REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
April 7, 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Continue the finding, originally made by the Board of Supervisors on March 10, 2026, that substantial evidence exists, pursuant to Public Contract Code section 22050, that damage to public roads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: David Doublet, Assistant Director, 386-8811)
Body
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 while also 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.
Due to the extensive damage resulting from 2025 December Adverse Weather Event, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), while serving as the Director of Emergency Services, proclaimed the existence of a local emergency. On December 29, 2025 (Item No. 1), the Board of Supervisors (Board) ratified the action taken by the CEO.
On February 24, 2026 (Item No. 47), the Board continued the Local Emergency Proclamation within San Bernardino County related to the 2025 December Adverse Weather. Pursuant to Government Code section 8630, subdivision (c), the Board shall review the need for continuing the local emergency at least once every 60 days until the Board terminates the local emergency. The extension of the Local Emergency Proclamation allows the County to continue supporting recovery and mitigation efforts related to this local emergency.
On March 10, 2026 (Item No. 32), the 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 Board has reviewed and continued the emergency findings on the following meeting date:
• March 24, 2026 (Item No. 38)
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
Cardinal Road Culvert Emergency Replacement Project, the Swarthout Canyon Road Emergency Project, and the Oasis Road Guardrail Emergency Project
The Cardinal Road Culvert Emergency Replacement Project, the Swarthout Canyon Road Emergency Project, and the Oasis Road Guardrail Emergency Project are all currently in the design phase and progressing toward the construction phase. To ensure timely emergency response, once final plans and specifications are complete for the emergency repair work, the Department will utilize its existing on-call maintenance and construction contracts to perform the necessary emergency repair work. These contracts were previously procured in accordance with applicable competitive procurement requirements and allow the County to respond expeditiously to emergency conditions.
Lone Pine Canyon Road Emergency Project
The Lone Pine Canyon Road Emergency Project was procured through the County’s existing on-call maintenance and construction contracts to perform necessary emergency repairs. In accordance with on-call procedures, the work was advertised on February 25, 2026, and bid acceptance was issued on March 10, 2026, which authorized Bear Valley Paving as the contractor to commence emergency construction. Construction activities began on March 16, 2026. Purchase Order No. 4100462747, dated March 25, 2026, was issued to Bear Valley Paving in the amount of $432,155.
Phelan Road Emergency Repair Project
The Phelan Road Emergency Repair Project was procured through the County’s existing on-call maintenance and construction contracts to perform necessary emergency repairs. The work was advertised on March 11, 2026 and bid acceptance was issued on March 20, 2026, which authorized Jeremy Harris Construction as the contractor to proceed with construction. Purchase Order No. 4100464637, dated March 25, 2026, was issued to Jeremy Harris Construction in the amount of $338,229. Construction activities are anticipated to begin in April 2026.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Aaron Gest, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on March 30, 2026; and County Finance and Administration (Kathleen Gonzalez, Administrative Analyst, 387-5412) on March 24, 2026.