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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-11-10 UC Packet AGENDA UTILITIES COMMISSION MEETING NOVEMBER 10, 2022 8:00 AM I. ROLL CALL II. ELECTION OF OFFICERS III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. July 14, 2022 Utilities Commission Meeting Minutes IV. OPEN FORUM – the open forum allows the public to address the commission on subjects which are not a part of the meeting. Commission may take action, reply, or give direction to staff. Please limit your comments to 5 minutes or less. V. NEW BUSINESS 2. Discussion of Water and Sanitary Sewer Connections VI. DIRECTOR/SUPERINTENDENT UPDATE 3. Water Conservation Rebate Program 4. Well Pumping Report 5. Project update VII. COMMISSIONER ITEMS VIII. ADJOURN 6. Next meeting date is December 8, 2022 UTILITIES COMMISSION MEETING July 14, 2022 8:00 A.M. Utilities Superintendent Benson called the meeting to order at 8:00 a.m. Present: Chairman Speedling, Commissioners Hudak, Hutter and Whitcomb Absent: Commissioner Jensen and Councilmember Polehna Staff: Utilities Superintendent Benson, Public Works Director Sanders ELECTION OF OFFICERS Motion by Commissioner Whitcomb, seconded by Commissioner Hutter, to elect Speedling as Chair and Hudak as Vice Chair. All in favor. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Possible approval of minutes of May 12, 2022 meeting Motion by Commissioner Whitcomb, seconded by Chairman Speedling, to approve the minutes of the May 12, 2022 meeting. All in favor. OPEN FORUM There were no public comments. NEW BUSINESS Proposed Utility Rate Adjustment Ordinance Public Works Director Sanders presented a final draft of an ordinance that gives the authority to make utility bill adjustments to City staff, rather going to the Commission or the Council. If approved by the Utilities Commission, the ordinance will be presented to the City Council. Motion by Commissioner Whitcomb, seconded by Chair Speedling, to recommend approval of an Ordinance Establishing a Procedure for Consumer Adjustments to Utility Bills. All in favor. Discussion of 2023 Utilities Capital Outlay Items Superintendent Benson and Public Works Director Sanders reviewed the proposed 2023 capital outlay items. Items proposed for 2023 total approximately $1,950,000. Staff recommends that the Commission review and recommend the Council approve the proposed improvements. Motion by Commissioner Whitcomb, seconded by Chairman Speedling, to recommend that the City Council approve the proposed improvements to be budgeted in 2023. All in favor. UNFINISHED BUSINESS There was no unfinished business. DIRECTOR/SUPERINTENDENT UPDATE Project Update Mr. Sanders updated the Commission on several utility construction projects. Water Conservation Rebate Program Utilities Commission Meeting July 14, 2022 Page 2 of 2 Mr. Sanders stated that the City was awarded a $25,000 Metropolitan Council Water Efficiency Program Grant. Grant funds will be used for the City’s water conservation program, for utility bill credits to properties that are connected to the City water supply system who replace their washing machines, toilets, or irrigation controllers with smart appliances. White Bear Lake Update – email form Attorney David Sienko Mr. Sanders shared a memo from Attorney Sienko stating that the Homeowner Associations are interested in dismissing Stillwater from the OAH case. At the last hearing, the Court seemed interested in dismissing Stillwater as well. Unfortunately, the DNR is holding up any potential dismissal. The DNR is looking at their groundwater model further to determine how to handle Stillwater. Based on an updated water model created after the 2017 trial, the DNR determined that Stillwater had the 9th greatest impact on White Bear Lake. This model is at odds with the City’s understanding that its water use does not measurably impact the surface level of White Bear Lake. Once the DNR completes the analysis, there may be answers about whether Stillwater can get out of the OAH case early. Monthly Updates - Gallons Pumped Mr. Benson provided the number of gallons pumped in May and June. Mr. Sanders added that odd/even irrigation restrictions started June 1. A clause was added to accommodate townhome associations with irrigation systems that cannot be changed to odd/even, allowing them an exception as long as water usage is reduced. An online form was created for people to request an exception. COMMISSIONER ITEMS Boards and Commissions Picnic August 23 Mr. Sanders reminded the Commission of the annual Boards and Commissions Picnic. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Chairman Speedling, seconded by Commissioner Hutter, to adjourn. All in favor. The meeting was adjourned at 8:36 a.m. The next meeting will be August 11, 2022. Steve Speedling, Chair ATTEST: Shawn Sanders, Public Works Director Memorandum To: Utility Commission Members From: Shawn Sanders, Director of Public Works Date: November 7, 2022 Subject: Discussion on Availability for sewer and water hookups. BACKGROUND A couple of few times this past year, the City has come across a situation where properties on west side of the City, were told they were required to connect to city water and/or sewer . This is due in part to the requirement by City Code (listed below); 1. Water Department Sec 28-3. subd 16. Immediate Connection Required. Any building within the which has available to it city water services must be connected to the City water system if and when they connect to the city sewer system or upon sale or transfer of title to the property. 