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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022/06/20 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - Study Session Official minutes City council study session St. Louis Park, Minnesota June 20, 2022 The meeting convened at 5:15 p.m. Councilmembers present: Mayor Jake Spano, Tim Brausen, Sue Budd, Lynette Dumalag, Larry Kraft, and Margaret Rog Councilmembers absent: Nadia Mohamed Staff present: City Manager (Ms. Keller), Engineering Director (Ms. Heiser), Public Works Director (Mr. Hanson) Guests: None. 1. Mitigating impact of watermain breaks Ms. Keller stated 44 claims related to the watermain breaks have been submitted. She explained residents must submit their invoices and estimates for payments to be made, noting the city is on track for rollout of the funding program. Ms. Heiser presented the staff report. She explained that lining improvements will be made to sanitary sewer pipes creating a seamless, jointless pipe along with lining manholes . She noted this work will be going out for bid soon. Councilmember Kraft asked which manholes will be lined. Ms. Heiser stated the seven manholes between Texas Avenue and Quebec Avenue that are directly adjacent to the watermain. Councilmember Kraft asked if this is the same procedure used for routine main tenance for sanitary sewer. Ms. Heiser stated yes and explained repairs used to line pipes. Councilmember Dumalag asked when the last time was this area had treatment. Ms. Heiser stated pipes are only lined when there are cracks or if water is entering the pipe. She noted that one section of pipe was lined after the first break, part of the annual lining contract. Councilmember Dumalag stated Creekside is scheduled for this mitigation soon and asked if that would stay on schedule. Ms. Heiser stated there will be no changes to the schedule. The additional mitigation is going to be added to the contract this year with funding coming from the sanitary sewer fund. Councilmember Budd stated she noticed how low that area is and asked if it is the lowest area in the city. Ms. Heiser stated it is low, but she is not certain it is the lowest. She noted there is a location in the Browndale neighborhood that is one of the lowest in the city. Lift stations are installed in lower areas to get sanitary waste out. Mayor Spano asked what the process would be if this was done to all sanitary sewer pipes in the city or if all were at least assessed. Ms. Heiser explained mitigation may need to be done in DocuSign Envelope ID: 76C2FAB8-B613-400D-A2D9-F5E897B5138E Study session minutes -2- June 20, 2022 other areas, so a city-wide assessment to compare flows, pressure and pipes is being discussed as well as advanced leak detection. Councilmember Rog asked if the leak detection system is within the water towers. Mr. Hanson stated yes, there is an automated leak detection system in the towers. He noted an annual leak detection study is also performed. Councilmember Rog asked about the automated system and if it is worth looking into this further. Mr. Hanson stated the alarm would go off even if no leaks are detected, so in the case of both watermain breaks, the trigger worked, and pumped more water into the system. Councilmember Kraft asked if the alarm sounds when the water tower reaches a certain level. Mr. Hanson stated they have not been able to look at rate of drop and have only looked at levels. Councilmember Dumalag asked how the study procedure works. Mr. Hanson stated the study listens at the fire hydrants for leakages. He added annual leak detection study is performed in the spring throughout the city and any repairs needed are completed by the fall before the ground freezes. Councilmember Rog asked if there are potentially other means to looking for leaks. Ms. Heiser stated yes, staff is meeting with other vendors to look at additional technology, which is more accurate in finding leaks as well as looking at pipe wall thickness. Councilmember Rog asked about looking at alternative terms to manholes such as access points or maintenance holes or sanitary sewer cover. Councilmember Budd stated the water level was so high in the first break it was difficult to find the leaks and asked how this can be mitigated. Mr. Hanson stated that the water needs go somewhere and because the access point was punctured, water found its way to the surface. He stated because there was no direct visibility, there was no way to find the leak. Mayor Spano thanked staff for the recommendations and beginning this process . He stated preventing water main breaks in the first place is where the city needs to get to, and the options presented look positive. He encouraged staff to continue to explore mitigation strategies and continue looking for new technologies to detect issues. Ms. Heiser stated staff recommends diverting funds from the 2023 pavement management program to complete a city-wide assessment of our sanitary sewer and water system to identify potential areas in the city where mitigation should be considered. She went on to explain that the study could also review our water system to assist with identifying additional capital investment. Staff also recommends paying for the study using the $485,000 identified for the construction of new sidewalks and installation of traffic management improvements. The recommendation is intended to be responsive to the moment, build confidence, and to be fiscally responsible. Ms. Heiser stated they are recommending that the project focus on replacing existing infrastructure, including