Storm drain liner might prevent lawsuits

Contracts awarded private companies to perform such routine city services as tree trimming and janitorial work are included on many City Council meeting agendas, usually bundled in a “consent calendar” that allows council members to cast a single vote on several varied items.

One recently approved contract, however, deserves special note: a $153,000 award to install a plastic liner to form an internal seal on a storm drain in the city's eastside Hidden Hills area.

According to a report by Assistant Engineer Freddy Castillo, the PVC liner “will eliminate any possible leaks that could occur at pipe joints” in a Hidden Hills Road storm drain from Green Mount Place to High Tree Circle.

Residents might recall the city paid multi-million dollar claims to homeowners who sued after a 1998 landslide destroyed their backyards. The judge hearing the Superior Court case ruled rainwater overflowing a poorly installed and maintained storm drain triggered the landslide.

The judge also agreed the storm drain's closeness to the Whittier earthquake fault line was a contributing factor. Homeowners argued that the city had ignored findings related to the fault.

Due to the successful suit, the city's legal firm at the time, Best, Best & Krieger, recommended the city “take action to address the issue,” noted the assistant engineer's report.

But the document stated: “The city contends that there is no evidence that the city's storm drains have leaked or caused damage to private property but is taking this action to further immunize itself from any allegations concerning the issue.”

Four companies submitted bids, ranging from $153,025 to $173,250. The winning bid from Insituform Technologies will rise to $183,625 when contingencies and administrative costs are added. A total $189,000 previously was budgeted for the project.

Interestingly, 30 years ago, the vacant land on which some Hidden Hills homes were built was included in the city's redevelopment area, so the increase in property taxes collected for years after the homes were sold went to the recently disbanded Redevelopment Agency, rather than the city's general fund, which pays for police and other day-to-day city services.

Since the agency was dissolved by state legislation, more of the increased property taxes collected from the city's 2,968-acre project area will accrue directly to the general fund, an amount expected to increase the fund's bottom line by $680,000 this fiscal year.

The revenue boost was estimated by City Treasurer Dave Christian in a mid-cycle budget update presented to council members earlier this year.

Another anticipated income hike outlined by Christian included savings of approximately $560,000 due to early implementation of a contract with the county Sheriff's Department.

Originally, the county was to begin policing duties on May 3, but because Brea lost officers to the Sheriff's Department and other agencies, the start date was advanced to Jan. 5, resulting in four months of extra savings.