West Covina council approves emergency repairs after rodent infestation at Fire Station 3

Mayor Lehi Lopez Villarro presided over a brief but pointed discussion before the City Council on April 7, approving emergency repairs at Fire Station 3 to address a rodent infestation that staff said was discovered weeks earlier.

The proposal, presented by Public Works Superintendent Mike Cressop and ratified by acting city manager Mylan, called for removal of damaged finishes, sealing of entry points, abatement of pests and replacement of ceiling and cabinetry where necessary. Cressop told the council that “the second we were notified about it was about 3 weeks ago,” and that the infestation’s scope required pulling out materials and performing abatement and mitigation work.

Mylan said the project was authorized under emergency contracting to restore habitability so firefighters could safely use the station. Council members pressed staff on why the problem had not been detected earlier and what safeguards would prevent future delayed detection. Mayor Pro Tem Olegario de Cantos the seventh asked, “How was this allowed to deteriorate to the point where this was an emergency?” and urged a systemic checklist for periodic inspections.

Staff said they contacted three contractors; one could not start quickly and another failed to respond. The contractor recommended in the staff report, Sunshine Pacific Group America, had the required registrations and insurance and could start immediately. The contract includes pest abatement and necessary repair work; staff confirmed that the bidding documents included test reports for mold, asbestos and lead paint so abatement work would be handled as part of the contract.

Councilman Gutierrez highlighted concerns about worker and firefighter safety during construction and reminded staff of Cal/OSHA obligations. City staff said accommodations and mitigation plans had been discussed with the firefighters assigned to the station and that the acting city manager approved immediate repairs to expedite work.

The council voted to authorize the emergency repairs and the construction services agreement with Sunshine Pacific Group America; the motion passed on the roll call recorded in the meeting (aye votes recorded for Councilman Gutierrez, Councilman Wu, Councilwoman Diaz, Mayor Pro Tem Olegario de Cantos the seventh and Mayor Lehi Lopez Villarro). The contract will return to council after work is completed for final ratification or termination of the emergency declaration.

The council also asked staff to prepare a comprehensive checklist to inspect city facilities, including fire stations, to detect habitability issues earlier and avoid future emergency procurements.