Finance Committee

REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE OCTOBER 2, 2013 A meeting of the Finance Committee was held on Wednesday, October 2, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. in the Aldermanic Chamber. Alderman-at-Large Lori Wilshire, Vice Chair, presided. Members of the Committee present: Alderman-at-Large Lori Wilshire, Vice Chair Alderman-at-Large David W. Deane Alderman-at-Large Barbara Pressly Alderman June M. Caron Alderman Arthur T. Craffey, Jr. Alderman Paul M. Chasse, Jr. Members not in Attendance: Mayor Donnalee Lozeau Also in Attendance: John Vancor, BSP Project Manager Robert Gabriel, Purchasing Manager PUBLIC COMMENT COMMUNICATIONS From: Mayor Donnalee Lozeau Re: Emergency Sewer Rehab Services MOTION BY ALDERMAN CHASSE TO ACCEPT AND PLACE ON FILE ON THE QUESTION Chairman Wilshire As per the NROs, this came before us already at the full Board. This is just placed on our agenda because that’s what the NRO’s call for. MOTION CARRIED From: Robert Gabriel, Purchasing Manager Re: Ballistic (Bulletproof) Vests Change Order #2 (Value: $50,625); MOTION BY ALDERMAN CHASSE TO ACCEPT, PLACE ON FILE AND APPROVE CHANGE ORDER #2 TO THE CONTRACT WITH RILEY’S SPORT SHOP FOR A NET CHANGE NOT-TO-EXCEED $50,625. 50 PERCENT OF THE FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE DEPARTMENT 150, POLICE; GENERAL FUND OPERATING BUDGET; 61, SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS AND 50 PERCENT ARE AVAILABLE IN POLICE GRANT FUNDS; 61, SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS MOTION CARRIED Finance – 10/02/13 Page 2 From: Robert Gabriel, Purchasing Manager Re: Purchase of Protective Clothing Requested by Nashua Fire Rescue (Value: $17,433) MOTION BY ALDERMAN CHASSE TO ACCEPT, PLACE ON FILE AND AUTHORIZE THE PURCHASE THROUGH MASSACHUSETTS STATE BID #FIR-03 TO BERGERON PROTECTIVE CLOTHING IN THE AMOUNT OF $17,433. SOURCE OF FUNDING IS DEPARTMENT 152, FIRE; GENERAL FUND OPERATING BUDGET; 61, SUPPLIES & MATERIALS ON THE QUESTION Alderman Deane Just so the general public knows this is an ongoing replacement of depreciated protective gear that the Nashua firemen wear. Outside new hires were on a pretty regular basis of changing out the suits which is part of having a fire department. I just want people to know what these things are for and like everything else they have a life expectancy. Once they exceed that life expectancy, they no longer provide the protection. Thank you. MOTION CARRIED From: Robert Gabriel, Purchasing Manager Re: Contract Award for Broad Street Parkway North - Construction - Requested by Division of Public Works (Value: $11,052,579) MOTION BY ALDERMAN CHASSE TO ACCEPT, PLACE ON FILE AND, CONTINGENT UPON BOARD OF ALDERMEN, NH DOT AND FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION APPROVAL, AWARD THE CONTRACT TO RS AUDLEY FOR THE TOTAL BASE BID IN THE AMOUNT OF $11,052,579, AND SUBJECT TO CITY APPROVAL, ANY NECESSARY BID ALTERNATIVES. FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE IN DEPARTMENT 160, PUBLIC WORKS ADMINISTRATION/ENGINEERING; CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND; BROAD STREET PARKWAY ON THE QUESTION Alderman Pressly I’ve been concerned for a long time, and I bring it up every time there is a presentation about the Broad Street Parkway about the neighborhood meetings. They always keep saying that’s going to happen; it’s going to happen. At the last meeting, and I see Mr. Vancor is here, maybe he’d like to respond to it, but basically it was explained that they have to have the contractor onboard before they can hold the neighborhood meeting. This does concern me because I’ve heard from the neighbors. Apparently the Mayor some months ago did go to a crime watch meeting and did indicate to them that there would be a neighborhood meeting at some time. It hasn’t taken place yet. As this construction gets closer and closer, this particular site does have some asbestos. I would think that the neighbors would like to have some understanding of how they’re going to be protected from this. I don’t know if it’s appropriate or not, I seek the committee’s advice, if we could put some restriction on this or a contingency that they must set the date for this meeting. Chairman Wilshire I’m going to invite Mr. Vancor to join us, he might have more. Alderman Craffey, I see, has his hand raised. He might have more information, if you would allow them to weigh in. Finance – 10/02/13 Page 3 Alderman Pressly I know they couldn’t a set date but I’m thinking if we give them a timeframe to set the date because I think the neighbors need some time to think about it, to know what they need to do. I appreciate the fact that they want to wait until they have the contractor onboard, but this is the contractor. Is there some way we could put in just a simple contingency that they must within let’s say a week after the contract is signed to actually set the