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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 4/17/2017 - Public Works Committee PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE MEETING REPORT �. April 17, 2017 McHenry Municipal Center Council Chambers 1. Call to Order. Chairman Schaefer called the meeting to order at 5:30 PM with the following Committee Members Present: Chairman Alderman Schaefer, Alderman Glab, and Alderman Wimmer. Absent: None. Also in Attendance: Director of Public Works Schmitt, Project Engineer Strange, Street Division Superintendent Schweda, Wastewater Division Superintendent Ruzicka, Mayor- Elect Jett, and Deputy City Clerk Geraghty. 2. Public Input. McHenry Resident Terry Locke: 1) expressed his appreciation regarding the recently approved refuse contract; 2) asked about the process for determining who will receive a parkway tree; 3) asked about the process of selecting city streets to be resurfaced/improved; and 4), requested reinstallation of a Neighborhood Watch sign on his street. � 3. Motion to annrove the December 19 2017 Public Works Committee Meetin�port Aldennan Glab made a motion, seconded by Alderman Wimmer to approve the December 19, 2017 Public Works Committee meeting report as presented. Voting Aye: Glab, Wimmer, Schaefer Voting Nay: None Absent: None Motion carried. 4. Annual Summary of National Pollutants Dischar�e Elimination System (NPDES� Stormwater Discharge Permit Director of Public Works Schmitt informed the Committee that as a requirement of the NPDES Stormwater Discharge permit issued by the IEPA, city staff is required to provide the Public Works Committee with an annual update of the current stormwater program. Wastewater Superintendent Ruzicka who administers the program, provided the Committee with an update on this year's activities. He reported to date: • 440 man-hours spent on creek-cleaning and 40 yards of debris was removed. • In January, the IEPA performed an audit on the MS4 program and the city is in � compliance. Official results will be available in the next few weeks. This is an unfunded mandate and all costs are paid by the city. Changes were recently made � public Works Committee Meeting Report April 17,2017 Page 2 to the compliance requirements. The city will now be performing Sewer/Shed `, Focus Monitoring consisting of monitoring stormwater runoff from industrial, residential, and commercial areas for pollutants such as oil and grease. The city is now required to maintain the MS4 annual report on its website for five years. The city is now required to incorporate changing weather patterns in its stormwater literature and must informed citizens of the frequency and severity of the storms. Greater rainfall amounts increase the probability of pollutants entering streams, rivers, and lakes. These changes will be incorporated into the next printing of stormwater literature. Discussion: Alderman Wimmer asked if grass entering the storm sewer creates a problem. Superintendent Ruzicka said grass clippings are not a problem, but fertilizer and chemicals on the clippings may cause a hazard. There have also been incidents of residents pouring paint, other chemicals, and dog feces into storm sewers. Director Schmitt reported pool water emptied into storm sewers is also a hazard because of the chemicals in the water. Alderman Glab asked what options residents have to dispose of pool water and Superintendent Ruzicka reported there are chemicals available for purchase to de-chlorinate the water to acceptable levels prior to pumping the water into the storm sewer. Alderman Glab asked if this information is located in the city's ordinance and Director Schmitt answered this is covered under our NPDES permit, by federal law, and is also included in the city's adopted Stormwater Management Ordinance. �- Chairman Alderman Schaefer asked if farmland is tested. Superintendent Ruzicka answered the IEPA does not test farmland and is not directing local agencies to check agricultural land although it can be a problem due to phosphates and nitrogen. Chairman Alderman Schaefer asked if the city receives complaints or do we actively search for violations. Superintendant Ruzicka reported that part of the MS4 requirements is annual stormwater training for city employees to educate them on how to spot violations. Approximately 90% of the calls he receives about possible illicit discharge come from city elnployees in the field observing something while doing their job. Alderman Glab asked why during the recent creek cleaning performed on the west side of Dartmoor, crews left the plant stalks and scrub trees in the creek. Superintendent Schweda said he will ask the city's arborist why they were not removed noting the plants may be natural to the creek and may be necessary for bank stabilization. Alderman Glab asked Director Schmitt to email him with an explanation. The Committee thanked Superintendent Ruzicka for the update. 5. Review list of roads included in the 2017 proposed Road Pro�ram and recommendation to direct staff to present the�ro�ram to the full City Council. Director Schmitt reported the CIP includes $1.15 for street resurfacing of which approximately$100,000 will be used for pavement maintenance (Reclamite) of roads and � parking lots that we resurfaced last year and McCullom Lake Road that was resurfaced two years ago. • Public Works c:ommittee Meeting Report April 17,2017 Page 3 Streets are grouped by areas to cut down on mobilization costs. Five scenarios were � provided to the committee for review (Option #1 — 5). Director Schmitt reported a correction to Option #2, Curran Road runs from Dartmoor to Ojibwa and to just short of Routc 120. Staff seeks a recommendation to bring forward to the full City Council. Director Schmitt noted the engineering design and construction engineering will be performed in-house by Project Engineer Strange saving about 10% of the total project costs. The city will incur a cost of less than $10,000 for material testing that will have to be contracted out. Staffs recommendation is Option #1. The city has received numerous complaints from residents riding in ambulances to the hospital about the rough road conditions. The business park (Ridgeview off of Bull Valley Road to Prime Parkway) is rapidly deteriorating due to heavy truck traffic. These areas are highly traveled. Discussion: Chairman Alderman Schaefer asked if any of the options could be combined noting he has received several complaints about the condition of Pearl Street and Lincoln Road. Director Schmitt said the options were developed based