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

PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE MINUTES March 2, 2023 Regular Meeting The meeting was called to order by Vice-Chair Ledin at 5:00pm on March 2, 2023, in Government Center Room 204. COMMITTEE MEMBERS: Jenny Van Sickle, Ruth Ludwig, Nick Ledin, Tylor Elm (alt) 1. ROLL CALL Members Present: Jenny Van Sickle, Ruth Ludwig, Members Absent: Nick Ledin, Tylor Elm City Staff Present: Todd Janigo, Chris Carlson, Jodi Saylor, Lee Sandok-Baker, Thor Trone*, Mayor Paine* Others Present: Shelley Nelson 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 2.1. Public Works Committee (Meeting held February 3, 2023) MOTION by Ludwig, second by Van Sickle and carried to approve the minutes from the February 3, 2023, meeting. 3. OLD BUSINESS 3.1. Snow Abatements Councilor Ludwig expressed concern for the number of sidewalks that remain snow covered days after a snow event, making it difficult for pedestrians to walk around the City. She would like to find a solution to how we get the sidewalks clear and walkable for residents. Councilor Van Sickle would like the Committee to look at all the data and find ways to improve. She would like to look at things such as what does abatement look like now? Are there repeat offenders? and what is the cost of abating versus options like hiring more staff to clear more sidewalks? She also wants to look at areas to potentially strengthen policy, as well as ensure staff has what is needed to accomplish the goal of having all sidewalks cleared in a timely manner. Code Enforcement Officer Lee Sandok-Baker explained the procedures she follows, along with some obstacles she runs into, when trying to enforce the City ordinance regarding snow removal. One of those obstacles include timelines. Currently, residents have 48 hours to remove snow from City sidewalks adjacent to their property. If the City receives another snowfall within that 48-hour span, the timeline is moved out another 48 hours and continues to be pushed out if there are multiple days in a row that snow falls. She also stated that enforcement is very much complaint driven. When someone calls to complain about an area that snow has not been cleared, she will go to that area and assess not only the address the complaint was called in about, but the surrounding areas as well. She also spends a large part of her time educating the public on snow enforcement. This season, she has done 35 abatements with 21 of those coming from specific complaints. There has been only one repeat offender, which also came from a repeat complaint. There are a little over 20 snow related problems addressed in ways other than abatement. Those include mailed notices, phone calls, emails and educating the public. If not addressed in certain time after a mailed notice, she can then legally pursue resolution. There have been no legal actions filed this season and, to date, there has only been one abatement appeal. In that case, the City Clerk waived the administrative fee. PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE –3/2/2023 Meeting (Meets monthly on 1st Thursday at 5 p.m.) Page 1 of 4 *Attended virtually  Sandok-Bakers has seen the number of appeals go down because with new system the City is using, she can mail out before and after pictures with an invoice and letter explaining the abatement. Councilors discussed costs, repayments and options for how sidewalks could be cleared quickly throughout the City. Right now, the City clears some of the sidewalks in the Safe Routes to School area. They discussed expanding this, which would potentially require more staff and equipment. They would like to look at all the data to see what makes the most sense. Mayor Paine would like to look at potentially big solutions and encouraged Councilors to make some aggressive proposals for next year’s budget. He is not against hiring more staff and purchasing more equipment. He also agrees that shortening the timelines for how long people have to clear their sidewalks is a good approach. Councilors would like to discuss changing the timeline at the next Public Works Committee meeting. They also requested some data, including costs and maps of the current sidewalk route as well as the routes identified in the Active Transportation Plan (ATP). They will also look at the fee structure and potential changes to that. At the next meeting, they will also discuss what potential equipment could be used and if there is a need for additional staff in enforcement as well as for clearing snow. Lee Sandok-Baker and Lt. Trone left the meeting at 6:13pm. 4. NEW BUSINESS 4.1. Contract Amendment #3 with the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District (WLSSD) for Disposal Services at Moccasin Mike Landfill This amendment would extend the contract through mid-2026. It also changes the agreement that we have to give them 12-months’ notice before ending the service. Currently, all of our volume studies show mid-2026. If for some reason, we get a volume study that says mid-2025, we will have to let them know within 10 days that we received the new volume study. They need a year to go through the process of an RFP with another landfill. MOTION by Ludwig, second by Van Sickle and carried to approve the Contract Amendment #3 with the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District (WLSSD) for Disposal Services at Moccasin Mike Landfill. 