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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-03-10 MinutesCITY OF COTTAGE GROVE PUBLIC WORKS COMMISSION March 10, 2008 Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, a meeting of the Public Works Commission of Cottage Grove was duly held at Cottage Grove Public Works, 8635 West Point Douglas Road, Cottage Grove, Minnesota on Monday, March 10, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair David Anderson called the meeting to order at 7:01 p.m. 2. ROLL CALL Members Present: David Anderson, Ken Boyden, Roger Finnegan, Gary Kjellberg, William Royce Staff Present: Les Burshten, Public Works Director Harry Taylor, Public Works Supervisor Allan Larson, Public Works Technician Rick Alt, Utilities Foreman Also Present: Fred Luden, City Council Member 3. APPROVE MINUTES Upon a motion by Roger Finnegan, seconded by Gary Kjellberg, the February 11, 2008 minutes were unanimously approved. 4. ADDITIONAL AGENDA ITEMS Atkinson Cemetery 5. NEW BUSINESS A. Technical Review Public Works Supervisor Harry Taylor indicated there was a Technical Review meeting last Thursday, however, just a few older items were on the agenda. Public Works Commission March 10, 2008 – Page 2 New Liquor Store th A liquor store has been proposed for the Mike Rygh condominium project at 70 and Hinton. Commission Chair Anderson had a question on this additional liquor store location inquiring whether the number of stores allowed is based on population. When Top Ten Liquor opened near Target, he didn’t feel the population had increased adequately to allow a new liquor store. Taylor responded that apparently regulations have been met. Boyden added that no liquor store can be within 1,000 feet of a school or church and noted there is a church at th 70 and Hinton. After discussion it was decided there likely is proper distance between the church and store. Norris Square The first residents of the new Presbyterian Homes (Norris Square) moved in last month. Many potential residents are waiting for their homes to sell. Council Member Fred Luden commented the builder did a nice job on Norris Square on many levels adding there are state of the art boilers and air handling systems. One and two bedroom units are available and the facility includes a restaurant and a movie theatre. Most of the landscaping is mapped out and will look very nice when completed. rdth B. Traffic Control Analysis Report - Timber Ridge 3 and 5 Additions Public Works Engineering Technician Allan Larson commented this report has been prepared to explain the consistency of traffic control in Cottage Grove. The initial area reviewed was the 2008 Pavement Management area to evaluate needed changes and make recommendations. Residents in the area have been concerned about traffic in general and with that, the study was created to evaluate the area. With no collectors and arterial streets, 30 miles per hour is the top speed which makes the analysis challenging. Larson explained that in other words, the local street is really an uncontrolled intersection th The existing 4-leg intersection of 74 Street and Timber Ridge Trail is currently an uncontrolled intersection. The determination of the roadway to stop was th made by reviewing the surrounding roadways and is recommended that 74 Street becomes the through street and stop signs be placed on Timber Ridge Trail The existing 4-leg intersection of Meadow Grass Avenue and Timber Ridge Trail is currently an uncontrolled intersection. The determination of the roadway to stop was made by reviewing the surrounding roadways. It is recommended that Meadow Grass Avenue become the through street and stop signs be placed on Timber Ridge Trail th The existing 4-leg intersection of Meadow Grass Avenue and 74 Street is currently an uncontrolled intersection. Determination of the roadway to stop was made by reviewing the surrounding roadways. It is recommended that Meadow th Grass Ave. become the through street and stop signs be placed on 74 Street Public Works Commission March 10, 2008 – Page 3 There are no pedestrian crossing signs at two existing mid-block trail locations. In order to conform with the City’s policy, pedestrian crossing signs with down arrows should be added at the following locations: a. Trail crossing on Meadow Grass Avenue north of Timber Ridge Trail th b. Trail crossing on Burr Oak Avenue north of 74 Street Based on field review, there were two locations where the through roads end in a cul-de-sac that is not visible from the intersection or where the dead end is not apparent. If requested by residents, “No Outlet” signs may be added at the following locations: th a. Timber Ridge Court east of 74 St. th b. Meadow Grass Cove east of 74 Street Commission Member Gary Kjellberg inquired if the traffic study will need to be approved by CounciI to which Larson responded that it would. Kjellberg