City Council Meeting - April 18th, 2011

Alden City Council
Minutes Regular Meeting
April 18th, 2011

Mayor Pro Tem Steve Hunt called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM with the following council members present; Bill Ramspott, Bob Hoversten and Janaan Harding. Mayor Jeff Fiscus and Council member Mike Oliver were absent.  Also present were Tim Moreau and Rod Madson from Veenstra & Kimm, Justin Ites of the Times Citizen, Georgia Mourlam of the Alden Food Pantry, Gene Jondall, Fire Chief Leonard Baker, Chris Henderson, Chester Neubauer, Jason Hinkle, Tom Vanderloop, City Superintendent and Lorrie Watts, City Clerk.

Consent Agenda: Bill Ramspott motioned to approve, Bob Hoversten seconded the motion and all present voted aye.

Wastewater Collection System Rehab Project: Tim Moreau and Rob Madson from Veenstra & Kimm were present to review and approve Pay Estimate #1 to Visu-Sewer, Inc. of $195,602.64.  Some of the new manholes sent were fabricated incorrectly due to incorrect measurements. New bases are being fabricated at the contractor’s expense.  Visu-Sewer is currently in town prepping for the lining and some lining will start next week.  Josh Construction is in town also and are getting the manholes that are not being replaced fitted with new adjusting rings, castings and new chimney seals.

Original Project Total         $1,429,946.80 Value Completed            $186,907.75
Materials Stored             $  18,989.77
Value of Completed Work & Materials Stored          $205,597.52
Less Retainage (5%)               $  10,294.88
14.5%                                Net Amount Due this Estimate                       $195,602.64

Mayor Pro Tem Hunt asked is any council members had any further questions before calling for a motion, Janaan Harding asked if the project was on schedule, Tim Moreau said the project is moving along well and looking good for August being the completion time.  Bill Ramspott motioned to approve Pay Estimate #1 $195,602.64, Janaan Harding seconded the motion and all present voted aye.
Tim Moreau then addressed the sewer back up issue that had occurred last week due to a water main being nicked and causing the sewer to flow up stream into three homes. One of the homes had a finished basement and caused damage.  J&K has taken full responsibility for the damage and has assured the property owner and Veenstra & Kimm that all claims will be taken care of and the home owner will be made whole.  The next progress meeting will be held Friday, April 22nd, 2011, at 11:00 AM.  There are also a number of Field Changes due to a number of unknowns.  Some service connections have had to be moved, manholes have had to be added due to bends in the pipe that were unforeseen until digging into the project.  The rehabilitation changes were made to properly prep the lines for the slip lining. Some of the changes dealt with lines that were stubbed directly into the manhole. Lines were rerouted and clean outs were added so the lines can be properly cleaned, filmed and maintained.  Whenever there is a change in alignment a new manhole must be installed and the water main is rerouted around the manhole.  The contractor has expressed concern about the age of the water main and the
cast iron material. Some water main failures may occur due to relocations, fatigue on the already brittle piping due to thrust in water main contributed by fittings that change the direction of the flow and failures due to uneven pressures on the main directly related to restraint couplings.  Tim Moreau explained there would be some extra project costs due to rerouting the water main, roughly $800-$1000.00 per reroute. Tim Moreau also wanted to remind the council that some private sanitary sewer lines have had to be modified to complete the project properly.  At his point there has only been three lines that had to be modified and private service lines are not CDBG Grant eligible.  They can be considered project costs but that would have to be SRF money not grant money used to change those lines.  Bob Hoversten asked how much the extra costs would be for modifying the private sewer lines.  Tim Moreau estimated the cost to be between $800-$1000.00 each.
Janaan Harding asked about compaction tests done on the areas that have been dug up. Tim Moreau explained that they called for all new granular fill for those spots and they are filling and compacting to 98%-100% compaction rate.

V&K Invoice Approval:  Janaan Harding motioned to approve the Veenstra & Kimm invoice for $8860.88 for the Sewer Rehabilitation Project, Bob Hoversten seconded the motion and all present voted aye.

Dust Issues Farm to Market Road: Janaan Harding reported that she had received some complaints about the dust on Main Street due to the construction spots and the truck traffic in that area.  She reported she spoke to the County Engineer and the road must stay open due to being the only “Farm to Market” road, it can not be embargoed.  We could put up temporary stop signs to slow the traffic down until the asphalt work is done.  The rain we have been receiving has definitely helped.  The stop signs would take a resolution by the council. Bob Hoversten stated that this was a small part of the project and merely a minor inconvenience.  Harding agreed that this was the price of progress and no motion was made.

