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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-22-1996 Meeting I I I ENGINEERING SERVICES COMMITTEE COMMITTEE ROOM - July 22, 1996 4:00 P.M. PRESENT: Hons. Larry E. Sconyers, Mayor; Powell, Chairman; Handy and J. Brigham, members; Charles Dillard, Interim Administrator for Operations; Bill Carstarphen, Consolidation Project Manager; Harry Hartley, Asst. Director of Public Works; Jack Murphy and Mike Greene of the Public Works Department; Samm Fusselle, Main Street Director; Jim Leiper, Environmental Engineer; Max Hicks, Director of utilities Department; Tom Wiedmeier, Director of Water Pollution Control; David Smith, Solid Waste Manager; Barry Smith, Director of Trees & Parks; Lena Bonner, Clerk of Commission-Council and Nancy Morawski, Deputy Clerk of Commission-Council. ABSENT: Hon. Moses Todd, member. Also Present: Sylvia Cooper of the Augusta Chronicle and Hons. H. Brigham and Bridges, Commissioners. The Clerk: We have a request for one addendum to approve the purchase of a street sweeper for the Public Works Department. Mr. Brigham: I move we add it. Mr. Bridges: Second. Motion adopted. Communication from Harry D. Revell requesting approval of a Deed of DedicationlEasement for sanitary sewer and water systems which have been installed to service Eagle pointe Subdivision, 3200 block of Skinner Mill Road, was read. Mr. Brigham: I so move. Mr. Chairman: I'll second it. Motion adopted unanimously. Communication from the Asst. Com. of P.W. & Director of Engineering stating during the initial construction in 13th Street between Greene Street and Broad Street on the Inner City Basin, Phase I-B Project, our contractor ran into conflict with the State of Georgia's sewer system which is old and inadequate by today's standards. The Urban and Suburban Engineering Departments have been working with the State to develop a plan for acquiring State assistance to upgrade both systems in 13th Street and Reynolds Street. In order to secure State funding for the project, the plans and specifications must be revised to show the new work and to conform with Department of Transportation standards. A proposal from PM & A, the engineers for the project, was requested to accomplish the work. PM & A Engineers, Inc. will accomplish the work at a cost not to exceed $16,975.00. We recommend the additional engineering and funds be allocated from the Special Purpose Sales Tax Fund recaptured from cost underruns on the CSO Program, was read. I Mr. Brigham: I so move. Mr. Chairman: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. Communication from the Asst. Com. of P.W. & Director of Engineering stating the Engineering Services Committee tabled the attached report of the 42" Raw Water Line Rupture pending their further study of the complete engineering report provided at their meeting of May 13, 1996. We would like to remind the Committee that no action has been taken on this matter and that the Committee may want to consider the matter at some point, was read. Mr. Brigham: I move that we receive this as information. Mr. Handy: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. Communication from the Asst. Director of P.W. & Director of I Engineering stating the Engineering Department is preparing to bid the installation of the sanitary sewer in Vineland Subdivision. The project was originally designed in 1988 by W. R. Toole Engineers. In order to bid the project, we have asked the engineers to revise the plans and specification to account for changes in field conditions and changes in the scope of work. The cost of the redesign is $21,932.00. The cost of the redesign was included in the $520,000.00 total project cost budgeted in the 1996 Urban Service Capital outlay, was read. Mr. Brigham: I so move. Mr. Chairman: I'll second it. Motion adopted unanimously. Communication from the Asst. Com. of P.W. & Director of Engineering stating the Engineering Department would like to recommend that the Commission-Council consider privatization of the Urban District's Sanitation Department through a public bid process. This recommendation is based on the following concepts: 1. The Urban District currently serves approximately 16,500 residential and commercial customers. We propose that the District be divided into four sections as shown on the attached sketch containing approximately 4,125 collection I units. These sections would be bid separately although a successful bidder may receive one or more sections. This method will allow and encourage smaller companies to bid. I. I I 4. 5. 6. 2. Each of these sections would be managed by an employee of Augusta-Richmond County. This person's duties would include monitoring daily collections, consumer conflict resolution, enforcement actions and education of the public to recycling and other collection ordinances. This will encourage consumer based services. Collection of the waste stream would be divided and bid in three categories: Normal HouseholdlCommercial Garbage: Normal householdl commercial garbage would be collected either twice a week in containers presently in existing ordinances or once a week using large containers provided by the bidder. This will allow the bidder to use more modern collection methods (i.e. automated equipment) if he chooses to do so. The present recycling program would remain in effect and the waste stream would be delivered to the MRF Facility in North Augusta through the remainder of the existing contract. Yard Waste: Yard waste would be collected once a week using existing ordinances to define requirements of length and size of limbs, containment of leaves and grass clippings, placement on curbing, etc. If the bidder chooses, he would be allowed to have the consumer place yard waste into large containers provided for automated collection. The waste stream would be delivered to the composting facility currently at the Augusta-Richmond County Landfill. Bulky Waste Collection: Bulky waste collection would be provided on demand on an as needed basis as determined by the section manager. This type of debris would include appliances, furniture, carpeting and other items currently dumped on the streets. While existing ordinances do not