CONTRA COSTA COUNTY

Committee Meeting Minutes - Final

Transportation, Water & Infrastructure

Committee

Supervisor Candace Andersen, Chair

Supervisor Shanelle Scales-Preston, Vice Chair

1:00 PM

Monday, June 23, 2025

District 2 Office: 309 Diablo Rd. Danville,

CA 94526 |

District 5 Office: 190 E. 4th Street, Pittsburg,

CA 94565

ZOOM LINK

https://cccounty-us.zoom.us/j/89323084508

| Dial: 888-278-0254 |

ACCESS CODE: 198675

The public may attend this meeting in person at either above location. The public may also attend this

meeting remotely via Zoom or call-in.

AGENDA ITEMS may be taken out of order based on the business of the day and preference of the

Committee.

INTRODUCTIONS Call to order and roll call.

Chair Andersen called the meeting to order at 1:03pm.

Staff Present:

Attendees:

Jamar Stamps

Raquel De La Torre, Chris Lau, Allison Knapp, Joe Smithonic, Wade

Finlinson, Steve Kowalewski, Christi Povlsen, Mark Watts, Jill Ray,

Cameron Collins, Brandon Evans, Will Nelson, Andrew Sutherland,

Kellen O’Connor, Jan Warren, (925)408-9399

District II Supervisor Candace Andersen and Shanelle

Scales-Preston

Present:

PUBLIC COMMENT on any item under the jurisdiction of the Committee and not on this

agenda (speakers may be limited to two (2) minutes).

NO PUBLIC COMMENT.

REVIEW Meeting of Record for the April 30, 2025, Transportation, Water, and

Infrastructure Committee.

4.30.25 TWIC Minutes DRAFT

Attachments:

The Committee ACCEPTED the meeting record as written.

NO PUBLIC COMMENT.

RECEIVE the East Contra Costa County Habitat & Conservation Plan Annual Report.

TWIC Referrals List 2025

Attachments:

ECCC || HCP 2024 Annual Report

Chair Andersen noted in the past, a brief presentation was typically provided for the

Committee and recommended continuing that practice for similar reports in the future.

The Committee indicated the item had been reviewed.

The Committee RECOMMENDED forwarding the report to the Board of Supervisors for

inclusion on the Consent Calendar and added if any member of the Board wishes to

discuss it further, the item may be pulled for separate consideration.

NO PUBLIC COMMENT.

RECEIVE update from Public Works staff on hiring status associated with integrated pest

management activities.

Chris Lau, Assistant Public Works Director, provided an update following the December

9, 2024, TWIC report on the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Advisory Committee’s

recommendations. At that time, Public Works was requested to return within

approximately six months to report on its hiring and recruitment progress.

Lau reported recruitment for the Vegetation Management Technician position took place

in October 2024, with four vacancies advertised and one position filled. During the

reporting period, an existing employee was also promoted to Senior Vegetation

Management Technician.

Additionally, Public Works entered into a one-year pilot service contract with Civicorps

to provide weed abatement services through April 2026. The Civicorps team has already

begun assisting with abatement projects this summer. Lau noted a new recruitment for

three remaining vacancies will open the following day and remain open for two weeks.

Chair Andersen acknowledged the ongoing hiring challenges, commended the

Department’s partnership with Civicorps, and expressed appreciation for the program’s

dual value in workforce development and field services. She also recognized Wade

Finlinson, IPM Coordinator, for his continued collaboration with Public Works.

Vice-Chair Scales-Preston echoed her support for Civicorps, noting the organization

recently expanded to a second site in Pittsburg and continues to provide quality work

throughout Contra Costa County.

Lau confirmed Civicorps crews are active across several job sites and emphasized the

importance of scheduling them early each season due to their high demand.

PUBLIC COMMENT:

Allison Knapp provided clarification of the prior recruitment involving three positions

(not four), of which one was filled and one was promoted, resulting in three current

vacancies.

The Committee ACCEPTED the informational report.

CONSIDER Fiscal Year 2025/2026 Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account Annual

Project List for Unincorporated Contra Costa County.

