Agenda Packets - 2009/02/02 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

City Council Work Session – Item 6 February 2, 2009 Page 2 For each of the instances noted above, the individual property owner could pursue the work by hiring a contractor privately. However, Staff recommendation is that, to the maximum extent possible, the improvements for these situations be included in the public City contract for the street and utility improvement project. There are several reasons why this approach is desirable: - Consistency of work quality - Consistency of price - Warranty on the work - Process is easier for the property owner - Less expense to the property owner - City control over the work and coordination with the street and utility improvement project This list of reasons shows that including those improvements in the public contract will be beneficial to both the City and the property owner. However the last reason noted, City control, is the most important from a City perspective, and is the primary reason why it is recommended that the City provide the private improvements under the public contract. The City is making an enormous investment in its infrastructure through the Street and Utility Improvement Program. Each of the private improvements listed requires disturbing the infrastructure – through activities such as cutting into the curb or excavating beneath the road. If these activities are done after the City has completed their project, they will result in cutting into the brand new streets that the City has constructed. This has a detrimental effect on the infrastructure, and compromises its overall integrity. Furthermore, if private property owners hire their own contractors to do such work while the City project is occurring, it can cause scheduling problems for the City contractor, leading to delays and increased costs. Therefore, for reasons of efficiency, cost, and protection of the infrastructure, it is recommended that the private improvements in question be included in the City contract. Proceeding with this approach will require that the proper policies and procedures are in place. It is recommended that an Agreement be developed for use between the City and the private property owners for such improvements, to state in writing the roles and responsibilities of each party. Description of Situations A brief description of each of the situations for which an Agreement could be used is given below: x Sanitary Sewer Service Repair: The private property owner owns the sanitary sewer and water service lines from the connection at the main to the house. The City has an existing policy in place to address repair of water services. No such policy exists for repair of sanitary sewer services.