HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-23-13 Board of Public Works Meeting AgendaBOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
OFFICIAL NOTICE OF REGULAR MEETING
A meeting of the Board of Public Works will be held on Monday, December 23, 2013, at 4:45
p.m. in Common Council Chambers — Third Floor, City Hall, 108 East Green Street, Ithaca,
New York.
Acenda
1. Additions or Deletions to Agenda (Items 1 -5: 15 min.)
2. Mayor's Communications
3. Communications and Hearings from Persons Before the Board
4. Response to the Public
5. Reports
Special Committees of the Board
Council Liaison
Board Liaisons
Superintendent and Staff
Other Department Heads
6. Approval of Minutes
6.1 November 25, 2013 Regular Minutes
7. Administration and Communications
7.1 Public Comment Regarding the Proposed Street Vending Policy
8. VOTING ITEMS
8.1 Buildings. Properties, Refuse and Transit
8.2 Highways, Streets and Sidewalks
8.3 Parking and Traffic
8.4 Creeks, Bridges and Parks
8.5 Water and Sewer
9. DISCUSSION ITEMS
9.1 Appeal of Water Bill for 404 South Aurora Street
10. New Business
11. Adjournment
If you have a disability that will require special arrangements to be made in order for you to fully
participate in the meeting, please contact the City Clerk at 607- 274 -6570 at least 48 hours before the
meeting.
The Board of Public Works meets on the second, third and fourth Wednesdays of the months at 4:45 p.m. All meetings are voting
meetings, opening with a public comment period. Meeting agendas are created from prior public input, Department operating, planning
issues, and requests made to the Superintendent. The Board reserves the right to limit verbal comments to three minutes and to request
written comments on lengthy or complex issues. This information may then be used to create committee agendas, with the speaker or
author invited to attend.
Notes for BPW Agenda, December 23, 2013
7.1 Public Comment Regarding the Proposed Street Vending Policy
On December 9, 2013, the Board agreed to hear public comments regarding the proposed
street vending policy at its meeting on December 23, 2013. Since that meeting on December
Stn, it has been requested that an additional public comment period be provided for residents,
visitors and business owners be held on January 13, 2014. The notice has been shared with
neighborhood groups and media contacts.
9.1 Appeal of Water Bill for 404 South Aurora Street
The owner of the property at 404 South Aurora Street submitted an appeal for a reduction of
the water bill from April 2013. Barb Frycek, Senior Meter Technician, has provided information
and a recommendation for the Board's consideration.
Kathy c�ehr�wo, 6xecut�ve Ass�stavvt
For R.a� gevkjavu.i,w,
Activ q Superintendent of FubUa Work,-s
Decew -ber -1g, 20-13
Page 2
November 18, 2013
The Board of Public Works
City of Ithaca
108 East Green Street
Ithaca, New York 14850
RE: The defective water meter at 404 South Aurora Street, Ithaca New York
To Whom it May Concern:
RECEIVED
Dept, Of Public Works
NOV 22 2013
Office of the Superintendent
and Engineering Division
My rental property at 404 South Aurora Street received an unusually high water bill in April 2013. The usage shown was
7,500 units, more than ten times the normal usage rate. We immediately inspected the uninhabited building and found no
leaking faucets nor any running toilets or leaks other than a minor drip in a bath tub.
We suspected an underground leak but there was no evidence of this and the water meter was not moving.
We called the City Water Department to check out the service. Rich Brown (607- 274 -3308) came to inspect the property.
Other than the minor tub leak he found nothing running or leaking. He did find that he was unable to download the usage
history from the water meter. He declared that the water meter was defective and had it replaced. The meter was sent to
Master Meter, the contractor that supplies the water meters for the city of Ithaca. Master Meter representatives did not
believe that the information could not be downloaded from the meter. However, they, too, were unable to read the meter.
It is clear that the water meter was defective and gave an erroneous reading, inflating our bill to $765.00, far more than
the normal amount of $122.00.
I spoke with Barbara Frick who recognized the problem with the meter but was unable to adjust the bill. She suggested
that I contact the Board of Public Works to request a corrected amount for the period in question.
We have paid this bill but ask that our account be credited to reflect the average usage during the period in question.
Yours truly,
Kenneth W. Youn
228 Columbia Street
Ithaca, NY 14850
607 - 272 -0204
CITY OF ITHACA
510 First Street Ithaca, New York 14850 -3506
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS • WATER AND SEWER DIVISION
Telephone: 607/272 -1717 Fax: 607/277 -5028
MEMORANDUM
To: Board of Public Works
From: Barbara G. Frycek
Senior Meter Technicia
Date: December 13, 2013
Re: 404 S. Aurora Street
Acct *: 02Oo899500
Mr. Young contacted the meter department and scheduled an appointment for
April 22 2013. As a leak letter was mailed on April 3, it appears as Mr. Young
waited until receiving his bill before contacting us.
On April 1 the reading was 588 for a consumption on 75 units (75oo cf). When
the meter was checked on the 22nd the reading was 600 or a consumption of 12
units in just 22 days. Mr. Rich Brown inspected the property and found a tub
faucet leaking.
The next day Mr. Brown returned to get a data log. At this time, the transponder
failed and died. The meter was changed out at this time. (See journal notes and
change out slip)
We are showing a history of transponders that start with the numbers 45 to fail
during data log attempts. This in no way means the reading was erroneous prior
to attempting the data log and the battery dying.