require collection, the problem with these items being placed on our streets exists. This will allow a method of removing these items with the cost being charged to an individual property owner in violation of the ordinances. The waste steam would be delivered to the Augusta-Richmond County Landfill or other appropriate location (i.e. refrigeration appliances). The collection of each category will be bid separately. This will allow the flexibility of the Commission to choose, for example, only household garbage, only yard waste or any combination of these categories. Hiring Existing Employees: Provisions will be required that the successful bidder hire existing employees of the Department who choose to work for the bidder. These provisions will be tailored to the provisions required in the privatization of the Central Shop. Equipment Liquidation: The existing equipment in the Sanitation Department will be inventoried and listed in the bid specifications. The successful bidder on any of the sections submitting the highest bid on a piece of equipment will be the successful bidder on that equipment. Each piece of equipment will be bid separately. Length of Contract: The length of contract can vary at the 3. comfort level of the Commission-Council, however, we would recommend a minimum of three years with a three year option. I More practically, a five-year contract would be favored. The longer the contract, the more time the bidder has to amortize equipment costs. If the Committee would like to consider privatization, the Engineering Department will prepare the request for proposals and begin the bidding process, was read. Mr. Handy: I move that we accept this as information. Mr. Chairman: I'll second that motion. After a short discussion, Mr. Chairman: I don't think we are ready to take action on this now but I'd like to appoint a sub-committee to look into this consisting of Mr. Hartley, Mr. Goins, Mr. Greene, Mr. Dillard, Mr. Smith, Mr. Wall and Mr. Jerry Brigham as Chairman. And Mr. Todd if he'd like to be involved. Motion adopted unanimously. Communication from Harry D. Revell requesting condemnation of Parcel 8, Area A of the Barton Chapel Road Intersection and Drainage Improvement Project. Property owner is Julian Osbon, was read. Mr. Brigham: I so move. I Mr. Chairman: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. Communication from Harry D. Revell requesting approval of option to purchase right-of-way on Tax Map 22, Parcel 93 of the Perimeter Parkway Roadway & Drainage Improvement project which is owned by First Union National Bank of Georgia, as Trustee, et al. for the sum of $1,950.00, was read. Mr. Brigham: I so move. Mr. Handy: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. communication from Harry D. Revell requesting approval of option to purchase right-of-way on Tax Map Parcel 31:12 of the Skinner Mill Road Extension & Agerton Lane Roadway and Drainage Improvement project (Project Parcel 1 - Agerton Lane) which is owned by Elizabeth B. Rogers for the sum of $2,994.00, was read. Mr. Brigham: Second. I Mr. Handy: I so move. I I I Motion adopted unanimously. Communication from the Attorney requesting approval of necessary easements and indemnity agreement for the location of a foot bridge and service bridge across the Augusta Canal at the Davidson Magnet School site, was read. ' Mr. Brigham: I so move. Mr. Chairman: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. Communication from the Attorney requesting the abandonment of that portion of Walker Street lying within the proposed Davidson Magnet School site, was read. Mr. Brigham: I so move. Mr. Handy: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. Communication from the Director of the Utilities Department regarding the Spirit Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant Liner Repair in Pond 2A, was read. Mr. Hicks: I have a report for you today. We had recommended that a contract to repair that liner be awarded to a company other than the one that was doing the work at the Plant. It was the pleasure of the Committee that we award it to the contractor on the job if we could. We met with them on Friday but have not received anything back from them at this point. I think we can work it out but I would like to let Mr. Wall look at it before we present it. Mr. Brigham: I move that we refer this to the full Commission. Mr. Handy: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. Communication from the Public Works Director recommending award of the contract for paving of Louisa Road to the low bidder, Blair Construction Company, in the amount of $275,769, was read. Mr. Handy: I so move. Mr. Chairman: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. Communication from the Public Works Director recommending approval of the deed of dedication, maintenance agreement and I road resolutions for Saddlebrook Subdivision, Phase v, Section I, was read. Mr. Handy: I so move. Mr. Brigham: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. Communication from the Public Works Director recommending approval and execution of the contract documents and proper bonds for the Kamell West Subdivision Drainage Improvements project with Nordmann Contracting, Inc. in the amount of $50,423, was read. Mr. Brigham: I so move. Mr. Handy: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. Communication from the Public Works Director recommending approval and execution of the contract documents and proper bonds for the Wheeless Road Drainage Improvements Project with Mabus I Brothers Construction Company, Inc. in the amount of $559,037.35, was read. Mr. Handy: I so move. Mr. Brigham: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. Communication from the Public Works Director requesting approval of Change Order Number Two for the Turpin Hill Roadway & Drainage Improvements, Phase II Project in the amount of $96,898.20. This change order reflects costs to provide grading, sidewalk, curb and gutter, widening, resurfacing, grassing and adjusting utilities on Dyer Street from 15th Avenue to the bridge over Oates Creek and on 13th Avenue from Boykin Place to Old Savannah Road. Funds for this change should come from project contingencies. Current project