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| Public Works
Committee Actions |
FEBRUARY 7, 2006
ATTENDANCE: Bill Krummel, Chairman; Doug Hempstead; Kelly Straniti;
Fred Bondi; Carvin Hilliard (7:55 p.m.)
STAFF: Hal Alvord, DPW Director; Richard Linnartz, DPW Principal Engineer;
Lisa Bardon,DPW Operations Manager
OTHER: Leigh Grant; Tony Doumlele
CALL TO ORDER
Chairman Krummel called the meeting to order at 7:40 p.m.
PUBLIC HEARING
Public Hearing to Appoint Freeholders in connection with the road abandonment on a portion of Lynes Place scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
Chairman Krummel said they have to reschedule the public hearing for March 7, 2006 at 7:30 p.m. due to a problem with advertising.
** MR. BONDI MOVED TO RESCHEDULE THE PUBLIC HEARING TO MARCH 7, 2006 AT 7:30
P.M.
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
APPROVAL/AUTHORIZATIONS
1. Approve the Minutes from the Public Works Committee meeting of Tuesday, January 3, 2006.
** MR. HEMPSTEAD MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF TUESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2006.
The correction to the minutes is as follows:
On page 4, under item 6. c.1., 2nd sentence, the word cab should be CAD.
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
2. Appoint Freeholders in connection with the road abandonment on a portion of Lynes Place.
** MR. HEMPSTEAD MOVED TO TABLE THIS ITEM TO MARCH 7, 2006 AT 7:30 P.M.
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
3. Authorize the Purchasing Agent to issue a Purchase Order to Interstate Ford Truck Sales for a Sterling LT9500/AquaTech B-10 storm sewer vacuum truck/jet rodder for a sum not to exceed $223,268.00.
Account No. 0906 4010 5777 C0377
** MR. BONDI MOVED TO AUTHORIZE THE PURCHASING AGENT TO ISSUE A PURCHASE ORDER TO INTERSTATE FORD TRUCK SALES FOR A STERLING LT9500/AQUATECH B-10 STORM SEWER VACUUM TRUCK/JET RODDER FOR A SUM NOT TO EXCEED $223,268.00.
Mr. Alvord said that this will be the standard vacuum truck in the fleet from now on. The Department does have several old vacuum trucks in the fleet, and they do have another AquaTech truck. They have requested this model of vacuum truck each year in the capital budget for subsequent years.
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
4. Authorize the Purchasing Agent to issue a Purchase Order to Norwalk Fence to install a security fence at the Public Works center for an amount not to exceed $10,000.
Account No. 0902 71 5777 C0225
Mr. Hempstead wanted it noted for the record that Norwalk Fence does do work for Stew Leonard’s from time to time.
** MS. STRANITI MOVED TO AUTHORIZE THE PURCHASING AGENT TO ISSUE A PURCHASE ORDER TO NORWALK FENCE TO INSTALL A SECURITY FENCE AT THE PUBLIC WORKS CENTER FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $10,000.
Ms. Bardon explained that they are trying to keep the area secure from vandalism and theft after hours. They have received three quotes. Mr. Bondi said Norwalk Fence has done some work for Parks & Recreation, and he was concerned about their timeliness. Mr. Alvord said they will set a schedule. The other bids came in under $10,000.
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
5. Authorize the Mayor, Richard A. Moccia, to execute an Agreement with Southport Associates, to provide engineering services in connection with the South Norwalk Lighting Improvement Project, for a sum not to exceed $15,000.
Account No. 0906 4021 5777 C0380
** MR. BONDI MOVED TO AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR, RICHARD A. MOCCIA, TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH SOUTHPORT ASSOCIATES, TO PROVIDE ENGINEERING SERVICES IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOUTH NORWALK LIGHTING IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, FOR A SUM NOT TO EXCEED $15,000.
Chairman Krummel said there is a copy of the letter from Southport Associates
in the packet. Mr. Linnartz said this is part of the special appropriations
to upgrade lighting in the South Norwalk area, specifically at the Metro-North
railroad bridge on North Water Street, the Metro-North railroad bridge on Marshall
Street and Ann Street, and to install two historic light fixtures to fill in
the gap at Ann Street. The other item would be to relocate seven 7 historic
streetlights on the east side of North Water Street, south of the Maritime Aquarium
and IMAX. The firm was selected on the basis of qualifications and negotiated
on the design fee.
Mr. Hilliard arrived at 7:55 p.m.
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
DISCUSSION
6. Project Updates
a. Repaving of lower East Avenue (Exit 16 to Winfield Street).
Mr. Linnartz explained that they estimated this repaving job to be about $150,000. They are evaluating if they can get four lanes out of the roadway. Mr. Alvord said this is a temporary paving job to improve the lower section of East Avenue. They are not giving up on the $2.4M grant that accompanies the ConnDot rail reconstruction of that underpass. They will transfer the money from the traffic calming account. This will be on the Board of Estimate and Taxation agenda for Monday, February 13, 2006.
b. Perry Avenue bridge over Silvermine River.
The capital budget request is for $350,000 for repairs to railings and a new bridge deck. The load rating was conducted by an independent consulting firm. The concrete deck over the bridge will redistribute the load. The project doesn’t widen the bridge, but there will be a new surface to drive on and a foundation to put railings on. It’s 16 ft at it’s narrowest point, and it would be put back to that with the sidewalk. There are several concepts to explore. One of the difficulties is that the bridge is historic, and an attempt to rebuild it might diminish it’s historic nature. Mr. Alvord said there is still the issue of alternating two-way traffic, and the sight lines on Perry Avenue. The preference of the residents is to put the sidewalk on the north side of the bridge. Traffic counts were conducted, and there were 1,000 cars a day using the bridge. They will have to wait until late March to conduct a two-week test period. Work will begin in the Fall.