After researching the properties consumption history I find the average April
consumption to be 39 units, not the 12 indicated by the $122 amount. Minimum
billing has only occurred twice in ten years.
It is my opinion that a credit is not warranted on the sole basis of not being able
to retrieve a data log graph.
spec y,
ara . ryce
Senior Water Meter Technician
City of Ithaca
"An Equal Opportunity Employer with a commitment to workforce diversification." 0
City of Ithaca Board of Public Works
Water Department
Install Remove
File*
07599438
Address
Date
Reason
Meter Info
4d#
Make—
r
-Size"
N ew#
Z
Flow
H
I
Size
Notes
07599438
Connection L Meter Into
Meter reading Serial number 1- 879175:3
' Work Ordei
Readings
1.0
Drnte� Fteadin ransum 'ori Deal aas ,, a Mana6un -Code Dated ctee Note:,.
1
10/3/2013
71212013
4/2312013
4/23/2013
4/212013
1/412013
10/3/2012
7/9/2012
4/4/2012
1J470Mn
89
32
0
601
588
513
495
461
417
57
32
0} 4.5
13
75
18
34
44
40
•,q
0.6
0.5
0
0.6
0.9
0.2
0.4
0.5
0.4
nn
34 a
-100 a
-100 n
-27 r
0 a
-51 e
4 a
4 a
67 a
^.c -
10/18/2013
7/199013
7/19/2013
7/1912013 meter char
4/18/2013 leak letter,
1/18/2013
10/191'012
7/20/2012
4/20/2012
„nnrmmi
2
3
4
5
6
1.9
Daily Usage Chart
15 1
1.0
0.5
00 III.._ ... &dLu
Reading Penod: 10/312013 ---- -- - - -> 12131/2002
jarow -Se I Ex_rt
Ni�ii"'Recordlnqvi�v (1J1) ------------- - - - - -- - - - - -. _- ►�N
1.5
1.0
0.5
L
0.0
Ni�ii"'Recordlnqvi�v (1J1) ------------- - - - - -- - - - - -. _- ►�N
Dally Usage Chart
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0
Work Order I Readings
0.4
Connection I
Meier Into
0.3
-35 a
1120/2012
Meterreadrng Serial number 1- 8791753
,''
Date_ - Ftee�din Consumpfon
9
4/412012
417 40
10
1/4/2012
377 24
= 11
10/5/2011
353 37
12
7/6/2011
316 32
313
4/5/2011
284 14
14
1/6/2011
270 19
15
10/5/2010
251 36
16
7/6/2010
215 23
-'17
4/2/2010
192 19
Dally Usage Chart
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0
Work Order I Readings
0.4
67 a
4/20/2012
0.3
-35 a
1120/2012
0.4
17 a
10120/2011
0.3
0 a
7/20/2011 Leak letter
0.2
-23 a
4/2012011
0.2
-48 a
1/20/2011
0.4
63 a
10/20/2010
0.2
11 a
7120/2010
0.2
21 a
4/20/2010
M n
ci —
i innr+nin
91+1 Record Inq +airy (1 /1) ,._.,.
Egit
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0
I LT
Water Bill Analysis
Kenneth Young Acct. #: 200899500
404 S. Aurora St. Meter Size: 5/8" x 112"
Min. Consumption *: 12
Meter Reading
Date
Cons. *
Billing Date
Water Bill
Total Bill
Water
Rate
Sewer
Rate
Actual
Cost
Notes
1/5/2010
16
1/20/2010
$ 53.12
$ 124.00
$ 3.32
$ 4.43
$124.00
4/2/2010
19
4/20/2010
63.08
147.25
$ 3.32
$ 4.43
$147.25
7/6/2010
23
7/20/2010
76.36
178.25
$ 3.32
$ 4.43
$178.25
10/5/2010
36
10/20/2010
119.52
279.00
$ 3.32
$ 4.43
$ 279.00
1/6/2011
19
1/20/2011
71.25
163.78
3.75
4.87
$163.78
4/5/2011
14
4/20/2011
52.50
120.68
3.75
4.87
$120.68
7/6/2011
32
7/20/2011
120.00
275.84
3.75
4.87
$ 275.84
Leak Letter 6/14/11
10/5/2011
371
10/2012011
138.75
318.94
3.75
4.87
$ 318.94
1/412012
24
1/20/2012
108.00
229.44
4.50
5.06
$ 229.44
4/4/2012
40
4/20/2012
180.00
382.40
4.50
5.06
$ 382.40
7/9/2012
44
7/20/2012
198.00
420.64
4.50
5.06
$ 420.64
10/3/2012
341
10/19/2012
153.00
325.04
4.50
5.06
$ 325.04
1/4/2013
18
1/18/2013
85.14
183.60
4.73
5.47
$183.60
4/2/2013
75
4/18/2013
354.75
765.00
4.73
5.47
$ 765.00
Leak Letter 4/3/13 x2
4/23/2013
0
$ -
Meter change
7/2/2013
45
7/19/2013
212.85
459.00
4.73
5.47
$ 459.00
10/3/2013
57
10/18/2013
269.61
581.40
4.73
5.47
$ 581.40
$ -
*Consumption is in 100 cubic feet
(i.e. 57 = 5,700 cubic feet of water consumed)
m
0
0
CL
E
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Water Consumption for 104-114 N. Cayuga St.
J:1Bill Gray\Bill's Correspondence\Complaint Responses\Water Protests - bill analyses.xls404 S Aurora St
12/16/2013