead to premature coating failure, higher maintenance costs or operational disruptions.

Emmanuel, who identified himself as the owner of HB Restoration, addressed the council and summarized his company’s work since 2013, listing projects across California and asking the council to review references and the city’s due diligence. He told the council his employees are local and asked for a chance to demonstrate qualifications.

The council did not take immediate action on the public comments during the meeting; speakers urged staff or the city auditor to examine past compliance and vendor responsibility before further contract amendments or payments.