Chairman Krummel invited Ms. Leigh Grant and Mr. Tony Doumlele, who are area residents, to speak. Mr. Doumlele said that regarding the traffic count, he felt that it would drive the neighborhood crazy if they change the traffic direction. Mr. Linnartz explained that during the two-week test period, the drivers will yield to oncoming traffic. If they are comfortable with this pattern and the sight lines, it will become permanent. Mr. Doumlele said that due to the test period, the readings will be low and of limited value. Mr. Alvord explained that the counters tell which direction the vehicle is going, how fast it’s going, and what kind of vehicle it is. He said they are making every reasonable and logically professional attempt to do what the residents prefer.
Ms. Leigh Grant said she felt that a dangerous traffic situation has been made worse, and that they can’t wait until September to fix it. There are stand-offs and near accidents, and it’s an ongoing problem. There isn’t any other way to go through Silvermine. She said they are in agreement with a one-lane bridge, but it has to be two-way traffic. Mr. Alvord said that some of the options are to make it wider, or to close it down completely until the work is done and it is made safer. He said that they have not done a total financial analysis, but it’s up into the millions of dollars.
Mr. Hempstead said that when they renovated the Fillow Street bridge years ago, they followed the State standards, but now they have a slab bridge with metal railings that is not appealing. The Silvermine bridge is an historic bridge, and Ms. Grant said she has nominated it for the National Register. She said it is in the center of an historic district, and she doesn’t want to see it destroyed or made larger.
Mr. Alvord said that they have heard from both neighborhood associations, and the issue remains to be one-way traffic permanently, or two-way traffic permanently. The neighborhood associations have a meeting with Mayor Moccia on February 17, 2006.
7. DPW Budget Submissions
a. Operating Budget – functional overview
Mr. Alvord gave a quick summary of the calendar that the operating budget faces before it gets to Council. The only scheduled review left on the operating budget is March 21 with the Board of Estimate and Taxation. The finance director has come up with his recommendations. He had a meeting with the Mayor and reviewed both budgets. He will use the same format to present to the Board of Estimate & Taxation. The total operating budget submission is for $20,476,000. When you subtract the fixed costs that were already obligated, i.e. salaries and contracts, it leaves $4.8M that is available and then broken down into categories.
Mr. Alvord then presented from his written report. He reviewed each tab in the report.
Tab 1 – Support to Schools. This budget submission does not include support to schools. The support-to-school line is $32,000, and that is exhausted already. For city liability purposes, they have to continue to maintain the schools. They will request a special appropriation at the end of the year.
Tab 2 – Solid Waste Management. The solid waste contract with CRRA expires
in December 2008. CRRA has an agreement with Wheelabrator, who runs the Bridgeport
burn plant, and that agreement is that Wheelabrator will own the plant as of
January 2009 for $1.00. Mr. Alvord said they are concerned about the contract
expiring and the rising costs of garbage hauling, and they are looking to explore
other options.
Tab 3 – People. There are 51 funded positions in the highway division of the
department. This number doesn’t include supervision management. With shortages
in other departments, roughly 25 people will be handling the highway division
responsibilities. There is a shortage of mechanics. A city the size of Norwalk
can’t be adequately maintained with the amount of personnel it has.
Tab 4 – Tree Maintenance. They have limited in-house abilities to take down
trees. They have a contract with Olmstead, and the city gets $100,000 annually
in that account. The account was exhausted in December. They have a special
appropriations request before the Board of Estimate and Taxation for approval
on Monday, February 13, 2006. The tree-related work orders are now close to
300.
Tab 5 – Drainage System Maintenance. They are regulated under the Stormwater
Management Program under the EPA, and regulated by the DEP, to clean the storm
drain system each year. They do not meet the requirements of the permit, as
they don’t have the necessary heavy duty equipment to do so.
Tab 6 – Building Management Services. They have had Grubb & Ellis as their building management contractor for over 8 years. The Council did approve an extension to the contract. They will send out an RFP for next year. The prices are 8 ½ years old. The additional $206,000 is their estimate to advertise and select another building management company.
Tab 7 – Cleaning Services. This is a subset, and the contracts and services that Grubb & Ellis oversees are contracts between the service providers and the City. Services Management Group (SMG) handles all the janitorial, mechanical and plumbing work for the city. It was unionized last fall. The contract expires April 1, 2006. An RFP will be issued.
Tab 8 – Consolidate Parks Maintenance. Mr. Alvord said that this is not a
new proposal. In previous discussions, the consensus was to not merge the two
departments. Parks Maintenance is currently handling itself very well now. There
could be a demand for cross-over of personnel at times, and the assets can’t
be quickly or easily shared if they operate separately.
Tab 9 – Legal Services. They had to pay for outside legal services this year.
They have now budgeted for outside legal services.
b. Capital budget overview
Mr. Alvord presented from his written report. He reviewed each tab in the report, and said that they know what items were recommended by the finance director. He highlighted a few of them.
They requested $584,000 for the Public Works Center for building and structural repairs. The number was cut to $152,000.
There is a serious issue with the boilers at Ben Franklin.
The finance director recommended all items under bridges except for retaining walls.
The finance director recommended a bucket loader, two snowplows, and a street sweeper.
The GIS map update is a very important budget item as the aerial map hasn’t been updated in 12 years.
He said items 3-6 were not recommended, and traffic calming was not recommended.
OTHER
8. Action on any item discussed herein.
None.
9. Next Public Works Committee Meeting:
Tuesday, March 7, 2006
Public Works Library, Room 225, Norwalk City Hall
** MR. HILLIARD MOVED TO ADJOURN.
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:10 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Carolyn Marr
Telesco Secretarial Services
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