05-01-2007 Work Session

WORK SESSION MINUTES                              

Mayor and City Council                                                        

City Hall Conference Room

Tuesday, May 1, 2007

6:15 P.M.

 

 

Present – Mayor Lee N. Fiedler, and Council Members Floyd “Pete” Elliott, Edward C. Hedrick, Jr. and Harold L. Hendershot, Jr.

 

absent – Councilman Terrance Rephann

 

Also Present – Jeffrey E. Repp, City Administrator; Jeff Rhodes, Director of Administrative Services, William Herbaugh, Fire Chief; Charles Hinnant, Police Chief; John DiFonzo, Chief Inspector; Michael Cohen, City Solicitor; Sharon S. Clark, City Clerk and Pamela Cover, Executive Associate.

 

 

I.          Public Meeting Agenda Review – Jeff Repp, City Administrator

            The meeting agenda was reviewed as follows:

 

            Public Hearing – To rezone parcel 7042, commonly known as Klots Mill, measuring 288’ X 300’, and 362’ X 309’ on Gay Street Currently Zoned I-G (Industrial-General) to R-U (Urban-Residential) zoning to accommodate new residential construction in the area.  Mr. Repp stated there would be two (2) exhibits entered in the public record, one (1) the notice from the public hearing and two (2) the zoning resolution from the planning commission recommending the change in the zoning.  Mr. Repp asked John DiFonzo about the flow of traffic and if it would be one way.  Mr. DiFonzo stated that it would not, but that they have requested no parking across the street. 

Ordinances -

1. To provide for the closing of the public right-of-way at Howard Place and a portion of South Alley in the rear of 314 Frederick Street.   Mr. Repp said that this came from a recommendation from the engineering department.  John DiFonzo stated that the Housing Authority is going to remove the Benjamin Banneker apartments.  They own the land and want the space to have the ability to reconfigure their building so that they will have better use of the land.

             Orders (Consent Agenda):  Discussion of consent agenda items was as follows:

            1. Order No. 24,548  Accepting the proposal of Thomas Construction, LLC, for sidewalk installation along Industrial Boulevard from Naylor’s Ace Hardware to Oldtown Road. – Est.  $55,085.00. 

            Mr. Repp stated that the State Highway Administration had allocated $65,000. for the work.  For the money to be awarded for this job from SHA, it has to be completed by June 30th.  Mr. Repp continued that Thomas Construction agreed to continue the job at the same price from last year and agreed to the June 30th date of completion.  He stated that this project has to be along the state route, not any other city streets, to qualify for the funding from SHA.

 

2. Order No. 24,549 Pledging funds to the Allegany Arts Council in the amount for matching funds for the mural project on Virginia Avenue - $4,000.00 (2007-08 Hotel/Motel Funds) 

 

3. Order No. 24,550 Re-appointments to the CRIMA and Chapel Hill West neighborhood groups for three year terms – Melanie Michael and Delores Brooks

 

4. Order No. 24,551 Appointment/Re-appointment to the Human Relations Commission for a three year term – Courtney Thomas, Jeffrey Hedrick

 

5. Order No. 24,552 Authorizing the City Administrator to execute a renewal agreement between the City and CareFirst Blue Cross/Blue Shield for vision, drug, and health insurance.

Mr. Repp stated that this years increase was 10.5% which he felt was a little on the high side but that on a four (4) year average broke down to be about 6.4% which is a pretty good number.  Mr. Repp continued to say that he felt it had been at least 6 years since proposals had been sought and he recommended that for 2009’s budget proposals be sent out.  He felt that the increase was due to the increase in claims submitted on the health insurance.

Letters:

1.      A letter to accept the resignation of John Logsdon from the Recreation Board.

2.  A letter from William Blake stating he will be leaving the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad Board as the City Representative effective May 1st.

 

II.        Capital Projects Update – John DiFonzo, Assist. Director of Engineering

            Mr. DiFonzo stated that the most active projects and the ones that he wanted to go over were Center City Parking Garage, North End Pump Station, Rolling Mills Access Roads, Evitts Creek CSO Upgrade, Constitution Park, Craft House Addition and Enhanced Nutrient Removal Upgrade. 

