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09-02-1999 - Special "Y' "'-11 CITY COUNCIL OF EDGEWATER SPECIAL MEETING SEPTEMBER 2, 1999 7:00 P.M. COMMUNITY CENTER MINUTES CALL TO ORDER Mayor Allman called the Special Meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Community Center. ROLL CALL Mayor Randy Allman Councilman James Gornto Councilman Myron Hammond Councilman Gary Roberts Councilwoman Judith Lichter city Attorney Nikki Clayton City Manager Kenneth Hooper city Clerk Susan Wadsworth Police Chief Lawrence Schumaker Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present MEETING PURPOSE The purpose of the meeting was for the awarding of the gym contract and to discuss with the County an Interlocal Agreement for water and wastewater. City Manager Hooper made a staff presentation. The low bid is Rowan South Construction, located in Volusia County, at a cost of $1,668,697.00. It's about a ten month construction period. Staff recommends award of the contract to Rowan South Construction. He informed Council of the process. He then went over the bid alternatives done by McKim & Creed. Councilwoman Lichter stated when she looked at the construction company we are picking and she added the alternate bids to it, it came out more money than if they used the Brevard Company and added the extras to it. city Manager Hooper stated we don't have enough money to do all four of the alternatives. He further elaborated on the alternatives that can be added later. A change order will be brought back before Council. Bob Garthwaite, 10 Lee Drive, spoke about the bid being higher than anticipated. He asked what the base bid includes. city Manager Hooper informed him what is included. Mr. Garthwaite asked if Turgot Avenue will be paved. City Manager Hooper informed him yes. Mr. Garthwaite asked if they would have office space, meetings rooms and a kitchen. City Manager Hooper informed him yes. Mr. Garthwaite asked if the bleachers will be taken out. City Manager Hooper informed him pullout bleachers are in the bids. Mr. Garthwaite asked about the YMCA being in the building. If you do not belong to the YMCA, will they be able to play in a basketball league in that gymnasium or do they have to belong to the YMCA. City Manager Hooper informed him they will be able to use the gym. The city will have sports leagues that it will do independent of the YMCA. The YMCA will run its types of sports leagues for the city. Mr. Garthwaite asked if there are any projects in the City that will be delayed because of the funding of the gymnasium. City Manager Hooper informed him no. .. """'" Councilwoman Lichter asked if the Y will provide the pool so that would be a separate membership than ours. She stated if people are members of the Y they will be able to use the cardio aerobics center, day care, teen and senior centers and additional equipment. She questioned if the Edgewater people will be able to use the teen center and senior center. City Manager Hooper commented on the City's agreement with the YMCA. Charles Gebelein, 1730 Umbrella Tree Drive, asked City Manager Hooper what the original estimate was on this. City Manager Hooper informed him the engineer's estimate he believes was $1.3 million. He commented on economy and premium prices for any kind of construction or materials are occurring. Mr. Gebelein stated he knows other cities as well as Edgewater have put things out for a second bid and often the bids come in lower than the first ones. He asked if this would be a prudent thing to do at this time. City Manager Hooper feels time would be sacrificed. If anything, he is seeing the price go up 2 to 3 percent per month. He spoke about the capital costs to go out for bid. They don't want to run the risk of lowering the price and pay the extra cost and delay it another two to three months. Mr. Gebelein stated he had another question and asked if the Y was present. city Manager Hooper informed him they weren't present but he would try to answer his questions. Mr. Gebelein asked about the Y's projections of use. They were effectively using the six days a week. He asked what days are available for Edgewater. city Manager Hooper elaborated on when the building will be open and what can be used. Councilman Roberts stated the price is higher than we originally thought but construction is not going to get any cheaper. Raw materials have gone up considerably in the last year. Labor costs have been jumping recently. The longer they wait, the more it is going to cost. He feels this is the best project the City has ever seen. We are finally giving something to the citizens. Councilwoman Lichter doesn't think a delay would be a benefit to the citizens of Edgewater. She feels this will be a benefit to all ages of Edgewater. Councilman Hammond agreed with Councilman Roberts and Councilwoman Lichter. He spoke about tying the Y in to help offset the running of the facility. He spoke about the cost for the city to run it. Councilman Roberts made a motion to award the base bid to Rowan South