HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-08-1996 Meeting
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ENGINEERING SERVICES
COMMITTEE
COMMITTEE ROOM - July 8, 1996
4:00 P.M.
PRESENT: Hons. Larry E. Sconyers, Mayor; Powell, Chairman;
Todd, Vice-Chairman; Handy and J. Brigham, members; Charles.
Dillard, Interim Administrator for Operations; Linda Beazley,
Interim Administrator for Administration; Jim Wall, Attorney; Tom
Wiedmeier, Asst. Director of Utilities Department; Jack Murphy
and Mike Greene of the Public Works Department; Mike Amerson and
Homer Moore of Traffic Engineering Department; Cheryl Nelson of
the Finance Department; Drew Goins, Asst. Com. of P.W. & Director
of Engineering; Max HiCkS, Director of Utilities Department;
Harry Hartley, Asst. Director of Public Works; Lena Bonner, Clerk
of Commission-Council and Nancy Morawski, Deputy Clerk of
Commission-Council.
Also Present: Sylvia Cooper of the Augusta Chronicle,
George Eskola of WJBF Television, Gale Mino of WBBQ Radio and
Hons. Kuhlke, Beard and Bridges, Commissioners.
The Clerk:
We have four addendums to add to the agenda.
Mr. Todd: I
and also I'd like
Boulevard.
so move that we add them by unanimous consent
to add the storm drainage issue on London
Mr. Brigham: Second.
Motion adopted unanimously.
The Committee first heard a presentation by Associated
Equities Management Company regarding a redevelopment proposal
for Village Square Apartments.
At this time Mr. Sumner Cahoon and Mr. Bruce Davis appeared
before the Committee regarding the above proposal.
Mr. Cahoon: We would like to redevelop this property into
three-bedroom, two-bath units and four-bedroom, two-bath units.
We feel that people here in town would like to take advantage of
affordable housing and we are asking the City to put this out for
bids or sell it as surplus property. We are doing a similar
project in Marietta, Georgia.
Mr. Todd: I move that we receive this as information and
continue the process as far as the bid for demolition and getting
rid of the asbestos in the units and take it before the full
Commission.
Mr. Brigham: Second.
Mr. Davis: This would be a complete rehab and it would be
set up as a homeowners association.
After further discussion, Mr. Chairman: It seems we have
some unanswered questions about this and what I'd like to do is I
go along with Mr. Todd's motion to receive it as information but
in the process I'd like to appoint a sub-committee to look into
it. I'd like to ask if Mr. Kuhlke would chair it, along with Jim
Leiper, Mr. Todd and Mr. Beard.
Motion adopted with Mr. Handy voting "Present".
Communication from ISBE & Benadam Corporation d/b/a Castle
Pines Mobile Home Park requesting that they be given relief from
payment of the sewer tap connection charges to their property
upon connection to the Goshen Sewer Line presently under
construction, was read.
Mr. Hicks: They are requesting to be excused from paying
the $125 per lot tap fee that is charged for developments coming
on to our sewer system. I do not see any reason why they
shouldn't pay the charges just as other developers do.
Mr. Todd: I move that we do not give them a waiver on the
payment of the tap fees.
Mr. Brigham: Second.
Mr. Todd: Are they aware of the possibility of doing the
commercial line with one feed from the park?
Mr. Hicks: I doubt it. It never entered into the
conversation.
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Mr. Todd: They may be interested in doing that.
,
Mr. Chairman: I think we voted on this last year where we
voted to participate in that cost.
Mr. Dillard: I have a letter from Mr. McElveen stating
that the project was approved subject to the owners paying
one-third of the cost and Richmond County paying one-third and in
addition, each owner would pay $125.00 per lot when the project
was complete.
Mr. Todd: I'd like to modify my motion
otherwise already been previously ratified.
those minutes to make sure.
to say unless it's
r'd like to research
Mr. Brigham: I'll accept that.
Motion adopted with the Chairman voting "No".
Communication from the Public Works Director requesting I
execution of the contract documents and proper bonds with
Allsteel Products company in the amount of $52,461 for the Glenn
Hills Bridge Safety Fence, was read.
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Mr. Handy: I so move.
Mr. Todd: Second.
Motion adopted unanimously.
Communication from the Public Works Director stating bids
were opened for the Boykin Road Drainage Improvements Project on
June 25, 1996 with seven contractors turning in bids with Mabus
Brothers Construction Company, Inc. being the low bidder at
$1,273,410.85. These bids have been reviewed and tabulated and
it is recommended that award be made to Mabus Brothers
Construction Company, Inc., was read.
Mr. Todd: I so move.
Mr. Handy: Second.
Mr. Todd: This shows how well we have done with cooperation
with the Department of Transportation in that we have gotten a
proportionately large share of the distributed funds.
Motion adopted unanimously.
