Committee Minutes

Grand Forks City Council Service/Safety Standby Committee
Tuesday, June 16, 2009 - 4:30 p.m.____________________

The Service/Safety Standby Committee met on Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at 4:30 p.m. in Room A101 in City Hall with Committee Chair Kreun presiding. Present at roll call were Kreun, Bjerke, Bakken.

Others present included: Chief Packett, Saroj Jerath, Pete Haga, Todd Feland, Earl Haugen, Maureen Storstad, Roxanne Fiala, Jane Williams, Dale Bergman, LeahRae Amundson.

1. New landfill update.
Todd Feland, director of Public Works, reported that he had received requests to rent or buy the Klein property, asked for committee's recommendation. Committee stated not in favor of renting property but suggested going with either purchase or lease/purchase and after up and running make final decision. Feland stated he wanted to make sure this was open process and everybody has opportunity, that he will contact city attorney's office and get final documents and will bring package back to committee for their review.

Regarding the Scott and Homstad properties, have appraisals but hasn't heard from either of them recently and if he should get back to them or how to proceed. Committee stated that if they call and want to discuss or when we are secure in utilization of the landfill if they want to make an offer, let them initiate the contact.

On Monday when have special city council meeting re. bikeway issue, Mr. Swanson is planning to bring the resolution on Rye 13 back to council re. land purchase, and will be on agenda for final resolution on that issue. The city attorney's office is working on right of way for landfill road, trying to finish appraisal, that we have quick take authority for that but need to get some appraisals done, there are multiple property owners, and trying to complete so can get road construction started this year. There is some resistance re. purchase.

A pre-construction meeting scheduled on June 25 with construction start in July, that land purchase critical thing and if get resolved on Monday, closing on property was scheduled for July 1, and hopefully can meet that date.

He stated he is working with Pete Haga and Melanie Parvey re. methane, going to take $75,000 and do another phase study on that to quantify and qualify the methane, there has been a grant opportunity with the Dept. of Energy and seriously looking at applying for the grant, one part is industrial facility i.e., landfill for methane for beneficial purposes. Grant is 50/50 and estimate landfill methane project at $4 million, get $2 million grant, and thinks good idea because when initially looked at the landfill methane looking at 6 to 8 years payback with all city money and no free money from government - $75,000 study with deadline of July 14 to submit application, and working with consultants to put together that application, and with committee's okay would plan to submit that under this timeframe for construction and if doesn't work out, not forced to take it. Will keep committee informed.

2. Public Works Facility renovation.
Feland presented information relating to renovation of the public works building at est. cost of $1.2 million, purpose is to bring all departments together in closer working area; that they have added other departments in the building: sanitation, water distribution, greenway, wastewater and stormwater, and goal is to get everybody in one area and have more ability to work together, consolidate and eliminate middle management jobs.

He had EAPC look at cost to renew the public works building - on the south end of the building (old Coke building) that mechanical and electrical systems old and outdated and reviewed estimates of cost. Updated mechanical (update HVAC throughout the building) and electrical systems (adding new lighting throughout the building), is large portion of cost. Conveying system is to install elevator in the building; furnishings is $50,000 allotment for office furniture, etc. and finishing is building new offices. He stated they would add all new doors and windows and add windows in mezzanine level; and other major portion is pipework and that relates to a monument and landscaping, etc., would have meeting and training spaces included He stated there isn't a good time to approach the subject matter, didn't bring up in 2007 and following years and that if keep waiting, right time won't happen and need to renovate the space.
Administration said they could put it in the 2010 budget and perhaps doing something this year, that he is running this past committee asking for feedback. He stated if allowed to go ahead would ask architect, EAPC, to refine design and get a better estimate.

Committee stated this is on-going and part of procedure and may have to spread out over two years. It was noted that the City purchased the building in 1994 (Coke plant built in 1974) and some renovation at that time in order to get people moved in, etc., lot of things original (bathrooms, etc.); have facility with truck traffic moving in and out on both sides of the office and improve air quality of the building and improve basic working of the building. Funding would be a loan from Water Fund with payback over time by various departments.

Bjerke questioned why they didn't have better plan for repair/renovation of public buildings - that this came out of nowhere and if known earlier could have used stimulus money to update this building - that if continue to borrow from Water Fund in 15 to 20 year increments won't have money in that fund when building water plant. He stated this is first phase, and asked what is second phase, and also questioned use of elevator. He stated that he will be meeting with Mr. Feland on Tuesday of next week and go through in detail.

Feland noted that this is first attempt to bring up this issue - that they have worked on lot of things and office was lowest priority and this was attempt to facilitate management and have been there going on 15 years and put in 2010 or future budget, wants to bring public works people together. He asked for feedback from committee as have been waiting long time because building starting to run down - should have been brought in in 2008. Kreun noted that it is department heads job to do this - and Kreun and Bakken suggested time to move forward and bring this to committee of the whole. Feland stated he would put this item on a future COW agenda.

3. Rail crossings.
Jane Williams, traffic engineer, stated this was joint effort along with Pete Haga and Earl Haugen, consolidation on the items into one memo to bring everyone up to speed.

Quiet zone was first component listed and that Earl Haugen had done power point presentation that showed what needed to install at different crossing and an estimate of about $300,000 per crossing to make compliant to quiet zone, since that time reduced our risk as not as many vehicles crossing the tracks in relationship to train crossings so have asked MPO to do a study this year on various crossings for safety issues, etc. and will be done the latter part of this year and will be getting study on each of the crossings, looking at several lines, main line and 42nd Street and also Mill spur line re. safety issues, what it would take to create quiet zones and cost.

