Title
Retroactively add 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 Board of Supervisors retroactively add 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 the County of 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.
The Department of Public Works, Facilities and Parks (PWFP) Public Works crews and engineering staff immediately mobilized to address the response and recovery. During these events, neither the PWFP Department Operations Center (DOC) or Emergency Operations Center (EOC) were activated. Some of the damage was severe, such as slip out 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 the Road Fund’s Operating Reserve. Staff requests that the Board retroactively add the October 2025, November 2025, December 2025 and January/February 2026 Winter St...
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