REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
September 9, 2025
FROM
DON DAY, Director, Project and Facilities Management Department
VICTOR TORDESILLAS, Deputy Executive Officer, County Administrative Office
SUBJECT
Title
Continuation of Procurement of Emergency Project Necessary to Recover from Fire at 364 N. Mountain View Avenue
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Continue the finding, first made by the Board of Supervisors on August 19, 2025, that there is substantial evidence that the fire at 364 N. Mountain View Avenue on July 1, 2025, created an emergency pursuant to Public Contract Code section 22050, requiring immediate action to prevent or mitigate the threat to life, health, property and essential public services, necessitating fire remediation services at 364 N. Mountain View Avenue, which will not permit the delay resulting from a formal competitive solicitation of bids to procure remediation and construction services and delegating authority, originally by Resolution on August 19, 2025, to the Chief Executive Officer to direct the Purchasing Agent to issue purchase orders and/or execute contracts, in a total amount not to exceed $3,000,000, for any remediation, construction, and modifications of internal and external structures related to the fire, finding the issuance of these purchase orders and/or contracts is necessary to respond to this emergency to Public Contract Code sections 22035 and 22050 (Four votes required).
(Presenter: Don Day, Director, 387-5000)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item may result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). At this time, it is anticipated that insurance proceeds will reimburse the costs associated with fire remediation. In the event that the estimated fire remediation costs for the 364 N. Mountain View Fire Recovery Project (Project) (WBSE 10.10.1958) exceeds the anticipated insurance proceeds or the insurance claim is denied, a recommendation for Discretionary General Funding will be presented to the Board of Supervisors (Board) for consideration at a future meeting. The Project and Facilities Management Department (PFMD) will closely monitor and evaluate remediation and construction costs associated with the fire.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
On July 1, 2025, the County experienced severe property loss from a major fire that swept through the structure located at 364 N. Mountain View Avenue, in San Bernardino. This historically registered building is County-owned and was previously occupied by the Public Defender’s Office and was vacant during the time of the fire.
On August 19, 2025 (Item No. 44), the Board found there is substantial evidence that immediate action is necessary to prevent or mitigate the loss of impairment to life, health, property and essential public services posed by the fire at 364 N. Mountain View Avenue, which constitutes an emergency pursuant to Public Contract Code sections 22050 and 22035, requires immediate fire remediation activities, without the delay from a formal competitive solicitation of bids to procure remediation and construction services for the Project.
Direct procurement will be needed for Project remediation and potential construction services, including industrial hygienist vendors, structural engineering services, structural remediation of damaged structural members, and roof repairs. It is currently unknown whether the building is salvageable, and one of the Project’s purposes is to make that determination.
A continuation of the emergency is recommended as immediate action is required to repair the damaged building. Emergencies related to Public Contract Code section 22050 and 22035, once ordered, must be affirmed at each subsequent meeting until terminated. The recommended action will meet this requirement.
PROCUREMENT
PFMD is developing a detailed scope of work and securing a quote or contract, which will require approval from the Chief Executive Officer before execution by the contractor. A purchase order will then be requested and finalized by the Purchasing Department to engage the architect, engineer and/or contractor to provide the required construction services.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Daniel Pasek, Deputy County Counsel, 387-9000) on August 21, 2025; Risk Management (Gregory Ustaszewski, Staff Analyst II, 386-9008) on August 26, 2025; Purchasing (Ariel Gill, Supervising Buyer, 387-2070) on August 26, 2025; Project and Facilities Management (Sarah Riley, Chief of Project Management, 387-5000) on August 27, 2025; and County Finance and Administration (Yael Verduzco, Principal Administrative Analyst, 387-5285 and Ivan Ramirez, Administrative Analyst, 387-4020) on August 28, 2025.