4.2. Requesting approval of Right of Entry Agreement with the US Army Corps of Engineers to accept clean dredge material at the landfill for daily cover This would be for material from the Erie Pier. They have been collecting a lot of material that they now need to get rid of. Years back, they were offering to sell this material, however now they have so much, they will pay for the loading and delivery and give it to us at the landfill. This will save a lot of hauling and money. It is not top level material, but can is sufficient to be used in the landfill in plenty of areas. All of the soil has been tested and is clean. MOTION by Ludwig, second by Van Sickle and carried to approve a Right of Entry Agreement with the US Army Corps of Engineers to accept clean dredge material at the landfill for daily cover. PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE –3/2/2023 Meeting (Meets monthly on 1st Thursday at 5 p.m.) Page 2 of 4 *Attended virtually  4.3. Amendment #2 to agreement with WDNR to fund Stormwater Best Management Practice for Pickle Pond Restoration Project The original agreement had the DNR, as part of the project, do the design of the stormwater outfall. Through course of conversations about the project, they decided that it would be better for them to pull out that portion of the work and have the City design and do that work. It is not integral to project, but it does need to be done. They will set aside an amount of money to reimburse the City for that work. It is $220 to a maximum of $235K for the cost identified in the scope. This gives the City more flexibility to design ourselves and make sure what goes in will serve our needs as well. MOTION by Ludwig, second by Van Sickle and carried to approve Amendment #2 to agreement with WDNR to fund Stormwater Best Management Practice for Pickle Pond Restoration Project. 4.4. Recommendation to purchase a 2023 Falcon Patch Trailer from Laursen Asphalt Repair Equipment in the amount of $51,099.00. This trailer replace an older 2015. These trailers have heavy usage. At this time, we have spent almost half of the original purchase price on maintenance, which will just continue to increase the older it gets. MOTION by Ludwig, second by Van Sickle and carried to approve the purchase of a 2023 Falcon Patch Trailer from Laursen Asphalt Repair Equipment in the amount of $51,099.00. 5. RECURRING BUSINESS 5.1. ESD Director’s Update Received and filed 5.2. Director’s Updates 5.2.1. Assistant Director Carlson 5.2.1.1. The new City app will be launching midweek next week to the public. We are working on some internal testing, which is going well, as well as collaborating with the Mayor on an official launch. This will be an essential hub for all things City and is very customizable. 5.2.1.2. The Bus Shelter replacement project is rolling forward. There was concern about funding, as the grant was set to expire, but the DOT approved the request to extend the grant. That will allow the City to do the design for the project this year and the construction next year. We do now have the new routes and stops for the DTA’s Better Bus Blueprint. There was a meeting today looking at first drafts of where shelters should go, what amenities, etc. 5.2.2. There are a couple projects going out for bid next week. We are looking at a couple end of March openings for a couple bigger projects one being the 28th Street Corridor Landscaping and the other the Mill and Overlay. He will be meeting with SEH as they have some ideas on how to do concrete repair on 21st a little better. Hoping to have something solidified and out to bid in the next couple of weeks. 5.2.3. Council will be considering the US 2 resurfacing project easements. When he did the update for Department Head Meeting, he included the map and was expecting feedback but that PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE –3/2/2023 Meeting (Meets monthly on 1st Thursday at 5 p.m.) Page 3 of 4 *Attended virtually  meeting cancelled. He anticipates feedback having the E Street crossing closed off where drivers won’t be able to go straight through. They will each be right in and right out and circulation. 5.2.4. Tuesday of next week meet with Mayor and go through some of the projects we will be bidding out including the sidewalks, which we hope can go out for bid next or the following week, as well as the Tower Ave Road Diet 21 – 28th. 5.3. Future Agenda Items 5.3.1. Discuss moving the snow abatement timeline from 48 hours to 36 hours as well as take a new look at the Prinoth’s current route and the ATP corridors and doing a rate analysis with graduated fines. 5.3.2. Revisit No Mow May – how did it go? Was there feedback from citizens and are there ways we can change or expand it? 5.4. Confirm next meeting date of April 6, 2023, at 5:00pm in Room 204 of the Government Center. 6. ADJOURNMENT Councilor Van Sickle announced the meeting adjourned at 6:49pm. Respectfully submitted by Jodi Saylor. PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE –3/2/2023 Meeting (Meets monthly on 1st Thursday at 5 p.m.) Page 4 of 4 *Attended virtually