Public Services Committee

TOWN OF MOUNT PLEASANT, SOUTH CAROLINA PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE Tuesday, April 3, 2018 Municipal Complex, Committee Meeting Room, 3rd Floor 100 Ann Edwards Lane, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 Minutes Members Present: Jim Owens, Chair; Joe Bustos, Kathy Landing, Kevin Cunnane Staff: Eric DeMoura, Jody Peele, Andrew Weis, Emily Raby, Marcy Cotov Mr. Owens called the meeting to order at 1:30 p.m. 1. Approval of Minutes from the March 5, 2018 meeting Mr. Owens called for a motion to approve the minutes from the March 5, 2018 meeting Mr. Bustos so moved; seconded by Ms. Landing; motion carried unanimously. 2. Public Comments None.  Public Services Committee Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 2 of 41 3. Budget Review FY 2019 a. Public Services Department operating expenditures b. Public Services Department capital and maintenance expenditures Eric DeMoura, Town Administrator, asked the committee to flip to the Public Services tab located in their budget book to review the highlights for the proposed budget. Mr. DeMoura stated that he or Jody Peele, Director of Public Services, would be available for any questions that the committee might have. Mr. DeMoura stated that the Town is proposing an overall $518,000.00, or 4 percent, increase for the Public Services Department next year. Mr. DeMoura added that looking at the top line items, you will see that $400,000.00 of the $518,000.00 would be in salaries. Mr. DeMoura stated that this proposal would be for five new positions for next year to keep up with the current demands and calls for service placed upon the Public Services Department. Mr. DeMoura stated that in support of this request, in the line items you will see the fringes that support the employees in the Public Services Department and the State retirement match which would be a 1 percent increase totaling $130,000.00, making a total of $530,000 for next year. Mr. DeMoura stated that with these five new positions, we also have a heavy need for vehicle replacement for Public Services including 10 scows, 2 dump trucks, 1 packer, and 1 side-loader. The packer and side-loader are being replaced by 2 fully automated loaders. Mr. DeMoura stated the equipment is significant to the department and would total $3.2 million in capital equipment replacements for next year.  Public Services Committee Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 3 of 41 Mr. DeMoura stated that under the Capital Funds summary are the two capital requests for the Public Services Department for next year. Mr. DeMoura stated that the first request involves water quality at Shem Creek for $300,000.00 and the second request, which is the largest capital request for the Town for this proposed budget, is for the Public Services Department Operations Center for $30 million. Mr. DeMoura stated that would conclude all the highlights and that he and Mr. Peele are ready for any possible questions. Mr. Owens asked if the proposed expenditures for salaries is for a 7 percent increase. Mr. DeMoura answered in the affirmative. Mr. DeMoura added that he had neglected to say that the 4 percent average wage increase is also included in the five proposed positions which would make up the 7 percent. Mr. Owens asked if the proposed mandatory retirement increase is 14 percent. Mr. DeMoura answered in the affirmative and added that it is $130,000.00. Mr. Owens noted that the repair and refinishing of the floors at Alhambra Hall was increasing by 11 percent. He asked if these jobs were being bid out. Mr. Peele answered in the affirmative.  Public Services Committee Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 4 of 41 Mr. Owens asked if this includes sanding and restoring the floors once a year. Mr. Peele stated that we are not currently sanding but applying a light buff on the floor as well as a recoat to bring back the floors’ dark coat which is the desired look that the interior designer requested many years ago. Mr. Peele added that a lot of the heavy activity is on the dance floor and to keep Alhambra Hall rentable, usable, and in quality condition, we believe that the floors need to be done once a year. Mr. Owens thanked Mr. Peele for the detailed response. Mr. Owens stated that the following contractual services all appear to have stayed at the same cost: repair maintenance roads and drainage, repairs to buildings, repairs to office equipment, and membership and dues. He asked if this was a fair statement. Mr. Peele stated that the contractual services increased by about $50,000.00. Mr. Owens asked if the traveling and training was in the budget for 2018 and, if so, what the increase was. Mr. Peele stated that there was about a $5,000.00 increase, so that we could allow another employee to get the proper training for Cityworks which is the asset database that the Public Services Department uses.  Public Services Committee Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 5 of 41 Mr. Owens asked about the minor equipment such as computers, and if there were any changes or additions to include for the five new employees. Mr. Peele answered in the affirmative and stated that laptops would be added. Mr. Owens stated that in looking at the revenue and expenditures of capital assets, it appears to have increased by 109 percent under the Capital Asset Fund, Revenue, and Expenditures. Mr. DeMoura asked Mr. Owens to which line item he was referring. Mr. Owens stated that he was looking at page one under the Summary of Capital Assets. Mr. DeMoura stated the increase is correct, but it is town-wide. Mr. DeMoura added that technology is town-wide; the radio replacement applies mostly to Police and Fire and slightly to Public Services. Roll-out carts would be for Public Services, as well as the $3.5 million for the rolling stock replacement which is included in the $5.3 million that Mr. Owens was referring to. Mr. Owens stated that he was looking on page 1 under Total Revenue; Capital Improvement Plan Projects from fiscal year 2018 to a requested budgeted year 2019, from $14 million to $30.3 million.  