COUNCIL COMMITTEES
The Council Committees Meeting was held on July 14, 1992, at 7:00 p.m., with Councilman Levitt presiding in the absence of Council President Christiansen. Members of Council present were Mr. Tudor, Mr. Leary, Mr. Pitts, Mr. Salters, and Mr. Daisey. Councilmen Lambert and Hare were absent.
AGENDA ADDITIONS/DELETIONS
Mr. Leary moved to approve the agenda as presented, seconded by Mr. Salters and unanimously carried.
Mr. Tudor advised members of the action taken by the Electric Director, Mr. Jack French, in assisting the State of Delaware during an electric outage by providing them with a transformer. Members of Council commended Mr. French.
LEGISLATIVE AND FINANCE COMMITTEE
The Legislative and Finance Committee met with Chairman Levitt presiding. Members present were Councilmen Salters and Leary and Mr. Hindman.
1992/93 VEHICLE PURCHASES
During their Regular Meeting of June 22, 1992, Council tabled action on the purchase of all vehicles for 1992/93 for further review by the Legislative and Finance Committee. Mr. Worley advised members that the Electric Department inadvertently ordered two vehicles: 1) one to replace unit #6 which was severely damaged in an accident; and 2) to replace a vehicle that was sold at the City Auction. He also stated that the Electric Department was able to order from last year's State contract and purchased two 1/2 ton pickup trucks at a cost of $8,900 each. Mr. Worley explained that this action was done after the Legislative and Finance Committee made the recommendation, during the meeting of June 9, 1992, to approve the list of vehicle purchases for 1992/93, eliminating vehicles #418, #345 and all sedans with less than 50,000 miles.
Mr. Worley also advised members that purchases can be made on last year's State contract for a garbage truck chassis, at a cost of $36,000, and a dump truck chassis, at a cost of $50,941. Members were also advised that the Planning Department has a vehicle (unit #13) with 77,223 miles that is sidelined and is in dire need of being replaced.
Mr. Worley requested that staff be authorized to purchase the vehicles listed above immediately in order to take advantage of extremely good prices and the need of continuity of service. He noted that approval of the original motion would include those vehicles requested to be purchased immediately. The purchase of the remaining vehicles would be presented for consideration once the vehicle take-home policy is reviewed, tentatively scheduled for the August 25th committee meeting.
Mr. Worley noted that approval of the original motion would include those vehicles requested to be purchased immediately.
Mr. Leary moved to recommend that staff be authorized to purchase two 1/2 ton pickup trucks at a price of $8,900 each; a garbage truck chassis at a cost of $36,000; a dump truck chassis at a cost of $50,941; and a vehicle to replace unit #13 for the Planning Department. The motion was seconded by Mr. Hindman and carried with Mr. Salters voting no.
Once staff clarified that the purchase of the dump truck chassis was for the replacement of a sander rather than a leaf sucker, there were no further objections.
Mr. Leary moved to recommend approval of the list of vehicle purchases for fiscal year 1992/93, eliminating vehicles #418, #345 and all sedans with less than 50,000 miles, stipulating that all police vehicles listed shall be replaced regardless of mileage. The motion was seconded by Mr. Hindman and unanimously carried.
In response to Mr. Salters, Mr. Leary explained that the intent of making two separate motions was to allow approval of the urgent purchases should Council wish to further delay purchasing all other vehicles listed for purchasing.
Mr. Salters suggested that a policy be established that would require a centralized purchasing department for all City vehicles as well as other items.
Mr. Salters moved for adjournment, seconded by Mr. Leary and unanimously carried.
Meeting Adjourned at 7:30 P.M.
PARKS AND RECREATION COMMITTEE
The Parks and Recreation Committee met with Chairman Pitts presiding. Noting the absence of Councilman Hare, Mrs. Malone, and Mrs. Dean, the Chairman deputized Councilmen Leary and Tudor to serve as members.
OPEN SPACE - FOX HALL WEST ADDITION
The Planning Commission recommended that the City accept from the Fox Hall West Addition development a donation of 2.7 acres of land to meet the 10% land donation requirement under Article VI, Section F-2 of the Subdivision Regulations. The subdivision contains 26.98+/- acres and is located on an interior parcel west of the Fox Hall West Subdivision and accessed via Burning Tree Road.
Mr. DePrima noted that the Planning Commission also recommended approval of the subdivision's proposed Tree Plan. Since the subdivision will consist of 46 lots for single family detached homes, the plan requires the planting of 46 shade trees utilizing six different species. Mr. William Cooper, Superintendent of the Grounds Division, has recommended approval of the proposed Tree Plan.
Mr. Kevin Minich, Karins and Associates, requested that the City consider maintaining the storm water retention area in the subdivision. Responding, Mr. Worley stated that it is not the City's policy to accept responsibility for a development's storm water retention area.
Mr. Tudor moved to recommend that Council accept from the Fox Hall West Addition development, 2.7 acres as public neighborhood open space, less the maintenance of any storm water retention area. The motion was seconded by Mr. Leary and unanimously carried.
Mr. Leary moved to recommend acceptance of the Tree Plan, requiring 46 shade trees using six different species, for the Fox Hall West Addition Subdivision, as recommended by the Planning Commission. The motion was seconded by Mr. Tudor and unanimously carried.
Meeting Adjourned at 7:42 P.M.
UTILITY COMMITTEE
The Utility Committee met with Chairman Daisey presiding. Members present were Councilman Pitts and Mr. Carey. Councilman Lambert was absent.