contingencies show a balance of $144,652, was read. Mr. Handy: I so move. Mr. Brigham: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. I Communication from the Public Works Director submitting a list of sixteen road to let out for bid for paving. All but I I I Nellie Drive Extension and Old Byrd Road were previously approved to be done in-house by County forces. Due to the high volume of maintenance to be done, County forces no longer have the time to undertake this grading, draining and paving. Also attached is a Capital Project Budget in the amount of $1,323,500 for the estimated cost of this. project. Of this amount, $1,250,000 will come from County forces, Special One Percent Sales Tax, Phase II and the balance from County forces, Special One Percent Sales Tax, Phase III. Approval of the Capital Project Budget with funding and the list of roads for paving to be let for bid is recommended, was read. Mr. Brigham: I so move. Mr. Handy: Second. Mr. Chairman: I'll abstain because I have some property that touches one of those roads and I have abstained from both the discussion and the vote. Motion adopted with the Chairman abstaining. Communication from the Attorney concerning the termination of a Lease Agreement for the water tower at Augusta State University. This was approved by the Commission-Council earlier this year, but the termination of the Lease Agreement should be formally approved by the Commission-Council, was read. Mr. Handy: I so move. Mr. Brigham: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. Mr. Chairman: Downtown parking has been brought to my attention by many of the downtown vendors. I have a letter from George Patty that I'd like to read. "This letter addresses the issue of use of Broad Street parking facilities by long-term parkers. The Planning Commission has just conducted a downtown parking study and the report should be completed by August 1. The information contained in this letter is drawn from the data collected in the course of that parking study. The parking occupancy survey that we conducted revealed that the curb and median parking on Broad Street between Sixth Street and Tenth Street are near maximum utilization on a typical weekday. A follow-up duration study was conducted to determine the extent to which long term parkers were utilizing these facilities. This duration study clearly indicated that there is very high long- term usage. Long-term for this purpose is three or more hours and five or more hours of consecutive use. Overall, 74 percent of all spaces in this area were occupied for at least three consecutive hours sometime during the day by one vehicle, and 45 percent were occupied for at least five consecutive hours by one vehicle (the duration study period was from 9 to 5). These numbers do not reflect the full extent of long term usage, however, because a turnover was observed around noon where the I morning parkers traded places after lunch. The use of median parking was observed to be almost exclusively long term. Eighty- five percent of all median spaces were utilized by one vehicle for there or more consecutive hours someti~e during the day, and 56 percent were occupied by one car for at least five hours. The median areas on either side of Seventh Street were used almost exclusively by long term parkers, as 51 of 52 spaces were occupied by three or more hours by a vehicle and 47 of 52 were occupied for five or more hours by a vehicle. The other median areas were slightly more mixed with a few spaces available for short term parking. The curb parking on Broad Street, which is signed for two-hour parking, was more accessible for short term parkers than the medians. Sixty-five percent of all curb spaces were occupied by one vehicle for three or more consecutive hours, and 35 percent were occupied by one vehicle for five or more hours. Some curb areas had higher long term occupancy than others. In the 700 block long term parking is dominant, but in the 800 and 900 blocks it is less of a problem. This study indicates that if it is important to provide more parking for short term occupancy on Broad Street, then implementing a time limit on the median spaces and more active enforcement, or both, should be considered",was read. Mr. Handy: two-hour parking determine how we I'd like to make a motion that we go back to the for the entire length of Broad Street and try to can utilize the parking deck. I Mr. Chairman: I'll second that. Mr. Brigham: Let's have a public hearing to discuss it also so we won't have to change it again. At this time Mr. David Steele, Mr. Don Thorstad and Mr. Price Dunaway addressed the Committee regarding their concerns about the parking situation. After further discussion, Mr. Handy: I'll accept the amendment to have.a public hearing to discuss this before we take action to make any changes and that it be held by August 15. Motion adopted unanimously. Mr. Chairman: I asked to put the discussion of intersection beautification on the agenda. We have a lot of intersections in all districts of the County that need some beautification and I want to appoint a sub-committee to start looking at this. I would also ask Mrs. Bonner to send out a letter to each Commissioner asking for two intersections from each district that they would like to have considered for beautification. I'd like I to appoint a sub-committee of Mr. Barry Smith, Mr. Gooding, Mr. Dillard, Mr. Goins and Mr. Moore to look at this. I I I Mr. Brigham: I so move we do that. Mr. Chairman: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. Communication from the Asst. Director of Public Works requesting permission to purchase a street sweeper for the Public Works Department. We are recommending the alternate bid of Stith Equipment Company in the amount of $78,800.00, was read. Mr. Hartley: This is not the low bid but it is the best bid to do the job. The alternate bid is a demo sweeper which will have the same warranty as a new one. After a short discussion, Mr. Handy: I move it be approved provided we see it in 30 days. Mr. Chairman: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. ADJOURNMENT: was adjourned. There being no further business, the meeting Lena J. Bonner Clerk of Commission-Council NWM