Loading...
HomeMy Public PortalAbout11-19-1998 BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS AND SAFETY OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND,INDIANA,NOVEMBER 19, 1998 The Board of Public Works and Safety of the City of Richmond,Indiana,met at 5 p.m.Thursday, November 19, 1998,in the Community Room in the Municipal Building. Chairperson Bob Goodwin presided with Robin Henry,Bruce Metzger and Assistant City Attorney Steve Rabe in attendance.The following business was conducted: APPROVAL OF MINUTES A motion to approve the minutes of the November 12, 1998 meeting was made by Metzger,second by Henry and was carried on a unanimous voice vote. CLAIMS FOR PAYMENT Claims for payment submitted by the City Controller's office were read by Henry who reported they totaled $533,617.88 and moved for approval,second by Metzger and the motion was carried on a unanimous voice vote. REQUESTS A. Captain Melody Truitt brought before the Board a request for angle parking in the cul-de-sac of Willow Drive.Reading from a report,she said the Department of Traffic Safety had reviewed the request of residents in the 2500 block of Willow Drive to designate angle parking only in the cul-de-sac area of the street.As a result of that review,she said,it is recommended to change the parking in the cul-de-sac of Willow Drive to angle parking to relieve the parking problem that exists.She added that signage only is requested for this area if the Board approves it.Metzger moved to approve,second by Henry and the motion was carried on a unanimous voice vote. B. Fire Chief Mike Allen recommended that Firefighter Jeff Gindling be removed from probationary status to engineer status.Metzger moved to approve,second by Henry and the motion was carried on a unanimous voice vote. C. Chief Allen also asked the Board to approve the hiring of Andrew Roberts and Gregg Moore as probationary Firefighters subject to PERF's approval.For seniority purposes,he said,the record should indicate that Roberts would be the most senior of the two candidates.Henry moved to approve subject to PERF's approval,and indicating that Roberts be designated as the most senior,second by Metzger and the motion was carried on a unanimous voice vote. Chief Allen introduced Roberts and Moore who were in the audience and each was congratulated by the Board members. D. A request was also made by Chief Allen that the Board approve the awarding of a bid for the painting of the basement at Fire Station No. 1 to Russell Painting as the lowest,most responsive bidder of the two received by the Board.The Chief recommended Russell Painting be awarded the contract as a result of its bid of$1,200.Metzger so moved,second by Henry and the motion was carried on a unanimous voice vote. E. Another request was made by Chief Allen that the Board approve a recommendation for the bid of the landscaping project for Fire Station No.5.He said after reviewing the four bids received,it was his recommendation to award the contract to Rose City Nursery as the lowest, most responsive bidder with their bid of$2,195.Henry moved to approve,second by Metzger and the motion was carried on a unanimous voice vote. ),3 Board of Works Minutes Cont'd November 19, 1998 Page 2 F. Chairperson Goodwin said there were two Councilmembers present who had a request for a four-way stop. Stepping forward were Councilmembers Larry Parker and Sally Hutton. Parker,the first to speak,introduced himself,stating that he represents the citizens in the Sixth District,adding that Hutton is a Council-at-large member.He said they are here tonight to support the installation of a stop sign in the Joseph Moore neighborhood. Councilmember Parker explained the situation,which takes in the accelerated traffic on Southwest E Street because of the beginning of the construction of the new bridge.However, he said,even in 1997,four of the top 10 accident sites as published by the Richmond Police Department were on the west side.He said three of those are at College Avenue and U.S.40, South West 5th and National Road and South West First and National Road,stating that these intersections are directly affected by the added traffic,pointing out that the sites were designated before the construction that is going on now began. He said he felt that a stop sign at Southwest E and 4th Street would slow traffic down and enable people to turn at 4th and go through Cox's supermarket as a thoroughfare.He pointed out that if traffic is stopped at Southwest E Street it will alleviate some of the problem by slowing down the speed and will give people an opportunity to cross the street.Hutton said that adding to the situation at 7:30 a.m.is the bright sunshine which is so blinding that it impedes the visibility. Chairperson Goodwin said the Board would ask the Traffic Safety Division to study the situation.Parker said he would prefer the traffic count be done while Earlham College and Richmond High School are in session,adding that the last county was done during the summer.Captain Truitt,however,pointed out that the last study was done while both educational facilities were in session and the Board has received that study for South West 4th Street,but she would attempt to accommodate the request. Chairperson Goodwin said he would notify the Councilmembers when this issue would be back on the agenda.In answer to a question by Hutton about a survey at South West 2nd and G Streets,Captain Truitt said she could release the materials to the Board prematurely,but if she does,it will not meet the guidelines,adding that it is kind of a waiting situation. AGREEMENTS A. Chairperson Goodwin read a letter from Purchasing Manager Vicki Stevens pertaining to the selection of a long distance carrier for the City's public pay phones,in which she asked the Board to consider continuing the agreement between the City and AT&T.She