City Council Meetings

CITY OF GREEN RIVER CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP PROCEEDINGS September 10, 2013 The Governing Body of the City of Green River met in workshop session at 6:30 pm in the City Hall Council Chambers. Mayor Castillon called the meeting to order. The following Council Members were present: Mark Peterson, Tom McCullough, Adam Coppolo, Brett Stokes, and Lisa Maes. The following were present representing the City: City Administrator Marty Black, Director of Public Works Mike Nelson, Utility Superintendant Jason Palmer, Sanitation Supervisor Linda Roosa, Chief of Police Chris Steffen, Fire Chief/Emergency Services Mike Kennedy, and Assistant Fire Chief Mike Liberty. Mr. Black introduced Misty Springer as the new grants writer for the City of Green River. Ms. Springer said she is very excited to be working for the city and thanked them for the opportunity. Jamestown Rio Vista Water Project President/CEO of Sunrise Engineering Evan Simpson said he is here to discuss a possible joint venture regional water system project with the city and Jamestown/Rio Vista Water and Sewer District. In 2008, the District applied to the Wyoming Water Development Commission (WWDC) for grant funding to help them study their water system. There system was wearing out and their treatment plant was in dilapidated condition. The study was completed in 2010 with a recommendation they abandon the treatment plant and construct an 8 inch pipeline to the Joint Powers Water Plant. The District began a series of public meetings to educate the public and raised base residential water rates to $95 per month. At the same time, the city began the process to obtain land west of the District which would eventually need water service. This is when a regional discussion ensued. The Wyoming Water Development Commission stated they would prefer funding only one pipeline. So they suggested a joint effort. The Joint Powers Water Board (JPWB) sponsored a second study that was completed in 2012. The study recommended a Regional project which included a 12 inch diameter pipeline and a 600,000 gallon tank. The pipeline and tank would be constructed to serve all the District and private and public lands in the immediate vicinity, 80% of which would be used by the District and 20% of which would be used on the proposed City of Green River lands. The Proposed Project: The line would connect to the Joint Powers Water Board line and go under the river twice, run parallel to Highway 374, and then connect to the proposed water tank that would serve the entire region. Financial Summary: Combined City of Green River Jamestown-Rio Vista Project Total Cost $8,588,000 $1,717,600 $6,870,400 WWDC Grant (67%) $5,753,960 $1,150,792 $4,603,168 City & District Loan $2,834,040 $566,808 $2,267,232 Loan Terms (years) 30 years 30 years 30 years Interest Rate 4% 4% 4% Annual Loan Payment $163,893 $32,779 $131,114 City Council Workshop Proceedings September 10, 2013 Page 1 of 9 Council Member McCullough said it is speculative that the city will even get the land to the west. It might not even happen for another two to three years. The county should be spearheading this project, not the city. Is the JPWB not able to sell water to Jamestown, does it have to go through one of the cities? (Council Member Killpack came in at this time.) Mr. Simpson said the Districts financial plan is to pay for all of the costs of improvements using the “Special Improvement District” assessment. All of the property owners would be assessed according to front footage or acreage. The revenue will be collected annually through county tax procedures. In order to do this, the District will have to have a SID election and require a majority of qualified resident voters to pass it. Council Member Peterson clarified that the city would have a loan of almost $1 million if they go with the loan for 30 years. Mr. Simpson said yes. The District would pay the operation and maintenance cost along with the water purchase costs through the monthly water user rates. It is projected that the current rate would drop as low as $65.00 per month. That means the monthly rates would go down. There are two options: participate in a joint venture system with the city or go forward on their own. The District is willing to proceed with either. If the council decided that they want to move forward with the joint effort, the JPWB, will submit the application to the WWDC for the grant and loan. The city would be the primary responsible party. The District would make payments to the city. The city would forward the city’s portion and the District’s portion to the JPWB, who would make the payments to the WWDC. Council Member Killpack asked if the city would be liable for everything if the project goes bunk. Brian Seppie, from the JPWB, said the board would be acting on the city’s desires to extend their system. So under this option yes, it would be the city’s responsibility. The Mayor asked Mr. Seppie to clarify the reason for the JPWB. Mr. Seppie said the Joint Powers Water Board was formed to purchase the water