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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPublic Utilities Committee Minutes 02.08.1999 JOINT MEETING . STREET & ALLEY, PARKS, PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMITTEES FEBRUARY 8, 1999 5:30 P.M. COUNCIL CHAMBERS MEMBERS PRESENT: Gay Easton Norman Orr Miles Walton William Staudinger Larry McCann Bud Johnson Ken Olson Chuck Rodgers Jeanette Koch Duke Nieskens OTHERS PRESENT: Leo Fowler John Gary Alvin Parker Mike Mandus Gay Easton explained that the chairman of each committee would introduce the items for their committee's review. Willow Drive -- Grant application and resident input. Four Willow Drive residents attended the meeting. After the previous Street and Alley Committee meeting, Larry McCann sent another letter to the residents on Willow Drive, indicating that the City of Laurel would not participate in repairing the problems with the ditch. The letter also stated that the costs would be higher than the telephone quote had been, and he outlined a couple of the options available to the residents. They could shorten the project, scrap the idea of putting cement in it and try to patch the bentonite, or do nothing at all. Larry needed a commitment at the meeting to know whether or not to apply for the grant, which has to be completed and dated by February 27th. That would allow for council approval at the February 16th council meeting. The bid to cement line the ditch with a four- inch lay with wire mesh (about 570 feet) from the city limits to the bridge was $67,000. The Ditch Company will not participate in the cost, but they will give permission for the work to be done. If they participated in the cost, they would have to participate with everyone from where the ditch comes off the Yellowstone River to where it dumps back in. One resident questioned whether or not the Ditch Company had originally dug up the bentonite while cleaning out the ditch. According to Roger Perkins, they did not. The bentonite is a plug in the edge of the bank. When the original bentonite was put in, it was cut in with a ditching machine and only installed to the top of the water. The residents might consider adding to the original bentonite. Mike Mandus, a Willow Drive resident, questioned how to find more residents who would be willing to participate in repairing the ditch. Larry McCann stated that residents below 14th Street would have similar water problems if the ditch broke. Perhaps some of those residents would be willing to be involved in repairing the problem. The Federal Emergency Management recently told Larry that the residents could buy flood insurance, but it is impossible to buy insurance to insure basements. 40 One of the residents stated that the council had annexed Willow Drive into the city limits. He questioned why the city would not participate in repair of the ditch, since these residents are in the city limits and they all pay taxes. Larry explained that it is for the same reason that the Ditch Company will not participate. If the City of Laurel were to become involved in the repairs of the ditch at this point, there would be no end to the city's involvement. Mike Mandus wants the city to ask surrounding neighbors to participate in the cost of repairing the ditch. He does not think it should be the responsibility of the Willow Drive residents to seek additional participation. Another resident agreed and expressed that, since these lots were annexed into the city, the city should be responsible. Larry stressed that, at the last committee meeting, the committee recommended that we not participate for the very reason that the Ditch Company is not participating. We cannot take taxpayer's money from the south side to fix the ditch for residents on the north side. A resident asked whether or not the Ditch Company has to maintain the ditch. Larry explained that the contractor that built the house was aware of the leaking ditch problem. The contractor was notified before the land was even subdivided, and the Ditch Company has documentation of the notification. Another recommendation from the committee at the last meeting was to require a letter from the Ditch Company at the City-County Planning level. If someone wants to subdivide land out there, the Ditch Company will be required to sign off on it. If the property owners west of these residents apply for annexation, they will be required to line the ditch before annexation is approved. Miles Walton explained that, though he understands these residents' frustration with the lack of participation by the city, the city would be unable to help them because it would only set a precedent for the city to be involved with every similar problem in the future. One of the residents asked whether the Ditch Company could be stopped from opening the ditch until it is repaired. Larry McCann will consult with roe Leckie. There was some discussion about starting a Special Improvement District for this area. Since the CI-75 election dates are in March and November, there were questions as to the feasibility of this approach at this time. Larry McCann asked the committee and residents for some direction