Fairfield Regular August 6, 2013 Council Meeting Minutes

REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
AUGUST 6, 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 PERTINENT POINTS, THESE MINUTES CONTAIN ONLY A SUMMARY OF THE DISCUSSION AND VOTING.

Mayor Ed Huber called the regular council meeting to order on August 6, 2013 at 7:00 p.m.

Mayor and Town Council members present: Ed Huber, Mary Branon, Harry Gibbons, Brian Kauffman, and George
Davidson. Valerie Spurrell was absent.

Others present: KJ Hanley of Century West, Maxine Vail, Tom Smith, Derek Knecht and Jeannie Jesseph.

Approval of Minutes

ACTION

Harry Gibbons motioned to approve the minutes from the July 16, 2013 regular council meeting as presented; seconded by Mary Branon. The motion carried.

Approval of the Claims

ACTION

Brian Kauffman made a motion to approve EFT payroll checks E155-E156 and E17167 totaling $2045.03 and check numbers
17160, 17162-17166,17168 -17183 totaling $100,442.01; as presented. Mary Branon seconded the motion. The motion carried.

Claims:          $98,026.01

Payroll:               4,461.03

Total Claims: $102,487.04

Check Register signed by: Mary Branon, George Davidson and Brian Kauffman.

Guest

Tom Smith

Tom Smith shared his concerns about the 25 mph speed limit in the Town of Fairfield. He presented council with information supporting his reasoning why he thinks 25 mph is too fast for some of the streets in Fairfield. He proposes that the Town lower the speed limit within the town limits to 15 mph (with the possible exceptions of Prairie View, Main, and Railroad leading to Truax and obviously, Hwy 27). Mayor Ed Huber requested Town employees to check into the legality of lowering the speed limit and gather more information on this topic.

Generator Bids

This issue will be revisited at the next council meeting on August 20, 2013 when more bids have been submitted.

Public Hearing for the design of Railroad to McNeil Street Project

Mayor Ed Huber opened the public hearing at 7:18 p.m.

KJ Hanley from Century West Engineering presented the initial design for the Main Street Project from Railroad to McNeil
Street. He hung a set of large drawings and talked about the various areas included in the project. At this time the drawings are considered to be 50% laid out.

Some of the assumptions the engineers used when putting together the design are:

• The improvements are designed to try and dispose of a 10-year storm event.
• Swale of some kind would be helpful to provide for overflow and disposal of runoff from 10-year storm event.
• Johnson to Railroad is not feasible to use drywells to accommodate the entire 10-year storm event.
• Planning to remove the second sidewalk at the library entrance.

Comment: The drawings are currently only 50% completed. Now is the time to talk about what we want.

Question: Is the sidewalk on the north side going to be redone?

Answer: As we get further along in the project this can be considered and possibly added later.

Question: Will the cement work in front of the Community Center be affected?

Answer: The current cement work does not meet the ADA requirements and will need to be changed.

Question: Will the islands still be in grass?

Answer: The entrance to the west will be taken out and redone. The asphalt parking will be torn up and redone to meet ADA requirements. A small area could potentially be saved, but this would leave seams that could potentially cause problems later. Also the area would look patched up.

Comment from Mayor Ed Huber: The council is concerned that work recently completed by another engineering company will have to be torn up and redone because it is not currently ADA compliant. The council is concerned about the use of tax payer money. Thank you for doing your work so thoroughly.

Answer: Thank you. Please let me know any concerns you have with the project.

Question: Will the costs for the light poles be the same as the other poles?

Answer: That has not been reviewed at this time.

Question: How much parking does the Town want to maintain between Johnson and McNeil? Is the Town open to the idea of using swales east of Johnson? What about swales on the north side of Main Street between Johnson and McNeil?

 

Potentially in the next 10-20 years there will be tighter requirements for handling storm water run-off. If that happens the
Town could be forced to install the swales at that time.

Answer: The council was open to the use of swales, but would like input from the affected homeowners before making any decisions. Either Cheryl Loeffler or Jeannie Jesseph was directed to send letters to the affected homeowners to invite them to a small meeting or to the next council meeting on August 20, 2013 to discuss the matter.

Question: Will we lose parking in front of the library?

Answer: No. The engineer proposes installing a bulb to define the parking area. They want to take out the second concrete strip to make the parking spaces deeper to accommodate large vehicles.

Question: Will we lose the bike rack?

Answer: No.

Question: What are the options if we don’t put in a lower swale?

Answer: If we don’t install a lower swale the best option would be drywells and an overflow into the existing storm drainage system.

Question: Could a swale be wrapped around a corner?

Answer: Yes.

Question: Could a swale be put in at the Community Center?

Answer: Potentially, the engineer will look into the possibility of this location for a swale.

Question: How much more maintenance would be added to Town employees to keep the swales up?

Answer: Drywells with catch basins should not need maintenance for 10+ years, with the exception of cleaning debris out of the structures. Landscaping depends on what Town wants as far as mowing.

Question: Will there be a sidewalk along the north side?