system from PP&L. When it was established the board purchased the water plant and the systems in both towns. The board operates the water treatment plant and wholesales water to both cities. Each city maintains the distribution systems in their service areas through lease operations and service agreements. The board owns these systems and that is why the board is involved with sponsoring the project. The board has ownership over the systems and that is why they would act on the behalf of the city. The Mayor asked who owns the water rights. Mr. Seppie said the board. The board is the regional provider and the board wholesales water to each city so the rights where part of the purchase. Council Member Killpack clarified the board and the District are not taking any responsibility if something goes wrong. Mr. Simpson said the District would provide the city a financial assurance. First, it will be on the taxes, and legal agreements would be drawn up that would guarantee that there are securities. Council Member Stokes asked if the tax collected could be paid directly to the city as it comes in. Mr. Simpson said he believes it could be set up that way, but he is not sure. City Council Workshop Proceedings September 10, 2013 Page 2 of 9 Council Member Coppolo said if the District does not pay then the city is wholly responsible for the debit. This is contingent on the citizens of Jamestown voting on this proposal. Mr. Simpson said if the city chooses not to participate the numbers will be completely different. So the election cannot be prepared until the District knows if the city will participate. Council Member McCullough asked if the board could sell water to the District if either city does not participate in the project. The Mayor asked about the bond. Mr. Simpson said the WWDC does not require bonding for this project. The election will be based on forming the Improvement District and having the authority to tax for it. On a separate note: there is some additional piping that will have to be done inside the District and they are planning to go through the Rural Development. This does not have anything to do with the joint project and will be paid for by the District. The Rural Development does require bonding. The Mayor asked if the assessment would be added to the user’s monthly water bill. Mr. Simpson said no, one is a monthly water bill, and the other would be on the property tax bills. The Mayor asked what bonding amount they would be looking for. Mr. Simpson said the bond is for the distribution only and that is $1.4 million. The Mayor asked if this was independent to the joint project. Mr. Simpson said yes. The Mayor said he would like to see the statements for the financial condition of the District. Council Member Coppolo said the maintenance fees seem to be very low. He suggested a cost increase to cover the maintenance. Mr. Simpson said they will take it into consideration. Council Member Maes said the city would be responsible for the operations and maintenance of the line and tank. Mr. Simpson said technically the District would be responsible for 80% of the maintenance. Council Member Killpack asked how the city can be responsible for the water pipe that is outside of city limits. Mr. Black said it’s not any different than the agreements for the lines that go to Rock Springs that service their plant. The city’s have sister agreements with the Water Board and have the legal rights to own them and maintain them. The question is, does the council want to invest the 20% for that line. The Mayor asked about the annual operating budget. Mr. Simpson said the annual operating budget consists of:  Projected operations and maintenance costs  Replacement Fund  Water purchase from the Water Board  Capital Reserve City Council Workshop Proceedings September 10, 2013 Page 3 of 9 Council Member Coppolo asked if the county would be willing to help guarantee the project. Commissioner John Kolb said he had the same concerns. He understands the assessment will be done and the voters have to agree with it to move forward. The guarantee the city has is, if the residents don’t pay then their property can be liquidated or foreclosed on. Council Member McCullough said Jamestown needs the water but he wants to make sure the City of Green River residents won’t have to pay for it. Mr. Kolb said this is a great opportunity for both parties. Council Member Killpack said he agrees that Jamestown needs the water, but he does not think the City of Green River should have to take on all of the responsibility. Mr. Seppie said to sell water to the District is a decision of the board. They are the regional provider. They have wholesale water agreements with other Districts in Rock Springs. The Mayor asked if the WWDC said they would not accept anything unless the two water issues were served. Mr. Seppie said there are two studies. The first one in 2010 was for Jamestown and was completely on their own. They made application to the commission but the commission was concerned about three things: the debit that existed at that time, the wholesale water