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HomeMy WebLinkAboutApril Storm Water Utility Board Minutes 4-21-2022 April Storm Water Utility Board Minutes 4-21-2022 Page 1 of 4 STORM WATER UTILITY APPEALS BOARD Minutes April 21, 2022 7:30 am Present: John Kiefer, Kyle Clark, Kristopher Ulrich Absent: None Also Present: Justin Gierach, Engineering Division Manager / City Engineer; Mike Wegner, Brown and Caldwell; Jason Weis, Westwood I. Call to Order. A. Mr. Kiefer called the meeting to order at 7:33 am. II. Approval of February 24, 2022 Meeting Minutes. A. Mr. Clark identified a correction to the minutes on Page 3, item I, number 1 in the sixth line, “project” should be changed to “projects.” B. Motion to approve February 24, 2022 minutes (Mr. Clark / Mr. Ulrich) as amended. Approved 3-0. III. IDDE 2021 Report (Westwood). A. Jason Weis from Westwood presented a summary of the 2021 IDDE program. The presentation included background on the program requirements and a summary of the 2021 inspection program. B. The 2021 screening included 90 outfalls. There were 18 potential illicit discharges identified. The majority were manholes with gross solids (16). Additionally, there were five locations where detergents were detected. Gross solids are a common occurrence in Oshkosh due to the prevalence of submerged manholes. Of the gross solids locations identified, 15 were locations that had a prior history of gross solids. C. The locations where detergents were detected were reviewed in the presentation. The testing for detergents occurs in Westwood’s lab later in the day after collection. This delay in testing presents a challenge as follow-up investigations are needed. Follow up includes the suspect manhole and also upstream branches of the storm sewer system. The hope is collecting additional samples, from upstream branches, will help identify the problem location and offset the challenge of needing to do lab testing. D. The 2021 locations with initial detergent detections did not have any issues in the follow-up testing, including the various upstream branches. E. Mr. Weis indicated that the DNR has been starting to express concern about recurring issues, such as where detergents have been detected in multiple different inspections. This may result in the City needing to conduct additional investigation/testing to try to identify the source. F. The IDDE screening results are summarized in a report and provided to the City. The report is then provided to the DNR as part of the City’s annual report. G. Mr. Ulrich stated that it seemed like the discharges identified were generally small issues and were not indicative of a large problem. Mr. Weis said this was correct. H. Mr. Kiefer asked about whether coordination occurs between the City and Westwood for cleaning manholes. Mr. Gierach said that, yes, the City follows up to clean up manholes as possible. There are some locations that are difficult to access, and this results in some of the recurring issues. The City does have a regular program to clean inlets. In 2021 the City removed about 600 tons of material from inlets. IV. Program and Project Updates (J. Gierach). A. 22-01 Bowen Sanitary Sewer/Storm Sewer April Storm Water Utility Board Minutes 4-21-2022 Page 2 of 4 1. Construction on this project is currently delayed. There is a supply chain issue with the sanitary sewer pipe for the project. The project is scheduled to start in September and will finish in spring 2023. B. 22-02 E. 9th Avenue 1. This project is in the design phase. The City has run into a potential right-of-way issue and they are working with WPS on relocation of facilities to resolve the issue. 2. The project is schedule to be bid soon with the construction occurring this year. C. 22-04 Algoma Boulevard & Vine Street Reconstruction 1. Construction is underway and Vine Street should be completed and paved this week or next. 2. The contractor will then work on patching within High Street. During the patching High Street will be kept open as a 2-way street. 3. Mr. Ulrich asking if the project was on schedule. Mr. Gierach said that it started promptly, but there have been some delays. The contractor has had a 3rd crew onsite the last couple weeks to help keep up with the schedule. 4. Mr. Clark said that email updates about the project have been very good and Mr. Ulrich said social media updates by the City have also been helpful. Mr. Clark added that signage for the project and traffic is good. D. 22-05 East Lincoln & Rosalia Street Reconstruction 1. The contractor has been working on Lincoln Street. Utilities are scheduled to be done by the end of next week and then they will be starting with grading. Paving is scheduled for early May. 2. Following completion of the work on Lincoln Street, there will be a break in the construction and then construction will start on Rosalia Street in late June. All of Rosalia Street will be reconstructed. Within Rosalia Street, there will be a large watermain installed that is the last piece of a watermain project to connect to the treatment plant. E. 22-07 Oregon Sanitary Sewer 1. This project is currently delayed due to supply chain issues for sanitary sewer pipe. The project is scheduled for a late July start and will hopefully finish in 2022. F. 22-20 Mini Storm 1. The project was bid out and good bids were received. The project is scheduled to start in late summer and will clear the current mini storm request backlog. G. 21-03 Oregon Street and Fond du Lac Road Sanitary Sewer Interceptor 1. Work on Fond du lac Road is done. Oregon Street paving is ongoing and will likely be complete by mid-May. H. Mr. Kiefer asked if there were any other supply chain, or labor issues, experienced by the City as part of the current projects. 