Public Services Committee Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 6 of 41 Mr. DeMoura stated that in the current year there is $10 million for the Snee Farm Replacement Project and that the $30 million would be for the Public Services Operation Center. Mr. Owens stated that yesterday at the Bids and Purchases they agreed on the dollar amount for the design only. Mr. DeMoura answered in the affirmative and noted that it is known as the master plan. Mr. Owens stated that in the master plan there will need to be a scope of what it will entail. Mr. DeMoura agreed. Mr. Peele stated that he has that information. Mr. Owens asked how large of a facility is in the proposed master plan. Mr. Peele stated that the design at our Six Mile facility would be located on both sides of the road of Sweetgrass Basket Parkway, which is on roughly 12 acres. Mr. Peele added that at our Lieben Road location there are 5.32 acres. Mr. Peele stated that we are still in the master plan and just trying to think outside the box on how we want this facility to look. Mr. Peele added that there is a scope of services that we would like them to provide to us to get  Public Services Committee Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 7 of 41 to that point. Mr. Peele stated that he does not know the magnitude of it, but these are the three properties that we are looking at to best utilize our services. Mr. Owens asked where the $30 million fund will be coming from. Mr. DeMoura stated that it will be a general obligation bond. Mr. Owens asked if we do not use the full amount where the funds would then go. Mr. DeMoura stated that it would be up to the discretion of Council. Mr. DeMoura added that they would write into the bond ordinance flexibility, such as going toward a road project or fire station improvement. Mr. DeMoura stated that if we do come in under budget, we can come back to Committee and have the authority to move it to any project that the Committee would deem appropriate. Mr. Owens thanked Mr. DeMoura for his response. Mr. Owens asked if the committee members had any additional questions. Mr. Cunnane thanked everyone in Public Services for doing a great job. Mr. Cunnane stated that he has asked all the department heads what the Membership and Dues are for and what the Town sees back from them.  Public Services Committee Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 8 of 41 Mr. Peele stated that under the Membership and Dues, the Public Services Department has budgeted $2,660.00 for the entire department. Mr. Peele added that those dues go toward the American Public Works Association (APWA), which is the organization that the department is trying to be accredited by. Mr. Peele added that he attends their meetings as well as their yearly convention. He added that Mr. Weis is becoming certified in the management program for APWA. Mr. Peele stated that Ms. Emily Raby, Assistant Stormwater Manager, is already certified through the management program. Mr. Peele added that Ken Rhye, Town Engineer, will be getting continuing education credits on his memberships and license as a Professional Engineer (PE), as well as the National Safety Council. Mr. Peele stated that Mr. Rhye is the Department’s Safety Officer and would like Mr. Rhye to stay as informed as possible on all the safety information. Mr. Peele stated that Mr. Jamie Nance, Grounds Division Landscape Manager, is a member of the Professional Grounds and Maintenance Association. Mr. Peele added that Mr. Nance is responsible for all the Town’s medians, Waterfront Park, Shem Creek Park, as well as running Grounds Division crews to make sure our facilities are in the best condition they can possibly be. Mr. Peele added that arboriculture is part of our landscape maintenance and that Mr. Nance and a few other staff members are a part of that area of maintenance. Mr. Peele stated that we are also members of the Irrigation Association. He added that with irrigation now, it is changing from a two-wire system to a one-wire system making it more computerized. Mr. Peele added that the staff will need to keep up with the changing needs of irrigation systems throughout the Town. He added that we can now control certain irrigation systems through our mobile devises, as well as turning on and off the lights at our Center Street complex through a mobile device.  Public Services Committee Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 9 of 41 Mr. Peele stated that he would like Dave Behrens, Waste Management Division Chief, and his foremen to stay updated on the latest trends in becoming more efficient and how to run our operation properly through the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) membership. Mr. Peele stated that we are also members of the Green Industry which would fall under our Grounds Division. Mr. Peele added that we do a lot with landscaping, so we have several employees associated with those memberships. Mr. Peele added that the Public Services Department just hired a new employee, Jennifer Knight, Communications and Marketing Coordinator, who will be heavily used in the near future for communication for the following: when our fully-automated garbage trucks go into effect, State Revolving Fund (SRF) at Snee Farm updates, Old Village Stormwater Project, Hobcaw Stormwater Study, and everything else that happens on a daily basis. Mr. Peele stated that he believes these memberships and dues are critical to the Public Services Department. Mr. Cunnane stated that Mr. Peele was the third Department he had asked this question to and he provided the best answer describing their membership and dues. Mr. Cunnane asked if he sees an attrition problem with employees at their current salary.  