date so that the neighbors can know about it, can plan for it and can plan to be there. Alderman Craffey I was at the meeting with the mayor when this was brought up. The mayor goes to this meeting quite regularly, just a Little Florida crime watch meeting. She did say we would have a meeting as soon as the contract was awarded. This is the contract that’s going to be awarded. I would give the contractor a little bit of time. I’ll let Mr. Vancor speak more to that to get everything set. When that’s set, we’ll have the neighborhood meeting. That was promised by the Mayor, and I will hold her to that. I will probably be a bigger bug than you in her ear to get that this done. I definitely want to have the meeting because they will be calling on my phone constantly asking the same questions. I’ll be in touch with Cindy Belknap who’s the crime watch coordinator over there and make sure that as soon as the meeting is set that she knows so she can get it out to everybody in the neighborhood. Chairman Wilshire Mr. Vancor, thank you for joining us tonight. I appreciate you being here. Do you have any knowledge about a neighborhood meeting? You do. Would you share that with us? John Vancor We’ve had discussions. We’ve been talking to RJ Audley who is the contractor who submitted the bid that’s before you tonight. We’ve indicated to them how important it is to the City of Nashua that there be a neighborhood meeting and that they participate in it which they have indicated they are willing to participate in. We’ve indicated to them that it’s important to the folks managing the project as well as the residents and businesses affected by the project that they be able to at least in general terms talk about the scheduling. I think that’s really critically important. If we have a neighborhood meeting and we don’t have the contractor there to talk about their own operations and their own schedules and to receive first hand feedback about the concerns of the neighbors and businesses, I don’t think it will be a successful meeting as we’d like. The contractor has indicated that they would participate in the meeting. They’ve already given us, even though they’re working at their own risk ahead of their contract, they’ve shared with us some thought on their schedule. They are working on a schedule. I think it’s all going to come together very, very quickly and certainly it’s the intention to have a neighborhood meeting before any construction starts. I certainly would not want to be managing a project that didn’t have a neighborhood meeting. Alderman Pressly Is it a reasonable thing to vote for this contingent upon as soon as possible to plan to have this? It might be one of those things that gets lost in the planning. I think these people do deserve as much notice as possible. Could it be possible to have a contingency within two weeks they set a date for the neighborhood meeting? It has to be billed as the project. I think going to the crime watch, that’s only billed for crime. I think the need to have a notification that we want you to come and understand the parkway project and how it’s going to affect your lives. Chairman Wilshire Alderman Craffey did indicate that he was going to call for such a meeting. Mr. Vancor has too so I feel pretty comfortable that’s going to happen, Alderman Pressly. Finance – 10/02/13 Page 4 Alderman Pressly I’m sure they will but I’m sure once they get started on implementing all the things that are going on it might be the thing that’s lost along the way. Chairman Wilshire I won’t let it get lost, Alderman Pressly, because chairing tonight and hearing this conversation, we will have a meeting. We will have a meeting. I’ll make sure we do. Alderman Pressly It doesn’t hurt to have something in the legislation though that says they are expected within a certain period of time to set the date. Alderman Craffey It’s very important that we have the meeting because there’s going to be some land taking from some of the neighbors in the area. They’re going to have to know what’s going to happen because they expand. Both the Baldwin and the Fairmont bridges are going to be involved in that as they are going to go to two lanes. They’re going to need to notify the neighbors of how much land is going to be taken and what’s going to happen with that land. That’s going to very, very important. They have to have a neighborhood meeting at least for the abutters to the bridges. Alderman Pressly Well taking land is quite different. I thought that took quite a preparation. They’re just now getting to the point of taking land? I thought that had to be done much earlier. Alderman Craffey They’re aware that the land is going to be taken. Mr. Vancor can join in here and correct me if I’m wrong, but with the new design, they always knew that some of the land was going to be taken. It’s been set up that way in the project. But how much and how much is going to be needed