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2006-10-11 SP MTG40 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 10-11-2006 MTG# 40 707 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING MTG#40 OCTOBER 11, 2006 RES# 471 6:00 P.M. BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT SUPERVISOR DANIEL STEC COUNCILMAN ROGER BOOR COUNCILMAN RICHARD SANFORD COUNCILMAN JOHN STROUGH COUNCILMAN TIM BREWER SUPERVISOR STEC-Opened meeting. DISCUSSION – MAIN STREET PROJECT CONSULTANT UPDATE – BARTON & LODGUICE - DON FLETCHER ENGINEER Mr. Fletcher spoke to the board regarding the status of the Main Street Project. Once the plans go to DOT they are looking at completing the cost estimates noting this is the next big step. There have been many changes at the DOT end of it; it has been expanded working with Clough Harbour to try to complete this by mid November. Submitted the revised Draft Map and Plan for the Water District Extension as well as the Map, Plan, and Report for the sewer sent on to staff for review noting Mr. Ostrander is reviewing it now and Mr. Shaw has submitted his comments. Anticipates conducting the public hearing on those probably by the end of the year so we can get approval of the districts by the end of the year. Spoke to the board regarding the under grounding of the utilities. Received information on the main line from the private utilities met several times in the field. We have been working on the easement map. Clough Harbour has finished all the fee-taking maps so the County can take land as needed for the road right-a-way. The surveyor has prepared about half the easement maps for the under grounding and the sewer, water utilities. The next key step is to start to go out and to procure the easements and fee takings. The meeting of October 13 at the County will be to look for approval a lump sum amount of what the appraisals are for all the fee takings so they can start going out to talk to property owners. Councilman Sanford-Questioned the under ground utilities noting to him the issue should be resolved. Based upon the cost benefit analysis make a decision on what we are going to do. Asked what is still outstanding in terms of the engineering work associated with the underground utilities. Mr. Fletcher-The primary item the services that go from the main line to the houses. We have gotten everything from the utility companies. One of the things we have to do is when they give us the main line drawing they do the design they give us schematic designs. We have to put them on all the drawings so they can be incorporated. This has all been pretty well worked out the question is with the individual services. Have heard preliminarily from DOT they will pay as a project cost the service to get it from the main line along the road underground to the meter. Councilman Boor-Asked if they had this in writing. Mr. Fletcher-This is one of the things we just sent in it is in the works. The other is what needs to be done called the Fire Board Underwriters are trying to get an answer. Councilman Sanford-Asked what the estimate of the underground utilities cost if it was paid in a lump sum. Mr. Fletcher-If it was a few years ago one and a half noting would like to have the number with him and did not bring it with him. Councilman Sanford- Questioned if Warren County is paying Barton & Logudice. Mr. Fletcher-They are not paying us anything. Councilman Sanford-Asked why the Town of Queensbury is the do fault payer in this process. Councilman Boor-Questioned how much time are you spending with the County free. Mr. Fletcher-We are not actually doing work for the County on the project. Clough Harbour is representing the County doing the roadway projects. Barton & Lodguice has been hired to do the Main Street Plan, which was the transportation enhancements, under grounding of the utilities and the water and sewer. Supervisor Stec-none of which the County is participating in. Councilman Sanford- Need to know the soft cost associated with preconstruction types of issue. What is the Town looking at is it prudent for the Town to take a holding pattern on this until some of the legal issues are resolved before we continue to commit to soft costs with an unknown outcome noting the advise of the Attorney was not to make this kind of a commitment from a legal perspective until there was certainly in terms of the legal outcome. The SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 10-11-2006 MTG# 40 708 pleasure of the board is to move forward with this asked what they are looking at. Mr. Fletcher-We are not throwing out a number we think its $25,000 we did it like we did it last time this is what we see needs to be done by 2005. We knew we would have to take all the