Public Services Committee Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 10 of 41 Mr. Peele stated that is a tough question and would feel more comfortable if he could get back with him on an answer to that question. Mr. Cunnane stated that he would personally like to know over time, but it does not have to happen today, how the Department is doing at retaining employees and if making a tweak on the salaries could help. Mr. Cunnane stated that he wanted to put it on the record that at some point we can come back and look at it. Mrs. Landing made a motion to recommend that this budget be passed along for the Committee to approve. (Discussion) Mr. Bustos asked Mrs. Landing if the Committee was going to recommend to Council the approval. Mrs. Landing answered in the affirmative. Mr. Bustos seconded the recommendation to full Council that we accept this budget for the Public Services Department. Mr. Owens stated the questions on the motion to second to approve the Public Services Department operating capital and maintenance expenditures and send it to Council for approval. Motion carried unanimously.  Public Services Committee Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 11 of 41 4. Review of Public Services Department organizational chart and equipment Andrew Weis, Public Services Deputy Director, stated that per Mr. Owens request, he was going to give a brief overview of the Public Services Department organization and its equipment. Mr. Weis stated that the Public Services Department currently has 142 positions broken down into one section and five divisions as shown in the below slide. Mr. Weis added that the Department currently has 472 pieces of equipment that are tracked by either First Vehicle Services or our Purchasing Department. He added that this equipment is anything with an engine or  Public Services Committee Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 12 of 41 mechanical and does not include things such as small hand tools. Mr. Weis stated that this list includes everything from a chainsaw to a garbage truck. Mr. Weis stated that the Administrative Section consists of ten people and the functions that take place within this section are things that support our entire Department. Mr. Weis stated the responsibilities and projects of the Administrative Section shown in the above slide. Mr. Weis added that this section is also where the two Public Services Engineers reside and provide engineering support across the Department. Mr. Weis stated that the Facilities Division consists of 17 positions and is broken down into two sections: Facilities Maintenance Section and Custodial Maintenance Section as shown in the below slide.  Public Services Committee Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 13 of 41 Mr. Weis stated that this Division is responsible for cleaning or fixing all Town facilities as well as overseeing contracts associated with our facilities such as our Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) contract, pest control, fire extinguisher maintenance, and Town Hall cleaning. He added that this Division is responsible for a large portion of the Comprehensive Maintenance Plan (CMP) program for our facilities. Mr. Weis stated that the Grounds Division consist of 32 positions and is broken down into four sections: Grounds Maintenance Section, Ball Field Maintenance Section, Special Project Section, and Turf Maintenance Section as shown in the below slide.  Public Services Committee Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 14 of 41 Mr. Weis added that the Grounds Division is generally the lead for all Public Services Department support to the Town’s special events. He added that there are currently 47 events scheduled for the 2018 calendar year. Mr. Weis added that this Division also executes the Right of Way Maintenance Contract for everything along Highway 17 and other areas where we have contractors doing Right of Way Maintenance. Mr. Weis stated that this is the first Division that has a large population of equipment that includes everything from lawnmowers to pickup trucks. Mr. Weis stated that the Infrastructure Division consists of 27 positions and is broken into three sections and one team. Mr. Weis added that this Division task organizes more than others to get a task complete for that given day. He added that this Division is responsible for maintaining and repairing all Town infrastructures such as: signs, sidewalks, curbs, potholes,  Public Services Committee Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 15 of 41 stormwater infrastructure, street sweeping, as well as Right of Way Maintenance. Mr. Weis added that this Division is usually the lead for all storm efforts for before, during, and after storms. He added that this Division also has a large list of equipment as shown in the above slide. Mr. Weis stated that the Stormwater Division consists of eight positions, seven full-time and one part-time position. He added that this Division manages the Town’s Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) Permit, conducts new stormwater infrastructure inspections, performs National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) inspections, and is also responsible for the Town’s water quality efforts such as the Wando River Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) and the Shem Creek 9-Element Plan as shown in the below slide.  Public Services Committee Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 16 of 41 Mr. Weis noted that even though this is our smallest Division, they have a lot of responsibility. He also stated that the Stormwater Program was a town-wide effort including the Planning Department, Finance Department, Etc. Mr. Weis stated that our last Division is the Waste Management Division which consists of 48 positions and is broken into two sections; the Vegetative and Non-Vegetative Trash Section and the Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Section as shown in the below slides.  Public Services Committee Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 17 of 41 Mr. Weis stated that this Division is responsible for the weekly collection operations across Town as well as the Town’s Electronics-Waste recycling efforts and transfer yard operations located at our Six Mile Complex.  