Construction and authorize City Manager to send out notice to proceed, second by Councilman Hammond. The motion CARRIED 5- o. Councilman Roberts stated earlier today he met with some people from Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services of Volusia County. He told them he would try to introduce programs for them into our rec center so they would have a place to teach sign language. Right now volunteers are teaching at Bert Fish Hospital. He feels this would be a great thing to introduce to our social programs. They are funded by County Council and helped by the United Way. Mayor Allman felt it would be a good idea for our Recreation Department to look into this. City Manager Hooper stated they could do that as well as coordinate with the Y and make sure that is coordinated with them in their planning. Page -2- Council Special Meeting September 2, 1999 .... ..""" City Manager Hooper made a staff presentation regarding the interlocal agreement with the County providing for the exchange of water capacity for sewer capacity. Councilwoman Lichter asked about our well capacity. She asked if there is any connection with this water we are selling to Oak Hill that might get us in trouble with shortage in the future. Director of Environmental Services Terry Wadsworth informed her no and further elaborated on the process they have just gone through. Councilwoman Lichter questioned the contract being more flexible than 20 years with qualifying clauses such as the if's. If we do get in some trouble, is this flexible enough or is it locked in. City Manager Hooper explained you are locked in on the selling amount. Councilwoman Lichter asked if this kind of contract has to be looked at by higher level than the County. City Manager Hooper informed her no but st. John's will receive a copy. Councilwoman Lichter asked how far we will serve on u.S. #1. Mr. Wadsworth informed her probably to the City limits of Oak Hill until they make a determination on what they are going to do in regard to utilities. The County will not be renewing their consumptive use permit for withdrawal of water down there and that allocation should go to us. Councilman Gornto asked when the first payments will be made to the County. City Manager Hooper stated we would send them a check in about two years to reserve capacity. Councilman Gornto asked City Manager Hooper if he was aware that there was some discussion at the County level that $125,000 from this City ended up in some preliminary budget figures for next year. City Manager Hooper elaborated on what County staff had to do. He was very well aware of this. Doug Kennedy, 175 Gary Avenue, Oak Hill, resident of Indian Harbor Estates, President of Homeowners Association, stated he would like to be sure this Council understands what they are buying. They are buying capacity monthly in the County sewer plant plus paying to help them build that plant. They would prefer to have Edgewater provide water and sewer, at least water and pay the surcharges. The County has a 4 ~ percent increase every year. They have been fighting the County all the way with this. They have had a contract with the City since 1996 to provide them water. He spoke about their plant being taken off line by D.E.P. on July 31st. Hacienda Del Rio's plants are both in trouble with D.E.P. and have to be replaced or taken off line. If the City chooses not to enter into an agreement with the county as it sits, they have no place to go except to buy water and sewer from the City. Their funding is in trouble on the state revolving loan fund and will have to get an exemption. The only customers they have is Hacienda Del Rio and Lighthouse Cove. He urged Council to do nothing tonight. If they can make Edgewater and Oak Hill touch by annexing u.S. #1 the city of Oak Hill will be the first one to sign up and say please provide us with your services. He and his neighbors would pay a new assessment to get service from the City. He has asked the County Council to release them. Indian Harbor Estates has paid for everything they have ever asked for. He has seen the performance of their plant which states after 14 years they are still going to be losing money if the City continues to buy it. Do nothing, you will get it all. It is a chance to get even. Page -3- Council Special Meeting September 2, 1999 ..... ...., Mr. Kennedy asked who will pay for the pump stations or the interconnect between the County. There is no line or station between here and the new plant and that cost has not been discovered by the County or Mr. Hooper. City Manager Hooper stated if Oak Hill wished to buy water from the City we would be happy to serve water directly to Oak Hill as a retail or wholesale customer. The area Mr. Kennedy is talking about is now annexed into the City of Oak Hill. Their plant has been taken and given to the County by the Court to operate. That is a battle he doesn't want to get into. That is between them, the County and whoever owns that plant. If they want to be served directly by Edgewater, they are