was never quite, how much was going to be taken. Some of the property is going to be taken and I’ll defer to Mr. Vancor on that point. John Vancor The property that’s needed for the contractor, the rights have been acquired. New Hampshire Department of Transportation on behalf of the city has acquired the property and the easements and the rights that are needed. But I think it’s a point well taken, having a plan that shows what the taking is is one thing but having an opportunity to talk to the city, the management team and point to a plan and say this is how it affects my property and this is what I can expect? And perhaps even more importantly even though legally the right is there when will the contractor expect to be actually on the premises? When will I actually be effected by it? I don’[t think the contractor is going to be able to say to a day, but certainly is it going to be immediately this fall if they are going to be able to start? Is it going to be the winter? Will it be the spring? I think those are the kinds of questions I would expect and that’s why I, for one, I think it’s absolutely critical to have a meeting. We’re going to have a neighborhood meeting. Alderman Deane I had a question on the summary that was given. I find it interesting when you go down, it starts with the engineering opinion of cost and it lays out the five bids that we got. When you go down to the 1,009.23 which starts with excavation and stockpiling of unanticipated asbestos, contaminated soils, and you go Finance – 10/02/13 Page 5 down to the last one, quality control/quality assurance or concrete, everybody’s numbers across the board on those 12 items are all identical to the opinion of the engineer for their cost. How did that happen? John Vancor That’s a good observation. Those particular items following procedures that NH DOT often follow basically you could call the contingency items. We wanted an allowance in the contract for things that could very possibly be encountered but at this point we don’t know will be encountered. We have the recommendation in the case of the environmental one from Sanborn Head, the environmental engineer that put together recommendations for those. Within the bid documents, those particular items the contractor was given a number as a number to carry approved by DOT and Federal Highway. They actually carried a number that was provided to them for those. You’re right, there’s a significant number of them. It’s our hope that those won’t be used. Alderman Deane That totals quite a bit of money. Is that close to $750,000? John Vancor Perhaps a little more. Alderman Deane I didn’t total it all up. Their total bid was about $3 million less than the next guy. What did the engineer’s opinion of cost in total? Their opinion of cost in total was $13,997,646.95, and that included the bid alternatives? Bid alternatives 1 and 2 are not included in the sum total that we’re being asked to approve tonight, right? John Vancor There’s a couple of questions there. Are you asking for an explanation of the difference between the low bidder and the engineer’s estimate of approximately $13.9 million, which is pretty significant. Alderman Deane Ya, it is significant. John Vancor A large part of what we do when we receive bids, particularly on this kind of a contract with many items, and I think you’ve been given only a portion of the total list of items, there’s many items, we go through and look at that. We look at it two different ways. We look at particular line items where the low bidder is significantly different from the engineer’s estimate. We would like to know why that is. Then we also look for items where the particular low bidder is significantly lower than all of the other bidders. That, too, we would be curious about. There’s a few different items. RS Audley bid this very aggressively, and generally speaking their items are lower than the engineer’s estimate almost without fail. There are some in particular that I would like to point out to you. This project is going to encounter quite a bit of buried asbestos material, both over where Fimbel Door used to be and over adjacent to Baldwin Street. There’s a couple of items that have to do with excavating material and disposal of the material mostly on site. The engineer’s estimate carried $972,000 in total for a couple of those items. Audley’s estimate is $429,000; that’s a difference of about $500,000 right there. That was one that we went to RS Audley. We made a list of these and we talked to them. They recognized the Finance – 10/02/13 Page 6 difference and they have a game plan for coming in. Their game plan for dealing with the asbestos is they are hoping to get approval as quick as possible because they want to deal with the asbestos this winter. Dealing with the asbestos this winter is going to be a little bit easier because they don’t need to keep the asbestos wet. They don’t have to worry