HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-22-1999CITY OF AUBURN PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE MINUTES MARCH 22, 1999
I. CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 4:35 p.m. Those in attendance were Mayor Booth,
Committee Chainnan Rich Wagner, Council/Committee member Gene Cerino, and
Councilmember Pete Lewis substituting for Council/Committee member Fred Poe, whose
absence was excused. Staff in attendance were Public Works Director Christine Engler,
City Engineer Dennis Dowdy, Senior Engineer Dennis Selle, Traffic Engineer Steve
Mullen, Utilities Engineer Dwight Holobaugh, Water Utility Engineer Lara McKinnon,
Project Engineer Carl Every, Storm Drainage Engineer Tim Carlaw, and Engineering Aide
Pam Miller.
Guest in attendance was Kathy Minsch, Puget Sound Water Quality Action Team.
II. CONSENT
A. AMENDMENT NO. 3 TO AGREEMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES BETWEEN
THE CITY AND THOMAS D. MORTIMER JR
This amendment increases the hourly billing rate from $125 to $135 and updates the scope of
work for the year. It also extends the contract until December 31, 1999. Funding for the
work will come from the appropriate capital project budget or from professional services.
There is $125,000 approved budget in professional services for water legal services that are
not directly project related.
In response to a question from the Committee, staff responded that most of the work
performed by Mortimer lately has not been project related, but has been in relation to
endangered species and water rights. Direct project-related work has been IA2 work.
B. PERMISSION TO ADVERTISE PR 548, "B" STREET LID
The project will improve 2,088 linear feet of "B" Street NW between 30th Street NW and
371h Street NW, an existing two-lane roadway with ditches on both sides. The half-street (24
feet wide) will be constructed with sidewalks, curbs, gutters, and illumination on the east side
of the street. The existing drainage ditch on the west side of the street will be widened to
create additional stormwater runoff storage, conveyance, and water quality improvement. An
LID has been formed and will contribute $587,827. Amounts budgeted for the project for
1999 are $136,000 from the arterial street fund and $10,000 from the storm utility. A budget
adjustment of $168,729 will be required this year to complete funding for the project, based
on the pre-bid estimate.
Senior Engineer Selle reported that the Depamnent of Ecology has approved the wetland
plans, and Corps approval is anticipated. The City plans to advertise for bids in April.
PUBLIC WORKS COMMITFEE MINUTES MARCH 22, 1998
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Question was raised regarding the increase in City participation. Selle responded that the
wetland costs are greater than anticipated, and reminded the Committee that these costs are
based on a pre-bid estimate which includes a 10% contingency factor.
It was moved by Cerino, seconded by Lewis, that the Committee approve the Consent
Agenda.
MOTION CARRIED
III. ISSUES
A. RESOLUTION NO. 3070, GRANTING PROPERTY FROM THE CITY OF AUBURN
WATER UTILITY TO THE CITY OF AUBURN
Resolution No. 3070 grants a 30-foot southerly portion of City of Auburn Water Utility
Enterprise Fund property to the City to provide right-of-way for street purposes. The
property being granted is within the current road rights-of-way need for South 316th Street
near 'W' Street NW.
Transferring property from an enterprise fund such as the water utility to the City's general
fund assets has traditionally been done by statutory warranty deed. After research by the
Utilities Engineer and the City Attorney, it has been determined that this is an administrative
action that can be handled by resolution to provide the appropriate accounting audit trail.
It was moved by Cerino, seconded by Lewis, that the Committee recommend Council adopt
Resolution No. 3070
MOTION CARRIED
B. RESOLUTION NO. 3072, AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF AN AGREEMENT FOR
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES WITH ECONOMIC AND ENGINEERING SERVICES,
INC.
Resolution No. 3072 authorizes the Mayor and City Clerk to sign an Agreement for
Professional Services with Economic and Engineering Services, Inc. (EES) for engineering
services related to City of Aubum Project No. PR 629, Corrosion Control Facilities.
The City of Auburn Water Utility proposes to construct two corrosion control treatment
facilities to adjust the pH of treated water from Coal Creek Springs and Wells 2 and 7 (and
possibly Well 6A). The first facility will be located at the Coal Creek Springs Pump Station
site; the second will be located at Fulmer Field.
PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE MINUTES MARCH 22, 1998
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Scope of work for the engineering services has been broken into two phases. Phase I consists
of early design development work including program management, permitting assistance,
and 30% design development. Phase I concludes with the approvals by the City and
Department of Health. Phase II involves preparation of plans and specifications for bidding,
acquisition of permits, and program management.
Question was raised as to the responsibilities of the consultant. Water Utility Engineer
McKinnon responded the City maintains control over design services to be offered and the
consultant agrees to a set of prices for total design. At the end of the 30% phase, EES will
make their submittals and the City will then exercise its next group of options for final
design, which is a method of controlling what you get in terms of scope of design and cost.
