The McMullen Area GSA board held a public hearing and adopted a resolution of necessity, an initial step in the eminent domain process for proposed canal-expansion easements involving five current or former Raisin City board members. The general manager said expansion design details are coming together and characterized the agency’s condition as excellent. The board also approved October 15 minutes and ratified checks.
State officials intend to make $10 million in budgeted grant funds available for MAGSA’s expansion project; an agreement amendment is still planned, and lower financing costs are possible, not assured. The board approved the form of a W.M. Lyles construction contract and authorized its execution, with two members recused. It also set a November 4 hearing on a proposed Resolution of Necessity for project easements.
The board approved a ~$22.8M Expansion Project construction award to W.M. Lyles Co. (Option C) and adopted Resolution 26-06 authorizing execution of financing documents for a 2026 Master Installment Purchase Agreement issued by MAGSA to Holman Capital. Staff said WaterSMART meter/telemetry rebate paperwork is due in ~3 weeks; after that, enforcement may begin.
Construction bids for the expansion project came in within budget, with splitting work between two contractors totaling roughly $22.1 million. A $10 million state grant tied to work west of Jameson could range from $0 to the full amount, and staff said reassessing the $32.85 assessment is likely unnecessary for now (no board action taken). Staff also warned that around 150 non-compliant landowners face near-term aggressive collection actions, with fines accruing since February 1, 2025.
The board authorized a rebid (Res. 26-04) and began county paperwork for the $32.85/acre assessment (Res. 26-03). Staff discussed using the Aug. 5 meeting as a go/no-go point ahead of the county's Aug. 10 deadline, depending on grant confirmation and rebid numbers; otherwise it could slip about a year.
