HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996.10.29 CC Minutes - Special Council meetingAENUTES FOR THE HUGO CITY COUNCEL MEETING OF OCTOBER 29, 19%
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Fran Miron at 7:50 PM.
PRESENT: Agness, Barnes, Goiffon, Leroux, Miron
City Administrator, Robert Museus
City Finance Director, Ron Otkin
City Public Works Director, Mike Kriz
City Engineer, Tom Angus
This special meeting was called to discuss the following issues:
1. Consider capital improvements and major street work to be performed in the City in
1997.
2. Review of proposed 5 -year capital improvement plan requested by the Metropolitan
Council.
3. Consider a staff report recommending the establishment of a water meter replacement
program in the City.
The Council fust considered the City's Maintenance Supervisor's recommendation for
sealcoating, graveling, and crack filling work to be performed in 1997, at a total estimated
cost of $76,000.00. Roads proposed for sealcoating were generally constructed during the
period of 1992 and 1993. 165th Street, between Elmcrest Avenue and Forest Blvd., and
Elmcrest Avenue, from Frenchman Road to 180th Street were recommended for graveling.
The Elmcrest Avenue gravel project will be done in conjunction with the City of Lino
Lakes, as this is a shared street. $5,000 is record to be set aside for crack filling in
1997. Currently, City streets have all been crack filled, and the amount of money to be set
aside is to handle the additional requirements that may occur during the coming year. The
impact of the recommended maintenance work on the City's 1997 budget will be to
increase the materials account by $8,000. The City's Finance Director indicated that he
could do this, potentially, through savings in the County contract account. The Council
indicated that changes to the budget should be made, and presented as part of the final
budget approval process.
The City's Maintenance Supervisor then briefly went over a list of streets that he had
prepared that will require capital improvements in the future, to include reconstruction,
overlays, and drainage improvements. The City Administrator stated that the City will
need a capital improvement program for streets. The Council directed the City Engineer to
prepare a scope of work and cost estimate for conducting an evaluation of City streets and
establish condition ratings for prioritizing work effort. It was mutually agreed that this
scope of work will be provided in April, 1997, and the Council will use this information on
their road tour, after spring thaw.
The City Administrator reviewed the proposed 1997 capital improvement plan with the
Council. This plan was generated Som a priority -setting process previously conducted by
Council meeting of October 29, 1996
Page 2
the Council, as well as information taken fiom the City's Comprehensive Sanitary Sewer
and Water Plan. Almost all of the projects proposed in 1997 are contingent upon events
outside the direct control of the City. There was substantial discussion regarding the need
for additional wells and a new water tower in the community. The City Engineer
recommended that the City plan to construct an additional well in the fall of 1997, to serve
the projected growth and demand in the community. A new tower would provide extra
pressure and be beneficial for the City for fire flows in the community, though it is not
absolutely necessary at this time. The City Administrator expressed concern that the large
amount of work proposed for the utility fund may not be financially feasible, and
recommended that the City's Finance Director and Eagineer work together to develop an
improvement plan for theCity's utilities to insure service quality and financial feasibility.
The Council indicated that the work on such plan should begin in the near future.
The Council then reviewed a proposed 5 -year capital improvement plan for the
community. This document was requested by the Metro Council as part of their review of
the City's recently revised Comprehensive Plan. Projects in the plan were generated
through the Council priority -setting program in the summer of 1996. The City
Administrator informed the Council that the plan could not be looked upon as being a
definitive statement of the City's intent to construct the improvements over the next five
years, as the City's Comprehensive Park Plan is currently under development, and will
have an impact on the City's expenditures during this time flame. Also, the capital
improvement plan for the utility fund will also have a major impact on the projects being
undertaken by the City in the future. Given these reservations, a plan needs to be provided
to Metro Council as part of the City's Comprehensive Plan.
Miran made motion, Goiffon seconded, to adopt the 5 -year capital improvement plan as
presented.
All aye. Motion Carried
The City's Maintenance Supervisor then presented the Council with a plan to replace all of
the existing water meters in the community, at an estimated cost of $5,000, for two
reasons:
1. The current meters used by the City will soon no longer be produced and are obsolete.
2. Many of the existing meters in the community are no longer f inctional.
3. New technology allows water meters to be read by computers over the telephone line
saving on labor costs.
Under current City policy, the City will replace the existing water meters. New meters
added to the system are paid for by the builders as homes are constructed. Given the
growth in the community, the sooner the meters are replaced the less cost to the City.
City Council meeting of October 29, 1996
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Miron made motion, Barnes seconded, directing staff to prepare bid specifications for the
project and provide them to the Council at a future meeting.
All aye. Motion Carried.
The City Engineer informed the Council that the project for lowering a portion of Ingersoll
Avenue, near 175th Street, to improve traffic visibility is going to be more expensive than
originally estimated. After some discussion, it was decided that it may be best to tie this
project to another road construction project to obtain efficiency of scale. This matter will
be further reviewed in the future.
Leorux made motion, Goiffon seconded, to adjourn at 9:55PM.
All aye. Motion Carried.
Robert A. Museus
City Administrator