so much about it drying out as it would be in the summer. They think by getting in and moving it quickly, they can save money. Audley is a big earth work contractor. They are used to doing a lot of earth work very quickly. They are also in the process of getting themselves certified to do much of the work that other contractors would have to sub out. At our request they went back and look carefully at their numbers and have said that they believe that they can complete the work for that difference. They feel comfortable with their bid. That’s half a million dollars on that one item. Another item worthy of discussion, there’s a very large retaining wall near where Fimbel Door used to be. The engineer’s estimate for that retaining wall was $641,000. Audley’s estimate was $437,000. That’s about a difference of about $200,000. Looking at the other bids that came in, they run the gamut but generally the engineer’s estimate looks like a pretty good estimate on that. Again we talked to Audley about that. They’re very familiar with the walls. They’ve constructed quite a few and because they’re an earth work contractor, it’s a very high wall, they think they can get in and do that efficiently and honor their bid. Other’s where there was a significant difference, there’s items for granular backfill before the wall and granular backfill at the Baldwin Street Bridge. At the wall the engineer’s estimate was $900,000 and Audley was about $400,000. The reason for that is Audley has a pit off of Exit 11 on the turnpike. They have a ready source of good quality granular material, relatively short distance and they expect to save. They already own the material. Same thing at the bridge where the engineer’s estimate was $136,000. Their bid was $49,000. Also of note, mobilization, which is the cost for them to come into the site and also for the cost at the end of the job to leave. The estimate was $700,000. Theirs was $480,000. They bid that very aggressively. If we look at how the other bidders came in, I would say that the other bidders in each one of the ones I’ve talked about generally run a spread. There’s none of them that make it look like the engineer’s estimate was overly conservative. The bid looks like Audley has in some cases done their homework on how to work efficiently. They are dependent on their experience on very, very large earth work projects to work efficiently. They are depending on being able to get that certification for their own people to do asbestos work and avoid a markup. They made the decision to bid it very aggressively, but our conclusion was they did it in a thoughtful way. Our conclusion was that it was reasonable. It’s not a case of an unbalance bid or inappropriately low numbers. Alderman Deane Thank you that was an excellent explanation. I was looking at some of these numbers over the weekend. I have a lot of issues with contingency, but I understand what you brought forward with what some of the requirements are and money could or could not be spent. When you the difference in some of the numbers, the first thing that comes to my mind is somebody has underbid this and there’s going to be change order city from here on out. I’ve seen their fit up on the highway. You’ll see 100 dump trucks. They have all this equipment; it’s a big organization. Were they banned from the state a number of years ago? John Vancor I don’t know. Alderman Deane If you’re comfortable with the explanations they gave you on why their numbers are what they are and the advantages they have with their pit off Exit 11 and the amount of manpower and equipment they have for completing the tasks, I appreciate that. That dozen items that I mentioned earlier, those items are going to be used strictly for the said purposes that are here, right? The 1009.23 down to 1010.42, that’s contingency. As you stated earlier those parameters are set up by the state. Anything that falls under like the asphalt batching facility, what’s going to happen with that? Offsite disposal, asbestos to the landfill. Funds are going to be paid to our solid waste or are we going to be disposing in our landfill at no cost? Finance – 10/02/13 Page 7 John Vancor The bid documents and the contract documents describe these items. In each case it talks about they’re only for unanticipated material that could be encountered. In the case of the asbestos we’re not talking about anything to do with the asbestos that’s known. As you may or may not know there’s been quite a bit over the years, soil expiration on the length of the Broad Street Parkway, trying to identify the limits of where there is asbestos. There’s quite a bit known, but that doesn’t mean it’s all been found. If unanticipated material, asbestos or other contamination was found that fell under this, that’s where that would fall. This puts it into a realm. You’re correct the money that’s under this pay item can only be used for that expressed