schematics that come the utility companies and put them on the drawings this is some Ms. Ryba was aware of we all sat as a meeting about how the plans themselves would come together. What we would be getting from the utility companies what would be the responsibility of the Town. Councilman Sanford-Questioned how much more and how much more with the cost. Mr. Fletcher-The work that is done is primarily finishing up the plans, specs and estimate noting there will some coordination of are people happy with the easement they want something that kind of thing. Councilman Boor-Questioned if the Town would pick up that cost. Mr. Fletcher-The Town and the County both hired RK Hite to go out and acquire for the County fee takings and for the Town easements. We have nothing to do with the fee taking maps. Councilman Boor-Questioned why is the Town paying them to do County work. Mr. Fletcher-What will happen with the County is any issues with where they want the right-a-way and where they want to take fee taking, take lands RK Hite is going to work with Clough Harbour to work with the County. Supervisor Stec-They are taking for the road and we are taking for utilities. We have a contract with RK Hite. The County has a separate contract with RK Hite. The Town and the County both hired the same firm, but have separate contracts. Councilman Boor-Questioned on the final electrical easements are they on the house side of the sidewalk. Mr. Fletcher-Pointed out the centerline of road you get a roadway there is a grass strip then sidewalk. Outside the sidewalk, I think it is a foot maybe two feet that is going to be the new right-a-way line the old right-a-way is somewhere in there. There will be a fee taking in here by the County then outside of this in here is going to be all the private utilities. Councilman Boor-There is no commingling of easements. Mr. Fletcher- There is an easement line out here in this line this easement by the Town is for two things. It is a common easement for all utilities, but it is for the private utilities. In some cases on the other side of the road the water line is there under most of the sidewalk right under the center of the sidewalk is the sanitary. Councilman Boor-Asked if Barton & Lodguice is doing the engineering for this. Mr. Fletcher-It is all done. The water engineering is all done the sewer engineering is all done the details are done reports have been forwarded on. Councilman Sanford-Asked if they commit to the $25,000 would they be back for more money. Mr. Fletcher-This is the only thing that has to be worked out. On the services in terms of being, a wild card on that believes the $25,000 is close except for this one thing. We have to figure out with the services for the Fire Board Underwriters what extent do we have to do the services. It is going to be a new service that goes underground to the houses. Councilman Boor-Thought the State was going to pick this cost up. Mr. Fletcher-They are going to pick it up. (Explained process to the board) This is a project eligible cost so when the contractor does the road does all the utilizes what has to be finalized and the County is handling this is with the utilizes is for one utilities are going to come and do the under grounding. The contractor will do the work he will dig the trench they will come in and put in the main line. This is going to be also done by the contractor. Councilman Boor-Questioned if it will be the same contractor. Mr. Fletcher-Our sense is it will be the same contractor. We have to finalize it between the Town, Clough Harbour, and County would it be a separate contract in the same bid. The intent depending on the extent that the house that needs to be done you want that done ahead of time so that when it comes through there is not down time. One of the things that is outstanding is this has to get finished put on the plans trying to find out what is project eligible noting one of the things that has to be answered is the electrical service. Councilman Brewer-Asked who would answer this question. Mr. Fletcher-That which is a funding issue is dealing with DOT, what will DOT pay? Part of it the County is feeling being not only representing the Town it is the Town that wants to go with the under grounding of utilities so it is the Towns responsibility to deal with the designs appropriately. Councilman Boor-Questioned how many homes are they talking about? Mr. Fletcher-I think it is about a hundred and twenty on the whole street. Mr. Fletcher-Are trying to figure out to what extent is fundable and to what extent work needs to be done. Councilman Sanford-Questioned will the $25,000 satisfy the engineering work the answer is I do not know. Mr. Fletcher-I do not know if we have to coordinate with a