Local Streets and Roads Project List

Attachments:

Joe Smithonic, Associate Civil Engineer with the Public Works Department’s

Transportation Engineering Division, presented the proposed list of road maintenance

and rehabilitation projects for Fiscal Year 2025-26, funded through the Road

Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account (RMRA) established under Senate Bill (SB) 1,

enacted in 2017.

Smithonic reports according to estimates provided by the California State Association of

Counties (CSAC), Contra Costa County is projected to receive approximately $47.4

million in total gas-tax revenue for FY 2025-26, with $21.7 million allocated specifically

to RMRA. All RMRA funds for this fiscal year are proposed to be used for maintenance

activities, as detailed in Attachment A (list of projects).

He explained before the County can receive its RMRA apportionment, it must submit an

adopted project list to the California Transportation Commission (CTC) by July 1, 2025.

Adoption by the Board of Supervisors fulfills this requirement.

Smithonic requests the Committee review the recommended project list, receive public

comment, and direct staff to make any necessary revisions before forwarding the final

list to the Board of Supervisors for approval and subsequent submission to the CTC.

Chair Andersen commended staff for the thorough report and noted the County

prioritizes road projects to maintain pavement conditions, address safety needs, and

equitably distribute funding across unincorporated areas. Vice-Chair Scales-Preston

expressed support for the proposed list.

NO PUBLIC COMMENT.

The Committee RECOMMENDED forwarding the Fiscal Year 2025-26 RMRA Project

List to the Board of Supervisors for approval and inclusion on the Consent Calendar.

CONSIDER report on Local, State, Regional, and Federal Transportation Related

Legislative and Planning Activities.

CCC May Report (Watts)

CCC June Report (Watts)

Attachments:

Staff reported no updates at the federal, regional, or local levels and noted Mark Watts’

May report was included in the packet, as the Committee did not meet in May. Staff

turned the presentation over to Mark Watts.

Mark Watts, Transportation Consultant, Mark Watts Advocacy (County’s Legislative

Advocate) provided a state budget status update, indicating a final budget agreement

between the Governor and legislative leadership is expected this week, with no

significant changes anticipated to the transportation budget. He noted continued State

General Fund support for transportation, primarily transit and some local road

improvements, is expected to remain in place.

Regarding Cap-and-Trade, Watts explained that the Governor proposed establishing a

fixed $1 billion annual allocation for High-Speed Rail, replacing the previous

percentage-based funding model. This change would allow the State to leverage bonds

for future construction, contingent on extending the Cap-and-Trade program beyond

2030, either through the budget or a separate legislative package later this summer.

Watts also reported on administrative leadership changes, noting James Hacker is

currently serving dual roles within the Governor’s Office and the State Transportation

Agency during the budget process. He further noted the Caltrans Director, Tony

Tavares, recently departed to lead the Alameda County Transportation Commission, and

the Governor appointed Dina Altawansi, former Bay Area Regional Director, as the new

Caltrans Director.

Chair Andersen and Vice-Chair Scales-Preston thanked Watts for the comprehensive

update and acknowledged the evolving dynamics within State transportation and budget

discussions.

NO PUBLIC COMMENT.

The Committee RECEIVED the legislative update.

RECEIVE Communication, News, Miscellaneous Items of Interest to the Committee.

California DMV Releases Updated Autonomous Vehicle Regulation

California DMV

Attachments:

California sues over Trump policy tying transportation grants to

immigration

cap-and-trade-proposal

Oakland moves forward with plan for spe..

Staff highlighted two current topics of regional relevance:

Autonomous Vehicle Regulations - Despite the State rescinding the mandate for the sale

of heavy-duty autonomous vehicles, testing programs are still permitted, which is viewed

positively for innovation and safety monitoring.

Speed Camera Programs - Staff noted ongoing monitoring of Bay Area speed camera

initiatives, referencing recent efforts in Oakland.

Chair Andersen acknowledged both items, observing speed camera enforcement raises

unique challenges beyond those of red-light cameras, and requested continued updates

as these efforts evolve.

NO PUBLIC COMMENT.

ADJOURN until the next Transportation, Water, & Infrastructure Committee meeting to

be held on Monday, July 28, 2025, at 1:00PM.