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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPublic Works Committee Minutes 06.12.2000MEMBERS PRESENT: OTHERS PRESENT: MINUTES PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE JUNE 12, 2000 7:00 P.M. COUNCIL CHAMBERS Chairman Gay Easton Gary Temple Ed Steffans Mark Mace John Oakes Larry McCann Duke Nieskens Allan Gradwohl Ken Olson Harry Whalen - Rural Water Darrell Elmore - Fire at Asphalt Supply Since Darrell Elmore did not attend the meeting, the matter was not discussed. Avenue Proiect - add curb~ gutter and sidewalk to proiect At the recent Department of Transportation public hearing, Smokey Staudinger suggested that the 8th Avenue Project should include the curb, gutter and sidewalk on the west side of 8th Avenue from 7~ Street to 9* Street. This additional work would have to be done at the city's cost, but there is enough time to make the decision since this work is scheduled for 2003. It is unclear if the Highway Department would agree to add this to the original project and include it in the current engineerin.~ project or if it would be required to be a separate project. A letter asking to extend the project on 8"~ Avenue from 7th Street to 9th Street will be submitted to the Montana Department of Transportation. The state will schedule another public meeting on the project sometime during November. The urban route extends up 8th Avenue to 12' Street and across 12th Street to 1~ Avenue. Motion by Mark Mace to include the curb, gutter and sidewalk on the west side of 8th Avenue from 7th Street to -9th Street to the project, and to study the possibility of funding it through the state, seconded by Gary Temple. Motion carried. Fir Park costs - soccer field The Budget/Finance Committee requested estimates of the cost to develop the soccer field at Fir Park. Larry estimated costs of $15,000 to install water lines and $16,000 to install sewer lines to the proposed concession stand area. He estimated a total cost of $260,000 to complete the long-range goals of this project, not including the YMCA building or the skate park. The committee discussed the various aspects of the project. This project will involve agreements with the Laurel School District, the skate park and the YMCA. The school district has agreed to provide the seed, the sprinkler system, the fence and the maintenance for the soccer field. Motion by Gary_ Temple to recommend approval of the water and sewer costs for the soccer field at Fir Park, seconded by John Oakes. Motion carried. Survey Needs Assessment for Grants Pat Murtagh, the grant writer for the City of Laurel, will mail a statistical survey directly to 400 Laurel residents soon. This survey, which will cost $7,500, will provide the needs assessment that is required to make application for many grants. Addition to 5th Avenue Proiect - 2nd Street~ one block behind FAP Building A total of $250,000 was budgeted for the 5th Avenue Project last year, and the bids were $124,000 plus $43,000 for the crossing arms. The block of 2nd Street behind the FAP Building, which is used by the fire tracks, needs to be repaired. The condition of this street is becoming a safety issue. The contractor, Flack & Flack, has quoted the same unit cost and the same element level for this street as the bid for Railroad Street. The contractor's quote for $54,575 would include digging the street out 18 inches, installing a new base, bringing the street back up, and replacing curb, gutter and sidewalk on the south side of the street. Motion by Mark Mace to add one block of 2nd Street behind the FAP Building to the 5th Avenue Project, seconded by Ed Steffans. Motion carded. Addition to Water Proiect - 1 block~ Idaho to Alder The history of the leaks throughout the city is now on computer and several previous studies have been examined. This summer's water project, which will cost $92,910, includes the following four areas: East 4th from Pennsylvania to Wyoming; Elm to Date on 5th Avenue; Idaho from 5t~ to 7th; and Ohio and Main to Idaho. Larry proposed adding the area from Idaho to Alder on East 5th to the project at an additional cost of $21,656.00. Completion of the water project in this seven-block area will allow for chip sealing to be finished next summer. AME would complete the additional project. Motion by Gary Temple to add one block of East 5* from Idaho to Alder Avenue to the water project, seconded by Ed Steffans. Motion carried. Garbage units used by the Palace and DJ's Restaurant Allan GradWohl stated that the r~staurant Would like permission tO install a 7'x38"x58" container next to the garbage can for the purpose of recycling discarded cardboard boxes. The covered container would be secured to prevent other trash from being placed in the container. Motion by Mark Mace to allow the Palace and DJ's Restaurant to try this and to place a container in the alley to recycle cardboard boxes, seconded by Gary Temple. Motion carried. Garbage complaints and council public hearing - recommend approval of resolution to increase rates The committee discussed the complaints that were presented at the public hearing for the garbage rate increase. Larry received a letter of complaint from Dale Loucks, 201 East 12th Street. Dale Loucks complained that his 300-gallon container had recently been replaced with a 90-gallon container, and now the garbage rates are being raised. He stated that the 300-gallon container was needed to dispose 2 of yard refuse incurred by the maintenance of his property. The committee discussed the problem. The main reason for changing to the 90-gallon containers for these residents was that non-residents were using the larger cans. Motion by John Oakes to leave the 90-gallon container at Dale Loucks' residence at 201 East 12' Street, seconded by Gary Temple. Motion carried. Notice to property owners of liens on property for delinquent utility bills~ as per state law This matter was not discussed at this Public Works Committee meeting, pending further study by the city attorney. Wastewater rate structure presentation by Rural Water Harry Whalen, from Rural Water, distributed copies of a proposed sewer rate for the City of Laurel. A copy of the proposal is attached to these minutes. In this proposal, the utility charges are based upon the water line connection size. An EDU, equivalent dwelling unit, refers to a serviced customer. Mr. Whalen stated that the EDU system is the fairest possible method to establish charges for sewer and water. An inventory of the water connections by the size of the service line was discussed. Figures for the sewer plant cost, depreciation and reserve, and a sewer jet were used to produce a base rate of $7.28 per month for a 3/n-inch connection size and a rate of $1.91 per 100 cubic feet. The base rates per month for additional connection sizes were included in the proposal. The present sewer base rate is $5.73 with a rate of $1.53 per 100 cubic feet. The operation and maintenance costs for treatment, the sewer system and the lift station total $688,691. The sewer rate, as presented by Mr. Whalen,. would generate $938,620 per year. The median household income for the City of Laurel from the last census period was $21,117. This figure is used when applying for upgrading a water and sewer system. A target rate for water and sewer would have to be established in order to get additional grant monies. In this case, the target rate for sewer for the City of Laurel is $19.01. Four examples of the sewer rate were included in the proposal. A *A-inch service using 400 cubit feet of sewer would cost $14.92 per month, which is still under the target rate of $19.01. With this proposal, the bigger user pays more than the smaller user because the charges are based on usage and size. Mr. Whalen stated that he would make a presentation to the public regarding a sewer rate increase. The committee discussed the need to keep the public informed of the necessity for consistent rate increases in the water, sewer and garbage rates. Larry stated that the city is currently 6% behind the water rates based on Mordson-Maiefle's projections four years ago. The committee discussed the need to schedule an informational meeting prior to the public hearing, and Larry suggested doing so in November. UNSCHEDULED MATTERS: Cement bids