HomeMy WebLinkAboutPWC Minutes 2002-10-01 DtSr"S'T:ON ')ATE
71;0F I 7,
n
1821 TOWN OF ITHACA
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT
106 SEVEN MILE DRIVE, ITHACA, N.Y. 14850
PHONE (607)273-1656 Roads,Parks,Trails,Sewer,and Water FAX(607)272-6076
PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE
October 1, 2002, 8:00 a.m.
Public Works Facility (Temp Trailer)
NOTE: Date has been changed from September 24, 2002, to October 1,2002
1. Approval of Minutes David Klein
June 25, 2002
July 23, 2002
2. Update on Public Works Facility Fred Noteboom
3. Update on Highway Projects Fred Noteboom
4. Review Petition from Residents on Roat Street-- Fred Noteboom
Three-way Stop
5. Review West Hill Water &Sewer 2002 Bills and Budget Dan Walker
6. Review Preliminary Engineering Report for South
Hill Transmission Water Main Dan Walker
7. Update on East Hill Tank Plan Dan Walker
8. Review Burns Road Water Main Design and
Contract Documents Dan Walker
ghk
pc: Mary Bryant, Sr. Typist
Tee-Ann Hunter, Town Clerk
Andrew Frost, Director of Zoning/Building
Jonathan Kanter, Director of Planning
r ;
DISPOSITION DATE P
4
41
TOWN OF ITHACA
Public Works Committee
Public Works Facility, October 1, 2002
Present: David Klein, Chair; Dan Walker; Fred Noteboom; Rich Schoch; Wayne Sincebaugh;
Cathy Valentino; Tom Neiderkorn, and Mike Smith
The meeting began at 8:10 a.m.
The June and July minutes were approved.
Public Works Facility
According to the bid schedule the general contractor is behind. At the last job meetings, Wayne
Sincebaugh expressed his concern about the masons getting their work done on time. The schedule
will probably be two weeks behind throughout the whole project. We will encourage them to move
along so the project is done on time.
The other primes are working but can't do a lot until the general contractor gets certain things built.
The HVAC contractor does not think we should put in insulation under the pipes that are
underground—he has never heard of doing that. It is in the specs. though so we will continue to
monitor this.
The main floor is scheduled to be poured on Monday, October 7, 2002.
Wayne said that a change order for the roofing results in a decrease in the spending budget, although
there will be another change order regarding the trench drain. We will probably get this change on
Thursday.
Dan explained the change in the roof and that is seems to be a stronger style of roofing. It is still a
Butler roofing system. The siding stayed the same.
David Klein asked if the Town Board authorized Dan Walker to sign change orders that are under a
certain amount, instead of going to the Town Board for each one and holding up the project. We will
request the Town Board to do this, and use the same wording and cost amounts as was used for
Town Hall.
Cathy Valentino felt that we should put up signs indicating where the temporary office is located.
� 1
Public Works Committee Minutes,October 1,2002 Page 2
Update on Highway Projects
Most of the projects for the 2002-year have been completed,with the exception of Stone Quarry Road.
We had to do some topsoil and seeding at Winthrop Drive due to wash outs after Friday's rainstorm.
Fred said that the residents in the Christopher Circle Water Tank area are not happy with us using
the tank site as a staging area. We had planned to use it again next year when we work on the upper
section of Winthrop Drive—although we may not be able to. The residents are unhappy with the
noise (although we do not get to the site or start work there before 7:00 a.m.) and the stockpiles and
equipment there. Fred said that he would talk to the Village of Cayuga Heights about using their
Highway barn as a possible staging site. Fred said that he would also talk to the residents in the area
if needed.
There was a discussion regarding what work can be done and that the Planning Board has,in the
past, put time limits on projects. The noise ordnance law requires that work not begin until 7:00 a.m.
There was a discussion regarding the wildflowers growing around the evergreen frees at the tank
site. Rich Schoch said that they would be trimmed back soon.
Stone Quarry Road is coming along good. Fred said that we might be able to open the road by the
end of October. The cost to repair this road might not be as high as we thought. We are working on
the creek that flows into the box culvert to make it flow towards the culvert. Most of the riprap to
shore up the bank has been put in place. We did not have to rent machinery to install the riprap—
this has saved some money. The guide rail is scheduled to be put in starting October 16, 2002.
Plantings for the Oakwood Tank site have been completed. The plantings for the Hanshaw Road
back lots are almost done. Trumansburg Trees will plant the evergreen trees during the week of
October 7-11, 2002.
We have been having a problem with deer browsing on the new plantings despite use of garlic oil
sticks and milorganite. David suggested fencing the plantings.
RoatStreet-3-way Stop
The Town has received a petition to have a 3-way stop put in at Roat Street and Blackstone Avenue.
This is on the Town Board's Agenda for October 3, 2002, to set a public hearing. This is on the
agenda to inform the Committee members. Fred said that he would write a letter to the residents in
the area regarding the proposed change.
Public Works Committee Minutes,October 1,2002 Page 3
West Hill Water and Sewer Project Bids
The bids for these projects; sewer line replacement to the hospital, sewer extension up Trumansburg
Road to Hayts Road, and water main replacement behind the hospital; are in and are higher than
anticipated.
