REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
March 24, 2026
FROM
NOEL CASTILLO, Director, Department of Public Works - Transportation
SUBJECT
Title
Continuation of Emergency Contracting Procedures Finding - 2025 December Adverse Weather Event
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Continue the finding, originally made by the Board of Supervisors on March 10, 2026 (Item No. 32), that substantial evidence exists, pursuant to Public Contract Code Section 22050, that damage to public roads caused by the 2025 December Adverse Weather event, in the Wrightwood and Pinon Hills areas, constitutes an emergency that will not permit a delay resulting from a competitive solicitation for bids, and that the action is necessary to respond to the emergency and to complete the necessary repairs (Four votes required).
(Presenter: Noel Castillo, Director, 387-7906)
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COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Operate in a Fiscally Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The Department of Public Works (Department) is funded by Gas Tax revenue, fee revenue, and other federal, state, and local funding. Emergency work will be funded by Gas Tax. Sufficient appropriation and revenue are included in the 2025-2026 Road Operations budget (6650002000). However, this item will impact the Department’s ability to perform routine maintenance work on other roads since the emergency repairs were not included in the budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Beginning on December 24, 2025, an extreme weather event (2025 December Adverse Weather event) impacted multiple areas of San Bernardino County (County) and Los Angeles County. This event caused damage to public infrastructure, creating conditions of peril to the safety of persons and property within the County. As a result, public roads within the Wrightwood and Pinon Hills areas sustained significant damage.
On March 10, 2026 (Item No. 32), the Board of Supervisors (Board) found that repair and replacement of damaged roads within the Wrightwood and Pinon Hills areas was necessary and, pursuant to Public Contract Code Sections 22035 and 22050, that substantial evidence existed showing the emergency would not permit the delay associated with formal competitive bidding.
The Department’s Emergency repairs include, but are not limited to, removal and repair of damaged culverts, restoration of the roadway and shoulders, repair of appurtenant roadway structures, installation of reinforced concrete dip crossing, placement of rock slope protection, and asphalt repairs along storm-damage segments.
The Department identified the following emergency and repair projects for which the emergency contracting procedures pursuant to Public Contract Code Sections 22035 and 22050 were necessary:
• Cardinal Road Culvert Emergency Replacement Project
• Lone Pine Canyon Road Emergency Project
• Swarthout Canyon Road Emergency Project
• Phelan Road Emergency Repair Project
• Oasis Road Guardrail Emergency Project
Since that time, the Department has continued to assess damage and implement emergency repair and replacement work necessary to restore safe and reliable access for the public and for emergency response services. Repair efforts are progressing but remain ongoing.
Public Contract Code Section 22050 requires that, once emergency contracting procedures are invoked, the Board must review and reaffirm the emergency at each subsequent meeting until the emergency action is terminated. Immediate action remains necessary to complete repairs to the damaged roadways. The recommended action satisfies this statutory requirement.
The Department will return to the Board to terminate the Public Contract Code Section 22050 emergency contracting procedures action at the earliest possible date that conditions warrant, so that the remainder of the emergency action may be completed by giving notice for bids to let contracts.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Aaron Gest, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on February 24, 2026; and County Finance and Administration (Kathleen Gonzalez, Administrative Analyst, 387-5412) on March 6, 2026.