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ADOPT RESOLUTION TO TRANSFER FUNDS, AND RATIFY THE EMERGENCY CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT FOR THE REPAIR OF VANDALIZED STREET LIGHTS PROJECT
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RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council adopt a resolution to:
1. Transfer funds in the amount of $146,000 from the Light Up Stockton, Project No. WD25046, to the Repair of Vandalized Street Lights, Project No. WD25048.
2. Approve Notice of Exemption No. NOE48-25 under the California Environmental Quality Act for the Repair of Vandalized Street Lights, Project No. WD25048.
3. Approve findings pursuant to Stockton Municipal Code section 3.68.070 in support of an exception to the competitive bidding process.
4. Ratify the City Manager’s approval to execute an Emergency Construction Contract in the amount of $643,500 to Bockmon & Woody Electric Co., Inc. of Stockton, CA, for the Repair of Vandalized Street Lights, Project No. WD25048.
5. Authorize Balancing Contract Change Order No. 1 in the amount of $145,125 with Bockmon & Woody Electric Co., Inc. for the Repair of Vandalized Street Lights, Project No. WD25048.
It is also recommended that the City Manager be authorized to take appropriate and necessary actions to carry out the purpose and intent of this resolution.
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Summary
The City is responsible for the operation and maintenance of more than 20,000 streetlights. On February 4, 2025, by Resolution No. 2025-02-04-1213, Council approved the Light Up Stockton, Project No. WD25046, to address streetlight repairs and upgrades throughout the City. This project replaced approximately 73,000 linear feet of wire that had been stripped from streetlights and their pull boxes at 41 locations Citywide, causing street light system outages (Attachment A).
On April 1, 2025, the City Manager approved an Emergency Construction Contract, in the amount of $643,500, to Bockmon & Woody Electric Co., Inc. of Stockton, CA for the Repair of Vandalized Street Lights, Project No. WD25048.
On September 3, 2025, all repairs were completed. Balancing Contract Change Order (CCO) No. 1 in the amount of $145,125 will balance contract bid items and extra work, which included upgrading pull box covers and installing wire mesh inside the pull boxes during construction. Balancing CCO No. 1 will bring the total contract amount to $788,625.
It is recommended that Council adopt a resolution authorizing the transfer of funds in the amount of $146,000, approving Notice of Exemption No. NOE48-25 under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), approving findings in support of an exception to the competitive bidding process, ratifying the City Manager’s approval to execute an Emergency Construction Contract in the amount of $643,500 to Bockmon & Woody Electric Co., Inc., and approving Balancing CCO No. 1 in the amount of $145,125 with Bockmon & Woody Electric Co., Inc. for the Repair of Vandalized Street Lights, Project No. WD25048.
DISCUSSION
Background
The City is responsible for the operation and maintenance of more than 20,000 streetlights. The copper wires that conduct electricity to the lights are accessed by pull boxes located on the sidewalk or the landscaped area next to the light pole. Wire thieves break into the pull boxes to steal wire and sell it to recyclers as scrap metal. Streetlight wire theft has increased dramatically over the last decade, coinciding with the increase in copper value. This phenomenon is not unique to Stockton; it is an issue that other agencies and industries contend with nationwide.
In 2015, Public Works Operations and Maintenance staff began using a proprietary pull box lid made of steel with a unique locking mechanism. The locking pull box lids were used successfully for approximately one year until thieves discovered how to break into these locking steel lids. Staff experimented with backfilling pull boxes with low-density concrete caps, utilizing aluminum wire, and backfilling with high-density concrete, but these efforts were ultimately unsuccessful. Currently, the only effective theft-deterrent is to replace the pull boxes with traffic-grade boxes and to weld the lids and handhole covers.
On February 4, 2025, by Resolution No. 2025-02-04-1213, Council approved the Light Up Stockton, Project No. WD25046, allocating funding for projects including replacement of approximately 73,000 linear feet of stolen street light wire at 41 locations Citywide (Attachment A).
Present Situation
On January 31, 2025, the Repair of Vandalized Street Lights, Project No. WD25048, was advertised for bids. On February 6, 2025, two bids were received with the following results:
COMPANY NAME BID AMOUNT
Bockmon & Woody Electric Co., Inc. $ 643,500
(Stockton, CA)
Saboo, Inc. $1,775,000
(Brentwood, CA)
Engineer’s Estimate $ 649,500
The Emergency Construction Contract was processed in accordance with the City Manager Emergency Contract and Procurement Administrative Policy No. 17.05.150, which provides a process for rapidly acquiring the services needed for critical, unforeseen government needs amid an emergency situation as defined in Chapter 3.68.070 of the Stockton Municipal Code (SMC). The emergency contract and procurement matrix requires projects over $500,000 to be posted to BidFlash for a minimum of five days. It is the goal of the department to bring emergency contracts to Council by the next scheduled Council meeting following the City Manager’s execution. However, workload, assigned priorities, and staffing shortages have caused delays in the timeline.
On April 1, 2025, the City Manager approved an Emergency Construction Contract in the amount of $643,500 to Bockmon & Woody Electric Co., Inc. of Stockton, CA for the Repair of Vandalized Street Lights, Project No. WD25048.
On September 3, 2025, all repairs were completed. Balancing CCO No. 1 in the amount of $145,125 will balance contract bid items and extra work, which included upgrading pull box covers and installing wire mesh inside the pull boxes during construction. Balancing CCO No. 1 will bring the total contract amount to $788,625 and is the final Balancing CCO to close out the project.
The project is categorically exempt from the requirements of CEQA as specified under Section 15301(c) of the CEQA Guidelines. The activities related to this project constitute a discretionary project under the City’s jurisdiction and qualifies as a project that does not have a significant effect on the environment. The resolution will approve the filing of Notice of Exemption No. NOE 48-25 under CEQA.
It is recommended that Council adopt a resolution authorizing the transfer of funds in the amount of $146,000, approving the CEQA Notice of Exemption, approving findings in support of an exception to the competitive bidding process, ratifying the City Manager’s approval to execute an Emergency Construction Contract in the amount of $643,500 to Bockmon & Woody Electric Co., Inc., and approving Balancing CCO No. 1 in the amount of $145,125 with Bockmon & Woody Electric Co., Inc. for the Repair of Vandalized Street Lights, Project No. WD25048.
Findings
Pursuant to SMC section 3.68.070, Council may approve findings which support an exception to the competitive bidding process. These findings include:
1. The vandalized streetlight systems are located along heavily used arterial roadways such as Arch Airport Road, Eight Mile Road, and March Lane, and the lack of effective street lighting could adversely affect the public health, safety, welfare, and/or morale of the City of Stockton.
2. Failure to undertake emergency construction of the repairs of the streetlights may contribute to impending vehicle or pedestrian accidents along those portions of the roadway.
3. The vandalized streetlights are vulnerable to additional vandalism, which would significantly increase the cost of the project and impact on the economic and physical welfare of the City of Stockton.
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
With the transfer of funds in the amount of $146,000 from the Light Up Stockton, Project No. WD25046, to the Repair of Vandalized Street Lights, Project No. WD25048, there will be sufficient funding to issue payment to Bockmon & Woody Electric Co., Inc., for a total contract amount of $788,625, for the Repair of Vandalized Street Lights, Project No. WD25048.
There is no impact to the City’s General Fund or any other unrestricted fund as a result of taking the recommended actions.
Attachment A - Vicinity Map