hundred and twenty five houses to coordinate with them get in, evaluate the electrical inside the building. Councilman Boor-Asked if they are the best value to do that? Mr. Fletcher-This is something we can discuss. Councilman Sanford-Before we even get there would not it make sense to this board to know the answers to those SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 10-11-2006 MTG# 40 709 questions before we commit to continue to pay to move this thing along. Noting he appreciates Mr. Fletcher, honesty and your frank discussion on this, but there are many unknown answers. Would like to know the answers to those questions prior to making the decisions to give another thirty thousand some odd bucks questioned if he could give us this information. Mr. Fletcher-We are trying as fast we can. Councilman Sanford- Questioned if Mr. Fletcher knows what the level of payments have been to the company the total cost. Budget Officer, Switzer-Roughly one seventy-five. Councilman Brewer-A portion of that we will get back. Councilman Sanford-Noted they want to more exact moving forward with this. Would like to revisit as a board to try to get a better handle of where it is now and where it is going. Supervisor Stec-Beyond the under ground utilities issue is we have a twenty something million dollar federal and state funded project these grants and funding sources all have shelve life. Councilman Sanford-Would like to bring this to a juncture where we can then know the certainty of what we are dealing and move this along. Councilman Strough-At this point in time, I think we are asking Don to go back to Barton & Lodguice and come back to us with information. One is we put thirty thousand dollars forward to the implementation of under ground burial of the utilities. How much of that money has been used up and where and what did you do for it. Where do we stand right now, how far is that going to take us. Mr. Fletcher-We can give more information some of it is a moving target in that as we start moving forward and now they are going to go out and talk to RK Hite and talk to all of these property owners about easements. As they need to have things change who is going to be doing that this is part of doing that fee. Supervisor Stec-The first physical work that would happen on the Main Street Corridor is the relocation of utilities. In the relocation of utilities, you are looking at a year. Mr. Fletcher-The first construction season is putting the sewer in, water, getting all the private utilities underground and getting temporary pavement. Shut down for the winter come back the next year to do all the surface work noting this will take the full second year. Councilman Sanford-Questioned if this could proceed while the lawsuit is continuing. Supervisor Stec-This is how we set it up with the utilities. All the utility design work is done except for the actual house connections. Discussion held regarding the letter from the Connector Road. Mr. Fletcher noted they have broken out a portion of the Connector Road work to do the clearing and grubbing of the trees and install a portion of the sub base. We have broken this out put in a separate set of documents set it on to DOT for review waiting for their authorization to advertise that bid. Supervisor Stec-This the kind of thing that can happen this fall. Councilman Boor-Completion of the new building is when. Supervisor Stec-March. Mr. Fletcher-Looking at June of 2007 the road is in. Councilman Sanford thanked Mr. Fletcher for coming noting he will be in touch as well as Supervisor Stec and the rest of the board. TOWN BOARD BUDGET REVIEW NON PROFIT FUND – Supervisor Stec -Two errors. Oversight on the Queensbury Land Conservancy did not intend to cut them from eight to four needs to increase this. Left in $25,000 in for Glen Lake. Councilman Sanford requested $1,500 to the Warren County Historical Society. DISCUSSION HELD REGARDING FLEET HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT Fleet Committee met yesterday made recommendations on some of the vehicles that were requested. The only one that has significant impact to the budget is the Tandem Truck will discuss this when they meet with Highway. ASSESSORS OFFICE Discussion held regarding station wagon in Assessors Office. Supervisor Stec noted it has been giving them trouble it is nine years old with low miles they want to get a smaller vehicle. Helen noted that there is funding available in the current budget if the board wanted to entertain it this year she will be generating memo. After further discussion, consensus of board, no. WASTEWATER, ZONING & BUILDING & CODES SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 10-11-2006 MTG# 40 710 Supervisor Stec-Recommended that