Colfax approves Wood Rogers planning contract to study Shady Glen sewer consolidation

The Colfax City Council voted on Feb. 11 to approve an agreement with Wood Rogers for planning and design work related to a potential consolidation of the Shady Glen mobile‑home park sewer system into Colfax's sewer service. Consultant Jim Fledder told the council the effort is planning‑level work only — engineering studies, environmental review (CEQA), financial packaging, annexation with LAFCO and preparing a construction‑grant application — and "no commitment to actually do construction" is required at this stage.

Fledder summarized the project history: Shady Glen and the city exchanged a letter of intent, the city submitted grant applications beginning in 2022, and state priorities later advanced consolidation projects. He said the state has approved planning grant funds for the effort and described a current planning grant award figure of about $1,653,000 (as stated in the presentation). Wood Rogers proposed a contract of approximately $1,300,000 to cover the planning scope, covering tasks such as sewer system studies, public outreach, annexation assistance and preparing a construction grant application.

Fledder emphasized annexation will be required for service and that LAFCO must approve any boundary changes; he outlined a multi‑year schedule with studies in 2026, environmental work in 2027 and potential construction grant activity thereafter. Council members asked about the city's responsibility for upgrading its wastewater treatment plant; Fledder said the planning scope includes evaluating treatment‑plant impacts and that keeping the city's construction application on the state's list is a priority. The council approved the Wood Rogers contract by voice vote.