Public Works & Environmental Concerns

Village of Lombard Village Hall 255 East Wilson Ave. Lombard, IL 60148 villageoflombard.org Minutes Tuesday, December 14, 2021 6:30 PM Lorraine G. Gerhardt Community Room Public Works & Environmental Concerns Trustee Bob Bachner - Chairperson Trustee Anthony Puccio - Alternate Chairperson Art Kuehl, John Kaforski, Mark Dvorak, Mike Kuderna, David Arnold,Joe Glazier, Allen Hennig and Steve Wlosztyniak Staff Liaison: Carl Goldsmith Public Works & Environmental Minutes December 14, 2021 Concerns 1.0 Call to Order and Pledge of Allegiance The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Bachner at 6:30 PM. 2.0 Roll Call Present 7 - Bob Bachner, Arthur Kuehl, John Kaforski, Mark Dvorak, Mike Kuderna, David Arnold, and Steve Wolsztyniak Absent 2 - Joe Glazier Jr., and Allen Hennig 3.0 Public Participation 4.0 Approval of Minutes A motion was made by Mike Kuderna, seconded by John Kaforski, that the Minutes of the September 14, 2021 meeting be approved. The motion carried unanimously. 5.0 Unfinished Business 6.0 New Business 210389 2021 Crack Sealing/Pavement Preservation Program, Final Balancing Change Order No. 1 Reflecting an increase of $10,157.89 to the contract with Denler, Inc. (DISTRICTS - ALL) Goldsmith reviewed the change order. Staff requested unit price to crack seal two of the Village's pedestrian paths; one on 16th Street and one on Elizabeth between 19th and 20th. A motion was made by David Arnold, seconded by Mike Kuderna, that this Resolution be recommended to the Board of Trustees for approval. The motion passed by an unanimous vote. 210417 Mosquito Control Contract for 2022 and 2023 Staff recommendation to approve a contract with Clarke Environmental Mosquito Management in the amount of $68,280 per year. This contract includes an option to extend for 2024. (DISTRICT ALL) Gorman reviewed the item. The price had long held at $88,700, but by reducing scope the contract price has been $68,000. The new contract is the same price as 2020 and 2021. Gorman went on to explain the services included in the contract. Some of the savings was realized by the use of 180-day larvicide briquettes in the catch basins, as opposed to the previously used 30-day larvicide Village of Lombard Page 1 Public Works & Environmental Minutes December 14, 2021 Concerns briquettes. The contract also includes maintaining a gravid trap, as well as doing several pre-hatch applications of 60 acres. He added that prior to placing the larvicide briquettes, Clarke coordinates with Village staff so they are not treating catch basins prior to our catch basin cleaning. Gorman explained that we don't spray in town because that is not the best practice. Targeting the Culex larvae is. Culex are the mosquitos that carry the West Nile Virus. Culex are not floodwater mosquitos, which can breed in any water and is not a disease carrier. Additionally, when spraying, you only hit adults that are flying in the area and it costs $12,000 to do one village-wide spraying. Kaforski asked if the gravid trap is for West Nile Virus. Gorman replied that it is. Clarke collects the larvae, mashes them up and looks for West Nile Virus DNA. He added that DuPage County also maintains their own gravid traps and performs testing. Dvorak asked if they monitor when there is a long rain and a lot of standing water. Gorman answered that they can do brood prediction based on rain. He further explained that the floodwater mosquitos are small and the Culex mosquito is much larger. The Culex are dawn and dusk fliers and they are not rain based, they are in standing water such as catch basins and ponds. Dvorak commented that they were not many mosquitos this summer. Gorman replied that although there was a lot of rain in June, the summer was very dry after that, so the floodwater mosquitos were not bad. Art Kuehl asked if there were any reported cases of West Nile Virus in Lombard. Gorman stated that there were non in Lombard, but there was one case in DuPage County. Chairperson Bachner asked how big the larvicide pellet is and if it would be washed away in a heavy rain. Gorman answered that he has not seen the pellet that is currently in use, however he has seen similar pellets and they're about the size of a lifesaver. Chairperson Bachner asked how often they do catch basin treatments. Gorman replied that they are 180-day pellets, so once they detect mosquito activity they will drop them. Dvorak asked if the pellets kill any other bugs. Gorman answered that they only kill mosquitos, but the do have to obtain an NPDES permit from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. A motion was made by David Arnold, seconded by John Kaforski, that this Resolution