2. Sewers Sec 29-3 sub 3. Immediate connection required…… In addition , any building in which a municipal water system is being installed shall be connected to the City sewer at the same time the service is available. The difficulty in this is what is the true definition of “available” means. The majority of the streets in the City have both sanitary sewer and water mains installed under the streets and new and existing homes are generally 50 to 60 feet from the mains, where the term available makes sense. W hile on the west side of the City, in the areas annexed from Stillwater Township, there are several areas where the City had to install trunk line s, mainly water, in order to provide adequate water supply to the new developments, including Legends, Liberty, Settlers Glen and Millbrook. The mains were installed along or under the roadways, such as Manning Avenue, Boutwell Road, Mckusick Road and 62nd Street and installed adjacent to properties that were in Stillwater Township . The properties that were in Stillwater Township are served with private well and in many instances set back further away from the property line than the “traditional” developed neighborhood that we see in most of the City. In another instance, on Mckusick Road, west of Neal Avenue, sewer and water is in place on the north side of the road. There are existing homes on the south side that are several hundred feet away, the sewer is higher than the existing homes, and any connection would require the road to be disturbed for installation. Is this considered available? Staff is bringing this issue of availability to the Commission for a discussion with the following question; 1. Should a utility (including a trunk water main) in front of a property be considered available and connection required as per code or is there some reasonable exception to this requirement? 2. Should the requirement of connection only occur when there is both sewer and water available? DISCUSSION Staff recommends that the commission consider and discuss the two questions above give staff some direction on possible code changes, if any. !( !( !( !( MEMORANDUM To: Utility Commission Members From: Shawn Sanders, Director of Public Works Date: November 8, 2022 Subject: Water Efficiency Grant Program Update Background Earlier this year, the City received a grant from the Metropolitan Council as part of their Water Efficiency Grant Program in the amount of $25,000. The program required a 20% matching fund by the City, for a total amount of $31,250. The program provides property owners, who replace certain household items and install new water efficient and/or energy efficient items, an opportunity for a rebate for the purchase. Three items that are eligible for a rebate at the City are washing machines, toilets and smart irrigation controllers. For the period July through September, 18 properties applied (11 for washing machines, 4 for toilets and 3 for irrigation controllers.) totaling $3059 in rebates. The program runs through June 2024. Gallons Pumped 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Monthly Totals Monthly Totals Monthly Totals Monthly Totals Monthly Totals Monthly Totals Monthly Totals Monthly Totals January 44996 45271 47827 54174 47578 43126 44488 43203 February 42145 42187 42360 50969 42335 41409 39016 39409 March 47375 44082 43799 55676 47276 43148 41908 41176 April 50242 48484 45235 52580 45808 44003 41587 41248 May 61822 65753 56415 77250 57949 61400 66124 55346 June 68400 82031 84085 77502 78308 74342 112800 91793 July 80989 99063 93342 89533 78536 81984 110149 111197 August 97156 78478 75439 99896 78626 87645 93628 89626 September 67282 56973 74893 67085 61054 71455 64168 87366 October 53465 46825 49115 48481 50054 52576 49781 59028 November 41445 40135 41620 43112 43786 41754 40311 December 42465 49230 52404 46710 44426 42857 41322 Total 697782 698512 706534 762968 675736 685699 745282 659392 Jan - Oct 613872 609147 612510 673146 587524 601088 663649 659392 DNR Permited Amount 865,000,000 MGY MEMORANDUM To: Utility Commission Members From: Shawn Sanders, Director of Public Works Date: November 7, 2022 Subject: Update of Utility Projects in the City Background The following is a list of utility construction projects in the City of Stillwater. Projects on the list will be updated to the commission and new projects added as they are made aware to the City. City Utility Projects (2022) • Mid Oaks Lift Station - Scope includes replacing the Lift Station at Mid Oaks. The existing lift station is a wet well/dry well and would be replaced with a submersible pump. Project bid on July 19th. Low bid submitted by Minger Construction at $388,000. Engineer’s estimate was $400,000. Work to begin in Spring 2023. • Brick Street Watermain Replacement. New watermain on Brick Street between Olive and Myrtle Street. W ork to be included in the 2022 Street Improvement Project. Installation completed in October 2022. • Aiple Lift Station Generator Replacement. Project replaces 60-year-old generator. New generator installed. Testing on load is ongoing. City working with contractor on louvre. • Downtown Manhole Rehabilitation Project. Project looks to eliminate I/I in sanitary manholes from Elm Street to Aiple Lift Station (30 Total). Project bid twice, No bids in August. One bid in September and rejected. Will rebid in January 2023. • Lily Lake Sewer Lining Project. Project looks at eliminating flow from Lily Lake from entering sanitary sewer. Pipe is located on north side of Lily Lake, in the backyards of four properties. Staff is working on correcting easements prior to commencement of work. • Portable Generator. New portable generator for the pump house at Olive Street. Generator has been delivered and is being stored at the shop. Garage planned for Olive Street in 2024. • Rutherford Lift Station Pump Replacement. Bids received, awaiting installation. • Northland Park Watermain Extension. Project extends watermain in Northland Park to aid in winter time rink flooding. Project Complete. • Transfer Switch/ Generator Hook-up for Olive Street. Add a transfer switch at the pump house to allow for connection for a portable generator. Contractor has been selected and work scheduled to begin this fall. • Hydrant Painting. Second year of four-year project to paint all hydrants in the City. 2022 project to focus on the north half of the City. (380 total hydrants). Project awarded. Work to start end of July. Work completed in August 2022. • Fluoride Pumps. New fluoride pumps for Wells 6, 9 and 12. Pumps have been received. One installed the remaining two to be installed this winter. • Telemetry Upgrades. Staff is looking to add security measures to entry doors using through the SCADA system. Staff is working with vendors on quotes. • Well house repairs. Building improvements for Wellhouse 6, 8, and 12. Work has been awarded. Roof replaced at Wellhouse 8 (Sunrise). Wellhouse 6 and 12 awaiting start date. • Lily Lake Tower Pressure Reducing Valve. TKDA selected to complete plans and specifications. Bid Date November 10, 2022. Work to be completed in 2023. New Projects for 2023. 1. Tower Drive Water Tower Painting 2. Mary Knoll Lift Station Replacement. 3. Hydrant Painting (Year 3 of 4)