Public Services Committee Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 18 of 41 Mr. Weis stated that the Vegetative and Non-Vegetative Trash Section is manned for four crews and three knucklebooms. He added that a crew consists of a claw machine and two scows. Mr. Weis added that the knucklebooms are essentially a single truck with a loader on the back. He added that these trucks get the job done but are not as efficient due to the set-up time for the out-riggers, collection, and putting the equipment back up for the move to the next pickup load. Mr. Weis stated that the Department is manned for four crews and three knucklebooms, but based on personnel and equipment available on any given day, we have been getting three crews out. Mr. Weis stated that the Municipal Solid Waste Section is manned for 11 crews which consists of: four 2-man garbage trucks, seven 3-man garbage trucks, and one small 1-man garbage truck.  Public Services Committee Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 19 of 41 Mr. Weis stated that the Division tries to put out ten trucks daily but have been averaging closer to eight due to personnel and equipment available. Mr. Weis stated that this concluded his presentation and was open to questions. Mrs. Landing asked, based on what the Town experienced this past year, if there was any discussion of the possibility of adding a plow to the front of certain trucks, so they could be added on but would not cost too much to put in inventory. Mr. Weis answered in the affirmative. He added that with the budget there is a schedule for how long our equipment is supposed to last, and both of our dump trucks are supposed to be replaced this year. He added that the intent is to buy those trucks as well as the plow attachment, and a sand or salt spreading attachment for each truck, so we will have the capability in the future. Mrs. Landing asked if we were to have a repeat of this past January which was very unusual for the Town, what the capacity would be of those two vehicles to help keep the roads open a lot better. Mr. Weis stated that the Public Services Department ran just about everything they had 24/7 during the storm. He added that now we would have the same ability, but also be able to plow. Mr. Weis added that a lot of the issues during the storm were the shaded areas that iced over and did not melt. He added that if we were able to get an early enough start on it, we could be knocking a lot of the snow off the road before it ices. He added that the Town could probably have had a lot of the slick spots taken care of  Public Services Committee Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 20 of 41 sooner rather than later. Mr. Weis stated that he was out in the field and they were trying to scrap the ice with backhoes and it did not work that well. Mr. Weis added that if we were to stay on top of the snow from the beginning whether with the plows or salt or sand, it will make it easier to close the incident, or the storm, sooner. Mrs. Landing asked if he thinks this will give the Department the capacity to do a lot more. Mr. Weis answered in the affirmative. He added that the challenge will be that there are some South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) roads as well as Town roads and it requires working together to get it all done. He added that we will have to coordinate our efforts with theirs. He continued by stating there were areas during the storm that we knew SCDOT was going to come by and salt, so we did not plow. He also stated that we did not want to make their efforts null and void. Mr. Weis stated that he believes it will double our capability at least and help us out significantly. Mrs. Landing thanked Mr. Weis for the detailed response. Mr. Owens thanked Mr. Weis for his presentation and asked if he could speak on behalf of the last hurricane, what outside workforce we asked for, if any, and how much was collected. Mr. Weis stated that the Town collected close to 30,000 cubic yards of debris and did not request any outside support. Mr. Weis added that the  Public Services Committee Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 21 of 41 collection took about the same amount of time as it did for Hurricane Matthew to get the debris off the streets. Mr. Weis stated that the in-house collection was about the same for Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Matthew. Mr. Owens stated that the Department did an outstanding job. Mr. Owens stated he only asked the question for the new council members since he was not sure they were aware of this information. Mr. Weis stated that it took the Public Services Department about 25 days of collection operations to clear for both storms. Mr. Owens stated that he came to Town Hall on several occasions and you all were here. He asked if everyone was working a 24/7. Mr. Weis answered in the affirmative. Mr. Cunnane asked where the tracking of calls for service comes in on the budget, or if that is handled on the government side. Mr. Weis stated that the Public Services Department utilizes Cityworks and if he is not mistaken, it falls under the Administrative Section on the budget. Mr. Weis added that we utilize Cityworks for our Work Orders and Service Requests. He added that we are not the only department that uses Cityworks and that the Planning Department is moving towards it, and the Transportation Department is looking at moving towards it in the future.  