Second issue - in 2008 the NDDoT solicited request for crossings that currently were unprotected or needed upgrading for schools, where have children crossing to and from schools that needed some upgrades, reviewed and submitted 5 locations along the Mill spur - at University, 5th, 2nd, 8th and 4th - and as a result of that BNSF and NDDot came out and reviewed that spur couple weeks ago and also looked to see what it would take to create a quiet zone - they are preparing report on that.

Third one council reviewed is funding issue for 3rd and 4th (next year), that they are going to be improving gates and this year going to be approved at 5th along the main line, and is a separate issue from the rest, had assurances from the DoT that anything they are doing now will not hamper in creating a quiet zone, not going to require us to take anything away or install anything, but if didn't create a quiet zone would just add to or use what is there.

Wayside horns is another issue and is a method used to quiet the train horns, the horn that is attached and directed on the crossings and directed down the street rather than having the train blow the horn, that have been looking at that but with the study that they are doing with the MPO may not have to install or not need to install something like that with the quiet zone, may go with the quiet zone and not have any noise at all, and will be rolling that in with the study from the MPO.

There is funding with the Senate Bill 2338 that was approved this session and set aside the cap of $75,000 per crossing with a max. of $225,000 per city, that would be a match of 10% with local funding and would be through the State . Received word today that they are going to have the application and criteria released on July 1 - will be coming up with information on July 1.

These are the issues they have with the railroad; that they have met with BNSF on the Mill line and went out and walked each of the crossings with reps. of BNSF and DoT, they measured the approaches because of certain criteria as quiet zones and putting in a median in the street on the approach lanes, different things that would have to be done, and did a thorough job. On July 1 will find out criteria for the application for some of these improvements. Improvements on University - crossings more than half a mile apart can be looked at individually so that the crossing at 42nd Ave.S. near DeMers is not within a half a mile of another crossing on that piece of line and can be looked at by itself, and there is possibility of doing something there, and the ones along North 42nd Street would also be looked at separately.

Bjerke stated he gets calls on this - that the City is studying required zones, wayside horns - that they do
final study, make decision and go to next option - they have spent too much time on this. Williams stated
they are studying all of those to make a determination of what it would take to do any of those. That
some of the conditions have changed and that something that may not have been feasible before is now
feasible - they will make a recommendation to you in the spring, and what is going to be included is that we will do the improvements at the intersections based on ADT right now and what happens if the ADT is increased in the future, will be held to a different standard later on and go back and put more stuff in and that will be included in the report.

Haugen stated that one thing they haven't discussed is closure of some properties - part of the study and city council and RR and State are involved in that decision of closure. Williams stated it would be a public hearing process, and during the review and what was discussed on the Mill line was that there were a couple crossings where it would be impossible to put gates in because of alignment and an alley - closing roadway and creating cul-de-sac on some of the streets - crossings at University, 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc. and can close off streets - in order to establish a quiet zone along there may require closing some of the public roads, and if that is something that the public wants to do; when bring recommendation back will know what the funding is, etc.

4. Transportation funding update.
Feland stated they have list of funding projects for traffic signal coordination - it is a $761,400 project and part of funding of project is $257,000 of Transit money - thinks we should along with the other projects bring this forward as going to use this money. $257,000 Transit money, as part of this funding package. That the FTA funding portion along with the other projects need to bring to MPO because this has never shown up on a list of where using FTA money for traffic coordination. The money is in place.

The study is to establish the timing plan - where establish different timing plans so that when the equipment arrives and is installed and timing plan installed. Kreun stated put the timing in place before you put the equipment in place. The transit money will help everybody in the city - Columbia Road will be in the fall of 2009 and rest in 2010. Kreun stated that none of this should be affected by the reconstruction of roads later. Equipment is being bought so that signals, controllers and conflict monitors and modems that go into the cabinets that are being purchased and is a long term investment.

Feland stated next list, that the State had $3.5 million federal money that they had not expended and went to entities, Bismarck, Grand Forks, Fargo, Minot, and rural - Bismarck, Minot and Rural okay, and $2.5 went to Fargo and Grand Forks received $1 million and can be used over the next 3 years. They have 3 priorities: 1) replacing underground diesel tank equipment, monitoring system and card system - goal would be to install and to update our automated fuel system. Bergman stated we have a 10,000 gal. tank in there and have 5 years to have it replaced - Bakken asked why not replace with an above ground system as many are placing tanks above ground, come with automated system and cost less - Bergman and Feland stated they would consider that. Feland stated that as part of this system public transit would use their money to buy the system and would be able to add onto the system -

2) Put fareboxes in the public paratransit vehicles and kiosk at a mall - and 3) AVL - automated vehicle locater system - this system would allow making most efficient trips possible as far as locating the vehicle. Bergman stated a lot of this is used for keeping track of where the vehicle is if someone calls - makes more efficient and keeps track of where the vehicles are going, does automatic passenger counting, keeps track of mileage, automatic stop announcements which is an ADA requirement for visually impaired, etc.

Feland stated last two priorities are rebuilding parking along transit facility, is now asphalt and redo in concrete, and this would be a onetime opportunity for us to redo that area; and minor shop equipment. That gets us to the $992,400 and if 1) and 2) priorities go well, can always come back and re-prioritize other projects - and that we have this grant for the next 3 years. Bergman stated this is money above what we would normally get for transit dollars.

Feland stated this can go to COW and then to MPO, the matching portion of this is $200,000, now have a cash balance of around $500,000 in public transit and with some of this one-time money we are going to spend some of that cash down - 80% money to renovate some of these facilities because quite extraordinary that we are getting all this federal money. He stated they would bring the FTA portion of the traffic signalization and new projects to the COW.

The meeting adjourned at 5:55 p.m.

Alice Fontaine
City Clerk