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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWeekly Newsletter Date: September 10, 2010 To: Mayor & City Council From: Mark A. Rohloff, City Manager WEEKLY NEWSLETTER Subject: STORM WATER COMMITTEE APPROVES INCREASE, WITH CAVEAT 1.: At Thursday's Storm Water Utility Committee meeting, the Committee reviewed the Storm Water Utility's five-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP), as well as financial projections related to this program. The Committee unanimously approved the 2011 CIP. As they reviewed the financing needs for the five-year program, they reviewed and approved the proposed fee of $80.80 for 2011. At the same time, they also asked that before this item goes before Council, staff review the fund balance in the Storm Water Utility fund to determine if the fund balance can be drawn down to minimize this increase. Public Works' analysis of the financing needs did not factor in the current fund balance, nor did it anticipate future grant revenues. Both of these factors are significant components of the storm water rate. The Committee and Finance Director Steeno agreed that the fund balance should be reviewed. Finance Director Steeno pointed out that we can determine our target fund balance after Moody's has provided us with their analysis of the Utility. Based on these factors, staff can adjust the 2011 rate, as recommended by the Storm Water Utility Committee. I have every expectation that the $80.80 rate will be reduced as a result of this analysis. The five-year analysis that the Council received last week is not a recommendation that the city's rate increases each year. It merely identified our financing needs and possible rate, without consideration of fund balance and grants. Our goal is to analyze the rate annually to determine if a fee increase may be necessary. We conducted a similar analysis in 2008 when the last increase was enacted for 2009, but we did no fee increase in 2010. As the enclosed comparison of storm water rates indicates, we are somewhat in the middle of the pack when it comes to storm water rates, and I expect that other communities will adjust their rates as they pursue their own storm water plans. I do not plan to bring any rate increase recommendation to the Council until the 2011 budget is presented. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact me if there is any information you would like us to analyze in advance of this being presented before the Council. Weekly Newsletter September 10, 2010 Page 2 VULCAN QUARRY TO BEGIN HAULING OPERATIONS FOR USH 41 2.: Please find enclosed a press release from our Media Services Division, as well as a memo from Vulcan Quarry, regarding Vulcan's plan of nighttime hauling operations as a result of the USH 41 project. As you will recall, Council approved a waiver for the DOT to have their contractors work during nighttime hours for USH 41 construction this fall. The phase of construction that necessitates nighttime hauling is that the DOT will be constructing a southbound by-pass lane so that they can work on the northbound lane beginning in 2011. Southbound USH 41 will need to be closed to one lane while this bypass lane is being done, which means that this work must be done during nighttime hours. Vulcan Quarry was selected as the low bidder to provide gravel for this project, which means that nighttime hauling will be necessary. There will be no rock crushing or processing during these hours. Because Osborn Avenue is a residentially constructed street, truck traffic cannot go on Osborn back to Koeller Street. Therefore, the trucks hauling gravel will need to leave on Knapp Street and proceed south to South Park Avenue, and then onto Highway 41. We expect as many as 100 to 150 trucks per night to be traveling this route for the next nine weeks. There is nothing in our code or any permit that Vulcan has that prohibits nighttime hauling. At the same time, Vulcan has been cooperative with us and will be working closely with the contractor to make sure that they are sensitive to the neighborhood's needs. Specifically, they will prohibit the use of engine brakes and loud gunning starts so as to minimize the impact on the neighbors. The Police Department will also be monitoring truck traffic. If you get any calls with complaints regarding this issue, please pass them along to me and I will pass them along to the Police Department so that they may work with Vulcan in addressing these issues. RIVERWALK UPDATE 3.: Parks Director Ray Maurer reports that this summer's rains have delayed the Riverwalk Project. The original completion date was expected to be on September th 18. Due to the weather and rock that was encountered during pile driving, the project is behind schedule by as much as three weeks. These delays are not of the contractor's doing, and were not anticipated in the contract. As a result, the Riverwalk will not be opened in time for the Dragon Boat Races as was originally anticipated. While the Riverwalk through Riverside Park will not be available to the public at this time, spectators for the Dragon Boat Races will be able to use the Leach Amphitheater for viewing the races. We are working closely with the Dragon Boat Race organizers so that we can make the experience as positive as possible for spectators. We expect that the Riverwalk should be ready for the public by mid-October. Meanwhile, it appears as though the project may be as much as $367,000 under budget. As you will see at Tuesday's Council Meeting, we are proposing to use these savings to apply toward the Riverwalk Project along Marion Road, which is also on the Agenda for Council's consideration on Tuesday. If you have any questions regarding this project, please contact Mr. Maurer. DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS & UPDATES 4.: Other items I'm enclosing with today's nd Newsletter include the minutes of the August 2 Sustainability Advisory Board meeting, and the th minutes of the August 11 Landmarks Commission meeting. I am also enclosing Museum Director Brad Larson's weekly report to the Museum Board. The last item I'm enclosing is the latest FOCUS newsletter, published by the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance, featuring an article on property values in Wisconsin. Weekly Newsletter September 10, 2010 Page 3 BIKE N RIDE PROGRAM HAS SUCCESSFUL FIRST YEAR 5.: Last year, the Oshkosh Transit System installed bike racks on all of its fixed route buses. The goal of these bike racks is to make it easier for existing system users to access our buses, as well as to attract new users. The Transportation Department has been tracking the usage of these racks and found that in the first year of the program, there were 2,858 trips in which a passenger used the rack to transport their bike. In addition, the racks were used throughout the year, with several dozen uses in each of the winter months. This usage level exceeded our expectations, and indicates that this amenity has been a valuable addition to our transit service. If you have any questions on this, please contact Transportation Director Chris Strong. th UPCOMING MEETINGS 6.: Meetings I have scheduled for the week of September 13 include th the following: At 7:30 a.m. on Monday, September 13, I will be meeting with Board of Health th Chair Stan Kline to prepare for the Board's Tuesday, September 14 meeting, at which they will be discussing questions that the Board raised regarding a possible merger with the County Health th Department. On Wednesday, September 15, at 10:00 a.m., I will be attending the groundbreaking for UW-O's biodigester facility near the University's maintenance facility building. You may recall that Council approved a cooperative arrangement with the University to use excess methane gas from our sewage treatment plant to contribute to this biodigester facility. We are certainly pleased to be a partner with the University in this regard. On Thursday, th September 16, at 11:30 a.m., I will be attending the United Way fund drive kick-off at the Convention Center. The balance of my week will be spent in meetings with department heads regarding the 2011 budget. If you have any questions regarding my attendance at these meetings, please do not hesitate to contact me. MAR/jdc