HomeMy Public PortalAbout20140109_InfraMinutes.pdfINFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE MINUTES
CITY OF TYBEE ISLAND
January 9, 2014
5 P.M.
ATTENDEES: Paul Wolff, Diane Schleicher, George Reese, Barry Brown, Chris
Stovall (Thomas & Hutton) and Rob Callahan. (Joe Wilson absent)
Approve the minutes of the previous meetings – Paul Wolff called the meeting to order;
asked for a motion to approve the minutes from the 12.12.13 meeting. Barry Brown
motioned to approve. Paul seconded.
New Business:
I. Wind Turbine
a. Proposed location between W & S Treatment plant and DPW site – Paul
Wolff states the location will be on the access road between Public Works and
Water/Sewer, pretty much right next to the power house, for the Water/Sewer
Plant, so we can tie straight into that; that’s going to give us maximum value
for the electricity; it’s 300 ft. from the nearest house; we couldn’t put it
anywhere on Tybee and have it be farther from a house.
George Reese asked where are we going to get the money to put it up; where’s
that money coming from. Paul states, there’s a new program through GEFA,
that they will fund renewable energy that’s tied into Wastewater Treatment;
the current rate for a 5 year GEFA loan is .57%; the bad news I got yesterday
is that the rates are going up January 17th, to 3.31%.
Barry Brown asked Paul if he has done a study on how this will affect the
Campground and the visitors over there, if it makes any noise at all; have you
done a study. Paul replies, yes, it’s not going to make any noise; just come
Monday.
Paul states, we’re looking at a net savings of $390,000 over a period of 20
years; that includes paying it off, installation, maintenance, everything; could
I have a motion to recommend to Council that staff prepares an application for
a GEFA grant for installing the Wind Turbine.
Diane Schleicher states that the next City Council meeting is 1.23.14, so you
would need a special meeting in order to get this approved before the rates go
up. Paul states, let’s just hold on this; I’ll see how the Wind Forum goes
Monday; hopefully we can move forward with the application.
b. Public workshop scheduled at city hall – Monday, January 13, 2014 at 6:30
pm – Paul states there’s going to be a bunch of folks here, I expect.
II. Discuss proposed consent order from EPD/GDNR regarding the sanitary sewer
spills that occurred on June 30 and July 13, 2013.
a. Paul Wolff states, what is in front of you is a proposed consent order from the
EPD; George, Diane and myself met with some of the folks from EPD
yesterday; this is in regards to the sewer spills we had last year and the way
we responded; I thought we did the best we could; there was some
miscommunication. George Reese states that the first spill was reported
properly; the second one was not; the second spill happened late Friday night
(2AM Saturday); we didn’t get ahold of EPD until Monday morning; we have
rewritten our SOP, so we have all the contact phone numbers and I have
trained my staff to the procedures of reporting any future spills.
Paul states, basically they’re fining us $5000; what I tried to do is, what if,
instead of paying you the $5000, we do something that is going to improve
water quality; they said you can’t do that on Tybee; what if we donate $5000
to Skidaway Island Institute or Merricks; before paying the fine, I would like
to see a direct benefit, from our money, to helping water quality in the marsh;
in theory, I think they believed that but he said they could lower the fine to
$2500, but then you would have to pay 3 times that much to do a project that
we approve through the Commissioner, to do what you want to do; so instead
of paying $5000, you’d be paying $7500; really more like $10,000; George
states, just pay the $5000 and be done with it. Paul states, so what I need from
this committee is either a recommendation to come up with a better plan for
appeasing EPD, or paying the $5000 fine and just getting it over with; I need
someone to make a motion that we recommend to Council, to approve this
consent order and pay the fine, and let George go forward with drafting his
action plans. Rob Callahan so moved. Barry Brown seconded.
Old Business:
I. New ADA Sidewalk on Eastside of Butler from 18th Street to 19th Street
a. Project to starts this week pending weather – Paul states, it’s looking good
and should be completed in about a week.
II. Update on Jones Avenue:
a. Thomas and Hutton, Chris Stovall – Chris Stovall states, we are bidding
the project on February 11th, which is 2 days before the following Council
meeting; that will give us enough time to review the bids and make our
recommendations to Council; we’re working through last minute things
with GEFA, but it looks like we’ll be fine, in terms of getting approvals
next week, through GEFA; DOT permits are approved; EPD, the sewer
line is now approved; the water line, we have a thing of comments that we
need to address; basically, we’re ready to move forward; we’ll hold a pre-
bid conference, here, 2 weeks ahead of time; the 27th of January; 6 months
is the time for substantial completion; and then 1 more month to finish the
punch list items.
Paul Wolff states, we’ll make our recommendation to include a request for
a 30 day extension, on the 6 month completion, for correcting the issues.
III. Sewer Force Main #6:
a. Thomas and Hutton, Chris Stovall
IV. Elevation to FEMA standards of Well House – Thomas and Hutton, Chris Stovall
Chris states, there’s 3 programs through FEMA, the PDA (pre-disaster), the
flood mitigation assistance program, and another one; they can give anywhere
from $100,000, to $250,000; either 50% or 75% of the funds; so those funds
are out there; it’s kind of a 2 step process where you put in a pre-application;
they tell you yay or nay if you should go forward or not; within 30 days you
have to submit the final application; submit the day they “open” up.
Paul Wolff states, what if we have staff identify what is out there; since that
will coincide with our budgeting cycle, which begins in March, and ends in
June; let’s see if went can identify a grant or two that would qualify, before
we get an application in; work it through this committee and Council; see if
we can cut our cost by 50-75%, on the next well house elevation.
Paul states, since this is our first meeting with new Council, we do need to
elect a chair; I’ll be happy to keep going. Barry Brown states keep going. Rob
Callahan agrees. Vote was unanimous to keep Paul Wolff as chair.
Paul suggested to start meeting at 5:30 instead of 5:00PM, from here on out.
Everybody is in agreement.
With no further business to discuss, Paul motioned to adjourn. Barry Brown
seconded.
A quorum of city council members may be present which would constitute a meeting.
Respectfully submitted by Karen Reese on 2.12.14