HomeMy Public PortalAbout20060511WSCommMinutes.pdfWater & Sewer Committee Meeting Minutes May 11, 2006
Chairman Eddie Crone called the meeting to order at 6:00PM. In attendance were
committee members Doyle, Wolff, Bill Lovett from Hussey Gay Bell and DeYoung,
Mark Williams Water Sewer Department Director, City Attorney Bubba Hughes and
concerned citizens.
Ms. Doyle motioned to approve minutes from April 13, 2006 meeting, Wolff seconded,
and the minutes were approved.
Mark Williams explained that plans and submittals have been given to the Department of
Transportation concerning the extension of sewer down Hwy 80 to Cason Ave and they
sound favorable. He said the city has certified plans. Ms. Fox said the IFB has not been
released yet because she is uncertain whether the engineer has to sign off on it. Mr.
Hughes said the city may need to have a liquidate penalty if it takes longer to complete.
He said they plan to put it out for bid to get the amount and then cost share would be
negotiated. He said he understands there are property owners that will benefit from this
plan but they are not a part of it. He said he thinks assessments are the fairest way to get
the needed funds. Mr. Wolff said we need to get an estimate and work out a percentage
divided by the number of properties and assess them that much or a percentage of that
plus the amount the city has budgeted. Mr. Hughes said the assessments could be based
on parcel size. Mr. Hughes said they have to come up with a fair way to do them. The
next step is to put the project out to bid. Ms. Fox asked if the liquidated damages clause
needed to be included. Mr. Crone said the property owners had the engineering plans
done. Mr. Hughes said he would talk with Mr. Boswell and find out what clauses he
recommends.
Ms. Doyle asked if this is Phase I and where does it leave Cason Ave. Mr. Crone said that
would depend on when the money comes in. He said there is no sense in the city running
line down there if the property owners are unwilling to put the pumps in. Ms. Fox said
she recommends putting Cason Ave. in next year’s budget. Mr. Williams said Cason
Ave. is not at an elevation where the city could run sewer to them but maybe the next
step may be grinder pumps for those 5 or 6 properties. He said at that point they will have
to decide if they want the people to purchase the grinder pumps or not and who will
maintain them. He said they cost about $3500 a piece and he is certain they will get some
opposition. Mr. Lovett said that is just the purchase price without installation. Mr.
Williams said another option would be for the city to put a submersible grinder pump
station in. Ms. Doyle said they could look at that for next year’s budget. She said on her
street they had to buy their own grinder pumps. Mr. Williams said any grinder pumps in
the city are not maintained by the city and they are purchased by the homeowners.
Mr. Crone said the EPD will eventually make the property owners get on the sewer line.
Mr. Wolff asked why some of the properties that are within 200 ft of the sewer line are
not tied in. Mr. Crone said that is why they are putting a list together of the people in that
location still on septic tanks. Mr. Williams said he went to Chatham County Health
Department to get a list of properties still on septic tanks and they were all from the 60s
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and 70s. He was surprised there were so many considering that there is sewer available in
most locations. He said he did not know if they all still existed. Mr. Crone said those
people would not be charged for sewer on their water bill so that would be a starting
point. Ms. Fox asked that they show the clusters on the zoning map of where the septic
systems exist. She said Claire and Chuck had gone out and looked at those properties.
Mr. Wolff motioned to put Phase I Hwy 80. out for bid and including all
recommendations from the engineer. He said we can divvy it up after we find out how
much it will cost. Ms. Doyle seconded and the motion carried. Mr. Wolff said it will not
include Cason Ave. Mr. Williams said the only thing they are waiting on is the DOT
review. Ms. Fox said she will go ahead and advertise the bid.
Mr. Anderson said DOT will not let them cut the road. Mr. Crone said they have a Jack
and Boar and they will go under Hey 80 at McKensie St. Mr. Williams said they will
have to use 2 Jack and Boars.
Mr. Crone said the only way the city can know if a property is on septic is by knocking
on the doors. Mr. Wolff said the good news is that is only about 40 doors. Mr. Anderson
said they had talked about sending letters telling them they had to tie into the sewer line.
Mr. Williams said the city of Vernonberg is on septic tanks and the city offers incentives
for them to maintain their tanks every couple of years and that is why they are allowed to
have them.
Mr. Bill Lovett of Hussey, Gay, Bell & DeYoung said council had asked them to look at
the low pressure systems on South Campbell Avenue. He said they had talked with Mark
about what is existing and what he knew about it and then they went and looked at it. He
said they recommend going in at the city’s expense and replace the existing 1 ¼ inch
main with a 2 inch sewer main and put a check valve at the property line that allows flow
in only one direction. He said for them to tie the existing grinder pump systems into the
city’s forced mains. He said that way we know it is the right depth and we know where it
is. He said the homeowner would not have to maintain that force main and the home
owner would have double protection because there is a check valve located in the grinder
pump also. He said there should be an agreement that the city maintains the force main
from the property line and the owner maintains everything on his property. He said that
means the grinder pump would be the homeowner’s responsibility and not the city’s
because the city did not have anything to do with that installation and it needs to be in
writing. He said pump runs by electricity and if the power fails there is no gravity flow so
the system doesn’t work. He said the pump that he saw on that property did not have an
overflow valve on it that he could see. He said it would be a pressure line and the water
department could install it with a ditch witch. Mr. Williams said the hardest part would
be cutting the road because the city would want the line to go into a manhole. Mr. Lovett
said they have started putting a lining in the manholes because of the hydrochloric acid
that comes in and corrodes it. He said their recommendation is to make it clear that the
homeowner is responsible for what’s on his property and the city is responsible for
what’s on the street. Mr. Lovett said the city should not be liable for anything they do not
know the quality of and the workmanship and materials that were used to install.
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Mr. Lovett said the hardest part will be locating where the properties are tied in. Mr.
Major said a man from Bellsouth told him there was Fiber Optics on Tybee. Mr.
Williams asked Mr. Smith if there is Fiber Optics on Tybee. Mr. Smith said yes all over
the Island but he wasn’t sure there were any on South Campbell. Mr. Lovett said they
have to call the locater service to locate the lines anyway. Mr. Crone asked for Mr.
Williams to put together a price for the water main installation and let them know. Mr.
Williams said he would hope it would be under $5,000. Mr. Major asked if 2 inch line
would be enough. Mr. Lovett and Mr. Williams answered yes. Mr. Lovett said a 2 inch
line can carry several hundred properties. Mr. Williams said if they run that 2 inch line
down to Horsepen Point the septic owners may need to tie in. Mr. Crone asked Mr.
Williams to have prices together for the meeting next month.
Ms. Doyle moved to adjourn, Mr. Wolff seconded and the motion carried.
Respectfully submitted by Vivian Woods
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