The hospital sewer line replacement was over by$101,000, the Trumansburg Road extension was
over by$22,000, but the Biggs water main replacement was under by $21,000.
There was a discussion regarding the Trumansburg Road extension being so high. It was bid as an
alternate so it can be deleted. Basically it would benefit only one property, although it would
accommodate three properties. The Committee discussed the pros and cons of extending the sewer.
It could promote development, although it is the Town's policy to have the developer provide sewer
when developing an area. The Town would have plans that a developer could use for the extension.
The Committee agreed that a developer could probably do the extension cheaper than the bid.
The Public Works Committee recommends to the Town Board that the Trumansburg Road sewer
extension not be accepted, but the other two bids,Hospital sewer and water, be accepted. All
Committee members were in favor of this. This recommendation will be included in the resolution to
the Town Board accepting the bids.
Dan informed the Committee that he is compiling an analysis of unit costs from this bidding process
for the Town to use in the future.
South Hill Water Transmission Main and East Hill Tank
Dan showed the Committee a map indicating what he would propose to connect the Town's water
systems together, allowing the Town to become independent of the City's water supply.
Currently the system does not allow for adequate storage of water—can't store water at night.
The proposed tank in East Hill would have additional storage (storage for 1 day) and would boost
the pressure (for Cornell University). They have surveyed and completed test borings in the area of
the current Hungerford water tank site. When this tank in completed, it will be high enough to feed
most of the Town using gravity. This project will be funded through Bolton Point.
Currently the Town's water system hooks into the City of Ithaca's water system at Coddington Road,
and then goes back to Town's system. Dan would like to eliminate this. Another concern Dan has is
the City's water tank on Elm Street is not working. When we built the Inlet Valley water system, we
put in a loop on Elmira Road at Buttermilk Falls Road.
_ _ i
Public Works Committee Minutes,October 1,2002 Page 4
Dan would like to build a transmission main that would require about 10,000' of pipe. It would go
through Ithaca College property, then through Town property, then Emerson's to the railroad bed,
then to Buttermilk Falls Road and tie in there.
To equal out the pressure, Dan proposes a tank be built on Bostwick Road. A pump station would be
needed on Coy Glen to go to the West Hill water tank (site is currently being sought).
Dan then went on to explain the different sites available to the Town for the proposed water tank
near Mecklenburg Road. Two sites are on Eco-Village's property, and two sites are on Eddy's
property. Both the tank sites on the Eco-Village property would not provide more pressure for the
Eco-Village.
At this point,Tom Neiderkorn asked if the Ulysses Town's proposed tank would help pressurize
some of our lines. Dan said yes, their elevation of the tank site is higher than the ones we are
proposing. We do have pressure problems on the north side of West Haven. The new tank would
alleviate that.
Dan explained the cost for erecting a tank at the different sites. Three of the tanks (both on Eco-
Village and one on Eddy's property) would be concrete tanks and partially buried in the ground. The
estimated cost to build a tank on those three sites would be over $800,000. The one site on
Mecklenburg Road would cost approximately $600,000 and would be an Aqua-Store above-ground,
steel tank. The site would be approximately 400' off the road. The tank would be 30' high. We
would be able to fence the area and put plantings there to screen it from public view.
Dan indicated that he is more in favor of concrete tanks, although technology is getting better for the
steel tanks.
We will continue to negotiate with Eco-Village regarding putting a tank on their property.
Dan said that the tank on West Hill has been approved by the Capital Planning Committee and that
approximately$300,000 has been allocated for this project.
There was a discussion regarding financing the tank project and the transmission main project. The
water main project is still in the development phase and needs more work on it. This is just to let the
committee know what the Engineering Department is working on.
We will continue to discuss this project.
The Committee talked about the tank site being zoned in an Agricultural district.
Some other discussions regarding this project are (1) The Town would not have to use the City's
water system, (2) there would be less problems with pressure, (3) could bring water to Stone Quarry
Road with good pressure, and (4) would allow the Town to reduce the cost of water supply by
Public Works Committee Minutes,October 1,2002 Page 5
allowing us to pump water to tanks (for storage) during the nighttime hours. We would continue to
cooperate with Cornell University to pump the water.
Again, Dan will continue to "fine tune" his plan, bring it back to the Public Works Committee, and
then he would take the plan to the Capital Planning Committee.
Burns Road Water Design
This project is temporarily on hold. The Town has to wait to get the OK from the Agriculture and
Markets Department (New York State),which can take up to 45 days to make their recommendation.
A SEQR review also has to be done before we can bid the job, and because the Ag. and Markets
decision could have an effect on the SEQR, a SEQR can not be done yet.
Cathy will make some inquiries into speeding up the process at the Ag. and Markets Department.
The Tompkins County Health Department has been talking to the people on Burns Road regarding
health hazards.
Miscellaneous
Fred informed the Committee that the Town has received a letter asking the Town to maintain some
plantings, etc. around welcome signs within the Town as part of a beautification project. Fred
suggested that volunteers would be more appropriate due to the Town's shortage of time to get
current and maintenance projects done. The Committee agreed.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:00 a.m.
The next meeting will be October 29, instead of October 22.
ghk