regarding making application for the 75-25 Grant. The city would be the administrator of the grant. If the four residents present were the only ones willing to participate, it would cost each of them about $4,500. Mike Mandus agreed to work on getting more neighbors to participate in the repair, and he will report back to Larry by the end of the week. It was agreed to put this item on the February 16th agenda. Quality Concrete expects completion of the repairs to take two weeks, and the job could be completed before the ditch opens if the grant is available the beginning of March. Laurel Lions Family Park. Larry mentioned that the Lions Club contest to name the South Pond park was completed in December. The name Laurel Lions Family Park has been chosen. The Lions Club will install a sign with the name and a list of contributors to the park at South Pond. Contributors include the Rod and Gun Club, the Lions Club, the City's Local Union and Cenex. Larry recommended that it be sent to the council for approval. Gay expressed concern that the sign should say that the Rod and Gun Club had originally purchased the park. Fish and Game and the Rod and Gun Club each contributed fifty per cent of the original purchase price of $2,500. The deed was then turned over to the city. Motion by Gay Easton to recommend to the City Council to approve that the name Laurel Lions Family Park be given to the South Pond with some recognition on the sign for the Laurel Rod and Gun Club as the original purchaser of the park, seconded by Bill Staudinger. Motion carried. Recreation Program for 1999 summer season. Peggy Miller was not ready to give the presentation regarding the summer recreation program. The YMCA wants to participate in it, and Larry supports it. This program will be presented at the next meeting. Leases at Riverside Park. Bob Worthington informed Larry that MMIA is anticipating that their event insurance will be available March 0. This would fit right into the needs for Riverside Park. The insurance categories would be low, medium and high. If any alcohol were involved, the category would be high. Bob Worthington recommends that the city use event insurance once it is developed. The city would need to amend the leases to require insurance from the City of Laurel before anything is sublet for a special function. There are no costs available yet. This event insurance would be available for all the parks. We are covered for all normal functions without doing anything extra. If the committee allows a go-cart function, those people would have to buy their own insurance, as MMIA will not insure a go-cart function, even under the high-risk category. If we do not contract for the Summer Recreation Program, but have Sandy Cunningham become a temporary employee, the insurance would cover the program. If we contract with the YMCA to run the program, they will have to provide their own insurance. Larry will ask Joe to change the leases to require event insurance. Miles suggested that the lessees be invited to the next meeting to explain the event insurance requirement to them. Park on East Eighth Street. Peggy Miller has approached the Parks Committee regarding the YMCA taking over the park property on East Eighth. That property had been designated over a year ago for the Little League Soccer Club and the Reserves to work on. The Soccer Club and the YMCA have agreed to work together, and the Reserves have also agreed. Ken Olson will be attending the Yellowstone County Park meeting, which is scheduled for February 10`h at 7:00 p.m. Ken talked with Roger Perkins about the drainage problem there. In order to support a slab for a building, the land would have to be raised about two feet to cure the drainage problem in the area. Fill dirt from the South Pond Project and the Water Plant should be available. Roger Perkins did not see a financially restrictive concern for development of the park with respect to drainage. There is a layer of gravel rock and a layer of clay over it that causes the drainage to be on top of the surface instead of below the gravel rock. That is true of that lot and the lot to the west. In both cases, Roger said that increasing the level could solve it. When they did that at the softball complex, they were supposed to bring in material and make a base, but Roger did not think that was done. Developing the park for grass would have to be addressed the same way as for the slab. The height would have to be increased by about two feet. The size of the proposed structure is 300 by 150 feet. The committee discussed the availability of fill dirt from the South Pond and Water Plant projects. Although much of the dredging will be reused at South Pond, about 15,000 cubic yards of material will be available. Some of it could possibly be used at the park on East Eighth. Ken commented that the city should not be responsible to haul the dirt to the park, but the other project participants will need to provide equipment and labor to do the job. If the county decides to sell the park to the YMCA, Miles said that the Park Board would consider that it would be an area that would be a definite plus for Laurel to get a community center in that