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La Habra Heights council approves liens, grant allocations and construction contract; names councilmember to habitat oversight panel
Summary
At its December meeting the La Habra Heights City Council approved assessments for unpaid brush-clearance costs, adopted a CDBG allocation for paramedic memberships and an ADA ramp, awarded a construction-management contract to Onward Engineering, accepted fire-department donations, appointed Brian Bergman to a habitat fiscal oversight committee and authorized a year-end closure of city hall.
The La Habra Heights City Council on Dec. 8 approved a package of routine business including liens for unpaid brush-clearance costs, a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) allocation, a construction-management contract and several appointments.
Council voted unanimously to overrule protests and adopt Resolution No. 2025-31 confirming the city's costs for two brush-abatement jobs on vacant properties and authorizing liens to be placed on the tax rolls, effective Dec. 8, 2025. Staff said neither property owner responded to outreach before the hearing.
Assistant City Manager Martinez presented the CDBG allocation for the 2025'26 program year, reporting a carryover of $18,977 from the prior year. Council approved Resolution No. 2025-32 to set aside $2,812 for a paramedic membership program to assist low- and moderate-income residents and $16,165 toward an Americans with Disabilities Act ramp project at the park.
On capital projects, the council awarded a professional services agreement for construction management and inspection of the zone 3 and 5 street resurfacing work to Onward Engineering. Staff said Onward's bid was $155,705 compared with $180,810 from NV5; the council authorized the city manager to execute the contract.
The council accepted $2,159.93 in community donations collected around the engine-dedication event plus an additional $100 personal donation and thanked the donors. The city will deposit the funds for fire-department use.
On appointments, the council appointed Councilmember Brian Bergman to a three-year term on the Point Hills Habitat Preservation Authority Fiscal Oversight Advisory Committee (FOAC). Council discussion also noted an outstanding effort to secure city representation on the habitat authority's governing board before parcel taxes are billed to residents.
Council also approved an administrative holiday-closure schedule for the week between Christmas and New Year's and gave the city manager discretion over whether to close on Christmas Eve, while maintaining emergency services and skeleton staffing as needed.
Votes at a glance
- Mayor and mayor pro tem: Motion to install Brian Bergman as mayor and Greg Steffler as mayor pro tem passed 4'1 (Carol dissenting). (motion introduced SEG 363; vote confirmed SEG 368'391)
- Brush-clearance liens (Resolution 2025-31): motion to overrule protests and assess costs — passed unanimously. (SEG 771'823)
- CDBG allocation (Resolution 2025-32): adopt recommended allocations including $2,812 for paramedic memberships and $16,165 for park ADA ramp — passed unanimously. (SEG 830'896)
- Accept monetary donations for the fire department ($2,259.93 total reported): passed unanimously. (SEG 900'941)
- Appointment to PH Habitat FOAC: appoint Brian Bergman to a three-year term — passed unanimously. (SEG 972'1009)
- Award contract for construction management and inspection to Onward Engineering ($155,705): passed unanimously. (SEG 1172'1243)
- Holiday closure authorization (Dec. 29'31; manager discretion for Dec. 24): passed unanimously. (SEG 1250'1376)
Why it matters
The actions preserve the city's ability to recover costs for public-safety abatement work through liens, allocate modest federal-block-grant funds toward emergency medical memberships and accessibility improvements, and move a multi-zone resurfacing project into the active construction phase with a lower-cost construction-management bid. The FOAC appointment places an experienced councilmember on a committee charged with fiscal oversight of Measure PH parcel-tax proceeds, while the city continues to press for formal representation on the habitat authority board prior to tax collection.
What's next
The city manager will execute the awarded contract in a form approved by the city attorney; the CDBG program office will finalize an application for the paramedic membership program; and council requested follow-up on the habitat-authority board seat in the January meeting.
