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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20181119 UC Minutes UTILITY COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES November 19, 2018 CALL TO ORDER Pursuant to due call and notice thereof the regular Utility Commission meeting of the City of Rosemount was called to order on November 19, 2018, at 5:36 p.m. in the Upper Conference Room, City Hall, 2875 145th Street West, Rosemount. Commissioner Demuth called meeting to order with Commissioners Cahn and Nelson, Mayor Droste, City Administrator Martin, Public Works Director/City Engineer Erickson, Public Works Coordinator Watson, Recording Secretary Barikmo, and guest Billie Edmunds – resident and Alliance Community School staff member. ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS TO AGENDA None AUDIENCE INPUT APPROVAL OF MINUTES Motion by Demuth Second by Cahn Motion to approve the minutes of the October 15, 2018 Utility Commission meeting with a change to item 7.b. in the second paragraph. Demuth clarified that she wants Public Works Staff to work with the Parks and Recreation Department when planning and programing future park irrigation. Motion carried. PUBLIC HEARINGS OLD BUSINESS 6.a. Approve Utility Budgets The budgets were previously reviewed by the Utility Commission at the August meeting. There have not been any changes to the budgets, other than to the Stormwater Utility budget. The Stormwater Utility budget now has a Storm Water Specialist position included for hire in 2019. City staff is in the process of getting the position advertised. Demuth questioned water utility expenditure in the third section and second line. Item is listed as WHPP for $5,000. Erickson explained that it’s staying in the budget to be used in the next year. Chloride use will be reduced this winter per the new Public Works Quality Standards. Chloride is damaging to water bodies and the city’s infrastructure. Demuth said that water samples are about $18 and recommended that the staff take water samples at each of the municipal wells to test for chloride. Erickson explained that there may be some regulatory concerns of which to be cautious. If the city tests for something once, the city may have to test for it on a regular basis due to state regulations. Demuth confirmed that the rate study for this year was not contracted out due to having internal staff completing it. Demuth asked what the $5,000 will be spent on in 2019. Erickson stated that the funds will be used as additional comprehensive plan funds. Motion by Nelson Second by Cahn Motion to recommend to City Council the approval of the 2019 Utility Budgets. Motion carried 6.b. Public Works Quality Standards Update Public Works Coordinator Watson provided an update on the Quality Standards. The Quality Standards were originally adopted in October 2006. City Council members were given a chance to review the proposed changes at the November 5, 2018 Work Session. The updated Quality Standards is on the agenda for approval at the City Council Meeting on November 20, 2018. Watson presented the utility sections of the Quality Standards that were relevant to the Utility Commission. Sanitary mains will now be televised every 3 years and cleaned as needed. The City has a 3-year contract with Pipe Services Corporation to televise the lines. Staff has been discussing purchasing a city owned televising truck in a few years. Erickson stated that a televising truck is approximately $180,000 to $200,000. The truck expense would go to City Council for discussion and would then be incorporated into a future budget. Staff will be televising sanitary sewer mains and storm sewer mains 1-2 years prior to each street reconstruction project to identify areas of needed repair that can be addressed with a street project. The Snowplowing Policy has a new provision to the “bare pavement” standard. Residential streets will not be included in this standard. The City will strive to have bare pavement on all collector roads. Use of salt will be restricted to hills, curves, and intersections throughout the neighborhoods. To be more environmentally conscious, this is to help reduce the usage of salt on the roads. Commissioner Cahn suggested that the last objective on page 13 should be reworded. It currently states, “To extend the life of all components as long as possible”. Cahn suggested that it should be revised to have it seem more economical. Watson agreed, and it will be reviewed for in a future update. Demuth explained that she had seen a presentation about 9-mile Creek and they were interviewing with plow drivers. The company placed monitoring equipment into the storm drains to test for chloride. The plow drivers were asked what they think could be done to reduce salt use. Drivers replied with “better snowplow blades.” Demuth then asked if the City has the best blades we could have. Erickson stated that plow blades are fairly standard with the primary difference being the cutting edge material. The city plow’s currently have steel cutting edges. Demuth explained some communities will have an additional truck drive behind the plow truck to help crush/activate the salt quicker. She explained that typical cars do not weigh enough to crush the salt. Erickson and Watson were opposed to the idea due to lack of efficiency. Watson stated that the updated Quality Standards is on the agenda for approval at the City Council Meeting on November 20, 2018. After approval, it will be posted on the City’s website. Guest Billie Edmunds had questions about the ponds and the studies that are done on them. Erickson responded that the studies that are completed are engineering based. Typically, the City does not seek input from the residents about the ponds. Dependent on the study or project, occasionally there can be an open house to get resident input. Edmunds pointed out two specific ponds, the one behind 14300 Biscayne Ave and one behind 14508 Cimarron Ave. The pond located at 14300 Biscayne no longer has water in it. Erickson explained that the ponds are designed to hold stormwater. Edmunds will be sending in a photo of the pond at 14300 Biscayne for staff to review. 6.c. Water Efficiency Rebate Update Public Works Secretary Barikmo provided an update to the Utility Commission about the Water Efficiency – Irrigation Controller Rebates. From July 1, 2018 to November 16, 2018, the city processed rebates for 31 installed devices, totaling $2,861.90. There is currently about $5,138 left in the rebate funds. Staff decided to table the water restriction discussion until an early spring meeting. Demuth presented State Statute, 103G.298 Landscape Irrigation. Demuth found the statute on the City of Woodbury website. Demuth will gather additional information, and statute will be discussed further at a spring meeting. NEW BUSINESS 7.a. Chippendale Water Tower Plans/Specs and Ad for Bid Erickson provided an update to the Chippendale Water Tower project. KLM has since finished the plans and specifications for the project. Staff will be recommending to Council to approve the advertisement for bid. The project will be advertised for 3 weeks. There is a mandatory pre-bid meeting that all bidders must attend. The planned bid opening date is December 19, 2018. The tower will have to be drained during the duration of the project. The contractor will have 70 calendar days to have it complete. The contractor will be required to start no later than August 1, 2019 and the final completion date is October 10, 2019. Erickson requested that the Utility Commission recommend approval of the plans and specifications and authorize advertisement for bids related to the Chippendale Water Tower Reconditioning. Motion by Cahn Second by Nelson. Motion to recommend to City Council the approval of the plans and specification and authorize advertisement for bids related to the Chippendale Water Tower Reconditioning, City Project 2019- 02. Motion carried EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT 8.a. City Projects Update Erickson gave an overview of some of the ongoing projects within the city. Most of the projects have finished up for the season. Subdivisions are looking to start up in the Spring.  Greystone 8th will complete the Greystone Development.  Akron project with the County will be paved in 2020 up to the Inver Grove Heights border.  Bonaire Path pavement will be extended past the railroad tracks. The quiet zone will also be extended for this railroad crossing.  Extending sanitary sewer to the Minea/School District property, located at the southwest corner of Akron Ave and Bonaire Path. Demuth suggested to staff that they create a page/graphic on the City’s website that would show how much water has been used and when the next well will be needed. This page would promote water conservation. 8.b. Set Next Meeting Agenda for December 17, 2018 Commissioners and staff discussed that the December Utility Commission will likely be cancelled. The next meeting will then be on January 14, 2019. Commissioners discussed have the Twin Cities Regional Water Billing Analysis as an item at the next meeting. They would specifically like to discuss the rates. Demuth will be inviting Brian Davis with Met Council to the January 14, 2019 meeting. Demuth will also be discussing the “letter of support” for the Met Council in order for them to receive their grant again. The grant funded the past Water Efficiency Rebate Program. OTHER UPDATES ADJOURNMENT Demuth adjourned the meeting at 7:05 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Jessie Barikmo Public Works Secretary