1. Mr. Gierach said that ductile iron pipe is becoming harder to obtain and they are experiencing surcharges on prices, but there are so far no delays. The City has not heard of any labor shortages. V. Update on Sawyer Creek Floodplain Mapping. A. The City recently attended a meeting of the County planning and zoning committee. The meeting included residents affected by the storage districts. It was a productive meeting and direction was provided by the committee for County staff to move forward with implementing the districts. B. The City is unsure of the next steps as they are waiting regarding the schedule from county. The City will give a presentation to the full county board and then the topic will go back through the planning and zoning committee again. It is looking to be at least through summer to complete the process. C. A brief background of the project was given for Mr. Ulrich. A full FEMA map revision is required due to the various projects done in Sawyer Creek. There have been various updates with DNR and FEMA through years. Past modeling showed a slight increase in floodplain, as a result the zoning effort to create floodplain storage districts was initiated. The maps are currently approved by FEMA, but the full adoption of the zoning districts by the County is needed. D. Mr. Gierach provided an update regarding the STH 91 culvert south of the James Road detention basin. The DOT is planning to upsize the culvert. The City has looked at the area and modeling has shown that immediately downstream of STH 91 there is not an issue as the current culverts are April Storm Water Utility Board Minutes 4-21-2022 Page 3 of 4 dramatically undersized. However, further downstream (in the City) there are impacts because the flows get to the City faster. 2. Mr. Clark asked about if this would result in design modifications to the James Road detention basin. Mr. Gierach replied that no it will stay the same. Currently the City’s outside counsel is drafting a letter and will be attaching the report regarding the floodplain impact and sending it to the DNR and DOT. 1. Mr. Gierach said that prior work on Sawyer Creek has lowered the floodplain by about 9 inches. This project would then increase the level by about 3 inches. E. The City is also working to get the Rural 2 detention basin project designed and built. It is scheduled for 2023 construction, but may be pushed to 2024. 1. Mr. Kiefer asked for more information about the Rural 2 detention basin as there were citizens at a recent plan commission meeting asking about how the project would impact them and describing flood impacts they experience. Mr. Gierach said that it was stressed that this project would improve flooding. He said that the City will also be reaching out directly to residents to try to talk through project concerns and benefits. 2. Mr. Clark asked about location of the Rural 2 project. Mr. Gierach said that it is currently in the Town of Utica and when the City purchases the property it will be annexed into the City. 3. Mr. Gierach said that at the plan commission meeting residents were asking about fill placement, potential future development, and issues from past projects. Mr. Gierach explained how issues that are occurring should be helped by improving the drainage, filling area, and directing runoff into the new pond. 4. Mr. Clark asked about the size of the detention basin. Mr. Gierach said that it is almost double the size of the James Road detention basin. 5. Mr. Kiefer asked about the Westhaven Golf Course area within the Sawyer Creek watershed. Particularly the area near Westhaven Street and Oakwood Road. He asked where if there have been any studies done and whether dredging of the area could improve/lower the floodplain. a Mr. Gierach said that in conversations with the City’s consultant for Sawyer Creek, Strand, there is not a benefit to the floodplain from dredging upstream of HWY 41. b Mr. Clark asked about potential water quality benefits to improving the ponds in this area. Mr. Wegner replied that water quality benefits from those ponds have not been evaluated to date. There would be challenges regarding the size of the drainage area, small size of the pond, and permitting issues. c Mr. Kiefer said that he has heard the golf course would like to improve the ponds, but they aren’t allowed to by the DNR. The ponds are almost completely silted in. The golf course would be interested in some type of public-private partnership with the City to dredge and improve the pond if it worked out for both parties. VI. Review Discussion of Future Meeting Agenda Items. A. Review public information through Oshkosh Media Department. B. Tour of Storm Water facilities (tentative for a meeting after board positions are filled). 1. Mr. Gierach said that there was an applicant for the board recently. He has not heard additional follow-up from the Mayor regarding the application. C. Mr. Ulrich said that he cannot commit to the current meeting day/time beginning in the fall due to scheduling conflicts. 1. Mr. Clark and Mr. Kiefer indicated that they are open to changes. 2. Mr. Clark asked that an agenda item be added for the next meeting to discuss potential changes to the meeting schedule. D. Mr. Clark asked about items discussed at the February meeting (CIP process, map updates, and storm water utility rate study) and making sure they stay on the radar for future meetings. 1. Mr. Gierach said that these items are being worked on and he intends to bring them to the committee as part of future meetings. VII. Adjournment. April Storm Water Utility Board Minutes 4-21-2022 Page 4 of 4 Mr. Kiefer asked if there were any other items that needed to be discussed. Hearing none, a motion to adjourn was made and seconded: (Mr. Clark/Mr. Ulrich) Approved 3-0. Adjournment at 8:40 am. Respectfully Submitted Justin Gierach, P.E.; Engineering Division Manager/City Engineer