Title
Consider supporting retroactively adding the October 2025, November 2025, December 2025 and January/February 2026 Winter Storms to the Public Works, Facilities and Parks Fiscal Year 2025/26 Annual Work Program for the Road Fund.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Capital Improvement Committee (CIC) support retroactively adding the October 2025, November 2025, December 2025 and January/February 2026 Winter Storms to the Public Works, Facilities and Parks Fiscal Year 2025/26 Annual Work Program for the Road Fund.
SUMMARY:
California and specifically Monterey County experienced heavy winter storms starting on October 13, 2025, which recurred from December 22-26, 2025. Thereafter, another winter storm occurred from January 2-4, 2026, followed up by another series from February 17-20, 2026. These storms resulted in approximately $3,000,000 in costs for immediate storm response, including road closures and debris removal, as well as permanent disaster-recovery repairs.
Public Works, Facilities and Parks department (PWFP) Public Works crews and engineering staff immediately mobilized to address the response and recovery. During these events, neither the Public Works Department Operations Center (DOC) or Emergency Operations Center (EOC) were activated. Some of the damage was severe, such as slipout damages and temporary closure of Carmel Valley Road at Milepost 13.6; another instance was a slide that left debris blocking Coast Road. None of the events were proclaimed a State emergency nor were they declared a federal emergency; thus, no disaster relief or recovery funds became available for the County.
To prevent a request from the General Fund Strategic Reserve for the Road Fund, PWFP made the conscious decision to cash flow and fund the disaster response and disaster recovery for these storm events, using Road Fund’s Operating Reserve. Staff requests that the Board retroactively add the October 2025, November 2025, December 2025 and January/February 2026 Winter Storms to the PWFP Fiscal Year (FY) 2025/26 Annual Work Program for the Road Fund.
DISCUSSION:
California experienced winter atmospheric river events beginning in October 2025, through December 22-24, 2025, again in January 2026, and continuing through February 2026. The storms damaged vital infrastructure and facilities in the County of Monterey and other agencies.
PWFP-Public Works crews and engineering staff immediately mobilized to address the response and recovery efforts associated with these storms. During these events, neither the Public Works DOC or EOC were activated. The storm events resulted in significant damage, including slip-out road failures, the temporary closure of Carmel Valley Road at Milepost 13.6, slide debris blocking Coast Road, embankment erosion at the Sandy Creek Road bridge, and localized roadway flooding along the Old Stage Road corridor. None of the events were proclaimed as State emergencies or declared a federal emergency; thus, no state or federal disaster relief or recovery funds became available for the County. Across these storm events, contractors provided support for permanent repairs and restoration, while County crews worked extended hours, including holidays, providing immediate storm response to maintain public safety. The total estimated damage and response for these events is approximately $3,000,000.
These projects required immediate attention and were completed to restore roads to their pre-storm condition, using Road Fund Operating Reserve. The storm projects have significantly diminished the Road Fund’s fund balance, since reimbursements from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other federal and state agencies will not be made available.
Because the costs for the permanent repairs in these projects exceeded $100,000 these projects must be included in the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) and added to the Annual Work Program for the Road Fund. Therefore, Staff is recommending these Winter Storm projects be added and programmed into the County CIP and Annual Work Program for Road Fund. A majority of the permanent repairs were completed through the Job Order Contract (JOC) process, using JOC contractors. Staff informed the Board of Supervisors about the damages and disaster responses as they were occurring.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
PWFP discussed this recommendation with the County Administrative Office Budget & Analysis Division.
FINANCING:
The Road Fund maintains an Operating Reserve funded from recurring revenues, including SB1 and Measure X revenues. Consistent with the County’s policy, 1% of estimated annual recurring revenues is committed annually for operational contingencies and emergency response. Prior to the FY 2025-26 winter storm events, the Operating Reserve balance was approximately $2,400,000.
The Operating Reserve was utilized to fund approximately $3,000,000 in emergency response, recovery, and repair costs associated with the October 2025 through February 2026 winter storm events. Costs exceeding the available reserve balance were funded with Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) revenues.
The recommended FY 2026-27 Road Fund budget projects approximately $3,500,000 in ending unrestricted fund balance, which may be used to replenish the Operating Reserve and restore funding capacity for future disaster response and recovery efforts.
Prepared by: Randell Ishii, MS, PE, TE, PTOE, Director of Public Works, Facilities & Parks
(831) 755-4800
Reviewed by: Jessica Cordiero-Martinez, Finance Manager III
Enrique Saavedra, PE, Chief of Public Works
Approved by: Randell Ishii, MS, PE, TE, PTOE, Director of Public Works, Facilities & Parks
Attachments:
Attachment A - FY2026 Storms Estimate vs Actuals