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Board approves Wallace Group option B to advance wastewater design at up to $403,000
Summary
The Los Olivos Police Services District board authorized the general manager to sign a Wallace Group contract limited to Option B (up to $403,000) to true up competing sewer designs and perform targeted surveying; the vote followed extended public comment urging caution on costs and funding.
The Los Olivos Police Services District board voted to authorize the general manager to enter a contract with the Wallace Group for the Option B scope — a true-up of two competing sewer designs plus targeted surveying — not to exceed $403,000.
The district’s general manager presented four sub-options to reconcile the Stantec and Regen design approaches and described Option B as the pragmatic next step to get comparable, more-accurate cost estimates. The general manager said the Option B scope focuses on bringing both designs to a similar level and adds targeted elevation surveying for individual parcels to improve cost accuracy.
During public comment, residents urged delay until an independent regional study is complete. Jeanne Hellingsworth, a Los Olivos resident and a founding participant in local service-district discussions, urged the board to “wait for the region study, which is being financed…to give an estimate” before the board commits to large design spending. The general manager and several board members said targeted work now would sharpen numbers needed to pursue grants and to prepare for any Prop 218 financing vote, and they stressed the board can stop the contract if new data warrant a different course.
Board member (Speaker 3) moved to authorize the general manager to proceed with Option B; the motion was seconded by Jeanne Hellingsworth (Speaker 11) and approved by roll call. The board noted Director Nelson was absent and that the authorization is a cap — the contract may be canceled later if the board chooses.
The authorization funds the next phase of design work intended to produce the project description and cost estimates the district says it needs to pursue state and federal grants and to inform a future Prop 218 ballot measure if required. The general manager also emphasized that estimated construction costs previously cited in public comment were higher than the district’s latest estimates: “The construction estimates we’ve seen…are right around $45,000,000,” he said, adding that the district has not seen estimates above $53,000,000.
