By Robert Haugh

Santa Clara voters are overwhelmingly supporting Measure C, a City Charter amendment that modernizes public works contracting and allows greater flexibility in awarding construction contracts.

With 12,057 votes counted, Measure C is winning with 76.2 percent, or 9,188 votes. Only 23.8 percent, or 2,869 voters, have voted no.

Measure C raises the threshold for City Council approval and formal competitive bidding of public works contracts from $1,000 to $250,000.

The $1,000 threshold dates back to 1952.

The measure also gives Santa Clara the ability to use alternative contracting methods, including design-build and competitive best-value selection.

Under design-build, a single contractor or team can handle both design and construction. Supporters say this approach can speed up projects, reduce delays and save taxpayer dollars.

Gillmor and Cox Demanded Accountability

Measure C was originally part of a much broader proposal to overhaul Santa Clara’s City Charter.

But Mayor Lisa Gillmor and Councilmember Kelly Cox raised objections to provisions they believed were too vague and could transfer too much authority from the City Council to City staff.

When the public works contracting proposal came before the Council, both questioned the lack of a specific dollar threshold defining which projects would require Council approval.

Gillmor and Cox insisted that the dollar amount be specified in the Charter rather than left to future City Council ordinances.

The Council ultimately agreed to the $250,000 threshold and unanimously placed Measure C on the ballot.

Because the $250,000 threshold is written into the Charter, future Councils cannot raise it through an ordinary ordinance.

The Next Step: Protecting Taxpayers

Although Measure C gives Santa Clara new contracting flexibility, an important decision remains.

The City Council must establish the rules governing how design-build and best-value contracts will be awarded.

Those rules will be adopted through an ordinance at a public City Council meeting.

Under traditional contracting, public works contracts generally go to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder.

Best-value contracting allows the City to consider additional factors, including a contractor’s qualifications, experience, technical approach and proposed costs.

But without strong safeguards, it can also create opportunities for favoritism, conflicts of interest or unnecessarily expensive contracts.

Safeguards are important because Santa Clara is preparing to undertake major infrastructure projects funded by $400 million In Measure I bond funds, approved by voters in 2024.