also asked if this information will be made available to residents before the Council votes. Larson responded that a memo will be sent to homeowners, adding the City is attempting to not have an over-abundance of signs. Commission Chair Dave Anderson asked if anyone had any further questions regarding the traffic study. There were none. MOTIONMADEBYGARYKJELLBERG,SECONDEDBYKENBOYDENTO RECOMMENDAPPROVALOFTHETRAFFICCONTROLANALYSISAS PRESENTED.MOTIONWASUNANIMOUSLYCARRIED. C. Update on City Wells Public Works Director Les Burshten stated Rick Alt, Utilities Foreman was requested to attend tonight’s meeting due to a number of well issues the City is currently experiencing. Unfortunately, well maintenance and repair are both expensive endeavors, however, its essential City wells be up and running. Rick Alt explained that in the City’s distribution system there are 11 wells with the per minute water pumping rate ranging from 650 gallons up to 2,200 gallons. Wells No. 6, No. 5 and No. 9 are all pulled at this point. Well No. 6 is ready to go back online which will get water pumped back to 1,200 gallons per minute. Bacteria test results are expected shortly and once received, the well will be back in service. Well No. 5 still had the original motor which reached its end. Keys Well Drilling pulled the well about 2-3 weeks ago and we’re awaiting the installation of a new motor. Well No. 9 was pulled just last year. The transformer in the control panel has gone out, however, everything else is fine except for the electrical portions. The City is currently seeking quotes to purchase a new starter which will be less expensive than trying to replace the transformer which is an older starting unit. Today’s starters can be purchased for about half the price than possible years ago. Public Works Commission March 10, 2008 – Page 4 th Keys Well Drilling was also awarded the bid to pull Well No. 10 (off 95 Street). The well is still being run, however, it’s been found there’s a vibration that may be caused by the motor down by the pump in the ground. The motor on top has been checked and appears to be operating fine. Well No. 10 was last pulled in 1994. The City’s goal is to pull one well each year. Staff had to obtain approval from Council for the emergency repair of Well No. 5. Well No. 2 (one of the original wells off Grenadier) is having an electrical upgrade. The well was drilled back in 1958 and still has all the existing controllers. There is an electrical disconnect that needs to be moved and repair should be complete by the time the hydrants are flushed. One of the booster pumps is down at the booster station (located near the new archery range). Engineers are looking into possibly getting a similar pump and assembly system that will fit or if need be, replace the pump altogether. There are still three other booster pumps that are operating fine. Hydrant flushing will begin after street sweeping. Well No. 4 will likely be up and running this week. Three wells will be out of commission for another month. Alt also indicted staff has noticed some actual pitting in the metal in Well No. 6, possibly due to electrolysis. Well No. 6 should be pumping 1200 gallons per minute and it was only pumping 600 gallons per minute. The check valve was stuck allowing only half the flow out of the pipe. Well No. 5 had the same problem with metal flaking away which may have been caused by electrolysis. Ken Boyden inquired in comparing Cottage Grove to other cities, are these common problems happening in other areas or is there something happening that is causing problems in so many of our wells? Alt responded it is tentatively planned to meet with staff persons from Oakdale and Woodbury to determine whether or not they are also experiencing related problems. It was also indicated there are very few manufacturers of well supplies. An Aurora Pump is needed for the Booster Station. Staff is working with the manufacturer to ascertain why there was such an early deterioration. Well No. 6 basically experienced a mechanical failure of the valve 400 feet down. Well No. 10 was routine maintenance Kjellberg asked whether city staff have the capability of pulling wells themselves. It was noted the wells are typically 300-400 feet down making that task difficult. It was also noted it’s fortunate these problems aren’t taking place in June or July which would definitely cause challenges. The Commission expressed appreciation to Rick Alt for his attendance and presentation this evening. Public Works Commission March 10, 2008 – Page 5 Additional Agenda Item: ATKINSON CEMETERY Gary Kjellberg explained work was done in the cemetery last year and things look great. He noted on the “Tires Plus” side, there’s no fence for screening and inquired whether or not some plantings could be installed for aesthetic purposes. Burshten commented we haven’t received any complaints yet, however explained staff will take a look and discuss this item at the next meeting. 