be recommended to the Board of Trustees for approval . The motion passed by an unanimous vote. Village of Lombard Page 2 Public Works & Environmental Minutes December 14, 2021 Concerns 7.0 Other Business 210418 Tree Planting Program Update regarding the Tree Planting Program relative to the projected planting deficit and the subsequent budget increase. (DISTRICT ALL) Goldsmith explained that this item was first presented to the Committee in the spring when staff realized how large the deficit was growing. The Department's policy is to replace trees within one year of removal provided there is sufficient space. However, the deficit was extending replacement plantings out to three years. The committee voted to approve additional money in the CIP for the next four 4 planting seasons, and increasing the budget to $125,000 beginning in 2024. The first additional planting was completed this fall and the memo reflects the updated numbers to reflect. We're still behind by 700 trees. In 2022, an additional 400 trees will be planted. Staff will bring similar reports after the next three plantings. Chairperson Bachner asked if staff anticipates any supply chain issues in the projection for 2022. Goldsmith replied that the Village is a member of the Suburban Tree Consortium through which we place tree order five years in advance. When we needed 200 extra trees for the last planting it was a little bit of a scramble, but we have sufficient trees lined up. Kaforski suggested that it would be beneficial for the Forester to survey where all of the open spaces are. Goldsmith replied that we already have that. 8.0 Information Only 210366 Hammerschmidt Avenue and New Street Flooding Study Update regarding continuing efforts to address flooding at the intersection of Hammerschmidt Avenue and New Street. Goldsmith recused himself from this issue, as it has a potential effect on his private property, and explained that Dave Gorman will be handling this item with the committee, residents and future discussions. Gorman informed the committee that Baxter & Woodman Consulting Engineers has been hired to study and survey this area. He went on to review the memo provided. After the 2013 flooding, this area was studied and the recommendations don't provide enough protection for the cost. The engineering firm did sewer modeling and submitted alternatives. The conclusion was we don't have a feasible project, as we can't cost effectively abate the water. Baxter & Woodman will collect low Village of Lombard Page 3 Public Works & Environmental Minutes December 14, 2021 Concerns entry points of area houses, survey the area that's flooding and then survey the affected residences. If people choose to self report, Baxter & Woodman may be able to recommend things they can do, i.e. glass block windows and swales. We really do want to help them find a solution. This work should be completed next year and the committee will be kept apprised of the findings. Goldsmith explained that the goal is not for Village to buy properties, but to give useful information to property owners. Although, there has been some discussion about potentially developing a program for transfer of properties, the expectation is not that the report will say the Village should acquire property unless it helps the region, not just the neighborhood. Kuderna asked if that area has flooded since 2013. Goldsmith replied that the most recent large rain event was 2019, and he was out there with waders on. Gorman added that we're used to dropping barricades at several locations, but it is better to flood streets than homes. He also pointed out that when people talk about flooding, a lot of times it turns out to be basement back-up, so it may be that they just need an overhead sewer. Kuderna said that a resident of that area that he knows, lives in one the houses that is low. He put in a system with a sump pump in front of his garage. Goldsmith said that those are the things we want to obtain information on to help us understand the magnitude and scope of the problems. He further added that a project that cost $3m in 2013 is probably $4m now to address. It would be more cost effective to spend $4k on an overhead sewer grant. Kaforski commented that his son lives on New Street and right after the 2013 flood, he did an overhead sewer, waterproofing and redirecting water by building a concrete barrier by his back window. It was very expensive and he still has water when it rains. He went on to say that from Taylor to Madison was a clay pit that extended almost to Grace and to Charlotte, so that area doesn't drain. We talk about a few houses, but it's more than that. There is a house on Charlotte that put in a dry well