Fillmore approves contracts for collapsed sewer line, selects mayor

Wes Woods II, Ventura County Star
·2 min read
Workers use a tube to repair a manhole in Fillmore on Highway 126 in March. Heavy rain collapsed a sewer line on March 15, and city officials have declared an emergency to expedite repair.
Workers use a tube to repair a manhole in Fillmore on Highway 126 in March. Heavy rain collapsed a sewer line on March 15, and city officials have declared an emergency to expedite repair.

The Fillmore City Council on Tuesday approved final contracts for emergency sewer line repair, selected a new mayor and mayor pro tem, and authorized water meter replacements.

Council members approved final contracts for sewer line repairs that are nearly complete. The repairs will be just under $10 million, but the city expects to pay for most of the work from a Federal Emergency Management Agency award for $9.4 million.

The current amount the city is expected to pay is $587,500, said Troy Spayd, municipal services director and utilities engineer for Fillmore, in an email. That's about 6.25% of the total and will come from the city's sewer operating fund. The contracts will go to Ferreira Construction Co., Inc. and Toro Enterprises, Inc.

In March, the City Council declared a state of emergency to seek immediate repairs of a collapsed manhole with a sewage leak that broke after heavy rains. The March 15 incident caused a sewage spill into the Santa Clara River that closed beaches downstream and shut a lane of Highway 126 in the city.

In other council news:

Fillmore Councilmember Carrie Broggie was selected on Tuesday as mayor at a City Council meeting.
Fillmore Councilmember Carrie Broggie was selected on Tuesday as mayor at a City Council meeting.

  • Council member Carrie Broggie was selected as mayor, and Council member Chris Gurrola was selected as mayor pro tem. Both were elected to their seats in November. Broggie served on the City Council from 2014 through 2018 and was previously selected as mayor in December 2016. Broggie was approved on a 4-1 vote with Counci lmember Albert Mendez dissenting. He nominated Christina Villaseñor, mayor pro tem, who was not selected. The vote for Gurrola was unanimous.

  • The City Council approved a contract with Willdan Energy Solutions for city water meter replacements and infrastructure upgrades. The total contract is not to exceed $5.5 million and will include replacing more than 4,280 meters with new ones that have cellular technology. With contract approval, the process will begin within four weeks.

Fillmore Councilmember Chris Gurrola was selected on Tuesday as mayor pro tem at a City Council meeting.
Fillmore Councilmember Chris Gurrola was selected on Tuesday as mayor pro tem at a City Council meeting.

Wes Woods II covers West County for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at wesley.woodsii@vcstar.com, 805-437-0262 or @JournoWes.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Fillmore council approves contracts for collapsed sewer line