Public Services Committee Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 22 of 41 Mr. Cunnane asked Mr. DeMoura if Cityworks is spread out amongst every agency. He added by asking if the training is in the Public Services portion of the budget and the other is in general government. Mr. DeMoura stated that they try to break it out amongst the departments that utilize it. Mr. DeMoura added that Cityworks has been great for the Town. He added that it is similar to the body cameras in the Police Department where it protects our people because of the video. He added that Cityworks is similar because we can receive an email saying someone called three to four times and no one called back or responded. Whereas with Cityworks, we have exactly what happened, when it happened, when we called backed, and when we responded. Mr. DeMoura stated that this was a little off Mr. Cunnane’s question, but Cityworks has been well worth the investment and does take training but has been good for the Town. Mr. Cunnane asked what that investment was Town-wide. Mr. DeMoura directed the question to Marcy Cotov, Chief Financial Officer. Mrs. Cotov stated that the software is $65,000.00 annually and the training is at department levels as needed. Mr. Cunnane asked if that training is in the department budgets. Mrs. Cotov answered in the affirmative.  Public Services Committee Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 23 of 41 5. Review of ongoing stormwater maintenance a. Preparation for rain events b. Coordination with Charleston County regarding drainage canals and inlet structures c. Snee Farm State Revolving Fund update Mr. Peele stated that Ms. Emily Raby, Assistant Stormwater Manager, will be giving the presentation today since Hillary Repik, Stormwater Division Chief, is on vacation. Ms. Raby stated that she will be talking about some of the operations and asset related programs that help prepare the Town’s drainage systems for storms. Ms. Raby stated that the Stormwater work is conducted in partnership with the help of multiple departments as well as three Divisions in the Public Services Department: Stormwater, Engineering, and Infrastructure. Ms. Raby stated that the Stormwater Division collects information and does inspections which help with budget and planning. She continued by stating the Engineering section handles the contracted work and the Infrastructure Division does all the in-house work. Ms. Raby stated that the programs she will be reviewing will be the Daily Maintenance Program, the Comprehensive Maintenance Program, the Stormwater Improvement Program, Storm Preparation, Coordination with other Agencies and System Ownership as shown in the below slide.  Public Services Committee Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 24 of 41 Ms. Raby stated that the Daily Maintenance Program consists of routine work and involves the in-house operations. Ms. Raby added that work is shared among Engineering, Stormwater, and Infrastructure Divisions. She added that the work comes from Service Requests through Cityworks. Ms. Raby stated they receive calls that come from the public and from there are to be investigated such as; is it the Town’s Infrastructure, does it need work, and is it an emergency? She added that the routine operations involve inspections and cleanings of pipes and canals, the repairs to the infrastructures and other work orders also address structural issues and failures as shown in the below slide.  Public Services Committee Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 25 of 41 Ms. Raby stated that they received 707 Service Requests from the public regarding Stormwater infrastructure in 2017. Ms. Raby stated that the Comprehensive Maintenance Plan (CMP) program to include the Stormwater Improvement Program handle large system projects that help keep our main system structurally functional. She added that the Stormwater Division manages the budget and the long-range planning for the Comprehensive Maintenance Plan program where they rehabilitate, repair, and replace the infrastructure. Ms. Raby added that the Engineering section manages the contracted pipe and structure projects as well as bridge and culvert inspections. Ms. Raby stated that the Stormwater Division also manages the open systems such as swales, street ditches, canals, and Town owned ponds as shown in the below slide.  Public Services Committee Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 26 of 41 Ms. Raby stated that the Stormwater Improvement Program is a team effort with both Stormwater and Engineering staff. Ms. Raby stated that in the slide below is a picture of Live Oak Drive at Magwood during Hurricane Irma.  Public Services Committee Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 27 of 41 Ms. Raby stated that when preparing for a storm there are two types of activities that keep the Town’s infrastructure ready. Ms. Raby stated that we perform routine operations with the Infrastructure Division and the information is handed off to the Stormwater Division for program requirements and reporting. Ms. Raby added that these operations include the storm drain cleaning program where the Division reacts to calls when residents call to report an issue. She added that we are trying to be proactive by starting the whole system cleaning program where we go in and clean pipes and boxes regardless of what they look like. Ms. Raby stated that for the Canal Inspections and Cleaning Program they are authorized for a crew of three to clean ditches and canals. She added that the level of service is set by the participation in the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Community Rating System program (CRS). Ms. Raby added that this requires us to do a minimum of annual inspection work and to address the items that have been found. Ms. Raby stated that the Division has exceeded that inspection program for many of our systems.  