Public Works Committee (Meets 1st Thursday of each month at 5:00 p.m.)

PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE MINUTES February 2, 2023 Regular Meeting The meeting was called to order by Vice-Chair Ledin at 5:00pm on February 2, 2023, in Government Center Room 204. COMMITTEE MEMBERS: Jenny Van Sickle, Ruth Ludwig, Nick Ledin, Tylor Elm (alt) 1. ROLL CALL Members Present: Tylor Elm, Ruth Ludwig, Nick Ledin Members Absent: Jenny Van Sickle City Staff Present: Todd Janigo, Jodi Saylor, Ida Sampson*, Lisa DeGuire*, Erin Abramson, Thor Trone Others Present: Shelley Nelson 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 2.1. Public Works Committee (Meeting held December 1, 2022) MOTION by Ludwig, second by Elm and carried to approve the minutes from December 1, 2022. 3. OLD BUSINESS 4. NEW BUSINESS 4.1. Report of Fleet Vehicle Auction Removals 2022 and request to sell surplus vehicles and equipment by auction in 2023. This is a standard report on the previous year of old equipment that we have sold at auction and request to continue to sell surplus equipment at auction in 2023. MOTION by Ludwig, second by Elm and carried to approve the request to sell surplus vehicles and equipment by auction in 2023. 4.2. Stormwater Permit Annual Report (receive and file) The City is required to submit an annual report on our MS4 System – Municipal Separated Storm Sewer System. This is to show everything done to meet the requirements. One of the requirements is to share the report and activities with interest groups, thus sharing at the Public Works Committee as well as a public feedback meeting on February 16th. The report will then go to the City Council. 4.3. Recommendation to allow for Temporary Limited Easements for the 2025 U.S. 2/53 East 2nd Street Resurfacing Project and E Street Intersection Safety Improvements In 2025, from Belknap to the Blatnik Bridge there will be a mill and overlay project, similar to what was done along the highway in the other direction. There have been some changes to the project due to the uncertainty of what will happen with the bridge. One of the big safety improvements is closing off the left turns at E Street as there are frequently accidents in that area. To complete the project, the WisDOT will need to have temporary easements to access the area. MOTION by Elm, second by Ludwig and carried to approve the Temporary Limited Easements for the 2025 U.S. 2/53 East 2nd Street Resurfacing Project and E Street Intersection Safety Improvements. PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE –2/2/2023 Meeting (Meets monthly on 1st Thursday at 5 p.m.) Page 1 of 5 *Attended virtually  4.4. Recommendation of 1 Year Contract Extension: Easy Living, LLC for Maintenance of Tower Avenue and Belknap Street. In 2022, Easy Living, LLC did the maintenance for Tower Avenue and Belknap Street. This is a request to extend that contract for 2023. Councilor Ludwig had concerns about the use of landscape fabric to control the weeds and does not feel that is the best option. She said research shows that fabric with mulch on top does not allow for drainage or breathing of the ground. There is no air that gets through, and soil needs aeration so that it does not compact. Even with the fabric, the wind blows the weed seeds in. She spoke with Director Cadotte who spoke with Easy Living. They priced their bid as using the landscape fabric and without it, they are not interested in the contract. Other options may cost substantially more. There was discussion regarding putting this contract out for bids again with more specific details on how the area is to be managed. There is the possibility of breaking the contract up between two different vendors as it also includes things like emptying trash cans and working on Christmas light install and removal. Ludwig would like to see what the cost is to manage the landscaping the way it should be done. She suggested the City may need to add City landscape staff if others are not able to provide the level of service she would like to see. MOTION by Ludwig, second by Elm and carried to put the Maintenance of Tower Avenue and Belknap Street contract back out for bids and being more detailed in our scope and expectations. 