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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil Workshop Minutes 04.11.2017 MINUTES COUNCIL WORKSHOP APRIL 11, 2017 6:30 P.M. COUNCIL CHAMBERS A Council Workshop was held in the Council Chambers and called to order by Mayor Mark Mace at 6:30 p.m. on April 11, 2017. COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: _x Emelie Eaton _x_Doug Poehls _x Bruce McGee Richard Herr Chuck Dickerson _x_ Scot Stokes x Tom Nelson x Bill Mountsier OTHERS PRESENT: Heidi Jensen, CAO Public Input Bill Mountsier gave Iry Wilke's report about the State BB Gun Championship at the Laurel Middle School last weekend. There were 19 teams, 117 shooters from all over the state, 5 relays of 19 shooters, 1 relay of 16 shooters, and 1 relay of 6 shooters. Laurel took most of the awards. General items • Laurel City-County Planning Board Appointment The appointment of Roger Giese to the City-County Planning Board will be on the April 18th council agenda. It will be a council appointment to fill a term ending June 30, 2017. Executive Review • Resolution- Contract with Wharton Asphalt LLC Heidi explained the need to replace a valve at Mountain View and Second Avenue to help with the pressure regulation of the First Avenue Water Main Replacement Project. When the crew tried to replace the valve, the Maintenance Superintendent found that the road was completely destroyed. The valve had been leaking for a long time, so the road had become like a sponge and was squishy when the dump truck drove over it. There was no choice but to dig it out to dry ground, which created a much larger hole that is currently unpaved. The small service contact with Wharton Asphalt is to put asphalt back over the top of that section of road. Since the total cost of $8,107.00 is more than $5,000,the contract needs council approval. There will be a base under the asphalt. • Resolution- Contract with Cotter's Sewer Service Heidi stated that there was a sewer line backup in city hall last fall that flooded the bathroom in the court. After some line investigation, it was found that a clay line that runs six feet under the building starting at the bathroom and directly under the water office and out of the building. It would be far too expensive to replace that collapsing clay line that causes the sewer backups. The first idea was to tap into the alley in the bushes of the gravel area between city hall and Yellowstone Bank. The sewer line in the alley is 10 to 12 feet deep and other lines run on top of it. It was difficult to find anyone to bid the small project that would require digging around gas and water lines to get to a sewer line that Council Workshop Minutes of April 11,2017 could be 10 to 12 feet deep. Cotter's Sewer worked with the code enforcement officer to devise a simpler plan to trench in behind the bathroom in the court. The bathroom is in the back left corner of the courtroom and there is a storage room behind the bathroom. Cotter's will trench out there, go out of the building and follow the orange flags on the back side of the building to tie into the sewer line on Second Avenue. That sewer line is probably between six and eight feet deep, but there is nothing impeding it. This option ended up being simpler and more cost effective. Cotter's actual estimate came in at $22,250, which will be paid out of the building replacement/repair in this year's budget. There was discussion regarding the $20,000 requirement to go out to bid. Since no other companies were willing to bid the project, Heidi will have the code enforcement officer write a statement stating that for audit purposes. There was further discussion regarding the city's responsibility to repair Second Avenue after it is dug up for this project. • Resolution-Accept bid for First Avenue Water Main Replacement Project Heidi explained the First Avenue Water Main Replacement Project on Mountain View and 13th Street. There have been a considerable number of breaks in this section of waterline in First Avenue. Cayton Excavation submitted the low bid of$134,190.00 with Additive Alternative No. 1 of$13,260.00 for a fire hydrant. There was discussion regarding the fire hydrant, whether it was a replacement hydrant or a new hydrant needed because of the distance between the existing hydrants, the cost of the hydrant, and the discussion at last night's Public Works Committee meeting. • Council Issues: o Update on 2011 Yellowstone River flooding event Heidi recently provided testimony to the legislature in support of Senate Bill 367, which is the Infrastructure Grant Program. The City of Laurel's TSEP Grant application for lowering the intake was not funded. The city also applied for funding for the sedimentation basins, which is a shovel- ready project. Unfortunately, the Romney Gym for MSU is