listed point. It isn’t a case where it’s just an unnamed contingency that could be used for anything that comes along. It’s specific to items that often hold a contract up right when the contract needs to work. Often if they’re not resolved quickly can lead to a significant delay claim from a contractor. It sets a mechanism up that DOT has been successful with to have some funds in place to follow standard ways of disposing of it. The specific question you asked whether tipping fees would be paid, the contact does not specify one way or another. The contract doesn’t say tipping fees would be waived or otherwise. Alderman Deane We were told last week or whenever it was by the mayor that she can waive tipping fees whenever she wants to for anybody. When I served on the board of public works, public works commission was the one that had that responsibility, but I guess that’s changed. This basically is for unanticipated contamination and that will be tracked. I’m not a big fan of contingency. I understand your rationale of thinking. If you’re moving the project along and all of a sudden you run into this catastrophic issue and there’s men and equipment and trucks and progress that needs to be made, you’ll be trusted with the oversight of that, I would imagine, right? Say something’s found, do they come to you with it or who is going to be the clerk of the works on this? John Vancor Ultimately in the eyes of the way projects that have federal funds are administered going through the rules between DOT and Federal Highway, it would be city engineer - the state DOT describes the person in responsible charge of the project sponsor, the project sponsor being the City of Nashua. The work that we would do as is in the case whenever there’s direction or decisions to be made, the first point of contact is City Engineer Steve Dookran as well as Public Works Director Fauteux. No outside consultant will be making decisions or directing the contractor. It goes into a city process. Any change order on a federally funded project is going to involve oversight by DOT and Federal Highway. They have a strict protocol that they follow for use of these kinds of funds. In their procedure it can be advantageous to have these kinds of contingencies to avoid a larger change order from delay. Alderman Deane What was set aside in the budget for this work? What was the sum total set aside? Was it the $14 million the engineer opinion of cost? Was that what the budgeted figure was in the grand scheme of things? John Vancor Yes. Alderman Deane We’re looking of a reduction of around $3 million with the Audley bid? Finance – 10/02/13 Page 8 John Vancor That’s correct. I do think you made a good point before that when a very, very low bid comes in it pays to be very careful and watch the work very carefully and be weary of the potential for change order. It’s a contract with an excellent reputation. Their reputation for doing good work, but they’ve bid very, very low. Even if they hadn’t bid very low, you’ve got to watch very closely and make sure the work is of quality, inspections are done and all of that. Frankly the time to celebrate low bids is at the end of the project rather than at the beginning of the project. Alderman Deane I agree. We have a $3 million cost avoidance so far along with the million plus which is a contingency line that everyone carried through that may not be spent. The good lord willing if they don’t hit any unforeseen issues with contamination, which I would imagine in that area who knows, but there’s a possibility that we would be 3.5 to 4 million dollars below what the anticipated engineer opinion of cost is when the project is done. That’s just a possibility. We know right now we have a 3 million dollar differential between the opinion of the engineer and the bid that came in, barring any change orders. John Vancor Those contingency items that you mentioned, more than ¾ million dollars, those two are part of the estimate that we’re carrying. We’ve spoken before about our overall project budget includes a line that is described as allowances. We’ve talked before that as we look at the upset amount of the total project, we wanted to have some room for the unknown. When the engineer’s estimate was distributed through our budget, that more than ¾ million dollars in contingencies was carried and it was carried out of those allowances that we’ve discussed before. The difference between the benefit to the overall budget if this bid comes in, if this is the sum total spent for this work, is the difference between engineer’s estimate and this, 13.9 and this number. Alderman Deane It’s about a little over a million dollars in this line right here, the contingency line. $1,000,022. Thank you. Alderman Pressly I plan on to vote for this with the understanding that they will be setting a date fairly soon. I would like to be there also so would you please notify the full Board