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Following a public hearing on an estimated $2.8 million in proposed sanitary sewer replacement projects, Granite Falls City Council members unanimously passed a resolution calling for engineering plans and specs with the intention to call for bids in the coming weeks.
Approximately 30 community members were present for the meeting in which no attendees expressed opposition to the project. Instead, citizens asked questions concerning the timeline and potential inconveniences while also offering suggestions to City Engineer Dave Berryman.
The proposal is broken down into three projects located throughout the city that would involve the replacement of sewer lines, water mains and, to a lesser degree, storm sewers.
Together the undertaking will amount to an estimated $2.8 million in expenses, of which approximately $2.2 million would be paid for with yet to be determined 15 or 20 year bonds funded by an increase to the property tax levy. The remainder of the sum will come from $225,000 in flood mitigation dollars and $340,000, or 12 percent of the total cost, that will be assessed to property owners who directly benefit from the undertaking.
According to Berryman, the need for the project has arisen from significant inflow and infiltration of storm sewer and ground water into sanitary sewer lines, which may result in sewer backups and the overload of the city’s wastewater treatment plant.
Berryman said the cause of the infiltration is largely due to decay and obstructions in old clay pipe lines, but leaky manholes and other issues also play a role.
Beyond community concerns of sewer backups, Berryman noted that the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has heavily pressed the City to address wastewater treatment bypasses in which untreated effluent is sent into the Minnesota River.
In early 2010 the government agency ordered the city to develop a plan by July of this year that would end wastewater treatment bypasses by July, 2016.
Berryman said that if the issue was not addressed the MPCA could potentially halt any new wastewater extensions, freezing additional development within the community.
Once bid, the project would begin once flood waters have subsided, likely in June or July, with plans for completion in the fall of the year.
Berryman said that with present low interest rates and a slow construction market, he expects that the city will receive favorable bids.
“I know nobody wants to pay for it and times aren't easy, but believe it or not it's actually a pretty good time to do it,” he said.
Following a public hearing on an estimated $2.8 million in proposed sanitary sewer replacement projects, Granite Falls City Council members unanimously passed a resolution calling for engineering plans and specs with the intention to call for bids in the coming weeks.
Approximately 30 community members were present for the meeting in which no attendees expressed opposition to the project. Instead, citizens asked questions concerning the timeline and potential inconveniences while also offering suggestions to City Engineer Dave Berryman.
The proposal is broken down into three projects located throughout the city that would involve the replacement of sewer lines, water mains and, to a lesser degree, storm sewers.
Together the undertaking will amount to an estimated $2.8 million in expenses, of which approximately $2.2 million would be paid for with yet to be determined 15 or 20 year bonds funded by an increase to the property tax levy. The remainder of the sum will come from $225,000 in flood mitigation dollars and $340,000, or 12 percent of the total cost, that will be assessed to property owners who directly benefit from the undertaking.
According to Berryman, the need for the project has arisen from significant inflow and infiltration of storm sewer and ground water into sanitary sewer lines, which may result in sewer backups and the overload of the city’s wastewater treatment plant.
Berryman said the cause of the infiltration is largely due to decay and obstructions in old clay pipe lines, but leaky manholes and other issues also play a role.
Beyond community concerns of sewer backups, Berryman noted that the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has heavily pressed the City to address wastewater treatment bypasses in which untreated effluent is sent into the Minnesota River.
In early 2010 the government agency ordered the city to develop a plan by July of this year that would end wastewater treatment bypasses by July, 2016.
Berryman said that if the issue was not addressed the MPCA could potentially halt any new wastewater extensions, freezing additional development within the community.
Once bid, the project would begin once flood waters have subsided, likely in June or July, with plans for completion in the fall of the year.
Berryman said that with present low interest rates and a slow construction market, he expects that the city will receive favorable bids.
“I know nobody wants to pay for it and times aren't easy, but believe it or not it's actually a pretty good time to do it,” he said.
Other news:
•Council members passed a resolution to replace an undersized storm sewer that is believed to cause the Yellow Medicine East High School football field to flood during moderate to heavy rainfall.
The project would be bid alongside the sanitary sewer replacement project, and involve a 10 inch storm sewer being replaced with a 24 inch storm sewer.
Engineering estimates peg the cost at approximately $60,000, which would be split between the city and school.
The resolution is contingent upon the school agreeing to fund 50 percent of the project.
•In a 6-1 vote, council members approved a new three-year contract for city employees and the development of a new Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator position.
The contract, agreed upon by the city’s Wage and Salary Committee and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) union involves a lump sum payment of $400 to be paid to each employee in 2011 and a 2 percent wage increase in both 2012 and 2013.
In addition, the contract involved the establishment of a lead Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator position that would be paid $1.35 more per hour over the present $21.08 per hour wage. According to council information, the agreement came after discussions involving the duties and responsibilities of the most senior Wastewater Treatment Plant operator.
Councilman Bill Miller was the lone dissenting vote.
Miller said that it was not that he was unpleased with employees, but “At some point, we as an employer have to say we don’t have the money ... we can’t keep taxing people.”
City Manager Bill Lavin said that benefits to the new contract were well below what AFSCME was seeking.
Mayor Dave Smiglewski added that with such increases the city may have to address the budget in other ways including reductions in staff time or potential cuts to positions.
•Because a formal notice of the public hearing on electrical rates was inadvertently not published, the hearing held on March 7 is invalid. As a result, the city has called for another public hearing on the potential for electric rate increase to be held on Monday, April 4 at 8:00 p.m.
During the meeting, council members had approved a two-step rate increase, based on an electric rate study, that would result in a four percent rise in electric rates in both June of 2011 and January 2012.
•Council members approved the purchase of a 4’’ submersible pump for the Wastewater Treatment Plant. The lowest bid by USA Blue Book was accepted at $2,903.96.