4.5. Recommendation of Contract: Professional Engineering Services Agreement with Donohue and Associates, Inc. This is a standard agreement, similar to others the City holds, that allows contract language to be approved prior to needing services. That allows the City to have professionals available as services are needed without having to go through the full contract process each time. Donohue does a lot of our storm water engineering. The City has won awards for things that Donohue has engineered. MOTION by Ludwig, second by Elm and carried to approve the Professional Engineering Services Agreement with Donohue and Associates, Inc. 4.6. Recommendation to renew landfill contract with Orion Environmental Services LLC; not-to-exceed two thousand dollars ($2,000.00) per month The owner of Orion previously worked for SEH and has worked with the City’s landfill for many years. He brings a lot of knowledge and expertise on our landfill and is able to help with oversight on what is going on. He attends monthly operations meetings and offers recommendations on what we should be doing. MOTION by Ludwig, second by Elm and carried to approve the renewal of the landfill contract with Orion Environmental Services LLC; not-to-exceed two thousand dollars ($2,000.00) per month. PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE –2/2/2023 Meeting (Meets monthly on 1st Thursday at 5 p.m.) Page 2 of 5 *Attended virtually  4.7. Recommendation of Bid Award to Badger Excavating, Inc. in the amount of $55,736.00 for the 21st Avenue East Sanitary Branch Sewer Partial Replacement Project There are specific areas in town the City identifies as higher priority repairs. This project fits within the budget and can be fit it in with all the other projects taking place this year. This branch of the sewer is original to the 1800’s. It appears the sewer at this location is not performing well and could lead to catastrophic outcomes. ESD would like to have contracts in order so projects can be done as soon as we have enough dry weather. Councilor Ledin mentioned that one bid was almost double what Badger was and perhaps raises red flags. Badger is local so they do not have the mobilization costs others would and since they have done a lot of work with us, they know our system. The City has been working with Badger for a long time and has never had issues with their work. MOTION by Elm, second by Ludwig and carried to approve the Bid Award to Badger Excavating, Inc. in the amount of $55,736.00 for the 21st Avenue East Sanitary Branch Sewer Partial Replacement Project. 4.8. Recommendation of Bid Award to Badger Excavating, Inc. in the amount of $57,232.00 for the N. 28th St. & Tower Avenue Sanitary Sewer Replacement project This is an area where a portion of the sewer is cracked and slopes the wrong way, which is how it was originally installed. It serves Kwik Trip, Superior Choice Credit Union (SCCU) and Prime Appliance. SCCU is constantly having sewer odors in their building. It is in the parking lot of the credit union and would require coordination with SCCU. There is a utility easement through their property as there used to be a North/South alley there. The only interruption will be with their parking lot, but they do have other ways to get into their parking lot. MOTION by Ludwig, second by Elm and carried to approve the Bid Award to Badger Excavating, Inc. in the amount of $57,232.00 for the N. 28th St. & Tower Avenue Sanitary Sewer Replacement project. 4.9. Recommendation of Bid Award to SEH Inc. in the amount of $219,550.00 for Engineering Services for East Second Street Corridor Wet Weather Capacity Improvements The East 2nd Corridor is important to the City. This is between the Nemadji River and Newton Creek, but the sewer runs down East 3rd street and is pumped under the Nemadji River and down into a gravity sewer. During wet weather events, this sewer runs at capacity. There will be ways to improve the performance of that whole system from the pumping on the Nemadji River Side all the way to Newton Creek. ESD would like to hire SEH to develop a plan to move forward with construction. They would like to be prepared for additional flows that may come from the Nemadji Trail Energy Center. Councilor Ledin asked why there were no amounts listed. ESD anticipates receiving fundings from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund. To receive infrastructure funds for water and wastewater, the Brooks Act must be followed, which requires a Request For Qualifications process. Firms submit why they think they are the best firm and give us a proposal document. Internally those are scored on various factors and in those discussions, it was determined SEH was more qualified for this project. We are considered a Federal Equivalent Municipality and so we must follow federal rules to receive infrastructure funding. In addition to the Brooks Act, we have to follow the American Iron and Steel requirements and the Build American, Buy American Act. Going forward for foreseeable future, all ESD projects seeking Clean Water State Revolving Fund Money will have PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE –2/2/2023 Meeting (Meets monthly on 1st Thursday at 5 p.m.) Page 3 of 5 *Attended virtually  to follow these processes for the engineering part. MOTION by Ludwig, second by Elm and carried to approve the Bid Award to SEH Inc. in the amount of $219,550.00 for Engineering Services for East Second Street Corridor Wet Weather Capacity Improvements. 