purchase agreement for service, and that Green River had interest in sections 10 & 12. Basically, that fostered the ability for the WWDC to pay for the second study. Between that time and now the debit concern has been taken out of the picture. The two studies are not that different. The Mayor said the proposal has merit, but he would like to discuss IT with the county. He said there are several questions that need to be answered: Are the people in Jamestown willing to have the assessments? Has the WWDC been contacted as to what the proposal is, and are they willing to accept it? Who is going to write the grant? He would like to see the financials of the District too. Mr. Black asked if the District owns any other assets, vacant lands, or other components that can be collateralized and used as a backstops for any defaults that may be made by individual property owners on the assessment. Mr. Simpson said they can compile a list and send it to him. Council Member McCullough said there are two options: the District could do it on their own, or it can be a joint venture. Council Member Coppolo said he would like to see the county return the money collected on the assessment to help pay the loan. Mr. Kolb said he will ask Mr. Slaughter to clarify the statutes involved. Council Member Killpack asked if the city does build on the land to the west, won’t Jamestown have to be annexed. Mr. Kolb said the rules dealing with annexing have changed. Council Member Maes said the constituents in Green River are upset about this. They don’t want the project to fall on their shoulders. They don’t want to pay for something that is speculation. She agrees that Jamestown needs the water but she is concerned. Commissioner Kolb said their rates are good and the project is a great project. Mr. Simpson said the biggest issue is the security. He will get with the District and see what they can do to assure the city. City Council Workshop Proceedings September 10, 2013 Page 4 of 9 Tom Jacobson asked if Jamestown went forward by themselves would the size of the pipe being used change. Mr. Simpson said it would go from 12-inches to 10-inches. Overview of the Green River Fire Department Chief Kennedy said the Fire Department staff had not been informed of any concerns, so they are unsure what the concerns are. Safety is the first priority for any event. This begins with the firefighter safety. Training on the proper type and use of personal protective equipment to be used is the beginning. There have been no injuries at fires or training exercises in the past fifteen years. There is always an officer in charge at every scene. If he is there, he is in charge, if not the assistant chief is. He said one of the biggest things that bothers him is the rumor about people leaving the fire department. The attrition rate from 1985 to present is: 65 firefighters have left in the past 28 years 17 of them retired 24 moved out of town 24 left for various reasons 2 firefighters moved but have returned to service 1 firefighter that resigned has returned to service That leaves twenty-one firefighters that have left for various reasons. That is .75 persons per year that have left in the past 28 years. We see that as a statistic to be proud of. There are thirty-one firefighters that are sworn and certified and have an average of 11.5 years of service. Two are probationary, and one is on administrative leave. There are 371 years of experience on the fire department. The years of service are:  8 with 20 years  10 with 9 – 16 years of service  7 with 4-8 years of service  9 with 0-3 years of service The average number of firefighters that attend the regular scheduled training sessions is 24, average training hours per year are 195, overall average number of firefighter per call is 19, average number for day calls are 18, average for night calls is 20. This all depends on the season and work schedules. There are many services provided by the fire department such as the swift water and ice rescue, fire prevention education, and high and low angle rope rescue. The 2012/2013 fiscal year cost for delivery of services 24/7/365 is $597,584.63 which was $88,521.37 under budget. They are not recommending any changes to the firefighter classification. There is a need to conduct a class for new firefighters in preparation for the future to keep the volunteer numbers up and to gain some day time responders, and some from the north side of town. They would like to have the Green River Fire Department By-Laws updated in the city’s personnel manual. With one assistant chief leaving, the retirement of the Fire Prevention Chief, and one of the captains is retiring in December, these positions need to be filled. Some research needs to done on possibly reclassifying one of the assistant fire chief positions to a battalion chief. This is an important position and helps keep dual coverage at all times. This position is needed and they would promote within the department. City Council Workshop Proceedings September 10, 2013 Page 5 of 9 He said on October 4, 2011 Patrick Ibarra, with the Mejorando