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Fortuna council adopts five-year CIP, approves $297,000 valve contract and a deputy-engineer hire exception
Summary
The Fortuna City Council adopted its FY 2026–27 five-year Capital Improvement Program, cleared a $297,000 contract for annual water valve replacements, and approved an exception to a hiring freeze to recruit a deputy city engineer whose predecessor left for Caltrans.
Fortuna City Council on June 1 adopted the city’s FY 2026–27 five-year Capital Improvement Program and approved several staff-recommended actions, including a hiring-freeze exception for a deputy city engineer and authorization to award a $297,000 contract for the annual water valve replacement project.
City staff described the CIP as a five-year strategic infrastructure plan that prioritizes projects on the basis of probability and consequence of failure and available funding. Staff said the wastewater treatment plant NPDS-compliance upgrades are the largest project in the draft: about $21 million is budgeted this year within a roughly $45–50 million total upgrade scope funded in part through the State Revolving Fund. Other near-term items noted included $400,000 for water meter replacements, annual sewer-main replacements, clarifier concrete rehab and large transportation projects such as the Kenmore interchange (design nearing 100% with a $15 million construction estimate).
Council also approved an exception to the hiring freeze for the funded deputy city engineer position, which staff said is already budgeted and vacant after Matt Nyberg left for Caltrans. The city will advertise broadly for engineering positions, including engineering technician, assistant engineer and deputy city engineer, to maximize the candidate pool.
On the water project, staff recommended awarding the CIP 9990 annual water valve replacement contract to WENT Construction with a maximum contract amount of $297,000; staff told council the funds were already reflected in the budget and no supplemental appropriation was required. Council approved the authorization by roll-call vote.
Roll-call votes recorded in the transcript show Council member Diaz, Council member Stevens, Mayor Pro Tem Trent and Mayor Johnson voting yes on the hiring-freeze exception, the valve-replacement contract authorization, and the CIP adoption.
Next steps: procurement and recruitment processes will proceed under existing budget authority; the CIP adoption provides the planning and funding framework for projects to move into the fiscal-year budget and subsequent construction phases.