  1. Center City Parking Garage:  Nathan Contracting was awarded the contract last fall in the amount of One Million Two Hundred Seventy-Six Thousand Nine Hundred Thirty-Seven Dollars ($1,276,937.00). Work began in December and is moving along.  There were two post tensions tendon that were broken and they have been repaired.  Toward the end of March, concrete work began. Nathan Contracting has until November to complete the project but feel they will be done before then.  Mr. DiFonzo went on to say that the original construction was properly constructed and that the concrete materials were very good and if there was any criticism about the job from the original contractor it would be the steel placement.  It was a little sloppy and a lot of the steel was very close to the surface and not extended far enough in some areas.  The steel placement is critical and the repairs are going along well.  The outside area is being cleaned and it will be sealed to help preserve it.  The bid was a very good bid and the contractor, Nathan Contracting, is doing a very good job.  A couple of things will add costs to this job; one is the elevator which we threw out of the bid because we did not have a good description of what was needed.  Repairs will probably run $100,000 to $150,000 which will also bring it up to code.  The stairs, right across from the Holiday Inn were closed a couple of years ago and the contract included repairs, but in reviewing them it will be best to replace them with galvanized steel.  When you are doing a renovation project there are usually some unknowns.    The contractor is going to start on the top floor and work down.  Most of the problems will be on the two bottom levels mainly due to the salt brought in by the cars.  Mr. DiFonzo stated that he felt the work done on this project would be within budget.
  2. North End Pump Station:       This is a small but important project.  Carl Belt is the contractor and the projected cost is Two Hundred Fifty-One Thousand Eight Hundred Twenty-Six Dollars and Forty Cents. ($251,826.40) The project is almost complete including the electric.  Water testing for bacteria is being done and once those tests come back and are clear the water can be used in the distribution system.  When testing is complete the new station can be put into service while the old station is removed and the generator is installed.  Prior to that the SCADA Panel will have to be moved to the new station under a separate contract.  Mr. DiFonzo stated that he was very pleased with project.
  3. Rolling Mills Access Road:  This project has not been started as of yet.  The Maryland State Highway Administration has been contacted and the M/WBE (Minority/Women Business Enterprises) review is the part that is taking the most time.  IA Construction is the contractor and they cannot begin the project until there is a clean purchase order given.  Hopefully construction will begin by the end of the month on Maryland Avenue.  We plan to meet with the neighborhood again to go over the traffic control plan.  The exit off of I-68 at Maryland Avenue will be closed.  The amount of the contract is One Million Nine Hundred Fifty Thousand Three Hundred Eighty-Eight Dollars and Forty Cents ($1,950,388.40)
  4. Evitts Creek Upgrade:   The Pump Station and the line that goes up behind White Oaks Shopping Center, up Industrial Boulevard, under the railroad tracks and all the way under the C & O Canal is open for bids next week.  The first part of the project is just the Pump Station alone and is a couple of million of dollars.  Bids will be open Wednesday (tomorrow) for that.  Bid for the second part of the project will be in the fall.  The projected cost of the contract is Three Hundred Seventy-Six Million Nine Hundred Sixty-Seven Thousand Dollars ($376,967.00) Older CSO funds from MDE and EPA will be used on this project as well as funding from two new EPA Grants and three MDE Grants, including two Bay Restoration Grant amounts and Loan Funds.  Therefore; we will relatively need a very small loan.  The contractor for the job is WR&A.
  5. Constitution Park Craft House:   This is a small project and the contractor Barry Witt and is for Thirty-Five Thousand One Hundred Thirty-Four Dollars ($35,134.00).  The work on the building is interior and should be done by the summer day camp program.  The new addition, a very large room that will be added on to the existing building, is projected to be completed by next summer.  Funding for the second part of the project is a POS grant.
  6. The Enhanced Nutrient Removal Upgrade: This is a large project and is now underway.  This project will take approximately a year to complete.  There has been one progress meeting with another one scheduled and a meeting is scheduled in Baltimore next week to start working on selecting a “performance base” selection for the filters that will be used.  The 73% of the project is being funded by the Bay Restoration Funds with 27% being local money which the City will borrow from the SRF Loan Funds through MDE.  The Contractor is WR&A in the amount of Two Million Eighteen Thousand Seven Hundred Four Dollars ($2,018,704.00).
  7. Springdale Street Park/Play Area:  This project is in the infancy stage.  The contractor is Nate Emory in the amount of Three Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($3,500.00).  There is about $100,000.00 in Community Works and Playground Grant money for this project.  A preliminary layout was done by the Fox Group that will probably use as a guide.  A sewer line runs through the area which makes it difficult to grade, but we plan on trying to take the fill dirt left over from the Craft House work and use it to grade this project because of the steep slope. 

