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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-24-2003 Meeting I ENGINEERING SERVICES AGENDA COMMITTEE ROOM - November 24, 2003 3:00 P. M. 1. Motion to adopt Resolution abandoning that portion of Garlington Avenue, at Government Street, adjacent to Castleberry's Food Company, located on Tax Map 58-2 and authorizing sale to Castleberry's Food Company for the sum of $1,000.00. (Referred from November 10 Engineering Services) 2. Presentation by Malcolm Pirnie, Inc. concerning benefit citywide energy audit. (Requested by Commissioner Cheek) 3. Motion to approve resolution finding that that portion of Katherine and Pickens Streets shown on the attached map should be abandoned. 4. Approve deductive Change Order #1 to the Raw Water Meter Installation Project. This deductive change order is intended to adjust contract line items that were not fully utilized during this project. 5. Ratify funds in the amount of$18,325.79 for payment for emergency repairs to the Augusta Canal Bank at the Raw Water Pumping Station. I 6. Approve execution of the MEAG Governmental Encroachment Agreement No. 31086 (Bath-Dum Jon Transmission Line). 7. Approve execution of Georgia Power Company's Governmental Encroachment Agreement No. 31087 (Jefferson EMC #5 Bath 46 KV Transmission Line). 8. Authorize the Utilities Department to hire a Safety Officer at a salary of $35,000 to be funded from the Utilities Department Administration Budget. (See background information under Item 2 of Administrative Services agenda) 9. Mr. Ed Copeland to appear before the Committee regarding solid waste charges. (Requested by Commissioner Shepard) 10. Discussion of the Barton Chapel Road Project. (Requested by Commissioner Hankerson) 11. Discuss status of Foster Lane. (Requested by Commissioner Shepard) 12. Discuss open sewer ditch at 424 Kemp Drive. (Requested by Commissioner Boyles) 13. Consideration of a resolution supporting a 'Joint Land Use Study' sponsored by the Regional Development Center for developing and addressing land use issues around Ft. Gordon. I I I 8. 13. I ENGINEERING SERVICES COMMITTEE COMMITTEE ROOM - November 24, 2003 3:00 P. M. PRESENT: Hons. Bob Young, Mayor; Cheek, Chairman; Colclough, Co- Chairman; Mays and Boyles, members; Harry James, Attorney; George Kolb, Administrator; Doug Cheek, Asst. Utilities Dept. Director; Teresa Smith, Public Works Director; Howard Willis, EMA Director; Lena Bonner, Clerk of Commission. Also Present: Hon. Hankerson, Commissioner. Mr. Chairman: We have one item to add and that is to discuss air quality in Augusta. Mr. Colclough: I move it be added. Mr. Boyles: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS: 3. Motion to approve resolution finding that that portion of Katherine and Pickens Streets shown on the attached map should be abandoned. 4. Approve deductive Change Order #1 to the Raw Water Meter Installation Project. This deductive change order is intended to adjust contract line items that were not fully utilized during this project. 6. Approve execution of the MEAG Governmental Encroachment Agreement No. 31086 (Bath-Dum Jon Transmission Line). 7. Approve execution of Georgia Power Company's Governmental Encroachment Agreement No. 31087 (Jefferson EMC #5 Bath 46 KV Transmission Line). Authorize the Utilities Department to hire a Safety Officer at a salary of $35,000 to be funded from the Utilities Department Administration Budget. (See background information under Item 2 of Administrative Services agenda) Consideration of a resolution supporting a 'Joint Land Use Study' sponsored by the Regional Development Center for developing and addressing land use issues around Ft. Gordon. Mr. Boyles: I so move. I Mr. Colclough: Second. I Motion adopted unanimously. 1. Motion to adopt Resolution abandoning that portion of Garlington Avenue at Government Street adjacent to Castleberry's Food Company located on Tax Map 58-2 and authorizing sale to Castleberry's Food Company for the sum of $1,000.00. (Referred from November 10 Engineering Services) Mr. Colclough: I move for approval. Mr. Boyles: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. 2. Presentation by Malcolm Pirnie, Inc. concerning benefit citywide energy audit. (Requested by Commissioner Cheek) Mr. Colclough: I make a motion that we accept this energy reduction plan as presented to us. Mr. Boyles: Second. After a discussion, Mr. Chairman: We could ask the Administrator to look over the contract and see ifthere is latitude to extend the professional services to them as opposed to going out for RFPs. I Mr. Colclough: ['II modifY my motion to include that. Mr. Kolb: I'll try to get something back to you in two weeks. Motion adopted unanimously. 12. Discuss open sewer ditch at 424 Kemp Drive. (Requested by Commissioner Boyles) At this time Mr. and Mrs. Meadows appeared before the Committee regarding the above item. Mr. Boyles: There is apparently sewerage leaking from somewhere into the ditch. Mrs. Meadows: This ditch is a real problem because there is a terrible odor. The county will come out and clean it periodically and there is also a problem with mosquitoes around that area that are so bad that no one can sit out in their yards or on their deck. I 2 I Mr. Doug Cheek: In 2000 we smoke tested the storm sewers and sanitary sewers in the area. That did not turn up very much. EPD also came down and looked at it with us and everyone came to the conclusion that it is coming from the septic tanks. We do have sewerage lines out there now but not everyone has tied into them. I am familiar with the ditch and in addition to the stench there is also some standing water which will breed a lot of mosquitoes. Mr. Chairman: Have we done any study about putting the pipe in? Ms. Smith: No, not at this time. Mr. Chairman: Can we get an estimate on what it would cost to cover it? Ms. Smith: Yes, and a recommendation of whether it should be done. Mr. Chairman: Let's try to get a report back at the first meeting in January. Mr. Doug Cheek: I'll look into it and see if we can do anything on a temporary basis to help with the odor. I Mr. Boyles: I'll try to