Gary Temple asked concerning policy for bids for cement work. In a past bid for cement work, there was a $54.95 difference between bids received from Concrete R Us and McNeil and the bid from 3 McNeil was accepted. Since then, Schessler Ready Mix filed liens on three customers, including the City of Laurel, because that contractor did not pay their bills. Larry stated that the contractor would not be used in the future. South Pond signs Gary questioned whether signs would be put up at South Pond to keep vehicles in the parking lot and out of the park area. The Laurel Lions Club has agreed to wait to continue their projects until alter the contractor has completed his work. The committee discussed the need for "swim at your own risk" signs in South Pond. A meeting will be scheduled with Fish and Game to address some of the issues at South Pond. Public hearin~ for garbage rate increase Mark stated that some individuals felt the public hearing should not have been scheduled on an election day. Dip at 2na Street and 6th Avenue Mark questioned the situation at this location. It appears that the City of Laurel removed the culvert in the past. The committee discussed the options of' putting in a culvert again or building up the asphalt in the sweet. It was agreed that culverts present a liability to the city and also put a strain on the storm water system. Street between Laurel Ford and Fitchner Chevrolet John Oakes asked concerning this street. Larry stated that the street has settled and he suspects that there is no base under the street. If there is base under it, he thinks that the street is done settling. [f so, a leveling course can be installed and then the street can be chip sealed. Landfill policy Ed Steffans stated that a resident was told to bag lawn clippings. Larry explained that the lawn clippings go out &the truck while going to the Billings Landfill. Ken Olson stated that a resident who attempted to take a pickup load Of shrubs and tree limbs to the transfer site was denied the right tO do so. Larry stated that the landfill accepts shrubs and tree limbs but does not accept rocks, dirt, and cement because of the amount of tonnage that would result. If there were a compactor at the transfer site, some of these situations would be eliminated. The transfer site operators are getting tougher about what is accepted in order to control the hauling costs. The meeting adjourned at 8:40 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Cindy Allen Council Secretary 4 CITY OF LAUREL NEW PERPOSED SEWER RATE i JUNE OF 2000 INVENTORY OF WATER CONNECTIONS BY SERVICE LINE SIZE SIZE CONNECTIONS MULTIPLIER EDU'S 3/4 INCH 2,403 1 2,403 I INCH 50 1.79 89.5 1.25 INCH 3 2.79 8.4 1.5 INCH 16 4.00 64 2 INCH 21 7.14 149.9 3 INCH 5 16.00 80 6 INCH ! 64.29 64.3 TOTAL 2,499 2,859.1 BASE RATE SEWER PLANT COST ( REF. 600 ) DEPRECIATION & RESERVE ( 5.9 MILLION ) SEWER JET ( $175,000 5/YRS ) TOTAL BASE RATE COST $155,329 $ 59,600 $ 35~000 $249,929 TOTAL BASE COST TOTAL EDU'S $249,929 .~859.1 = $7.28 / MONTH BASE RATE PER MONTH BY coNrNECTION SIZE SIZE EDU MULTIPLIER 3/4 INCH 1 t INCH 1.79 1.25 INCH 2.79 1.5 INCH 4.00 2 INCH 7.14 3 INCH 16.00 6 INCH 64~29 BASE RATE COST $ 7.28 $ 13.03 $ 20.31 $ 29.12 $ 51.98 $116.48 $468.03 CITY OF LAUREL O & VARIABLE OR OPERATION & MAINTENANCE RATE TOTAL WATER PRODUCED LESS 50% SEWER 721,141 / 100/CUFT. 360,570 / 100/CUFT OPERATION & MAINTENANCE COST TREATMENT ( REF. 620 ) SYSTEM ( REF. 630 ) LIFT STATION(REF, 610 ) TOTAL O & M COST $345,432 $329.249 $ 14,018 $688,691 TOTAL O & M COST SOLD SEWER ( 100/CU. FT.) $688,691 360,570 = $1.91 PER 100/CU.FT.; EXAMPLE OF NEW SEWER RATE BASE RATE $7.28 + $1.91/PER 100/CU.FT 3/4 INCH SERVICE USING 400 CU.FT. OF SEWER BASE RATE $ 7~28 USAGE 400 CU.FT.=4X$1.91-- $ 7.64 TOTAL SEWER COST $14.92 MONTH 1 INCH SERVICE USING 1000 CU.FT. OF SEWER BASE RATE $13.03 USAGE 1000CU.FT=I 0X$1.91= $19.19 TOTAL SEWER COST $32.13 1.5 INCH SERVICE USENG I0,000 CU.FT. OF BASE RATE $ 29.12 USAGE 10,000CU.FT.100X$1.91= $191.00 TOTAL SE~rER COST ~220.12 3 INCH SERVICE USING 30,000 CU.FT. OF SE\VER BASE RATE $116.48 USAGE 30,000CU.FT.300X$1.91= $573.00 TOTAL SEWER COSR $689.48