Fortuna council approves deputy engineer hire exception, awards $297,000 valve contract and adopts five-year CIP

Fortuna City Council on June 1 approved several operational and capital items intended to maintain city services and advance infrastructure projects.

Council voted unanimously to approve an exception to the city's hiring freeze to recruit and fill the full-time deputy city engineer position, which staff said is already funded in the current budget after the previous incumbent, Matt Nyberg, left for Caltrans. "It was at least $30,000 more a year" that attracted Nyberg to the new job, a staff member said while explaining retention pressures; staff also said the position will be recruited broadly for engineering technicians through deputy city engineer to cast a wide net.

Separately, the council authorized the city manager to award the annual water valve replacement project (CIP 9990) to WENT Construction and established a maximum contract amount of $297,000. Staff noted no supplemental budget was required because finance and public works had already rolled the funds forward. The staff report described the $297,000 total as including a 20% contingency on the awarded bid.

The council also reviewed and adopted the five-year Capital Improvement Program for fiscal years 2026'27. Staff highlighted that a large portion of capital spending is tied to State Revolving Fund (SRF) monies for wastewater-treatment-plant upgrades (staff cited approximately $45,000,000 split across upcoming years). Other near-term items called out in the presentation included $400,000 for water meter replacements, $1.5 million for the water master plan, annual sewer-main replacements, and grant-dependent projects such as the Mill Creek Fish Passage (design nearly complete but construction funding not yet secured).

Council members asked questions about retaining in-house crew skills versus contracting out work; a public-works staffer said in-house crews are capable but that larger projects usually require outside contractors due to capacity and scale. The planning commission had earlier found the CIP consistent with the general plan and recommended adoption. Council member Diaz moved to adopt the FY26-27 CIP and appropriate funding; the motion passed unanimously.

Votes at a glance: 1) Hiring-freeze exception for full-time deputy city engineer: motion passed (unanimous). 2) Authorize city manager to award water valve replacement project (CIP 9990) to WENT Construction, maximum $297,000: approved (unanimous). 3) Adopt FY26-27 five-year Capital Improvement Program and include projects in FY26-27 budget: approved (unanimous).

The council adjourned after routine reports.