of Aldermen when they set the date for the neighborhood. I will be voting yes with that understanding. Thank you. MOTION CARRIED From: Robert Gabriel, Purchasing Manager Re: Citywide Traffic Signals Construction Change Order #2 (Value: $89,860) MOTION BY ALDERMAN CHASSE TO ACCEPT, PLACE ON FILE AND AUTHORIZE CHANGE ORDER #2 TO THE CONTRACT WITH SIEMENS FOR A NET CHANGE IN THE AMOUNT OF $89,860. FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE IN DEPARTMENT 160, ENGINEERING; CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND, CMAQ LOOP TRAFFIC PROJECT ON THE QUESTION Finance – 10/02/13 Page 9 Alderman Pressly This is frustrating for me. I don’t know how many times we’ve voted to put money into this. It’s so difficult to understand if it’s working well or not. We each have our own driving experience. We have constituents and friends and people we know tell us their experience. They either love it or hate it. They’ve waited at a red light with no other traffic around and then you have a day where you can breeze right through down without stopping. How do we measure how this is working and if it’s working well? Does anybody have any idea? Alderman Deane It’s not. Alderman Pressly I don’t think it is either. Alderman Deane My opinion is that Main Street hasn’t been touched. The other night was a perfect example of it when they put a stage in the middle of Main Street for a party and funneled everybody down to Water Street. The light was letting two cars out at a time. Two. Traffic was backed up to Walnut Street. It was ridiculous. Then you have Library Hill. I think this is just components associated with the project itself that have to be put in in order to do something to correct the ongoing issues. I had spoken about the fact that the crosswalk signals don’t count down the same. If you look at all four of them, one will be at nine, one will be at three. All that’s going to be adjusted when the project is complete. They did go around and put all those little yellow stickers around the lights though. That was part of this and that’s been done. I would have rather had them focus on the synchronization issue. I know they’re working on Main Street, and I know they’ve put up new fixtures. We all understand that. They started at somewhere else because of the construction, I would imagine. I’m not sure, but I hope I live long enough to see the traffic signals on Main Street work properly because right now it’s just absolutely insane. This afternoon I’m coming down Main Street and the traffic is just backed up. There’s no traffic in any of the storage lanes on Library Hill. None. None, and the lights are all red. Then you got people coming out of Canal Street that don’t stop at that red light. Then they pack the intersection. Before it was all of the city work that was being done. Now that’s kind of slowing down a little bit because I think they’re trying to button stuff up for the winter. Now it’s just the lights. I don’t understand why somebody can’t do something about it in the interim. Supposedly this is all going to be taken care of. This just appears to be products associated with the project, itself. Chairman Wilshire So you don’t think that funding this is going to help with some of those issues, Alderman Deane? Alderman Deane Well ya, they need these products in order to complete the system. Chairman Wilshire Right. Alderman Deane “Head-End Fiber Ethernet Switch: The original design included a Layer 2 Head-End Switch. The Information Technology Departments requirements continue to evolve with the ever increasing concerns of Finance – 10/02/13 Page 10 internet security protection(s). The IT Department believes the City Internet will be better protected if a Layer 3 Head-End Fiber Ethernet Switch is installed as part of this project.” It’s not necessarily the contractors that are doing the work. There are things that are being brought up after the fact. The one item alone is from our IT department. Then: “East Hollis Street/Main Street Communications: The original design of this CMAQ project incorporated Aboundi Modems which would allow the City to use the existing underground copper on Main Street and East Hollis Street to provide the necessary communications for the new Traffic Signal Management System. These Aboundi Modems were successfully tested in the field by the consultant (VHB Engineers) and the City of Nashua IT Department. The Aboundi Company is headquartered here in the City of Nashua. Their manufacturing plant is in Tokyo Japan. The Aboundi units were ordered for this project in February of 2013. However, in July of 2013, the project team was notified that they may no longer be available.” So this is what they’re running into. I’m sure the community would be better served if we approve this and this project gets put together and the lights get fixed. I’m sure a lot of people would be extremely happy. I would be one of them. Chairman