on the funds available for the project. He further stated the city received $1.SM grant from STP funding for Pearl and Lincoln Road. Staff was seeking advanced funding for the project for 2017 however our request was denied. Staff will make another request in January 2018 to receive advanced funding for the 2018 construction season. The city is in a partnership with the township for this project at a 20% match on their sections. Director Schmitt reported � staff pursues all possible grants for roads. Alderrnan Wimmer stated he understands the streets proposed for resurfacing highlighted in red (Centegra Dr, Ridgeview Dr, Medical Center Drive, Lawrence Parkway) are recommended by staff however he feels the Option highlighted in Green (Pebble Creek, Brighton Place, Westminster Place, Amberwood Place, Dorchester Place, Geneva Place, Ronda Drive, Loch Glen Lane, Valley Road, Katie Lane) includes more streets, however he als<� agreed the roads around the hospital are in bad shape and in need of resurfacing. As a result, he would support Option#1. Alderman Glab asked the age of the streets around the hospital and why they in bad shape. He also questioned the thickness of the asphalt and asked if it is the base or the asphalt that deteriorates and are we in such a rush to get the project completed that the base was not compacted properly. He also asked if there grant money available to improve hospital roads. A discussion ensued on FAU Route grant requirements and rankings used to determine grant eligibility and how roads are scored for grant funding. Director Schmitt suggested that if the Committee desires, this could be a topic for a future meeting. Alderman Wimmer expressed his support for the Reclamite program. Alderman Glab stated he would rather see Option #1 include Trails of Winding Creek or Option #3 approved for 2017 and asked how old the streets are around Centegra. \. ' Public Works c�ommittee Meeting Report April 17,2017 Page 4 Director Schmitt answered Gladstone (formally Ring Road) was built at least seven or � eight years ago and the roads proposed at Centegra are original roads built over 30 years old. Alderman Glab suggested Option #1 be included in a larger road program in another fiscal year when there is more city money available. Alderman Glab asked if the city's snowplowing is causing roads to deteriorate more quickly. He asked if it was necessary to clear streets of snow down to the pavement. The scraping may damage the roads. Alderman Wimmer noted plowing is a safety issue. Superintendent Schweda reported patches are not scraped up by plows; crews are never re-patching a street patch and added that basically our roads are just old. Alderman Glab continued a discussion on the question of why are city roadways deteriorating so quickly and suggested that the city's ordinance be amended to require developers to build roads to stricter standards. Engineer Strange said in his experience, the pavement standards we use are typical. The FAU routes that trucks use are built with a heavier standard. It's all based on the equivalent, single-axel loads that they experience, which determines how thick the road will be. Director Schmitt added the city also uses those same standards when building residential streets versus collector streets and language is included in development agreements regarding road construction. Alderman Glab recommended the Committee review the standards. Aldennan Schaefer stated he receives several complaints about the condition of Green Street from Pearl to Washington. In the analysis it is goes from Elm to Washington howe�-er the Elm to Pearl section is in good shape. Are the good and bad sections of a �" street combined to achieve ranking? Superintendant Schweda added that it's more efficient and cost-effect to improve larger sections of the same street. When they are done piece-meal, the street is never completely improved. Alderrnan Wimmer made a motion, seconded by Chairman Alderman Schaefer to recommend Option #1, (Centegra Dr, Ridgeview Dr, Medical Center Drive, Lawrence Parkway) to the full City Council for the 2017 Road Resurfacing Program. Voting Aye: Wimmer, Schaefer Voting Nay: Glab Abstaining: None Absent: None Motion carried. Director Schmitt noted this year a parking lot inventory was performed. As shown on the list, this is another matter that will need to be addressed in the near future. Alderman Wimmer asked why the parking lots are not seal-coated. Director Schmitt said we are now performing pavement maintenance on parking lots. Superintendant Schweda noted seal-coating is great for driveways, however does not protect the surface of the pavement. Reclamite is a better option. Chairman Alderman Schaefer asked if usage is considered when parking lots are ranked. Director Schmitt noted that could be used however at this � time they are just ranked on condition. ' public Works Committee Meeting Report April 17,2017 Page 5 6. Ann�al review of reauests submitted for Honorary Street Si Desi�nations and if � recommended, the annlications will be presented to the full City Council for consideration. Director Schmitt reviewed the Honorary Street Sign Designation policy as revised in 2016. Three designations were submitted to the Committee for recommendation. Pursuant to the policy, only one can be approved per calendar year. Alderman Wimmer asked if one of the three applications presented is approve, what happens to the other two applications. Director Schmitt recommended the applications received in 2017 and any others that may be received this year, will be reviewed by the Committee in the first quarter of 2018. Only one review per year will be conducted. After some discussion, the Committee chose to recommend the application in honor of Donald Howard for an Honorary Street Designation as it meets all the criteria. Motion by Chairman Alderman Schaefer, seconded by Alderman Glab to recommend the application in honor of Donald Howard to the full City Council for an Honorary Street Designation. Voting Aye: Schaefer, Glab, Wimmer Voting Nay: None Abstaining: None Absent: None �.. Motion carried. In answer to a question posted by the Committee, Director Schmitt stated that from the date o f the last policy revision in 2016, all past and present Honorary Street Designations are effective for 10 years. 7. Ad'ournment. There being no further business to discuss, motion by Glab, seconded by Schaefer to adjourn the meeting at 6:25 PM. Voting Aye: Wimmer, Glab, Schaefer Voting Nay: None Absent: None Motion carried. Reviewed and Approved: Alderman Victor A. Santi, Chairman `..