included in the 2017 infrastructure bill, and that and the Heritage Center killed the infrastructure bill in 2015. The bill already passed the Senate and was in the House Appropriations, but no vote has been taken yet. Heidi also checked on the city's bill, House Bill 586, which has been stuck in Senate Finance and Claims since March 31St. She met with CHS Refinery's lobbyist, who is not discouraged about it. Hopefully, HB 586 will be placed on the Senate Finance and Claims' agenda soon. Then it would move to the Senate floor. According to the lobbyist,the Governor's Office is still planning to veto the bill. After it goes to the Senate floor, he could sit on it and then veto it after the session. Heidi did not know if the Senate would consider trying to revoke the veto if the Governor vetoed it before the session ends. As for the intake, all of the concrete has been poured on the intake itself. The huge structure has 16 rounded screens. The only thing left to do is to take some sand out of the front of the intake where the water will actually come in and put the lids on top. The final concrete pour will be done on Thursday to encase the lines from the intake to the bank. Theoretically, the contractor could be completely out of the river by next Friday. Heidi stated that there still is not power to the control building. Numerous calls have been made to Yellowstone Valley Electric as to why they are holding this 2 Council Workshop Minutes of April 11,2017 project up, and she will call YVEC tomorrow. As soon as there is power to the control building, the necessary tests can be run on the boiler and the air controls. The final work will then be done on the computer systems at both the water and wastewater treatment plants. All of the pipe is in from the water treatment plant to the intake all the way to the bank, so the project is right at the edge of being done. The sheet piling will be removed this weekend and then the contractor will start removing the coffer dams slowly after some tests are done. Tom asked regarding the possibility of using the generator to run the tests. Heidi explained that no testing will be done until there is permanent power on the site and the project is actually complete, which is a requirement of the contract. Other items There were none. Review of draft council agenda for April 18, 2017 • Poppy Day Proclamation Attendance at the April 18, 2017 council meeting All six council members present will attend. Announcements Scot stated that the Park Board wanted the donation of the Rod & Gun Club and the Rifle Club buildings put on a council workshop agenda. Heidi explained that the Laurel Rod & Gun Club or the Laurel Rifle Club need to submit a written letter requesting the conveyance of those buildings be placed on an agenda. She will email Iry Wilke regarding this tomorrow. Scot stated that the Park Board requested combining with the Cemetery Commission. He would like this item on the April 25th council workshop agenda. Bill commended the council secretary and the other employees for their years of service to the City of Laurel. Tom asked if the city has done anything to help promote getting citizens to contact the state legislature, the House or the Senate or the Governor, as it is important that people try to do that. Emelie asked if the city owns the fence around the swimming pool. Heidi stated that is correct. Emelie stated that the city needs to monitor what is put up on the fence because there is currently a controversial issue and the city should not be in the middle of that issue. There are signs supporting the principal that the school board decided to let go. She realizes that there are all sorts of arguments, but she does not think the city needs to be a part of that and it is not the proper forum to use the city's fence to try to sway public opinion. 3 Council Workshop Minutes of April 11,2017 Heidi will contact the school superintendent regarding the issue. Tom stated that he also did not think it was appropriate for the city property to be advertising a controversial school issue in favor of somebody that had been let go by the school board. Recognition of Employees • Bruce Lefler 36 years of service on April 6th City Shop • Tim Reiter 31 years of service on April 21'd Utilities Superintendent • Cindy Allen 19 years of service on April 17th Council Secretary • Kelly Strecker 12 years of service on April 11th Clerk's Office • Brenda Sell 12 years of service on April 28th Police Dispatch Mayor Mace expressed thanks for the employees' years of service to the City of Laurel. The council workshop adjourned at 6:59 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Cindy Allen Council Secretary NOTE: This meeting is open to the public. This meeting is for information and discussion of the Council for the listed workshop agenda items. 4