Packed agenda greets council

CITY HALL — Millions in roadway improvements, historical designations, money for natural-gas-powered vehicles, chromium 6 research funding, identity theft and a new sewer system plan — these are just a few of the items on a packed City Council agenda Tuesday one week after it officially regrouped from the April 7 election.

Over the course of the evening, council members will be asked to approve roughly $1.88 million in spending and authorize forward movement on projects that are estimated to cost upward of $4 million, although a competitive bidding market is expected to bring that figure down.

The end of the fiscal year, or June 30, typically sees a last-minute push of proposed projects on the council’s agenda from the city’s departments, but this year, the load has been amplified by the effects of millions in federal stimulus money and Measure R funds and the recent election.

Newcomer Laura Friedman took Bob Yousefian’s seat in the April election; Councilmen Ara Najarian and Frank Quintero, who was recently appointed mayor, won reelection.

While an election outcome shouldn’t affect the process of submitting projects for review, for whatever reason, the political uncertainty has historically leaned on the pause button, officials said.

“An election cycle just tends to suck the air out of the room,” Councilman John Drayman said.

Now, with the dais set and the end of the fiscal year fast approaching, the gates have opened.

Of the nine projects listed on the agenda for Tuesday, seven are through the Public Works Department, including a plethora of street resurfacing and widening projects throughout the city that, if approved, could join an up to $3.6-million widening plan for a section of Colorado Street that was approved last week.

“The market is very competitive right now, and we’re taking advantage of that,” Public Works Director Steve Zurn said.

Construction bids for projects this year have been coming about 20% below the city engineer’s estimate, he added, meaning the city is essentially getting more bang for the buck.

The council will also be assigned the task of nearly reconstituting the city’s two Design Review Boards, either through reappointment or new faces.