watermain, streets, existing sidewalks, and sewer. DocuSign Envelope ID: 76C2FAB8-B613-400D-A2D9-F5E897B5138E Study session minutes -3- June 20, 2022 Councilmember Budd asked about the construction of new sidewalks at NOAH properties. Ms. Heiser stated currently there are some NOAH sidewalk connections at Oak Park Village Drive and on Rhode Island Drive. She added there is also some new Connect the Park sidewalks on Quebec, Maryland and Georgia that were included in the project. Councilmember Kraft stated he is all for being fiscally responsible and finding the money to do this work from within the budget. He stated in looking where watermain and sanitary sewer are close, would this assessment be looking at those areas. Ms. Heiser stated watermain and sanitary sewer are usually 10 feet apart across the city, so this study would look at modeling and topography. Councilmember Kraft asked what the cost would be to line all access points and pipes throughout the city. Ms. Heiser stated she does not know that figure, but the idea of the study is to prioritize and work through those, adding the price will add up at $30 per foot . Mr. Hanson stated it would take a very long time to do all access points, so it would be best to prioritize based on modeling. Councilmember Kraft stated he appreciates staff’s work. He noted the city does not yet know what caused the watermain break and he is concerned about rushing to fix something when the exact cause of the problem remains unknown. He asked why staff is so confident in doing the city-wide assessment instead of something else. Ms. Heiser stated all watermain pipe has a life expectancy. She said the city-wide assessment will look at this and other things and ask how the city can be smarter and replace these pipes before it is needed. Mr. Hanson stated prior to 10 years ago, the city was much less proactive on replacing watermains, but this has changed, and this is now looked at when evaluating the road and the infrastructure under the road, on a regular basis. He added doing the study will help the council decide where to spend funds and look at capital planning . Councilmember Kraft asked if the study is just modeling or is it analyzing other things also. Ms. Heiser stated the modeling is the first component. She stated this is an idea with more details to come as staff develops an RFP. Councilmember Kraft stated he would like to have staff do the RFP but wants to be sure they look at things that might not have been thought of yet . He asked if staff has any concerns the pipe evaluation might come back too late to be incorporated into the RFP. Ms. Heiser stated the evaluation is separate from this assessment and developing the RFP. This will not come to council until September or October for further review. Mr. Hanson added a consultant has been hired to help develop the pipe evaluation RFP, so objectives are being met. Councilmember Dumalag asked if this assessment prioritizes the CIP. Ms. Heiser stated yes, this will look at priorities and help inform utility rates which are based on annual costs of replacements and operation of maintenance. DocuSign Envelope ID: 76C2FAB8-B613-400D-A2D9-F5E897B5138E Study session minutes -4- June 20, 2022 Councilmember Rog asked if the evaluation process that residents are involved in will help to form the RFP in some degree. Ms. Heiser stated she is optimistic the timing will work out to do the assessment, adding the contract can always be amended. Councilmember Rog stated it is unfortunate that spending needs to be prioritized and to see funding come out of the walkability funds. She asked how that will be communicated if this were to be done. Ms. Heiser stated staff have not started the public process yet but plans to send information to affected residents. Councilmember Rog stated she would like to look at the ARPA funds instead and then be able to continue with pavement management projects using funding appropriated for that project . Ms. Keller stated given that timeline, it is doubtful the dollar amounts for the ARPA funds will be known before the study has begun. Councilmember Kraft stated the approach is violating the plans of the comprehensive plan and the prioritization of walkability and biking. He asked if this is the only way to find funding by removing the sidewalk and living streets part of the plan . He added maybe a reduction of the number of streets repaired could be looked at versus de-prioritizing sidewalks. Councilmember Budd stated she has concerns about the stability of neighborhoods right now and possibly delaying sidewalks would be appropriate given the issues residents are facing in their yards and homes now. Councilmember Rog stated she would like to ask neighbors to gauge how important sidewalks are for them. Councilmember Brausen agreed about getting feedback from neighbors this fall before proceeding with using funds from sidewalk improvements . Councilmember Dumalag stated she is supportive of the proposal and talking with residents about sidewalks. Councilmember Budd stated she is supportive of funding the sidewalks for NOAH properties . Councilmember Brausen agreed. Mayor Spano stated he still has reservations about putting additional infrastructure in when we are still working to assess the infrastructure that is there right now, but he understands adding it depends on the costs and what the neighborhood preferences are . The meeting adjourned at 6:19 p.m. ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Melissa Kennedy, city clerk Jake Spano, mayor DocuSign Envelope ID: 76C2FAB8-B613-400D-A2D9-F5E897B5138E