Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Fairfield Town Council Meeting Minutes January 22, 2013

REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
JANUARY 22, 2013
7:00 P.M.

Note to persons reviewing this document: This is not a verbatim transcript. While an attempt has been made to document pertinentpoints, these minutes contain only a summary of the discussion and voting.

Mayor Ed Huber called the regular council meeting to order on January 22, 2013 at 7:00 pm. Council members present: Mary Branon, Valerie Spurrell and Brian Kauffman.
 
Harry Gibbons and George Davidson are both absent due to illness.

Others present: Randy Noble from TD&H, Derek Knecht and Cheryl Loeffler.
 
Approval of Minutes
ACTION
Brian Kauffman motioned to approve the minutes from the January 8, 2013 regular council meeting, seconded by Mary Branon. The motion carried.
ACTION
Approval of the Claims
Brian Kauffman motioned and Mary Branon seconded to authorize claim vouchers #16949 through #16953 for $884.28 dated 12-31-12 and claim vouchers #16946-16948 and #16954 through 16963 for $12,135.42 and EFTs for $1,413.40 dated 1-22-13 as presented. The motion carried.

12-13-12                                1-8-13
Claims: $ 884.28                  $7,336.21

Payroll: 00.0 0                        6,212.61

Total Claims: $ 884.28       $13,548.82

Check Register signed by: Mary Branon, Brian Kauffman, and Valerie Spurrell.

Engineer’s Report
TD&H
Randy Noble from TD&H was present at tonight’s meeting. He presented council with Consultant Supplemental Agreement #3 for $546.25, which would provide reimbursement for costs incurred for the lighting inspection upon completion of the work. This inspection by Trindera was not included in the design bid for the lighting project.
ACTION
Brian motioned to approve Consultant Supplemental Agreement #3 for $546.25 additional costs of the final electrical inspection for the E. Main Rehabilitation Project; seconded by Valerie Spurrell. The motion was approved.

Relocation of the light pole near rail crossing
Randy explained that when the project was designed, they were unable to locate the railroad’s standards for the distance for structures beside the tracks but the WAC 480-60-990 is 8’6” from centerline. The light pole adjacent to the siding track has raised safety concerns with UPRR and they are requiring having it moved. Terrel Anderson from UPRR has stated that the railroad’s standard is 15’. With Randy’s documentation, the base of the pole is 6’ from the nearest track and 8’4” from centerline, which is still less than WAC standards. Council asked Randy why he did not verify distances with the railroad before the project began and the response was that he probably should have and it was their mistake.

Randy has three recommendations for the council:
1. Leave it where it is.
2. Remove it completely and use the pole in the next project or
3. Relocate the pole to where UPRR requires it to be.
 
He then presented council with proposals from ARC Electric for $1,500 to remove the pole and $8310 for relocation.
 
Sales tax was not included in the bid amount. He stated that TIB had given preliminary approval for the additional funds and that TD&H was prepared to cover Fairfield’s 5% as Ed had expressed in previous conversations with Randy that the council was not prepared to approve this expense.
 
Even though this project is funded by a grant, the TIB funds come from the state gas tax. The town’s 5% is funded from the utility tax so the council questioned Randy why taxpayers have to pay for a mistake by the engineer on the placement of the light. Ed also expressed that removing it completely would also be a waste of taxpayer’s funds since it has already been paid. Both Ed and the council expressed that they will not have any role in the abuse of grant monies and taxpayer funds.
 
Randy is unable to make any decision and will talk with the regional manager to see how TD&H will handle it. It was expressed that Fairfield does not want to pursue this legally and wants to keep this civil but legal advice will be brought in if needed.
 
Cameron Reilly, LLC Change order #1
It was brought to the attention of council that Cameron Reilly’s Change Order #1 dated 11-6-2012, has not been approved. This change order was for compensation for miscellaneous items that had been approved and paid during the project.
 
ACTION
Mary motioned to approve Cameron Reilly’s Change Order #1 for $28,405.17; seconded by Brian. The motion carried.

