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Tech committee backs short extension for town fiber project after subcontractor delay
Summary
The Los Altos Hills Technology Committee voted to ask the town council for an extension to the LEHF-funded fiber project after an unmarked AT&T conduit caused a minor construction delay; committee members said the extension is primarily to align reimbursement timing, not to excuse construction failures.
The Los Altos Hills Technology Committee voted to ask the town council to approve a short contract/grant extension for a fiber project after contractors encountered an unmarked AT&T conduit, a committee presenter said.
Presenter (Speaker 7) told the committee that Statements of Work A and B are completed and crews have started work on Statement of Work C, but hand-digging found an unmarked AT&T conduit that required a plan resubmission. "We resubmitted a plan that moves the cabinet slightly," the presenter said, and the revised permit is expected to be approved by the town within days.
The committee’s interest in an extension is procedural: Speaker 7 said town staff advised requesting additional time so reimbursements can clear within the project period. "Their recommendation was to request an extension at the upcoming town council meeting," the presenter said. He noted the suggested extension length was six months but said a three-month extension would likely be sufficient. Chair (Speaker 3) moved a resolution acknowledging progress and requesting an extension; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.
Why it matters: the extension would allow the town to complete necessary administrative billing and reimbursement steps without penalizing field crews for a commonly encountered utility-marking issue. Committee members emphasized the delay was not due to damage or contractor refusal to work but to the discovery of unmarked underground facilities and a subcontractor scheduling lag.
Details and next steps: committee members asked staff to put the extension request on the council agenda and to include a short write-up explaining the background. The presenter said most of the committee’s own scope is finished and that Foothill’s portion is the only remaining element subject to schedule risk; reimbursement, not construction completion, is the chief timing constraint.
The committee did not record a formal roll-call vote in the transcript; the motion was approved by voice assent during the meeting. The tech committee will forward the resolution and supporting materials to town staff for placement on the next council agenda.