Group, submitted the City of Green River Workforce Analysis. In this report he states “the volunteer fire department works well as is, so no changes are recommended.” Council Member McCullough thanked the staff and all of the volunteers. He asked who is in charge on location at a fire. Chief Kennedy said there is a captain in charge of each side of a building while on location at a fire. They have radio contact with all the others on the location and he instructs the firefighters on their side. Council Member McCullough asked when the fire tower was used last in live fire training. Chief Kennedy said about two weeks ago. Council Members Stokes, Killpack, Coppolo, and Peterson thanked them for their services. Council Member Maes asked if the third position is really needed. Chief Kennedy said the training hours and services have increased, so to have a chief or captain available at all times, a third chief is necessary. He said firefighters are required to attend one regularly scheduled training session a month. Council Member Peterson asked how the battalion chief position will be different from the assistant chief position. Chief Kennedy said when the third position of chief came on he made both assistant chief positions equal. Looking back, he does not think it was a good idea, but he didn’t want one of them to be favored over the other. When wages were frozen it caused the chiefs wages to be unequal. He used the talent of each individual for the job that needed to be done. It had nothing to do with the person but it was the talent of the person doing the job. The separation will work smoother because the person can never have the assumption of being equal. The Mayor asked where the battalion chief would fall on the organization chart. Chief Kennedy said it would be under the assistant chief position but during a call they would be equal to the assistant chief. The Mayor asked if all 19 firefighters go on the call. Chief Kennedy said on average 19 show up but they might not leave on a truck. They get paid per call even if they don’t go on a truck. He welcomed council to attend any of the training sessions to see what they do. Council Member McCullough said he supports the idea of promoting within the department. Retired firefighter Al Harris said he supports the chief and the department. There are no problems within the department. Back five years ago there were captains working in Green River and available during the day but now there is only one. He was asked to serve on a state committee where they wanted to know how the city fire department recruited and kept their volunteers. Volunteerism has changed over the years. The third position is extremely important because of these changes. Training time breaks down to about 37 hours per week not many people can find that time in their schedules. This department is prepared and well trained and the city is lucky to have it. Captain Jeb Burnett said the third position is essential because the chiefs cannot leave town without finding someone to cover for them. Not many people are willing to work every day of the year, 24/7 for $60,000 a year, that is a big savings to the city, plus it is already in the budget. Solid Waste Division Bio-Hazard Waste City Council Workshop Proceedings September 10, 2013 Page 6 of 9 Ms. Roosa said the solid waste division handles all sorts of waste, and bio-hazardous waste is part of it. The state does not have any regulations on how to dispose of bio hazardous waste but they do have recommendations. The solid waste job is rated 6th in the nation as most dangerous. Safety is a big deal for workers and the public. They want to give the community disposal options to prevent illegal dumping at the best cost effective way possible. Wyoming DEQ identifies infectious/red bag waste only be accepted containerized in a properly labeled red bag. Sharps are needles, syringes, and scalpels they should be placed in a rigid container with a lid. All red bag waste should be disposed of in a dead animal trench and covered with 12 inches of material. The city does not have an animal pit. If at all possible, all red bag wastes should be autoclaved or incinerated by the generator prior to disposal. The city does not receive that much red bag waste. School District #2 takes care of their own red bag waste and Castle Rock Hospital incinerates theirs. The Recreation Center brought in red bag waste two times. Council Member Coppolo said he was told to dispose of sharps in a clorox bottle. Ms. Roosa said they do not want any liquid in the bottle. The landfill is a solid waste landfill only. The Mayor asked when the landfill is labeled as accepting bio-hazardous materials, if the landfill closes, will the city be responsible for any type of bio-hazardous material that has been buried in the landfill? Ms. Roosa said once the landfill is closed the only responsibility will be the ground water contaminations testing. This will have to go on for thirty years after closing. Per DEQ regulations any detection of contamination will have to be addressed. The Mayor asked if the city will