Mayor Fiedler asked if the neighborhood residents were aware that work would be starting on the project towards the end of May. Mr. DiFonzo replied that a          newspaper and radio advertisement would go out regarding the pending construction of the playground and there would also be a meeting; probably in the old Kingsley Church building. 

 

III.       FY 2008 MPA Budget –

Mr. Repp reviewed that the City borrowed approximately $1.7 million dollars out of the $4.5 million general fund for General Obligation Bond of 2006 to undertake the George Street Parking Garage Project.  Primarily due to this project 2008-2009 are the years where the debt service and the MPA peak.  The general fund is still owed about Seven Hundred Thousand Dollars ($700,000.00) for subsidizing the early years of the Frederick Street garage. The rate was kept artificially lower to lessen the impact on the permit orders because if the full cost right off the bat would have been paid the $28.00 per month permit parking fee would probably have doubled to require the payment of the bond.  Therefore, Mayor and City Council, at that time, made a decision to subsidize the parking rates for a period of years with the intent that the general fund would be paid back when the debt issue was paid off.  The debt service payments for both Frederick Street and George Street garages are pushing the MPA budget into the red and the projected deficit by 2008 will be around Two Hundred Four Thousand ($204,000.00).  Excluding fines and parking meter revenue, monthly parking permits are the only revenue source for the MPA fund. 

Mr. Repp advised they could look at raising the monthly permit fees to a sufficient level to take care of the $204,000.00 deficit, or look at a Market Approach Basis for establishing parking fees. He explained the market approach basis is where the value of the permit is determined by its location in the facility.  The first floor parking would be higher than the second floor and the second floor would be higher than the third floor, etc.  Also reserved spaces would have additional cost attached to them and the top floors would be reserved for hourly parking.  In discussion, Councilman Hedrick brought up the fact that on the weekends people park in the garages for a One Dollar ($1.00).  He stated that a lot of things go on in the downtown area on Saturday and Sunday and that he felt a raise in revenue for the parking garages would be a good idea.  Mr. Repp said he agreed.  City Attorney Cohen said that according to other areas like Baltimore which charges around Ten Dollars ($10.00) an hour that we are well below the average to charge for using a parking garage.  He went on to say that Hagerstown charges twice as much as we do for their parking meters.  Councilman Hedrick also expressed that he thought there was a need for security cameras to be installed and that the public would be willing to pay for that benefit.  Mr. Repp agreed.

Mr. Repp reviewed pros and cons to the market based approach saying the pros are that parking would be user friendly and that it would also provide parking based on individuals income and desires.  The negatives included enforcement nightmares at first and additional manpower costs they would incur, mainly for training.  Also a parking crunch could occur. 

Mayor Fiedler stated that the citizens cannot be taxed to pay for the new approach but that the overall goal would be for the parking garage to pay for itself.  He went on to say he thought when the garage was finished and when the demand for the spaces was presented, people would be willing to pay for their spots for the better facility with security. 

Mr. Repp said that he hoped to have something on the parking garages within the next 30 days and would present his findings to the Mayor and City Council for their recommendations.

 

 Mr. Repp then reviewed the dates for the budget calendar as follows:

  May 15th first review

  May 22nd second review, if necessary

  May 29th first reading of the budget ordinances

  June 5th Hotel/Motel Public Meeting

  June 12th second and third readings of the budget ordinances. 

                           

IV.                         Administrative Session –  Personnel and Pending Litigation

            Mr. Repp requested to move to Executive Session and requested that John DiFonzo and Chief Hinnant stay for the session.  Councilman Elliott made the motion to go into executive session.  The motion was seconded by Councilman Hendershot and unanimously adopted.

 

V.              Adjournment -

With no further business to be discussed the meeting adjourned at 6:54 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

Sharon S. Clark

City Clerk