Set Minimum Bids for Sale of Real Property: 308 Water Street; council discussed the costs associated with City acquiring the title to the abandoned property which was roughly $2500.00 and the costs associated with acquiring 411 Water Street and the costs of having the old trailer knocked down and taken away.  The cost of acquiring the property was $2200.00 and the estimated cost of the removal of the trailer is around $1400.00. A minimum bid of $3800.00 was discussed. Mayor Pro Tem Steve Hunt called for a motion.  Janaan Harding motioned to set the minimum bid for 308 Water Street at $2500.00 with the stipulation that once bids are received and all legal channels have been followed, the new owner will have 120 days to get rid of the house and the minimum for 411 Water Street to be set at $3800.00 and the City will have the trailer removed and the garage would stay.  Bob Hoversten seconded the motion as it was stated and all present voted aye.  The City Clerk was directed by the Council to start the paper work and publication requirements on the sale of real property for the above lots and the City Maintenance Department was directed to take care of the mowing on the two properties until the sales were complete.

Sump Pump Property Issues: The City Clerk provided a list of the remaining nine properties that have either not been inspected or have been confirmed to have illegal sump pump hook ups to the sanitary sewer.  The council has directed the City Clerk to send another letter out to these nine properties giving them 120 days to become in compliance.  The City Council would like follow up with reports to them regularly as to who are complying with the request.  The lining project is to stop infiltration into our system that is not sanitary sewer waste.  Everyone must be in compliance.  Bob Hoversten inquired about the foundation drains that exist on Bluff Street.  The City Clerk was directed to speak with the City Engineer about the correction of these properties.

Road Work Quotes: City Superintendent met with both contractors to show them the areas that needed to be patched. Heartland Asphalt of Mason City, Iowa and Black Top Services of Bert, Iowa were the interested contractors.  Bob Hoversten motioned to approve the quotation of $46,900.00 from Black Top Services, Janaan Harding seconded the motion and all present voted aye. Black Top Services will be in town to repair all streets dug up for the project.

Public Input: Fire Chief Leonard Baker reported that the Alden Fire Department was given another donation from a resident in town for the Rescue Boat, they also received $1000.00 from the Fire Fighters Association and the Alden Fire Fighters Association was also giving a donation, so all the new equipment; life vests, gloves, flashlights and life saving gear for the rescue boat would be paid for by donations.  Steve Hunt asked Leonard if the sewer back up issues were being handled at his home, he also asked what the initial surge was in his basement. Leonard Baker reported it was approximately 3”.  They had the carpet cleaned and are waiting for a visit from an insurance adjuster on the other items and cleanup.  He reported that Chris Henderson was a huge help to him and his wife right after it happened and the whole next day with the clean up.  Georgia Mourlam from the Alden Food pantry has been cleaning up around the outside of the building.  There has been a large amount of grass clippings and leaves dumped there and she has 25 bags of leaves and yard waste that she asked if the City could help dispose.  The City Maintenance Department was directed to handle the yard waste for the Alden Food Pantry.  Janaan Harding asked the Council to agree with the nomination of Lynn Bollinger as Alden’s Citizen of the Year, for all the extra things he has spent doing to help better the community.  The Council was in full agreement that he was a great nominee.  Harding also reported that the City did not receive grant money from the Hardin County Community Endowment Foundation but was still waiting to hear on five other grants at this time for the corner lot beautification.  Bob Hoversten directed the City Clerk to request Travis and Stephanie Nicolle come to our next council meeting and be on the agenda.  Their building has brick falling into Dean Ites Construction’s building and the building has openings that need to be closed to the pigeon.  The work is moving at a snail’s pace and that needs to change. He would like to see a time line of their plans for improvement now that winter is over.  He directed the City Clerk to have the cars that have had nothing done about them towed from the residence of David Asmus, Manuel Lerma, and Bill Davis within ten days of this last and final notice that needs to be sent.  He instructed Watts to call Boot Hill Auto Salvage once the date has been exceeded. 
He also reported that he looked into the cost of putting ten camping spots with electricity down where the Boat Club used to be that would  be equipped to handle just about any camper.  The rough estimate received was $30,000.00.  He also asked if Clark McNeal was proceeding forward on the William’s property on Main Ave. and the City Clerk confirmed that he was. 

Adjourn: Steve Hunt called for a motion to adjourn, Bill Ramspott motioned and Bob Hoversten seconded with all voting aye.  The meeting was adjourned at 8:15 PM.

                                                                   Signed:_____________________________
Steve Hunt, Mayor Pro Tem

ATTEST;
________________________________
Lorrie Watts, City Clerk