Public Services Committee Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 28 of 41 Ms. Raby stated that there is also a Hot Spot Program that requires the inspections of key choke points in the drainage system after rain events of a half inch or greater and remove debris that they find. Ms. Raby stated that there is a Flap Gate Inspection Program where flap gates are inspected prior to a hightide cycle to check for debris and make sure they are functioning. Ms. Raby added that the pump station in the Old Village receives inspections twice a week by the Stormwater crew as well as an annual inspection by a contractor who pulls and checks the pumps annually. Ms. Raby stated that for large predicted storms such as hurricanes, the division moves over to the Storm Operation Programs such as the Hazard Mitigation Plan. Ms. Raby added that for their operations, all divisions use the 120-hour countdown plan prior to the storm. She added that the Stormwater Division inspects the critical infrastructure, opens key systems such as draining lakes and removing grates, purchases or rent special equipment such as pumps and generators, and stages resources in response zones. Ms. Raby stated that in 2018 they have been involved in many flood mitigation efforts. She added that in May they will be hosting a flood ready exposition for Town residents. She added that they have also participated in regional preparedness pilot projects with the National Alliance for Public Safety Geographic Information System Foundation (NAPSG). She added that they will also be participating in a Sea Grant Resiliency pilot project that will  Public Services Committee Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 29 of 41 look at one of the Town’s neighborhoods for multiple vulnerabilities, such as sea level rise, storm surge, and rainfall flooding. Ms. Raby stated that they must coordinate with other entities often because not all the infrastructure in the Town is owned by the Town. Ms. Raby stated that a system can be owned by the Town, SCDOT, the County, Homeowners Associations, or privately owned. Ms. Raby stated that it is difficult to display all the information for the entire drainage network, but the map in the above slide shows the main canals and the system outfalls. Ms. Raby added that by looking in the legend some of the items are denoted County/Town or Town/County and this is because there are systems with dual ownerships, and if the preponderance of the system is in the unincorporated County then it would be labeled as County/Town. She added that if it is mostly in the Town then it will be labeled as Town/County.  Public Services Committee Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 30 of 41 Ms. Raby stated that in some cases there are main systems with no easements and they are considered privately owned and privately maintained. She added that this also applies to our pipe systems; if the street is a SCDOT right of way, then they own the drains and street generally. She added that if there are drains in the yard, they might be in a Town easement, so the system could be private, Town, County, or State depending on what side of the property it is located on. Ms. Raby stated that we are trying to continually review who owns what, so they can have the most accurate information for their GIS database. Ms. Raby stated that they can also acquire new systems such as when new development projects come in, annexations, and for a request being made for the Town to take over a system by granting an easement. Ms. Raby stated that a way to manage these systems that have several owners is by having good communication with our counterparts whether it be via phone, email, or in person. She added that they report issues to sister agencies and help in prioritization just as they do the same for us. She added that the Town can take emergency action if public safety or lives may be impacted.  Public Services Committee Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 31 of 41 Ms. Raby stated that system owners are obligated to maintain their systems. She stated that for the Canal Maintenance Program, the Town and County both participate in the Community Rating System Program (CRS) which requires the Town to minimally inspect our systems fix identified issues. She added that street ditches are not included in the CRS Program. She added that the SCDOT only has a few canals in the Town and the County does help assist them with their ditches and canals. She stated that they do not have a routine program to go through and inspect or maintain them. Ms. Raby stated that the restoration projects with the CMP Program go through a cycle of study in year one and repair in year two. She added that they have gone through Shemwood II, Pine Hollow and Whipple Road which is under construction this year, as well as the street ditches along Candlewood Drive.  Public Services Committee Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 32 of 41 Ms. Raby stated that for routine work on the closed systems of pipes and boxes, they focus on the Town owned infrastructure and have also provided emergency relief work on SCDOT systems. She added that the County has very few closed pipe systems within the Town. Ms. Raby added that issues on SCDOT systems are sent to them via email or via online reporting. She added that the Stormwater Division responds to reports during rain events, because we know we must protect the homes and keep the roadways open. Ms. Raby stated that with the New Pipe Cleaning Program, thanks to the new staff and second truck that was purchased last year, we have now cleaned 16 full neighborhood systems in the Shem Creek Watershed. Ms. Raby stated that they are working on expanding this program across the Town. She added that while there are few mandated requirements for maintenance, there is an expectation that we maintain our infrastructure. Ms. Raby stated that the Stormwater infrastructure within the Town is owned and operated by several entities and that everyone needs to do their part to make sure we have a complete and functioning system. Ms. Raby concluded her presentation and asked if there were any questions. Mr. Owens asked how often preventative maintenance is performed and if we continually have a preventative maintenance plan in place. He inquired as to whether we go back into the system to clean and make repairs as things occur.  