area. Electricity in Thomson Park. Miles said that the Fourth of July Committee is researching the possibility of putting electricity in Thomson Park. Ace Electric gave an estimate of $3,000 to install electricity down the main sidewalk from where the Fire Department runs its barbecue south out to the street. There would be three curb box power outlets on each side of that sidewalk, three east and three west of the sidewalk, at approximately 60 feet. The outlets would be underground and lockable. There is also a possibility of putting in a power outlet by the tennis courts. Having electricity available would make it possible to schedule more activities than just Little League Baseball in Thomson Park. Ken mentioned that the vendors who participate in the Fourth of July activities feel that they should have access to power since they have paid their fees. Ken agrees that the flexibility of activities in the park would be increased by the availability of power, and he feels that the revenue created by the Fourth of July should be put back into the park. Bill Staudinger suggested that a concrete slab be poured from the south end of the shelter to the sidewalk. When the park is irrigated, it is difficult to walk in that area without walking through water. An area like this would also be great for rollerblading and skateboarding. The area is not currently handicapped accessible, and this might solve that problem. Miles said that the committee would consider this suggestion. Miles asked Larry to make a recommendation to the Budget/Finance Committee from the Parks Board that the installation of electricity in the park at a cost of $3,000 to $3,500 be a budget item for this year. Chlorine System and Water Plant Update. Duke Nieskens distributed some information about PPG chlorination systems. There have been some issues about the chlorination system at the Water Treatment Plant. The system is designed for a one-ton chlorine cylinder system. The RMP mandated by the EPA has to be written up for this system by June 20th if we go over 2,500 pounds threshold. We can store one one-ton cylinder in there, but we cannot go over 2,500 pounds. The RMP involves a ratio of worst case scenario of 200 pounds per minute discharge if a one-ton cylinder splits open. If chlorine gas comes in contact with any moisture, it turns to hydrochloric acid. There are residents within a close proximity of the Treatment Plant. The zone for a worst case scenario is a 3.1-mile area, depending upon the direction of the wind. The PPG Tab System is a dry chlorination system that runs off three-inch diameter tablets. Water is run through a cylinder so which contains the tablets that are suspended by a screen, and the amount of chlorine is determined by the amount of water flowing through the cylinder. There would be 68% chlorination. This system would provide a much needed safety factor and would be a low maintenance system. The tablet system would cost about $15,000. With the gas chlorination system, there would be five chlorinators and five injection points. It would be possible to have five injection points with the tablet system, but Duke thinks that one would be sufficient. The tablets are available in 55-pound pails of dry chemical. Dubuque, Iowa, uses the tablet system and they say there is no maintenance. Duke will continue to do research on the tablet chlorination system. The chlorine equipment has been delivered. Duke has asked Grover what the costs would be to move the current 150-pound system into the new building and return the one-ton cylinders. This would enable a trial period for the tablet chlorination system to see if that would be the system to use. Sale of old garbage truck. Someone is interested in purchasing the old garbage truck and Larry asked for permission to sell it. Motion by Gay Easton to bring the recommendation to sell the old garbage truck to the council, seconded by Bill Staudinger. Motion carried. Rules and Regulations. Larry has been working on the rules and regulations. The document is currently in the draft stage, and he requested that a subcommittee be available to review it so it can be brought to the council. Joe Leckie needs to review it, and Larry will have to take it through the city offices. This document will address such things as digging holes in the street and how the hole should be dug, filled, and paved. This document would concern the Public Utilities and Street and Alley Committees. There is a street section, a utilities section, and a building section in the document. Larry will probably spend two or three months getting the document reviewed by the necessary offices. If the Public Works Committee is formed, Larry thinks the committee would be too large to review the document. He suggested that a smaller subcommittee would be a more efficient way to review it. Meetin or anization. The committee discussed the organization of the meetings. Motion by Bud Johnson to schedule the meetings at 7:00 p.m. on the second Monday of each month, seconded by Bill Staudinger. Motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 7:34 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Cindy Allen City Council Secretary