# 04.23.2009 City Council - Special Meeting

The City of Ventura City Council special meeting/subcommittee hearing on April 23, 2009, considered CW Rowan Construction’s request to replace its listed coating subcontractor, Murphy Industrial Coatings, with KM Industrial Services for the wastewater treatment plant nutrient-removal upgrade. Rowan’s overall bid was just over $14 million; the coating prices discussed were approximately $168,000 from KM and $343,000 from Murphy. Rowan characterized the listing as an inadvertent clerical error, while Murphy and city staff argued that substitution was not allowed under the applicable public-contracting provisions and could facilitate bid shopping. Construction was already underway, with Rowan mobilized at the site.

The committee approved the staff recommendation to deny the substitution request and adopted the attached resolution; the transcript records affirmative votes from Council Members Brennan and Monahan. Public comment also raised possible consolidation of wastewater treatment with Montalvo and a review of the wastewater billing formula, but no action was taken on those suggestions.

**Jurisdictions:** sled
**Industries:** Construction & Infrastructure, Energy & Utilities
**Topics:** Physical Infrastructure
**Published:** November 13, 2026

### Sources
- [04.23.2009 City Council - Special Meeting](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_uCC7uzSoo) - City of Ventura