6. OLD BUSINESS None 7. PUBLIC WORKS UPDATE A. PFC Update Public Works Supervisor Harry Taylor distributed some information from the Minnesota Department of Health. Back in October of 2006, it was discovered by the health department that perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA’s) were fairly widespread throughout South Washington County. For the past few years we’ve been hearing about PFOAs existing in Oakdale and Lake Elmo wells. On February 28, City staff members were invited to attend a meeting sponsored by the Minnesota Department of Health which served as “pre-meeting” before the press release. The Health Department has established a Health Based Value (HBV) for PFBA of 7 parts per billion (ppb) and the water is safe to drink at this point based on research for long and short-term health risks. Taylor also indicated that residents in the Langdon area are utilizing filtered and/or bottled water at this time. He also noted there will be continued monitoring of the City water by the Minnesota Department of Health. A community meeting was held on Tuesday, March 4 at All Saints Lutheran Church and was attended by approximately 65 residents. Updates Les Burshten reported: It’s been requested that the Public Works Commission meet with the Cottage Grove City Council at 6:30 pm on Wednesday, April 2. A reminder notice will be mailed. Electronic items are now being accepted by the Hazardous Waste site in Oakdale free of charge. rd Annual Spring Clean Up Day will take place Saturday, May 3 from 7:00 am to 4:30 pm. Electronic items will be accepted, however, no charges will be passed Public Works Commission March 10, 2008 – Page 6 on to residents. There will be a cost to dispose of furniture, appliances or other items. Washington County will accept paint, pesticides, herbicides, fluorescent bulbs, batteries and those types of things. The line may be long to drop off electronics so folks are encouraged to take those to the Oakdale site ahead of time if possible. Historically, there are about 1,200 cars that attend the annual clean up. We prefer to avoid situations such as those that took place in Bloomington when the attendance exceeded all expectations and traffic was problematic. th Arbor Day will be observed Saturday, April 26 at Highlands Park from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. th Street sweeping begins April 7 – hopefully the weather will cooperate. Work will be done by a contractor – Pearson Brothers this year. th Hydrant flushing will begin April 14. As soon as the frost comes out, Xcel will be working in the pavement management area – permits were recently signed for gas main replacement. The area will be double-mained (gas mains on both sides of the street) to avoid services going under the roadways. If there’s a problem, they can avoid digging up the road which is financially better for everyone. Public Works crews are out patching potholes. The Commission was encouraged to give Public Works a call should they see any potholes needing patching Tree trimming has been taking place on the Grove side of the highway. th Completion is expected to be March 29. Public Works had an OSHA safety inspection recently with one minor violation noted. 8. CITY COUNCIL UPDATE Council Member Fred Luden reported there was a groundbreaking for the Ice Arena last Wednesday prior to the Council workshop. Discussion items included exploring whether or not some options could be eliminated for cost savings. Because the new construction is being attached to the old building, a certain amount of money must be put into the older portion of the facility. Bev Gross of the Historical Preservation Committee attended Open Forum to discuss concerns with the Park and Ride. Chief Woolery addressed the concerns and noted a meeting will take place tomorrow night at City Hall with Metro Transit. A workshop is scheduled at City Hall Wednesday, March 12, 4:00-7:00pm, where public transit will be discussed. A council workshop regarding goal setting is scheduled for 6:00 pm. Public Works Commission March 10, 2008 – Page 7 A neighborhood meeting with residents of Lehigh Avenue will take place Monday, March th 17 at 7:00 pm. A neighborhood meeting for residents in the 2008 Pavement Management Area will th take place Monday, March 24 at St. Luke Lutheran Church. 9. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE Gary Kjellberg explained the group didn’t meet this month but will meet in April and then again in May with the City Council. 10. COMMISSION COMMENTS AND REQUESTS David Anderson requested that the PWC minutes and commission vacancies be posted on the Cottage Grove website. 11. ADJOURNMENT Motion to adjourn was made by David Anderson, seconded by Ken Boyden. Motion was unanimously carried. Meeting adjourned at 8:38 p.m. Respectfully submitted,   íÜÉËÔÚÔÜêÉÎËÛÄ