OLD BUSINESS
Approval of communications package for shop
Don Adams from Controls Instruments Automation has confirmed that the landline can be removed from the town shop and something like Magic Jack or Vonage can be used for the telemetry system. Mary has the cell phone booster from Sprint and that is ready to be installed. Frontier will be contacted to remove the landline and install their internet. Don also presented a bid to move the telemetry system from town hall to the town shop with a base bid of $1,684 and not to exceed $3,484. These do not include sales tax.

ACTION
Mary motioned to bring in internet, remove the landline and purchase Vonage or a similar product for the shop and to approve the bid from Don Adams to move the telemetry system to the shop not the exceed $3,484.00 which does not include sales tax; seconded by Brian. The motion passed.

New employee review process
The next time the personnel handbook is updated, Section 3.1 NEW EMPLOYEES will be changed to include part-time employee review period of six months. Full-time employee review period will remain at three months with an additional three-month period at the discretion of the mayor.

CDBG 2013 funding
Notification was received that the town has received preliminary approval for full funding for the 2013 Sewer Improvement Project. The next step is a public hearing in March. Cheryl did note that the total funds available from the federal government had not been received yet so the amount could change.

NEW BUSINESS
Resolution 2013-1 Fee Schedule

ACTION
Mary motioned to approve Resolution 2013-1-Fee schedule pending stated changes; seconded by Brian. The motion
carried.
 
Sidewalk at Thiel Park
A concerned citizen has brought the fact that the new sidewalk at Thiel Park is impassable with snow and ice to council’s attention. Ed has discussed this with Derek and currently the town does not have the equipment it would take to clear this sidewalk and the pathway through Thiel Park. For an immediate remedy, Derek will ask Greg Wernz if he would be interested in clearing the sidewalks and what he would charge. For a long-term solution, Cheryl and Jeannie will look into grant funding possibilities and adding it to the next budget cycle.
 
Vintage Post Office
This information was passed on to Fairfield Pharmacy.
 
Animal hit on Highway 27
A dog was hit on Highway 27 Wednesday and staff was not sure who should be called to take of it since the owner was not immediately identified. (The owner was able to get the animal off the highway). Sheriff Ozzie was notified and asked to send a deputy down to monitor the speeding traffic in that area. The sheriff was also asked about the progress of the SpoKanimal contract. He said that he has passed it on to the commissioners. It has been determined that SpoKanimal should be called if no owner can be located.
 
SRTC Interlocal Agreement
 
ACTION
Brian motioned to approve the SRTC Interlocal Agreement; seconded by Mary. The motion carried.

Public Works Report
WATER
  • Testing is starting out great for the year.
  • Soft start has been installed in Well #2, two last control issues to program and it will be on-line with a 15-second start up and 15-second shutdown.
  • Well #1 is scheduled to be done by the end of the month. This is the last well to be updated for soft start systems.
  • Bids are in to move Telemetry to the town shop.
WWTF
  • Pump #1 in lift station #1 was pulled last week and debris removed to find a worn out impellor and cutting edge. A new replacement motor has been ordered with the upgraded impellor design with a double vein cutting edge guaranteed not to clog.
  • Retrofit kit has been ordered to bring the damaged pump up to grade with a new double cutting impellor also. This will serve as the spare until pump #2 can be pulled and upgraded as well.
  • Testing is on schedule and is well within testing limits, effluent has a PH of 7.1, T.P. and T.S.S. are also looking great.
  • Screen room drains are being cleaned for overflow control.
ROADS
  • Sides of the roads and drains are being opened up for snowmelt off.
  • Plowing and sanding when needed.
Other
Volunteer appreciation brunch is Sunday. Cheryl asked for three breakfast casseroles to be made and to have council provide clean-up duties.

Complaints/Compliments
Thiel Park sidewalk complaint was addressed above.

Adjourn:
The regular meeting adjourned 8:53 pm.
______________     _______________________
Mayor Ed Huber   Clerk/Treasurer Cheryl Loeffler
 

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