Public Services Committee Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 33 of 41 Mr. Peele stated that Council agreed to give us a second vactor truck during last year’s budget. He added that we have never had two vactor trucks in operation. Mr. Peele added that along with the approval of the vactor truck, Council also approved the personnel for the truck. Mr. Peele stated that he was just showing Mr. DeMoura a list of subdivisions that have been cleaned since the purchase of the second vactor truck. Mr. Peele added that some of these systems have never been cleaned before unless there was a problem in the past. Mr. Peele stated a few of the cleaned subdivisions: Baytree, Cooper Estates, Groves, Hermitage, Creekside, Parrish Place, Heritage, Mallard Lakes, Shemwood II, Chadbury Village, Chelsea Park, Harborgate, North Point, and currently in Brickyard. Mr. Peele stated that in these areas the total subdivisions infrastructure has been cleaned and we know they are in working condition. Mr. Peele stated that these areas should be cleaned on a five-year cycle. Ms. Raby stated that they do try and inspect on a five-year cycle and have found out that some of these areas need to be cleaned more frequently, whereas with others, the five years might be too soon. Mr. Peele added that we are also doing the Asset Management Program where we are doing the $1.5 million worth of repair work. He added that they will do the slip lining or videotaping, and are cleaning at that time, too.  Public Services Committee Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 34 of 41 Mr. Peele stated that there are subdivisions that are not on his list that have already been addressed such as: Wakendaw, Point Pleasant, Wando East, and Hickory Shadows. He added that these areas have been cleaned as well as lined. Mr. Peele stated that our budget for the CMP for repair has just about been spent. Mr. Peele added that there was a spillway structure at East Crossing that failed during Hurricane Matthew for which FEMA is willing to reimburse us and we will be coming to the Finance Committee with an estimated $240,000.00 repair project for that spillway. Mr. Peele stated that once we spend the $240,000.00, our funds will be depleted for the rest of the fiscal year. Mrs. Landing asked, based on the new water and clean pipes that are being placed on Coleman Boulevard, if it will take a lot of pressure off drainage problems on either side of the road, and if it would make the Department’s job easier or change things to any degree. Mr. Peele stated that it should help. He added that Brad Morrison would be able to answer it a little better, but anything that comes down Coleman Boulevard and turns into areas such as Simmons Street or Vincent Drive, will now be captured and taken down into the outfall; whereas before it may have caused flooding at other locations. Mr. Peele added that he hopes it will take some of the pressure off the older sections that have flooding issues.  Public Services Committee Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 35 of 41 Mr. Cunnane asked Mr. Peele if the original design was adapted for any specific private property for the concept of putting up higher buildings anywhere. Mr. Peele stated that would be a Transportation Department question. He added that he was not involved much in the design for the Coleman Boulevard Project. Mr. Cunnane asked if it served the properties off the actual street or if it is just for the street drainage. Mr. DeMoura stated that for a long time the water was moving into the Moultrie Middle School area and causing a lot of issues. He added that those areas and some others around it, because of the roads’ inability to carry drainage, was really impacting the surrounding areas. Mr. DeMoura added that it is predominantly a street problem more than serving other areas. Mr. DeMoura added that there is $1.5 million in the budget on the CMP side for pipe repair and maintenance. Mr. Owens stated that Item C, the Snee Farm State Revolving Fund would now be addressed by Mr. Peele. Mr. Peele stated that he would be giving an update on the Snee Farm State Revolving Fund since the project is coming to its final stages before construction.  Public Services Committee Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 36 of 41 Mr. Peele stated that he will need some Committee and Council actions soon. He added that the present schedule: easement acquisition for the installation of pipe and Best Management Practices (BMP) is ongoing. Mr. Peele stated that there have been many discussions with Snee Farm HOA, Ventura Villas, Snee Farm Golf Course and their developer involving easements. Mr. Peele added that they all seemed on board. He added that there is currently a draft easement signed by the golf course, and the HOA is meeting tonight. He added that Ventura Villas has agreed to sign, but has not done so yet. Mr. Peele stated that he would like to bring to the Committee’s attention that there are currently two home owners on Planters Curve who are refusing to sign an easement. Mr. Peele stated that we can continue to do this project without utilizing the existing drainage structure that goes between the two properties. He added however, that these are the two that need it the most. Mr. Peele stated that one of the resident is demanding and requesting specific things such as payment, attorney fees, and so forth. Mr. Peele added that we can continue the project even if he is not willing to come on board. He added that we are still working with the resident and hope that he will come on board, so we can help the resident and his next-door neighbor. Mr. Peele stated that the tree removal plan is in review and that they might receive calls because there are several trees that will need to be removed such as: Pines, Gums, Crape Myrtles, Palm Trees, Hackberries, and Oak  Public Services Committee Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 37 of 41 Trees. Mr. Peele stated that the plan has around 107 trees that will need to be removed. He added that this number is for a variety of trees to include 14 Oak Trees, with the two largest being around 31-32 inches in caliber. Mr. Peele stated that this plan is still in the Planning Department for review and he has asked if we were to mitigate this, what would our mitigation be. He added that this issue is still being worked on. Mr. Peele