Wastewater, Zoning, Building & Codes it was recommended to hold off on replacing those vehicles noting he cannot support these and committee agreed they could probably go another year. WATER DEPARTMENT Supervisor Stec-Discussion held regarding regarding replacement of vehicle. The Committee said out of all of them they felt that the Water Department was the strongest one consensus of the board to include water vehicle to add to budget $18,500 separate line item. LANDFILL DEPARTMENT Councilman Strough-Looked at landfill truck noted it has to be replaced. Thinks the idea of looking for a used one is a good idea. If they want a truck to carry the scrap metal, yes, they do need a truck but do they need a new new truck. Councilman Brewer- Recommended giving the dump truck from Building & Grounds and give, it to the Cemetery and let Building & Grounds buy a new one. Supervisor Stec-Joann Watkins was going to call the County to see if there is a one ton that is slated for replacement in the County Fleet that would be an improvement for either Cemetery or Landfill. After further discussion consensus of the board to have Supervisor Stec pursue this before decision is made. CEMETERY DEPARTMENT Councilman Stanford-Spoke to the board regarding the Cemetery and the gravel section of road that needs to be paved also around the pond there are potholes that need to be repaired it is estimated the total cost about $16,000. There is a fund set up this was suggested by Supervisor Stec and Budget Officer, Switzer that the earnings from the funds could be used for that $16,000 expenditure rather than budgeting new funds. Told Mr. Genier I would pursue this to make sure it was appropriate would support the $16,000 in needed improvements to the Cemetery. Supervisor Stec-Either way we will do it. WATER DEPARTMENT – WASTEWATER DEPARTMENT Following changes made to budget. Adjustment to salary for Chris Harrington Engineer at Water Department. Councilman Brewer-Receommended the Water Department changing to Nextel for better communication with other departments. Mr. Ostrander spoke to the board regarding line item 0408330was $27,000 change to $14,000 noting a temporary reduction for 2007 in 2008 will be back up. Wastewater Director, Mr. Shaw-Discussion held regarding adding another district another budget for Main Street new district to be from the Town/City Line to Stewarts just on Main Street both sides. Discussion held regarding Schermerhorn’s project on Pine Street. Mr. Shaw noted this project would be an extension to the district. Wastewater budget is down a couple hundred thousand dollars that is mainly because a large bond was paid off this year the Central Queensbury Quaker Road Sewer District. Discussion held regarding plans to the coming year to extend water and sewer facilities to the area around the connector road. Superintendent Ostrander noted that the Town would need to extend water along the entire length of the planned connector road or bring it in only for new office building that will house 400 people noting either case the Water Department would be doing the work. Discussion held regarding the contract with the City of Glens Falls Deputy Wastewater Director, Mr. Shaw noted that Earth Tech is gone is not sure, how this will affect the Town in the future will have to see what the City of Glens Falls does first. SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 10-11-2006 MTG# 40 711 Supervisor Stec-Items left for discussion on budget. Highway, Non-profits, Fire and EMS to hold one more workshop regarding the budget so we can be ready to adopt a thth Preliminary Budget on October 30, set the public hearing for November 6. Discussion held regarding allocation of bed tax money. Councilman Sanford suggested that the bed tax money be used for infrastructure improvements for parks and bike trails. Following th meetings scheduled Workshop on October 17, Attorney RFP Review and Engineer RFP Review Budget review on Highway and Non-profits and Fire and EMS October rd 23. Regular Workshop with possibly one or two Community Development Interviews th 24 Zoning Board Planning Board Alternate interviews and any other Community Development Interviews Will be advertising for Budget Officer RESOLUTION ADJOURNING SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING RESOLUTION NO. 471, 2006 INTRODUCED BY: Mr. Richard Sanford WHO MOVED FOR ITS ADOPTION SECONDED BY: Mr. Tim Brewer RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Queensbury hereby adjourns its Special Town Board Meeting. th Duly adopted this 11, day of October, 2006 by the following vote: Ayes: Mr. Boor, Mr. Sanford, Mr. Strough, Mr. Brewer, Mr. Stec Noes: None Absent: None Respectfully Submitted, Darleen M. Dougher Town Clerk Town of Queensbury