said the City has had AT&T as its long distance carrier on the public pay phones at least since 1992 and AT&T is also the City's long distance carrier.She asked the Board to approve a three-year contract with AT&T for the City's public pay phones.Henry so moved,second by Metzger and the motion was carried on a unanimous voice vote. Board of Works Minutes Cont'd November 19, 1998 Page 3 CHANGE ORDER NO.1 A. City Engineer Bob Wiwi pointed out that Change Order No. 1 on the U.S.40 beautification project came about when,during the tree planting,it was found there were some small brush and trees which needed to be improved to make the project complete.He said this was not included in the original request so he is asking the Board to approve this change order.He said it is for brush clearing in the amount of$210 which would enhance the area near the railroad crossing on the U.S.40 East side of the project.He added that this is agreeable with the contractor and would be do as soon as the Board approves this change order.Metzger moved to approve,second by Henry and the motion was carried on a unanimous voice vote. OLD BUSINESS Chairperson Goodwin explained that the reason the Board held off on reaching a decision on the request which came from residents in the Fairview Neighborhood Association for a four- way stop at Sheridan and North West J Streets was so Metzger could personally visit the area. Commenting on his visit to the site,Metzger said he went there twice,once at night and once during the day.He shared his observations with the Board,saying that coming from the east the view is less than ideal because of the buildings,which are fairly close to the road. However,he said,if the cars are moved forward just a little,you have good sight lines both ways.Did not see that as a major problem.In fact,he said,he thought two blocks to the east at Bridge Avenue and Northwest J Street was a far more dangerous place to pull out because it was on the inside of the curve and he estimated visibility as 100 feet maximum. He said coming from the west,he found it to be a more dangerous situation because of the vehicles parked on that side of the street.He said one time he was there the vehicles were lined up and the visibility was not ideal but the second time there were no vehicles there which made the visibility better.He said he feels that the situation is less than ideal,but he feels that this is not an intersection that warrants a stop sign,adding that there are other intersections in the City which have far less visibility. He said he feels that if the Board uses this particular intersection as a standard for four-way stops,there will be a lot of additional four-way stops in the City.However,he said,he would like to see some painting on the curbing on the west side that would move some of the parking back from the intersection to made the visibility better from the west side.He said he is inclined to follow Captain Truitt's recommendation to deny the request for the stop sign, but move the stop sign on the east side forward a little bit so the vehicles can move up a little closer to the intersection,as well as some kind of set back on the east side. In response,Captain Truitt said the stop sign could be moved forward but with a risk of it being taken down by the turning of large vehicles.She said curb painting can occur,however, the problem with curb painting is that the City has to find ways to privately contract that since the Street Division has put away their entire painting facility at this time of year for leaf pickup and snow removal. Henry said she had the opportunity on several occasions to go through that intersection and agreed with Metzger's observations.Chairperson Goodwin said he felt that what is being discussed here is trying some method short of a stop sign and revisiting it at some time in the future if the problem has not been resolved.Henry added that she feels that if the stop sign is moved,it should be monitored to make sure that is not going to be a habitual problem. A'17 Board of Works Minutes Cont'd November 19, 1998 Page 4 Metzger asked if a stop bar is painted there and Captain Truitt answered that the Street Division seldom paints stop bars at stop sign intersections,however,if the Board wishes to order that,it also would be a contractual move because of the Street Division's inability to do the painting now.She said maintenance is also an issue because it greatly increases the man hours needed to re-visit those sites to do the painting.Captain Truitt said,however,stop bars were placed the earlier part of this year on Garwood Road in a similar situation. Robert Lee McDaniel Jr.of 1107 Sheridan Street seemed extremely distressed that the Board might deny the request made by the petitioners,citing several areas in the City where four- way stops had been placed which,in his opinion,were not needed as much as in this area.He said he would not give up on this request and would return to this Board until he could get this request granted.He offered to pay for the stop sign and pleaded with the Board members to exercise their common sense in making their decision. Chairperson Goodwin responded with the comment that the action this Board takes tonight will be only an initial step and the issue will be revisited if this action does not resolve the problem. Henry moved to deny the request for the stop sign at the intersection of North West J and Sheridan Streets and to allow for curb painting in that area to help with the visibility and to • create stop bars instead of stop signs, second by Metzger and the motion was carried on a unanimous voice vote. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business,on a motion duly made,seconded and passed,and carried on a unanimous voice vote,the meeting was adjourned. Robert Goodwin,Chairperson ATTEST: Norma Schroeder,Clerk