in the back, because there's a river that comes down from that area. When you tell individual homeowners what they can do, the first thing they're going to ask is how is the Village going to help me. Goldsmith pointed out that you can't change elevation, the area contributing is larger, but this is the low spot. However, you can address through building standards. Kaforski asked what the cost is for installing a line from Hammerschmidt School with a little pumping station. Goldsmith replied that was one of the recommendations in the 2014 report. We want to get a comprehensive view, so when they get a directed mailing or visit from an engineering firm, hopefully we'll get a better picture of what's going on. When you look Village of Lombard Page 4 Public Works & Environmental Minutes December 14, 2021 Concerns at that cost of the 2014 recommended projects versus a project like the Sid Harvey property, that project is going to be half the cost and addresses a much larger geographic area. Kuehl asked if the engineers will inspect the houses. Gorman replied in as much as they'll do the elevation survey and they'll talk to the people about the flooding. Gorman pointed out that even looking at the expansive area, to deepen that entire area will only get you protection for a 25-50 year storm. For an engineering study it's important to find out where the water is coming from when people call and say they have water in their basement. We need to know if there are downspouts connected into the sewer system, etc. One recommendation may be the Overhead Sewer Grant program. Kaforski asked if we have a grant program for people to install dry wells. Goldsmith replied that it might be eligible for the Backyard Drainage program, that's the discussion, when we have better information we may be able to tailor programs for things the existing programs don't address. Arnold asked if there was any discussion of separating sewers. Goldsmith replied that is not going to be part of this effort. Arnold asked if there is a separated sewer system in area that we can take advantage of. Goldsmith answered that the closest is at Madison and Stewart, but back in 2014 the cost to direct the water there was $4m. He added that there is no question that the water is going to seek the lowest level. However, the biggest challenge with sewer separation is we don't have the volume to store the water. It needs to be retained and released at a controlled rate, but there is not a big enough open area in this area. He further added that the school's concern is the students, not storm water. They don't want a basin on their property that is 23' deep. It has to work for both parties. Arnold said that we're looking at this as $4.1m, but we have a 10 year CIP that we can work towards a bigger solution through. Goldsmith commented that it's a balancing act. It's just not feasible for this area. Short of having that big area to store the water, we're at a roadblock in this neighborhood. Working with Baxter & Woodman will help us at least understand and they may have a creative solution once they have the information. Gorman added that we also have Christopher B. Burke Engineering looking at other combined sewer areas and we think that we'll have some progress. It will be slotted into the CIP, but it's millions of dollars. Goldsmith added that part of this also entails working in conjunction with the Park District since they own the biggest tracts of open land in the village, but not until we know the benefits of these projects. Dvorak asked if the overhead sewers are working for those that installed Village of Lombard Page 5 Public Works & Environmental Minutes December 14, 2021 Concerns them. Gorman replied that they do. Dvorak asked if this is one of the worst areas for flooding. Goldsmith replied that it is one of the areas that we are aware of and haven't been able to address. The Village has $50m in capital projects on storm and sanitary projects since 2010; the last ones are the hard ones. Wolsztyniak commented that it's the amount of water flowing to this point and asked if it could be diverted around the houses. Goldsmith replied that is what we're looking at. Gorman said that the couple that most recently approached the Village said the street flooding is coming into their garage too. He stated that the study will look at all methods of flooding. Goldsmith added that it won't be one-size fits all. Each house is unique. Gorman explained that letters will be mailed to resident that self reported so there's a record. 9.0 Adjournment A motion was made by David Arnold, seconded by Arthur Kuehl, to adjourn the meeting at 7:41 P.M. The motion carried unanimously. Village of Lombard Page 6