Communication from the Public Works Director submitting
Change Order Number One in the amount of $40,777.25 for the
Traffic Signals, Phase II project. This amount will be funded
from the project contingency which has a balance of $24,712 and
the remainder of $16,064 from Recaptured Funds in Special One
Percent Sales Tax, Phase II. By placing a small amount of
widening on the west side of Pleasant Home Road through the
intersection of Crane Ferry Road, a full left turn bay will
result which will allow the proposed signal to operate at a
greater level of service. The estimated costs associated with
this change is $34,227.25. Also included in this change order is
the addition of a traffic signal mast arm assembly with signal
heads to be installed on the northeast corner of Wrightsboro Road
and Augusta West Parkway. This will accommodate a future
driveway which is to be constructed by the expansion of Bobby
Jones Ford. Mr. Frank Lawrence, President of Bobby Jones Ford,
is to pay $3,000 of the total cost of $6,550. This change order
has been reviewed and funding approved by both the finance
department and the administrator's office. Therefore, approval
by the Commission-Council is recommended, was read.
Mr. Handy: I so move.
Mr. Todd: Second.
Motion adopted unanimously.
Communication from Harry D. Revell requesting consideration
of a donation by Mr. Rudy Bohler, President of Bell Investment
Company, of right-of-way and easements on Parcels 4, 5 and 6,
Area 0 of the Barton Chapel Road Intersection & Drainage
Improvement Project, was read.
Mr. Todd: I so move.
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Mr. Brigham: Second.
Motion adopted unanimously.
Communication from Harry D. Revell requesting consideration
of approval of the option for Parcel 2 (Marks Church Road) of the
Skinner Mill Road Extension & Agerton Lane Roadway & Drainage
Improvement Project which is owned by Curtis Baptist Church
Foundation, was read.
Mr. Handy: I so move.
Mr. Brigham: Second.
Motion adopted unanimously.
Communication from the Director of Augusta-Richmond
Utilities Department requesting ratification of emergency sewer
main and road repairs at Highway 25 and Lumpkin Road. The
invoice from Blair Construction is attached in the amount of
$12,700.00, was read.
Mr. Hicks: They had never submitted an invoice to pay for
this.
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Mr. Todd: I so move that we approve payment for these
repairs subject to us verifying that it hasn't already been paid.
Mr. Handy: Second.
Motion adopted unanimously.
communication from Harry 0 Revell requesting approval of a
quitclaim deed from Richmond County to Anna Maxwell Waller
quitclaiming an easement granted by her to Richmond County on
August 1, 1995 and approving a new utility easement from Anna
Maxwell Waller to Richmond County to be recorded simultaneously
with the quitclaim deed, was read.
Mr. Todd: I so move.
Mr. Brigham: I'll second it.
Motion adopted unanimously.
Communication from Harry D. Revell requesting consideration I
of condemnation of Parcels 130 and 131, Tax Map 22 of the
Perimeter Parkway Roadway & Drainage Improvement Project which is
in the name of Stephen H. Steinberg, et aI, was read.
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Mr. Handy: I so move.
Mr. Todd: Second.
Motion adopted unanimously.
Communication from the Attorney submitting copies of Georgia
Power company's Encroachment Agreement in connection with a
temporary bypass needed in connection with work planned for the
crossing of Columbia Nitrogen Road. This Encroachment Agreement
would be for the period from August 1, 1996 until November 1,
1996, was read.
Mr. Todd: I so move.
Mr. Handy: Second.
Motion adopted unanimously.
Communication from the Asst. Director of the Utilities
Department stating earlier this year a liming program was
presented to the Engineering Services Committee which called for
the County to split the cost of lime application with the
landowners in our program. When preparing our 1996 budget, we
had estimated applying to 6000 acres with an application rate of
1.5 tons per acre. The amount budgeted for lime in 1996 is
$135,000. We have encountered difficulties with implementing the
liming program as planned. While most landowners had agreed to
pay for half the cost of liming their land, the current
agricultural climate, particularly the low price being paid for
cattle, has made it difficult for many to commit to paying their
half. Because the soil pH of our application sites must be
maintained at 6.5, and to insure there is adequate acreage on
which to apply our biosolids, we have explored alternate ways to
administer our liming program. We have determined that our land
base can be safety reduced to 4000 acres while keeping nitrogen
loadings well below agronomic rates. Also, metals and other
pollutants are monitored and tracked for every site in the
program and would remain within safe and allowable limits. Based
on the liming that has occurred to date, most sites are requiring
1 ton per acre rather than the 1.5 tons estimated. In order to
insure adequate acreage is available for land application, we
recommend that Augusta-Richmond County provide at its cost one
ton of lime per acre to a land base of approximately 4000 acres.
This would be in lieu of the cost sharing plan originally
proposed and could be accomplished within the amount budgeted.
As none of our clients have been billed yet for their half of the
lime cost, this change can be made equitably and without
refunding any payments, was read.
Mr. Todd: I so move that we pay 100% and that we use the
acres we need to use to carry out the process and take care of
the sludge.
Mr. Chairman: I'll second it.
Mr. Mayor: I'd like to clear for the record that my farm
has sludge put on it.
Motion adopted unanimously.
Mr. Todd: I wanted to discuss the serious storm drainage
problem at the end of London Boulevard. Private property is
being undermined and there is a lot of debris that has washed in.
We would like to get Public Works and Roads and Bridges to take a
look at it and bring us back a proposal for correcting it. I'll
make a motion that we receive this as information.
Mr. Chairman: I'll second that motion.
Motion adopted unanimously.
ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, the meeting
was adjourned.
Lena J. Bonner
Clerk of Commission-Council
NWM
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