Council approves pavement-project completion amid public allegations of favoritism and calls for investigation

Residents and several councilmembers spent the bulk of the meeting debating the recent pavement-rehabilitation work and a notice of completion the council was asked to approve. Multiple public commenters alleged that the city manager used contingency funds to pave Allgaier Avenue, a street that residents said had not been on the original schedule and where a councilmember lives. One public commenter read the staff report's final project cost as $1,991,006.65 and demanded to know whether contractors or the city paid for subsequent utility repairs.

Council discussion acknowledged the community's anger at perceived unequal treatment. Councilmember Manny Acosta questioned why Allgaier was added and sought an independent investigation; the city manager and other staff said the contractor and trans-tech engineer identified the site and that staging and equipment location produced cost savings that kept the work within contingency. Staff said contractor liability covered some repairs and estimated the Allgaier work cost about $59,100 and was within available contingency. "The same manager who uses municipal contingency funds to pay the city council members public street without authorized city council approval or following proper procurement procedures can face severe legal, financial, and professional penalties," a councilmember warned during debate, calling for an independent review.

Despite the controversy, council voted to approve the notice of completion and related consent items; multiple votes on the record were recorded as carrying 4-0. Several councilmembers also directed staff to agendize a requested independent investigation and return with cost estimates for an audit or investigation and additional documentation for the record.