Projects to improve some Stanislaus County islands begin next fall. One supervisor wants sooner
Stanislaus County supervisors received an update Tuesday on spending $55.8 million in federal funds on improvements for county unincorporated islands. County staff said project construction will start next year.
The long-neglected unincorporated pockets suffer from narrow roads, no sidewalks and streetlights, poor drainage and ponding on roadways, and some are in need of water and wastewater hookups.
County leaders dedicated almost half of the $107 million American Rescue Plan Act funding allocation for Stanislaus to community infrastructure in county pockets in each supervisorial district.
Supervisor Channce Condit expressed concern that Bret Harte neighborhood improvements, set to begin in Fall 2025, are last on the construction schedule. The island projects are expected to go out to bid in October or November.
Condit said it’s a sensitive issue for his district, including Ceres and south Modesto, because of recent allegations raised by state Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil.
“We did have a state senator make some pretty significant allegations regarding certain funding that would go into (Bret Harte improvements),” Condit said, adding the allegations had spread mistrust in that community.
Alvarado-Gil in May accused Condit of violating county ethics and conflict-of-interest policies in connection with the approval of $5 million in state funding for infrastructure improvements in south Modesto. Alvarado-Gil suggested that Channce Condit leveraged family connections in seeking state funding.
The supervisor is the son of Chad Condit, who was chief of staff for Alvarado-Gil before he was fired by the senator in December. The Condits have denied any wrongdoing.
County Counsel Tom Boze has said there was nothing wrong with the application for the state funding and the county can use the money.
Condit asked county staff to reconsider the timeline for starting Bret Harte construction. He also favored starting the annexation process for the Parklawn and Bret Harte areas soon after improvements are completed.
With the upgrades, about one-fourth of the Bret Harte area will be prepped for annexation to Modesto, but state laws don’t currently allow piecemeal annexation of neighborhoods. Public Works Director David Leamon said getting Local Agency Formation Commission approval for an annexation takes six to nine months.
The updates for specific county island projects were as follows:
- Topeka-Santa Fe Project, Riverbank (District 1). Storm drain improvements, sidewalks, ramps, water and sewer facilities, streetlights and road reconstruction. $8.31 million in funding. In design phase, with construction anticipated in spring 2025.
- Kenwood-Starr area of Turlock (District 2). Storm drain, streetlights, sidewalks, water and sewer, road work. $4.72 million in funding. In design phase and set for construction in spring 2025.
- Riverdale Park Tract near Modesto. (District 3). Storm drain, sidewalks, water and sewer, lighting and road construction. $12 million in funds. In design, with construction anticipated in summer 2025.
- Colorado Rouse area of Modesto (District 4). Storm drain, sidewalks, water and sewer, street lights, road work. $10 million in funds. In design, with construction to start summer 2025.
- Herndon Project in Ceres (District 4). Storm drain, sidewalks, water and sewer, lighting and road reconstruction. $4.2 million in funds. Construction to start spring 2025.
- Bret Harte project in Modesto (District 5). Storm drain, sidewalks, streetlights, road reconstruction. $10 million in funds. In design, with construction to start fall 2025.
- Parklawn Project, south Modesto (District 5). Storm drain, sidewalks, streetlights and road reconstruction. $6.9 million in funds. In design, with construction to start in fall 2025.
UPDATE: This story was updated to include the county counsel’s opinion about Alvarado-Gil’s allegation.
This story was originally published August 28, 2024 at 8:29 AM.