continue handling the bio hazardous waste if the landfill closes. Ms. Roosa said the five-year plan includes looking at the waste stream, seeing what we handle, and how it will be handled later. It will depend on what the operations are at that time. Public Works Request for Proposals to Outsource Solid Waste and Recycling Services Mr. Black said he received a call from resident Janet Smallwood regarding the solid waste services. She asked if the solid waste service cost would be rising, that the residents of Green River should have a choice between a private hauler or the city, whichever is most costs effective. Ms Roosa said this is an overview of the request for proposals for costs/rates of outsourcing services. They are hoping to have this document finished by mid-October. The intent is to solicit cost/rates associated with collection, recycling, and disposal of solid waste from Green River, and to evaluate the current services provided by the city in comparison to other service providers. An estimated 22,000 tons of MSW was brought to the landfill in 2012 and was categorized as:  36% household waste  21% construction & demolition  21% concrete  18% special waste  4% recycling The proposal is requesting:  Automated residential 95 gallon base rate  Automated commercial/business rate o 300 gallon base rate o Subsequent dumps base rate City Council Workshop Proceedings September 10, 2013 Page 7 of 9  o 95 gallon base rate  Commercial/business recycling rates  Residential 2nd container rates  Flatbed service rates  Dumpster service rates  City owned facility rates  City special events rates  The services included in these rates  Cost for services not included in rates above Ms. Roosa said they do have concerns regarding the structure of the RFP for a fair comparison for both the contractor and the city. With the services being extensive for what is included in the current base rate within the city, it makes it a challenge to make it comparable apples to apples. They are off to a good start but it will need more work. Staff would like to work with the community. Council Member McCullough asked if the recycling would be profitable. He said talking to the community is the first thing they need to do if they want to continue with recycling. Ms. Roosa said they are looking at what the costs will be for the citizens and what is the most cost effective. Mr. Black clarified, in order to make the Solid Waste Fund whole, the monthly rates would have to increase 25 to 30 percent. Council Member Peterson said the residents are not going to want to pay more for garbage. He does not want people to start dumping illegally. Council Member Coppolo said recycling generally will not pay. It’s the thing to do, but people do not want to pay more for it. He said what needs to be most important is what’s best for the community. Ms. Roosa said when your hauling garbage to Rock Springs at a cost of $65 per ton and you can keep a ton here for recycling and make some money then it becomes cost effective. Council Member Maes asked what the current rate is for solid waste. Ms. Roosa said it is $19.87 per month. She said one of the tasks in the five-year plan is to have some public forums. They will start them at the end of October, and hope to be able to inform residents on what is going on with the landfill. Council Member Killpack said it will become an issue on illegal dumping if the rates are too high. Mr. Nelson said one of the issues they are faced with is putting the RFP together to compare apples to apples. He would rather put the time in now and see if they are comparable later. Mr. Black said when they look at these components the 25 to 30 percent increase is without the cost for disposal. The disposal will be on top of that. The Mayor asked what the timeline is and how much it will cost to close the landfill. Ms. Roosa said, as part of the legislative bills that have been enacted, there is cease and transfer funding. The city has a small amount set aside for the landfill closer which can help leverage the cease and transfer. The cease and transfer is for closing the landfill and building a transfer station. The amount in the legislature is small but there are priority lists throughout the state and we are high on the list. The timeline for closing the landfill is projected to be late 2017. The transfer station needs to be in operation one year before that. Council Member Peterson asked what they will do with the land. City Council Workshop Proceedings September 10, 2013 Page 8 of 9 Ms. Roosa said DEQ does not allow any structures on landfills. City Administrator’s Report Mr. Black had nothing to report. Mayor and Council Reports Council Members Peterson, McCullough, Coppolo, Maes, Killpack, and Stokes had nothing to report. The Mayor said remembrance of 9/11 is tomorrow and flags will be flown at half mass. Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 9:46 pm. ______________________________ H. Castillon, Mayor ATTEST: _____________________________ Jeffrey V. Nieters, City Clerk City Council Workshop Proceedings September 10, 2013 Page 9 of 9