ENGINEERING SERVICES - MUDSTONE BRANCH SEWER LINE
During their meeting of April 27, 1992, Council authorized staff to proceed with the design for the new alignment for the Mudstone Branch Interceptor. Staff recommended approval of the design contract for the Mudstone Branch sewer system with Whitman, Requardt and Associates, in the amount of $438,000. This contract includes all work up to awarding the construction contracts.
Mr. Pitts moved to recommend approval of staff's recommendation, seconded by Mr. Carey and unanimously carried.
WATER/SEWER DISTRICTS
Resulting from concerns over the additional costs anticipated for the Mudstone Branch Sewer System, staff was directed to investigate the concept of creating sewer districts so that a project in one section of the City would not affect the rate in another section of the City. Currently all City users of the sewer system are charged the same rate, and all users outside the City are charged a different rate. Staff presented members detailed information regarding the concept and recommended that no change be made to the existing sewer system regarding districts.
Mr. Carey moved to accept staff's recommendation, seconded by Mr. Pitts and unanimously carried.
REMOTE WATER METER READINGS
During the committee meeting of May 27, 1992, staff was requested to research the possibility of requiring remote reading capability on water meters in new construction. The current policy allows water meters to be placed either outside in a pit or inside a structure. The device which provides for remote meter reading is located outside the structure and is simply a digital readout of the water meter reading. Last year, a water meter change-out program was planned; however, it was postponed until this fall due to delay of the water treatment plant. The change-out program will replace the oldest 2,500 meters (28%) located in the City.
Staff recommended that all newly installed water meters be required to have remote reading devices. This would require all new construction to install remote reading devices, and as existing meters are changed out, the replacement meters will have remote meter reading devices. He explained that the devices could accommodate a combined water/electric meter reading program if such a program became a reality in the future.
Mr. Carey moved to recommend approval of staff's recommendation, with an effective date of September 1, 1992, seconded by Mr. Pitts and unanimously carried.
BIDS
McKee Run Units 1 & 2 - Fan Dampers
Units #1 and #2 each incorporate induced draft fans to control furnace draft and maintain a negative furnace pressure. Pressure and flow control is accomplished by the modulation of the induced draft fan inlet and outlet dampers. These dampers are in poor condition from approximately 30 years of corrosion and erosion. Operation of the units with poor draft control involves some risk of equipment damage and personnel injury.
Mr. French advised members that the dampers were originally supplied with the induced draft fans by Westinghouse. Howden Sirocco now holds the rights to the original damper design and can be considered the original equipment manufacturer. Howden Sirocco has quoted a price of $47,126 to replace the two inlet dampers and one outlet damper for each unit (6 dampers total). Staff recommended that the dampers be replaced during this year's fall outage and that a purchase order be issued to Howden Sirocco in the amount of $47,126 for six (6) dampers.
Mr. Pitts moved to recommend approval of staff's recommendation, seconded by Mr. Carey and unanimously carried.
Unit #3 Air Preheater - Purchase Parts
The McKee Run units incorporate regenerative air preheaters to improve unit efficiency and improved combustion by removing heat from the flue gasses and transferring it to the combustion air. The cold end elements, or baskets, deteriorate the most rapidly and cause loss of unit efficiency when the heat can not be effectively transferred. The Unit #3 cold end baskets have become severely thinned, resulting in higher fuel consumption.
Mr. French stated that the only practical means of regaining the lost efficiency is by replacement of the cold end baskets. The Air Preheater Company, the original supplier of the Unit #3 air preheater and its components, has quoted a price of $25,700 for replacement of the cold end baskets. Staff recommended that a purchase order be issued to the Air Preheater Company in the amount of $25,700 for replacement of the Unit #3 cold end baskets, to be installed during the fall outage.
Mr. Carey moved to recommend approval of staff's recommendation, seconded by Mr. Pitts and unanimously carried.
Annual Instrument Contract
Bids for Instrumentation and Control (I&C) Services for the 1992/93 budget year were solicited. The work required takes the form of troubleshooting I&C design changes that are beyond the expertise of plant staff personnel. Past services have totalled $50,000 per year.
Mr. French advised members that experience with the Bailey Net 90 Control System is required. Although the low bid was received from Murphy Electric, it was discovered that their experience level is insufficient to supply the type of technical support required by the station. Staff recommended that SEGA be approved as the I&C service vendor of record for the 1992/93 budget year, at the rate of $65.00 per hour.
Mr. Pitts moved to recommend approval of staff's recommendation, seconded by Mr. Carey and unanimously carried.
Power Plant Annual Insulation Contract
Power Plants incorporate a great deal of specialized insulation for plant efficiency improvement and personnel protection. When maintenance is performed on most plant components, lagging and insulation must be removed for equipment access and replaced when the work is complete. Hourly rates were solicited, for non-asbestos work only, for an insulation contractor of record for the 1992/93 budget year.
Although the low bid was received from J&L, the bid was rejected since the request specifically stated that experience at electric generating stations be identified. J&L did not include any electric generating station insulation experience in their experience statement. Staff recommended that the next lowest bidder, Tri-State Insulation, be approved as the insulation contract vendor of record for the 1992/93 budget year, at a cost of $24.00 per hour for Supervisor/Foreman/Leader and $21.50 per hour for a Worker.
Mr. Carey moved to recommend approval of staff's recommendation, seconded by Mr. Pitts and unanimously carried.
Mr. Levitt moved for adjournment, seconded by Mr. Leary and unanimously carried.
Meeting Adjourned at 8:35 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
Irving S. Levitt
Acting Vice-Mayor
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