more than interested in doing that. Having the County at a situation where we could have it all, he doesn't think this City wants it all. If we were to take all of that flow and put it in our plant, we would have to expand our plant. We are going to add reclaimed water to the plant, clarifiers to make it work better to improve the reclaimed system but not to add new capacity. He further spoke about the County putting in a force main and pump station and this has been addressed to them. Mr. Kennedy stated Indian Harbor Estates has never been in the courts. That was paid for at 51% by the residents. He feels there is no need for sewer down there. There is no mandate in the Indian River Lagoon Act. Nobody can prove they are polluting. If there is a problem, they will correct it. The only thing they really need is water and the lines are already in. Councilwoman Lichter asked City Manager Hooper if we enter into this contract tonight, and something happens that the County can't get whatever funding they need, would the deal be null and void. City Manager Hooper elaborated on what would happen. Mr. Kennedy stated the County has to buy the water regardless and this agreement states the City will buy the sewage. If you do not buy the sewage tonight it is guaranteed their funding is gone. They can't build the plant without the city's flow. City Manager Hooper spoke about needing to also have sewer as well as water going south. Mayor Allman spoke about the FIND project coming into town. He feels we will need the extra capacity and if we can do it without expanding our own plant and do it to where it is a win-win situation for the city of Edgewater, that is here we are here to serve. Councilman Roberts stated if the County builds a plant to the south of us, it alleviates the impact on what we have to do to service customers down there. It gives us more expansion toward the west. It will take the demand off what people expect from Edgewater. We will still gain by selling water. It is just a matter of time before the rest of Southeast Volusia gets on line with the sewer. He feels we have a great opportunity to work with the County. Councilwoman Lichter feels when you do business with the County and you cooperate we are furthering one of our goals of perhaps getting something back when we request it. She sees no reason to look at the county as a hostility type of object. One of her original goals was to work more closely with them. She thinks this furthers that. Page -4- Council Special Meeting September 2, 1999 'Y' ..., Councilman Gornto spoke about putting processed water into the Indian River some time every year. City Manager Hooper elaborated. Councilman Gornto stated so if there was a plant we wouldn't have to do that. City Manager Hooper stated it probably wouldn't change that. The only way we would never have any outfall is if we expand our reclaimed system. Councilman Gornto spoke about discharging at Menard Park and the sign that is posted. He feels it should be a goal to have no discharge going into the river. City Manager Hooper stated they will be bringing back some reclaimed provisions to expand that to be able to reduce if not eliminate that. Councilman Roberts asked if we were trying to get a permit to empty the overfall of reclaimed into the pond on Mango Tree Drive. city Manager Hooper stated we were trying to and we backed away from it because stormwater is difficult during the wet season. We are able to withdraw from that pond to put it in our reclaimed system to augment and expand our system but we can't put reclaimed water into that pond without major permitting and expenses. Mr. Gebelein spoke about the swimming area at Menard Park and the pathogens in the water which were released primarily from the New Smyrna Beach Wastewater Plant. Mr. Corder briefly elaborated. Councilman Gornto made a motion to approve the Interlocal Agreement for wholesale water and sewer service, second by Councilwoman Lichter. The motion CARRIED 5-0. City Manager Hooper informed Council what will occur next. This will be on the County Council agenda on September 14th. Request for $1.500 from Southeast Volusia Humane Society City Manager Hooper made a staff presentation. Staff recommends approval of a one time payment of $1,500. Councilman Gornto moved for approval, second by Councilman Hammond. The motion CARRIED 5-0. Councilwoman Lichter informed Council of repeated calls she has received regarding the reclaimed water pressure. Mr. Wadsworth spoke about having designated watering days and the problem being people watering on days they aren't supposed to. We are in a drought period and the demand is extremely high. They will be coming back to Council in a month or two to ask them to let them do some improvements to the system so this won't be a problem next year. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to discuss, Councilman Gornto made a motion to adjourn. The meeting adjourned at 8:00 p.m. Minutes submitted by: Lisa Bloomer Page -5- Council special Meeting September 2, 1999