organize a meeting with the neighborhood to discuss with them the matter of tying on to the sewer line, and I'll move that we receive the report back from the staff at the first meeting in January as we discussed and see if we can do anything in the meantime to help with the odor problem. Mr. Chairman: Also a bottle oflarvacide spray might help with the mosquito problem. Mr. Colclough: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. Mr. Chairman: Last week I attended a meeting and learned that the city of Atlanta has achieved a non-attainment status which means they cannot grow any more industry. They cannot expand existing plants and the environmental restrictions are so stringent that many existing companies are looking at leaving the area. Augusta is also close to being non-conforming and this is something we need to be concerned about. I Mr. Randy Barrs made a presentation about this problem and the implications it involves for local industries. He noted that no new industry would come in here if the area is declared non-attainment and that they have formed a committee to determine what can be done. He stated that Aiken County has taken some proactive measures since they are facing the same problems. They have converted their city fleet to use biofuel and are encouraging others to use it also. 3 Mr. Kolb: We are involved with this effort but it will take money to make some of the changes that need to be made. We have not had a violation in three years and I believe that we will come off of the list next year. We're meeting on Wednesday internally to look at some things we can do, but all of these will cost money and I don't know where that money will come from. I Mr. Colclough: I would want to know how you suggest that we reduce the amount that we're putting in the air. Ms. Smith: We have a draft list and we will be reviewing that on Wednesday and discussing what we think can be done. Mr. Colclough: I think we have the suggestion that our staff will have an internal meeting on Wednesday and that they will share with us a report on that and when we get a final report, that we share that with industry and out of that meeting that we start generating a five-year plan on how we're going to improve air quality. Mr. Boyles: I so move. Mr. Colclough: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. 5. Ratify funds in the amount of $18,325.79 for payment for emergency repairs to the Augusta Canal Bank at the Raw Water Pumping Station. I Mr. Mays: I move it be approved. Mr. Colclough: Second. Mr. Chairman: I think those trees on the canal bank need to be cut down. Mr. Mays: The maker of the motion will accept that too. Mr. Colclough: I'll accept that also. After further discussion, it was the consensus of the Committee that the matter of cutting down the trees be brought back to the next meeting. Motion adopted unanimously. 9. Mr. Ed Copeland to appear before the Committee regarding solid waste charges. (Requested by Commissioner Shepard) Mr. Shepard: Mr. Copeland was furnished containers which he refused to utilize and he has gotten rid of his dumpster. He thinks the fairer thing for him to do would be I 4 I to pay the last three months of this year on what amounts to five accounts. I think the problem is that he has failed to use the carts after they were furnished to him. Mr. Chairman: The other problem was he was under contract for this dumpster at the time he had waste service brought to him and he could not get out of his contract with BFI and they continued to charge him. Mr. Shepard: This is at 2553 Plantation and 2253 Plantation. He is willing to pay the charges for the last quarter. The total amount was $731.25. Mr. Boyles: I move that we abate the bill and ask Mr. Saul's office to rebill him with a new penalty date. Mr. Colclough: Second. Motion adopted unanimously. 10. Discussion of the Barton Chapel Road Project. (Requested by Commissioner Hankerson) I Mr. Hankerson: I'm still concerned about the construction on Barton Chapel Road. I'd like to know what is going on about it. Mr. Kolb: There is an issue with the utility lines and whether or not they are located in our right-of-way. The utility lines are in a private easement rather than the right-of-way and since we are moving the right-of-way into that easement, we have to pay for the relocation of the poles. Our position was that the utility lines had to be replaced; they disagreed, but I think it's been resolved. Mr. Colclough: When will it happen? Mr. Kolb: Mr. Wall will have to determine that. There has to be an agreement that Georgia Power accepts. Mr. Colclough: I'll make a motion that we go ahead and pay Georgia Power to move those poles and get the proj ect going. Mr. Chairman: Do we have a cost on it yet? Mr. Kolb: No. We'll try to get that information by Tuesday. Mr. Colclough: I'll move that Public Works bring some figures back on Tuesday to find out how much this project will cost us so we can move forward on it. I Mr. Chairman: And an assessment of how much is left in the SPLOST. 5 Mr. Mays: Second. 1 Motion adopted unanimously. 11. Discuss status of Foster Lane. (Requested by Commissioner Shepard) Mr. Willis: We want to put a meeting together so that we can discuss it further. Mr. Chairman: We're supposed to acquiring right-of-way for the secondary ingress/egress and I don't know where that is at this time. I guess it may be in the attorney's office. Mr. Shepard: Perhaps we can have a report at the next meeting. Mr. Chairman: So that needs to go to the attorney and we need a report back at the next meeting on acquisition for secondary ingress/egress and closure of Foster Lane. Mr. Mays: Could we also look at some numbers to upgrade and improve the road? Mr. Willis: Has there been any discussion about the bridge at the Levee at the Lock and Dam? It is passable for a small vehicle across there. Mr. Chairman: We need to get a motion to get a report back from our attorney. I Mr. Colclough: I so move. Mr. Boyles: Second. Mr. Kolb: And the condition of the road. Motion adopted unanimously. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. Lena J. Bonner Clerk of Commission nwrn 1- 6