stated that the Bids for Construction are due back April 18, 2018. Mr. Peele stated that the successful bidder recommendation would go to the Bids and Purchase Committee in May. He added that the loan closing process would also go to the Finance Committee in May and June. He continued by saying the loan closing for June 30 is only assumed if we have a successful bidder and if the project costs are acceptable. Mr. Peele stated that the construction for this project is estimated to take 720 days with an estimated cost of $9 Million. Mr. Peele stated that we were recently advised by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), the loan agency, that they are making program changes and would have two scheduling options for the Town. Mr. Peele stated that option one stated if the loan closes by June 30, 2018, we use the fiscal year rate of 1.4 percent for the interest rate for the entire loan amount.  Public Services Committee Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 38 of 41 Mr. Peele stated that option two stated if the loan closes after June 30, 2018, the 2018 fiscal rate would be used which would be 1.6 percent on the first $4 million. He added that after the $4 million, it would raise to 2.1 percent for the remaining project cost. Mr. Peele stated that they are working to meet option one. Mr. Peele added that some of the challenges that we will see since it is a large project will be: wide-spread community impact, construction in many resident’s yards including the front and backyards, construction on the golf course, and construction in roadways. Mr. Peele stated that this project will have to have a robust communication plan in order to keep the community informed. Mr. Peele stated that with the hire of Jennifer Knight, our Communications and Marketing Coordinator, she will be heavily involved in this community outreach. Mr. Peele added that this loan process is a new process and requirement for the Town. Mr. Peele added that most State Revolving Funds (SRF) usually deal with sewer water where this one is for Stormwater and water quality. Mr. Peele added that the reason we are able to use the SRF loan is because most of the project, either 25 percent or 40 percent, has to be applied to water quality. He added that we are meeting that requirement. Mr. Peele stated that this project involves everything that our department does. He added that there will be two major flood improvement components that will be addressed as well as replacement of failed metal pipes.  Public Services Committee Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 39 of 41 Mr. Peele added that 6,432 linear feet of pipe will be replaced; 11,255 linear feet of pipe will be rehabbed. He noted that by adding these two numbers, it would total 3.35 miles of pipe that will either be rehabbed or replaced in the Snee Farm area. Mr. Peele stated that there will also be water quality and improvements for the water flowing to Hobcaw Creek and Horlbeck Creek. He added that this is critical because of the TMDL for the Wando River. Mr. Peele stated that this project will require digging across Whipple Road to install larger pipes, and also the Town’s existing pond on Whipple Road will need to be enlarged which will inconvenience a lot of residents. He added that he assumes the work will be done at night. Mr. Peele stated that he provided this information for the SRF in Snee Farm so the Committee was updated if members of the community had any questions. Mr. Owens thanked Mr. Peele for the information that was provided. Mr. Owens added that this will be a very large project, but there are a lot of benefits after it is all said and done. Mr. Owens asked how many miles would be replaced or repaired again. Mr. Peele stated 3.35 miles.  Public Services Committee Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 40 of 41 Mr. Owens said that would be tremendous. Mr. Owens asked if there will be any possibilities for directional drilling for the areas that are not cooperating as far as the easements go and/or where trees are concerned. He asked if there is an ability to utilize directional drilling as opposed to open trench. Mr. Peele stated directional drilling through an area that has no easement would be a legal question as to whether we could do that or not. He added that we could look at directional boring under the trees but it would be a very expensive option. Mr. Peele stated that he knows the phone will be ringing a lot once the first tree comes down. Mr. Peele added that we have had two years’ worth of meetings with the HOA and the same 35 people show up for every meeting. Mr. Peele stated that everyone knows something is about to happen in the Snee Farm area, but they are not really affected until the first tree in their side yard comes down. Mr. Owens stated that the only benefit he could see with the directional drilling from a legal standpoint is that we would not be trenching up resident’s yards. He added that this is the only benefit he can see and it will be very costly. Ms. Raby stated that a case that comes to mind with a grand tree is that the pipe is so shallow as well as large and wide that directional boring would kill the roots.  Public Services Committee Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 41 of 41 Ms. Raby stated that they are trying to go trenchless where possible with lining and different methods but as far as boring under at least that one grand tree it would not be possible. Mr. Owens asked if the committee had any additional questions. Mr. Owens thanked Mr. Peele, Mr. DeMoura, Mr. Weis, and Ms. Raby for the information that was provided. Mr. Owens asked all Public Services Department members in the room to stand, so they could be recognized for a job well done. Mr. Owens stated that on behalf of Council and this Committee, we are all grateful for everything that you do and appreciate it every day. 6. Adjourn There being no further business, Chairman Owens adjourned the meeting at 2:22 p.m. Respectfully submitted by, Andrew Dolan April 6, 2018