4.10. Recommendation of Contract: Professional Engineering Services Agreement with Ayres Associates Ayres recently purchased an electrical design company that we do a lot of electrical work with. They do our bridge inspections annually as required by DOT. This is another contract that allows us to have language in place for when we need their services. MOTION by Ludwig, second by Elm and carried to approve the Professional Engineering Services Agreement with Ayres Associates. 4.11. Recommendation of Bid Award to Mr. Biffy, LLC for Portable Toilet services for 2023 This is a contract for the City’s annual portable toilet services. MOTION by Elm, second by Ludwig and carried to approve the Bid Award to Mr. Biffy, LLC for Portable Toilet services for 2023. Councilor Elm left at 5:48pm 5. RECURRING BUSINESS 5.1. ESD Director’s Update Received and filed. 5.2. Director’s Update 5.2.1. There was a bus shelter evaluation and replacement kick-off meeting recently to develop timelines for the project. By the middle of February there should be a good idea of how we will coordinate this with the Duluth Transit Authority (DTA). The DTA has not yet implemented their Better Bus Blueprint and so at this point, it is hard to know where to put shelters until we know where their busses will be. Once we know have that information, we will work on the engineering and design of them which will be brought to this Committee. 5.2.2. The Hammond Avenue project is on hold due to the gas main that was discovered there. 5.2.3. Director Janigo will be meeting with the Mayor soon to discuss Tower Ave from Belknap to the south. There is preliminary report for the second half, 21st to 28th, so will be going through those details. That corridor piece will then be done. Hope to make these improvements in 2026 and then in 2027, WisDOT will do their project. 5.2.4. Woodlawn Resurfacing Project has been awarded to Monarch. That was a state bid. 5.2.5. Bardon Avenue Mill and Overlay details are just being finalized and should go for bid first week of March. 5.2.6. The City is doing some surface repair on North 21st Street from Hill Avenue to Catlin Avenue. Would like to see that go out around the first week of March also. 5.2.7. Phase 2 of 28th Street Mall Drive that will be part of Acadia TIFF district. That will be a 10- foot-wide path on the north side of Mall Drive/28th Street and then landscaping. Couldn’t do PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE –2/2/2023 Meeting (Meets monthly on 1st Thursday at 5 p.m.) Page 4 of 5 *Attended virtually  both with the amount of state funding because the railroad was in the project limits, therefore we had to replace their crossing. We will be able to get that done this summer. 5.2.8. Working on sidewalk plan. 15th Ave E coming towards Acadia on other side of Bardon, there is a missing connection there and so we are trying to piece those things together. 5.2.9. Blatnik Bridge Update – this project is waiting for funding. In the Governor’s budget for design on the Blatnik, there is a specific line item that is outside of the DOT’s budget. If that gets cut from the Governor’s budget, then our portion of the project would be in jeopardy. There are some things being done to figure all the funding out. It seems like it will be around $900M and start in 2028. It will be about a 3-year closure. We will need to figure out emergency services and stuff like that if we are not able to use bridge for 3 years. 5.2.10. We have been talking with Lee about Abatements and currently, we are averaging about 60 abatements per year. Lt. Trone left at 6:00pm 5.3. Future Agenda Items 5.3.1. Snow Abatements 5.4. Confirm next meeting date of March 2, 2023, at 5:00pm in Room 204 of the Government Center. 6. ADJOURNMENT Councilor Ledin announced the meeting adjourned at 6:06pm. Respectfully submitted by Jodi Saylor. PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE –2/2/2023 Meeting (Meets monthly on 1st Thursday at 5 p.m.) Page 5 of 5 *Attended virtually  GUIDE MAP - E STREET INTERSECTION LAKEHEAD CONCRETE GRAYMONT WORKS, INC. WI INC EET E 1ST STREET / WATER STREET S TR RIGHT ER I NT TURN W LANE USH 53 / E 2ND STREET MEDIAN CLOSED RIGHT TURN LANE E STREET LENROOT SUPERIOR ANIMAL DRIVE CLINIC HI LL AV U EN E GOLDEN INN DAVE SUPERIOR EVANS MINI-STORAGE TRANSPORTS D&D FUELING E STREET HOW TO DRIVE IT SOUTHBOUND US 53 TO E STREET WESTBOUND EASTBOUND E STREET TO SOUTHBOUND US 53 NORTHBOUND US 53 TO BUSINESSES WEST OF US 53 WEST SIDE BUSINESSES TO NORTHBOUND US 53