McKinnon confirmed for Wagner that the soft costs of the project are $2.2 million, with the
hard (or actual construction costs) totaling $6.0 million, for a total project cost of $8.3
million.
It was moved by Cerino, seconded by Lewis, that the Committee recommend Council adopt
Resolution No. 3072.
MOTION CARRIED
C. RESOLUTION NO. 3073 AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF A PIPE LINE AGREEMENT
WITH BURLINGTON NORTHERN SANTA FE RAILWAY
Resolution No. 3073 authorizes the Mayor to execute a Pipe Line License agreement with
Burlington Northem and Santa Fe Railway Company (BNSF) to construct and maintain a 12-
inch water pipe line under the BNSF tracks along 3rd Street SW between 'B ' SWeet SW and
"C" Street SW. The cost of the license includes a processing fee, a permit fee, and a blanket
railroad protective insurance policy required for work in the BNSF property. The license is
necessary for work related to project PR 529, 3rd Street Grade Separation, and will be paid
from those project funds.
Question was raised as to how many of these agreements the City will be asked to execute in
relation to the 3rd SW and South 277th Street grade crossing projects. Senior Engineer Selle
estimated that there could be a minimum of 6-8 of them, and stated that most utility crossing
agreements are executed individually for the specific use proposed. BNSF had requested that
this particular crossing be a separate one. It was noted that the agreement is currently in the
City's Legal Department and will be fully reviewed by Legal prior to being presented to the
full Council.
It was moved by Cerino, seconded by Lewis, that the Committee recommend Council adopt
Resolution No. 3073.
MOTION CARRIED
PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE MINUTES MARCH 22, 1998
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IV. INFORMATION OR DISCUSSION
A. TRAFFIC SIGNAL INTERCONNECT
Traffic Engineer Mullen gave a presentation on the City's signal interconnect system, which
began in 1993, with five zones in the City. The system is currently comprised of 55 signals
in eight zones and can be expanded for future zones. Mullen reviewed the eight zones and
talked about future system plans, which include adding two more zones (Transit and S. 277th)
and developing zone maps and intersection maps for each zone and intersection to improve
monitoring. Discussion followed.
B. REQUEST FROM WSDOT FOR REMITTANCE OF $175,128.32 RELATED TO
RACETRACK INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS
Public Works Director Engler reported that staff have researched the history of the submittal
and stated the agreement with WSDOT was not timeframe specific. However, the State
contends the special capital appropriation of funds from the State for this project was
requested in the 1995-1997 budget cycle, and was not reappropriated in the 1997-1999
budget cycle. The City was not able to submit its final request for reimbursement to the State
until September 1998 because the last bill connected with the project was not paid until June
of 1998. The State's alternative to collecting a check from the City for $175,128.32 would
be to withhold that amount of fuel tax revenues from the City. One source of funds to
reimburse the State could be the money that was budgeted for the sidewalk project in the
Dogwood area. That project will not be pursued since it involved an LID that was strongly
protested by the property owners. Staff will continue to work with the State to resolve this
issue.
C. 4(d) RULE LIPDATE
City Engineer Dowdy gave an update on the ESA listing of Chinook and the potential to
influence an ESA 4(d) rule, and stated there are still many unanswered questions. Lengthy
discussion was held on the effects of the ESA listing on the City, and what has been done at
the Tfi-County and WRIA levels thus far.
Senior Engineer Selle reported on the effects the ESA listing is having on City federally
funded transportation projects. Because the National Marine Fishcries Service (NMFS) is
not well staffed and they are concentrating on programmatic issues dealing with the ESA, the
Biological Assessment review process is being slowed down considerably, creating a
slowdown on projects. The Federal Highway Administration is not releasing any additional
federal funding on transportation projects until they get assurance from NMFS that the
Biological Assessments will go forward. WSDOT is working with NMFS in an effort to
provide resources to help speed up the process. So far, only the City's 3rd Street SW Grade
Separation project is being delayed by TransAid for right-of-way acquisition.
PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE MINUTES MARCH 22, 1998
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Kathy Minsch, Puget Sound Water Quality Action Team, gave a presentation on what the
team is doing in regard to the 4(d) rule. They are a parmer with the Department of Ecology
and serve as liaison to the King and Pierce County jurisdictions. She reviewed priorities for
their 1997-99 work plan. She discussed the problems presented by stormwater, stating that
resolution is both an environmental and economic issue. Keys to water quality include a
need for local jurisdictions to look at their ordinances and revise or adopt new ones that set
forth best management practices and address development and redevelopment, and public
education.
D. CAPITAL PROJECT STATUS REPORT
It was noted that the force account work at the Green River pump station ceased just before
noon on Friday, as the site stabilization work has been completed.
V. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before the Public Works Committee, the meeting
was adjourned at 6:22 p.m.
PM/bd
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