Wilshire I would be to. Alderman Pressly I basically agree but it seems to me we’re done this before. I guess I’m hoping that this will be the last change, but I’ve had the same experiences, Alderman Deane. It’s very frustrating. Chairman Wilshire It is frustrating. Alderman Pressly It would be very nice to get this squared away. Chairman Wilshire It would be. Alderman Chasse We know what the culprit is. It’s the light at the top of Library Hill. I was at Factory Street at 4:20 p.m., and it took me to 5:05 p.m. to get to Franklin Street to get to the credit union. My observation, I was moving up two cars. It’s the light at the top of the hill because everybody else was green, and the one on Library Hill is red. When it turns green, we’re sitting at red. What happens? You’re right. It fills in from Canal Street. So we said for a time being, why don’t we approach the mayor and have her put a policeman out there. There’s a quick fix until this is fixed permanently. Why don’t’ we have a policeman out there? Chairman Wilshire We did talk about that with the police department. One of their suggestions was to put a no turn on red until we get all that work done. Alderman Deane That’s off of Canal Street, you’re talking about. He’s talking the top of hill. Finance – 10/02/13 Page 11 Alderman Chasse Yes, the top of the hill so he can funnel that traffic out of there to allow the rest of the people that are heading north on Main Street to move. Everybody else is green except for the one at the top of the hill. Alderman Deane I can tell you because I live up in that neighborhood, and so does Alderman Wilshire, I can tell you from my observations and my travels that that light is not always the same. It’s not consistent during any time of the day. It’s like it does whacky things. Sometimes it lets four cars from Concord Street down. Sometimes it will let 40. Chairman Wilshire I agree. Alderman Chasse What’s the quick solution? Approach the mayor and tell her to get to the police department and get a cop there. Put a blinking yellow so he can move the traffic manually. Alderman Deane I fail to believe that we cannot do some sort of electronic adjustment to that intersection. Alderman Chasse It’s been like that for three months at least. Alderman Deane Three months? Chairman Wilshire It’s been like that a lot longer than that. Alderman Deane Get out more often. Come out in my neighborhood. Alderman Chasse I try to stay out of that neighborhood. Alderman Craffey I agree. Maybe we do need to put a cop there. This is just to fund it. I hear complaints from constituents all the time especially East Hollis and Main Street. We had a constituent here at our last aldermen meeting saying that since they’ve been trying to fix the lights there’s been more accidents there. I’m going to vote for this so we can fund it so at least we can get it working so we can try to fix this. I agree with Alderman Deane, this has been a disaster since this has started. Let’s just fund it and get it up and running and see if we can fix it. Thank you. Finance – 10/02/13 Page 12 Alderman Deane You know what it reminds me of? It reminds me of when Route 3 was torn up. Remember when Route 3 was torn up, how the traffic was so bad on Main Street? That’s what it’s like now. Probably not as bad, but when you look at it, somebody must be able to do something to change the programs on those lights. We must be able to do something to adjust them. Chairman Wilshire Something needs to give. Alderman Deane I just don’t’ believe that we can’t do anything so we do nothing. As far as I’m concerned, I haven’t seen anything change except for the fixtures themselves. MOTION CARRIED From: Robert Gabriel, Purchasing Manager Re: Dewatering and Grit System Upgrade Project Construction Phase Change Order #3 (Value: $39,242) MOTION BY ALDERMAN CHASSE TO ACCEPT, PLACE ON FILE AND AUTHORIZE CHANGE ORDER #3 TO THE CONTRACT WITH T-BUCK CONSTRUCTION FOR A NET CHANGE IN THE AMOUNT OF $39, 242. SOURCE OF FUNDING IS DEPARTMENT 169, WASTEWATER; WASTEWATER FUND; SLUDGE DEWATERING CONSTRUCTION ON THE QUESTION Alderman Deane I find this interesting. “The City wishes to purchase a replacement polymer mixing/delivery system. The original unit, a CIBA product (now BASF Corporation) was loaned by the company on a conditional agreement; as long as the City utilized their product, we had use of their equipment.” So I take it we don’t buy their product anymore? Mr. Gabriel We still do. Alderman Deane We still do. Mr. Gabriel Yes. Alderman Deane So why won’t they supply us with something free of charge? It says they can’t get the parts for it. Finance – 10/02/13 Page 13 Mr. Gabriel Right. This unit is in need of repair and it’s no longer supported. We contacted Wright Pierce. They’re the engineering firm of record for the treatment plant. They did an investigation. There were two possibilities, two different units we could purchase. They