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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Public Works/Planning - 12/01/2014 Public Works Committee Minutes December 1, 2014 COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT: Committee Chair, Dennis Higgins, and Committee members Dana Ralph and Brenda Fincher were present. The meeting was called to order at 4:00 p.m. Item 1 — Approval of Meeting Minutes Dated November 17, 2014: Committee member Fincher MOVED to approve the minutes of November 17, 2014. The motion was SECONDED by Committee member Ralph and PASSED 3-0. Item 2 —Information Only/Solid Waste, Recycling, Yard & Food Waste Contract - Negotiations: Special Projects Manager, Kelly Peterson noted that in 2010, the City of Kent signed a contract with Allied Waste, now Republic Services, to collect solid waste, recycling and yard and food waste within the City. The term of the contract is 7 years starting April 1, 2011, and expiring March 31, 2018. The contract allows two extensions, each of which shall not exceed two (2) years in duration at the sole option of the Kent City Council. Assuming the extensions were exercised, the contract could be in effect until March 31, 2022. Republic Services is requesting to renegotiate portions of the contract including but not limited to the following: 1) including (embedding) commercial recycling with solid waste; 2) restructuring ancillary fees to better match the cost of service; 3) modifying the consumer price indices used to adjust rates; 4) adjusting the contract term [10 year contract with two (2) 5-year extensions]; 5) incorporating maximum weight limits for commercial containers; 6) revising the semi-annual clean- up event schedule; and 7) adding language concerning changes in taxes. Peterson stated that staff believes there may be benefits for the City, Republic Services and the customers of the solid waste utility. To fully explore these potential benefits, staff will commence negotiations with Republic Services on the aforementioned items to see if an amended contract can be mutually beneficial. Information Only/No Motion Required Item 3 — Local Option Capital Asset Loan/Washington State Treasurer — LED Street Light Replacement: Special Projects Manager, Kelly Peterson stated that the Washington State Treasurer administers the Local Option Capital Asset Lending ("LOCAL") program, which is an expanded version of the successful state agency lease/purchase program. The program was created to provide the lowest cost financing for state and local agency purchases by pooling funding needs into larger offerings of securities. Local government agencies of all types can finance equipment or real estate needs through the State Treasurer's office subject to existing debt limitations and financial considerations. In August 2014, Council authorized the Mayor to apply for a LOCAL loan not to exceed $3,000,000 to replace City-owned high pressure sodium street lights with LED lights. The City submitted its application and the next step in the process is an ordinance authorizing the financing contract. The entire cost of the project is $2,621,937.00. If Kent is successful in securing grant funds through the Department of Commerce Energy Efficiency and Solar Grants program, the cost to the City will be lowered to $2,250,000. The City applied for the grant and will find out in mid-December if the grant application was successful. 1 Public Works Committee Minutes December 1, 2014 In order to obtain financing, the City must adopt an authorizing ordinance and send the financing documents to the State prior to January 10, 2015. The City can elect not to proceed with the financing up to January 20, 2015. If the City proceeds, the City will be able to obtain funds from the State starting March 24, 2015. Committee member Ralph MOVED to recommend Council adopt an Ordinance authorizing the execution of a financing contract and documentation required for the acquisition of LED street lights through the Washington State Local Option Capital Asset Lending program, subject to final terms and conditions acceptable to the City Attorney and Public Works Director. The motion was SECONDED by Committee member Fincher and PASSED 3- 0. Item 4 — Mill Creek Re-Establishment Proiect/Consultant Agreement with Shannon & Wilson — Wetland Delineation: Environmental Ecologist, Matt Knox talked about items 4 and 5 together, with separate motions for each item. Knox stated that there is a problem with sediment and chronic flooding on James Street near Kennebeck Avenue 761h Avenue South between S. 2281h and S. 2121h Streets also experience persistent flooding during heavy rain events. Saturated soils underneath these roadways reduce their longevity and lead to frequent, costly road repairs. Residences along Kennebeck Avenue and the Kent Senior Center often employ sandbags to keep floodwaters out. Many drainage improvements in the Kent Valley have been made in the past decade, but these persistent problem areas remain. Knox explained that Mill Creek is the stream channel that drains the downtown and industrial areas of Kent. In past decades, this creek channel was dredged to maintain channel capacity. Obtaining environmental permits for dredging projects has become increasingly difficult however, and dredging has not occurred in this creek for at least 20 years. During this time, sediment has continued to wash down from Earthworks Canyon and upstream areas, accumulating in the low-lying Kent Valley. In order to remove accumulated sediments and reduce valley flooding, dredging is now proposed again in Mill Creek. A number of environmental permits will be needed to complete this work. Shannon &Wilson, Inc. was chosen to conduct a wetland and stream delineation and rating to comply with local, state and federal code. They will also perform a biological evaluation to ascertain the effects of the Mill Creek project on species listed under the Endangered Species Act. Committee member Fincher MOVED to recommend Council authorize the Mayor to sign a consultant services agreement with Shannon &Wilson in an amount not to exceed $49,892 for wetland and stream delineation and biological evaluation services subject to final terms and conditions acceptable to the City Attorney and Public Works Director. The motion was SECONDED by Committee member Ralph and PASSED 3-0. Item 5 — Mill Creek Re-Establishment Proiect Consultant Agreement with AMEC Environment and Infrastructure, Inc. — Sediment Study: Knox stated that the proposed sediment study will revisit previous studies and determine current sources of sediment and ways to reduce it. A prioritized list of potential sediment-reducing projects will be proposed that may serve as mitigation measures for the Mill Creek project. 2 Public Works Committee Minutes December 1, 2014 Committee member Ralph MOVED to authorize the Mayor to sign a consultant services agreement with AMEC Environment and Infrastructure in an amount not to exceed $83,911 for a sediment study of Mill Creek, subject to final terms and conditions acceptable to the City Attorney and Public Works Director. The motion was SECONDED by Committee member Fincher and PASSED 3-0. Item 6 - South 2241h Street Improvement Project Consultant Services Agreement with GeoEngineers, Inc. - Bridge: Design Engineering Supervisor, Ken Langholz noted that the purpose of the South 2241h Corridor project is to provide an improved transportation corridor between the Kent Valley and the Kent East Hill. Ultimately, the project will connect the South 2281h Corridor at East Valley Highway in the Kent Valley to State Route (SR) 515 at SE 2161h Street on the Kent East Hill. He noted that the project is divided into three phases. The proposal submitted to the committee concerns geotechnical services required to complete the design of the project for Phase I and II. Committee member Fincher MOVED to recommend Council authorize the Mayor to sign the Consultant Services Agreement with GeoEngineers, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $98,937 to provide geotechnical services for the south 2241h Street Improvement Project, subject to final terms and conditions acceptable to the City Attorney and Public Works Director. The motion was SECONDED by Committee member Ralph and PASSED 3-0. Item 7 - 2015 Business &Occupation Project List: Public Works Director, Tim LaPorte presented a revised expenditure list for street system needs utilizing the Business & Occupation tax revenues for 2015. Howlett also presented an informative PowerPoint presentation with photographs and maps of the roads that have been worked on to date as well as what is to be worked on in 2015. Committee member Ralph MOVED to approve the street improvement project list recommended by the Public Works Director, and approve payment of these project costs, except as may be supplemented by grant funds or additional council authorization, from the 2015 Business & Occupation Tax receipts. The motion was SECONDED by Committee member Fincher and PASSED 3-0. Item 8 -Information Only/Grant List Update: Design Engineering Manager, Mark Howlett noted that during the November 17, 2014 Public Works Committee meeting staff made a presentation showing project for which the City has been awarded grant funds. Part of the presentation that was given was a summary spreadsheet showing the projects and a partial accounting of the funding. Committee members asked that this item be brought back to them with an updated spreadsheet showing when the grants expire. Howlett provided the added information to committee. Information Only/No Motion Required The meeting was adjourned at 4:58 p.m. Cheryl Viseth Council Committee Recorder 3