Public Works Commission Minutes - October 2009
(10-31-2009)

CITY OF ROSEBURG

PUBLIC WORKS COMMISSION MEETING

OCTOBER 8, 2009

MINUTES

CALL TO ORDER: The meeting of the City of Roseburg Public Works Commission was called to order at 3:31 p.m. Thursday, October 8, 2009 in the City Hall Third Floor Conference Room.

ROLL CALL: Present: Chair Chris Spens, Commissioners Fred Dayton, Jim Kent, Dick Filley, Noel Groshong and Richard Weckerle

Absent: John Kennedy and Stuart Liebowitz

Others Present: None

Attending Staff: City Manager Eric Swanson, City Engineer Dick Hutton, and Public Works Department Technician Chanelle Rogers

APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Weckerle moved to approve the minutes of the September 17, 2009 Public Works Commission meeting. Motion was seconded by Filley and carried unanimously.

DISCUSSION ITEMS:

Transportation Funding – Franchise Fee: Swanson informed that the Transportation Funding/SDC Ad-Hoc Committee recently met to discuss options for funding the pavement management program. Staff is trying to find a way to fill the gap with the loss of the “Aid to Cities” money previously provided by Douglas County, staff is not recommending any strategies beyond maintaining the streets in their current condition. The county historically provided $400,000 per year, but has stopped that program due to the loss of Safety Net funding. The committee has discussed multiple options some of those being a local gas tax, a street utility, and franchisee fees. With the passage of the governor’s transportation bill there is a moratorium on new local gas taxes until 2014. The committee felt that given the current economic conditions, a street utility has been tabled for the time being. Swanson mentioned that there is a clear correlation between franchisees use of the right-of-way and street maintenance cost. The ad-hoc committee recommended increasing PP&L’s franchise fee from 5% to 7%, dedicate one-third of all franchise fees to street maintenance/preservation the remaining two-thirds would continue to go to the General Fund, and pursue a franchise agreement with RUSA. It is the only utility the City is aware of that occupies extensive portions of City right-of-way without a franchise agreement. Weckerle questioned why the City was only increasing PP&L to 7% and not the other utilities. Swanson said that some of them are at the maximum that can be charged. Groshong is concerned that any increase is going to get passed on to the consumer.

MOTION: Dayton moved to recommend to City Council adoption of a resolution dedicating one-third of all franchise fees collected to the Transportation Fund for street and multi-use path maintenance purposes. Motion was seconded by Weckerle and carried unanimously.

Award Recommendation Dixonville Pump Station No. 3, Project 07wa24: Hutton reported that nine bids were received October 6, 2009 for the replacement of Dixonville Pump Station No. 3 located at the corner of Buckhorn Road and Brumbach Road. Hutton informed that the City recently completed a $300,000 replacement of Dixonville Pump Station No. 2, which was the first phase of planned upgrades in the Dixonville area Pump Station No. 3 replacing an existing pump station originally constructed in 1966 by the Dixonville Water Association. The second phase is to resolve problems experienced in the distribution system east of the Dixonville store. Hutton noted he had received a call from one of the contractors informing that they are planning on protesting the award due to issues they feel with the low bidders prequalification’s with the state. Hutton also mentioned that this is a fairly simple project, since the contractor was not required to design the operating system. Hutton also mentioned that the City received a protest on the Reservoir Recoating project so all bids were rejected due to the time frame required to complete the project and will be rebidding it after the first part of the year.

MOTION: Groshong moved to recommend to City Council to award the Dixonville Pump Station No. 3 Project No. 07wa24 to the lowest responsible bidder, Rogue Valley Construction in the amount of $182,000.00, subject to waiting the required 14 day protest period. Motion was seconded by Filley and carried unanimously.

AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION: None

INFORMATIONAL ITEMS: None

BUSINESS FROM THE COMMISSION: None

NEXT MEETING DATE November 12, 2009 @ 3:30 p.m.

ADJOURNMENT: Meeting adjourned at 4:27 p.m.

Chanelle Rogers

Public Works Department Technician

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