recommend the unit that we’re getting tonight. That will no longer lock us in to having to buy our polymer from BASF. If you remember over the last several years we sole sourced the polymer from BASF, but we will no longer have to do that with this unit. Alderman Deane I wonder what we’re going to get for competitive bid prices on the polymer now. Mr. Gabriel We haven’t gotten that far yet. Alderman Deane It’s a $40,000 investment to find out. We need the component anyway, but now we’re not locked in. I wonder how many other situations we have like that. They give you the mixing system, but you’ve got to buy their product. Mr. Gabriel I’m not sure. Alderman Deane Well for $40,000 you think about it. What we’ve been paying and what we’ve might have avoided in cost had we purchased our own. Thank you. MOTION CARRIED From: Robert Gabriel, Purchasing Manager Re: Contract Award for FY14 Winter Road Sand for Street Department ($16,000) MOTION BY ALDERMAN CHASSE TO ACCEPT, PLACE ON FILE AND AWARD THE CONTRACT TO PEMBROKE SAND & GRAVEL AT A PRICE OF $9.75/TON. FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE IN DEPARTMENT 161, STREETS; GENERAL FUND OPERATING BUDGET; 61, SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS ON THE QUESTION Alderman Deane $9.75/ton or is it 420 a ton picked up? I hope we don’t need much of it. MOTION CARRIED UNFINISHED BUSINESS – None NEW BUSINESS – None Finance – 10/02/13 Page 14 DISCUSSION Alderman Deane I wanted to just briefly talk about the Sergeant Avenue playground and the money that we put in the FY13 operating budget. It was appropriated but it was never expended and then it was escrowed. As of this month it will be close to 15 or so months since that money was approved. My intention at that time was to help the little people out over there because of the condition of that facility. I think a lot of people agreed that it did need quite a bit of attention. Now a RFP has been let or is in the process of being let, and we have this Legacy Playground situation on our hands. Well not on our hands because it requires legislation to put it in Greeley Park, which I don’t support. People have contacted me, and I sent an e-mail to the division director of public works. Just so people understand, I’ve been asking for a few months about Sergeant Avenue’s playground and what the status was. As the Mayor stated, we’ve been busy with other things, and I understand that. But the thought that the playground equipment RFP was put out so that Sergeant Avenue would be taken off the list for this legacy playground is not the case. The case is that I asked repeatedly what was going on and for progress on the RFP because summer came and went. Now I see the RFP is all in process. What I said the public works director was that I don’t believe that we should take any action on anything pertaining to Sergeants Avenue tot lot until we figure out whether the Ward 3 alderman is going to bring the legislation in, I believe that’s what the Mayor said, to build a playground in Greeley Park or whether they’re going to use Labine which is by far my choice. I think that would be a perfect place for that. That facility needs a lot of work as well. I didn’t want people to think that people were going to run and buy stuff, run over to Sergeant Ave and put it up and say we can’t put the legacy playground here because we just spent all this money on this playground equipment. That’s not the intent. That wasn’t my intent. I just wanted people to understand. It’s not the city’s intentions either. They are moving forward with something I’ve been asking them to do. I asked the public works director. I don’t believe it should make it to the finance committee’s agenda until such time as this legacy playground location has been decided upon. If the Board of Public Works has authority over Labine and Sergeant’s Ave, we have authority over Greeley Park, so if they had chosen either Labine or Sergeant’s Ave, the playground probably would have been built by now. That wasn’t the case. I just wanted to explain that to the public so everybody understands that the city isn’t trying to do anything underhanded to take Sergeant Ave and go off the list. That’s not the case. I’ve been asking about the playground equipment because the little people want to know. I got to tell them something. Thanks. Alderman Pressly By little people, do you mean children? Alderman Deane Yes. Chairman Wilshire I assumed he meant children. RECORD OF EXPENDITURES MOTION BY ALDERMAN CHASSE THAT THE FINANCE COMMITTEE HAS COMPLIED WITH THE CITY CHARTER AND ORDINANCES PERTAINING TO THE RECORD OF EXPENDITURES FOR THE PERIOD SEPTEMBER 13, 2013 TO SEPTEMBER 26, 2013 MOTION CARRIED Finance – 10/02/13 Page 15 PUBLIC COMMENT POSSIBLE NON-PUBLIC SESSION ADJOURNMENT MOTION BY ALDERMAN CHASSE TO ADJOURN MOTION CARRIED The Finance Committee meeting was adjourned at 7:50 p.m. Alderman Paul M. Chasse Committee Clerk