Answer: No, the edge will be gravel to catch the runoff and be the lower grade.

 

Question: How will the approach to affected driveways be handled?

Answer: The area will be re-graded and will transition out nicely.

Question: Can we pave the approaches to the driveways?

Answer: The driveways could be paved if that is what the Town and residents wanted.

Question: How will the hydrant be affected?

Answer: The engineer will coordinate with the Town to make plans to relocate or replace any necessary hydrants.

Question: Does this give us an opportunity to work on the sewer lines at the same time?

Answer: KJ Hanley and Derek Knecht will review the lines and meters. The Town is interested in replacing meters.

Question: Does the Town like shallow grass swales?

Answer: That sounds nice, but we would like to talk with affected homeowners before making any decisions.

Question: Should the area east of the Library be reinforced for a driveway and widened for a swale?

Answer: It should be widened a small amount.

Question: Do we want to keep both ADA ramps going into the street?

Answer: No, the Town decided that the existing ramp by the Dr. Office needs to remain, but the second ramp closer to Town hall no longer serves a purpose and could be removed.

Question: Can we put a 2-hour limit parking sign in front of the doctor’s office?

Answer: Valid point.

Question: Can the NE corner of McNeil and Main be improved to finish off intersection?

Answer: Yes, something can be added to that area. Perhaps some steps up to a path along the park.

Question: Can Century West give us a cost estimate to put in steps?

Answer: We will check into this, keeping in mind that they would need to be ADA approved.

Question: How would the business district be affected and how would it be handled?

Answer: The contractors will try to make sure there is access. This project will be an inconvenience to local businesses.

The road will have to be closed sometimes. They will work to maintain foot traffic and maintain night time access. They will put up signs that say the area will be closed to through traffic, and still allow access to businesses. They will provide a traffic control plan and put up signs.

Question: Will they do both blocks at the same time?

Answer? Yes. Asphalt grinding will be done first thing.

Question: Customers need to have access to the local businesses. How will this work?

Answer? We will have a pre-construction meeting with businesses. We can potentially put in some restrictions.

Question: When will the project start and when will it be completed?

Answer: Depending on weather, the project will begin in June. Hopefully the project will be ended by the end of July.

Question: Will the bump out by the library be all concrete?

Answer: Yes.

With no further questions or comments, Mayor Huber closed the public hearing at 8:18 [p.m.]

Century West
2013 TIB Sidewalk Funding Application

KJ has again filled out an application for funding through the Transportation Improvement Board Small City Sidewalk Program. This is for replacing sidewalk from Carlton to Spokane Street on the west side. Our current application has us set up with having no matching funds. KJ asked if Cheryl could look up on the TIB website to see who previously received funding and what their points were. We will check to see if more funding in available for adding matching funds. If we receive this grant it would be funded in 2014 to begin construction in 2015.

2012 CDBG Sewer Project
All areas of concern with both businesses are resolved and no further work is required with the CDBG Sewer project.

 

OLD BUSINESS

Utility tax accounting
This will be reviewed at the next council meeting when more information is available.

Summer lunch program

This year 906 lunches were served to kids from June 17 to August 1, 2013. The program ran smoothly with a great group of volunteers.

NEW BUSINESS

No new business at this time.

Public Works Report

WATER

• V.O.C. testing will be done on sources #1 and #5 this month for 2013 compliance.
• Continuing valve location and exercising.
• Hydrant flushing is almost complete for the year.
• New #10 gallon chlorinator is working in well house #2 without fault.
• Still having some communication errors with the reservoir and well #5.

• Bids have been coming in for the generator on well #5.
• Remote read metering systems are going into effect at the end of the month starting with the residential meters that are not accessible 24/7. These are soon to be moved outside closer to the main with backflow requirements satisfied, and use of the same composite meter.

• Lead and copper testing will be done this month with select residential volunteers (total of 15 samples).

WWTF
• Mowing and weed maintenance is under control.
• Trees are being watered.
• Flows are at a very low rate and retention for this month will be no problem.
• Southeast aerator is scheduled to be changed at the end of the month.

PARKS
• Preparing for gazebo remodel.
• Still having problems with messy restrooms.
• Requested light repair in Hart Park.

ROADS
• 25 M.P.H. speed limit signs “ON ALL ARTERIALS UNLESS POSTED” signs are being ordered for all roads entering Fairfield town limits.

• Possible posting of 15 M.P.H. on select dead ends and alleyways. This will be included in the retroreflectivity requirements.

• “Thank you for visiting” signs leaving town?
• Road oiling is holding up well.
• Pot holes are being repaired where needed.

OTHER: looking for S-10 truck or something comparable before winter gets here. Making a final decision on a locator and small trash pump for meter boxes, leaks etc.

Complaints/Compliments

There was a formal complaint regarding the condition of the property at an empty house. Cheryl Loeffler is to contact the title holder and enforce our ordinance on this matter.

Adjourn
With no further business, the council meeting adjourned at 8:53 pm.

______________   ________________________
Mayor Ed Huber     Deputy Clerk Jeannie Jesseph

 

ACTION