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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES Public Safety, Utilities, and Public Works Committee 2014-07-10RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado, July 10, 2014 Minutes of a Regular Meeting of the PUBLIC SAFETY/UTILITIES/PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE of the Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado. Meeting held in the Town Hall in said Town of Estes Park on the 10th day of July, 2014. Committee: Chair Norris, Mayor Pro Tem Koenig and Trustee Nelson Attending: Chair Norris, Mayor Pro Tem Koenig and Trustee Nelson Also Attending: Town Administrator Lancaster, Chief Kufeld, Managers Fraundorf and McEachern, Coordinator Rusch and Deputy Town Clerk Deats Absent: Director Bergsten Chair Norris called the meeting to order at 8:00 a.m. PUBLIC COMMENT. None. PUBLIC SAFETY. REPORTS. Reports provided for informational purposes and made a part of the proceedings. 1. Bear Patrol Update — Chief Kufeld reported that bear problems within the Town limits have been minimal, and said this may be due to members of the Policy Auxiliary patrolling neighborhoods to ensure that trash is being handled in a responsible manner that will reduce bear activity. He said that favorable comments from residents have been received about the neighborhood patrols. He noted that bear activity has been reported in the County outside of Town limits, particularly in the area of the YMCA and Spur 66. Trustee Nelson cautioned that Crested Butte experienced increased car and home break-ins by bears as a result of securing trash throughout their urban area. Mayor Pro Tem Koenig noted that there are electronic devices with flashing red lights that can be installed on properties to discourage bear and predator activity. She said the devices are solar -powered and affordable and it was suggested the information be forwarded to the Bear Task Force. 2. Verbal Updates — o Encryption of the 800 megahertz radios is moving forward and, depending on the arrival of equipment, should be completed by late July or early August. o From a law enforcement perspective, both the Professional Bull Riding event and the Fourth of July went well. The Rodeo is getting off to a good start with good attendance at the event. o A ribbon cutting will be held at the hospital on July 16th at the new ham radio operating location. This is a major addition to emergency response capabilities in the Estes Valley. UTILITIES. WATER MASTER PLAN SCOPE OF SERVICES. Chair Norris noted that Steve Rusch recently took on a new role as Utilities Coordinator and will be a key person in project management communication and coordination. Coordinator Rusch noted that the Town's current Water Master Plan is 29 years old and said that a new plan is necessary to provide updated demand projections, prioritize capital projects to meet plant and distribution needs, develop an engineering model of the water system, provide information related to current water rights and a vision for the RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Public Safety/Utilities/Public Works Committee — July 10, 2014 — Page 2 future, and ensure compliance with new regulations. The study will allow for comparisons with the old study as well as provide new information. Three proposals were received in response to a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a Water Master Plan and were reviewed by both Water Department and Public Works staff. The mid -level, time and material -based proposal from Frachetti Engineering, Inc., was selected at a not to exceed cost of $83,000. In addition, staff is requesting $10,000 to cover the cost of a water rights strategy review, $2,000 for lab tests, and a $5,000 contingency for a total of $100,000, budgeted, from account #503-7000-580-35-62. The Committee recommended that the Water Master Plan be discussed by the full board as an action item at the July 22, 2014, Town Board meeting. REPORTS. Reports provided for informational purposes and made a part of the proceedings. 1. Information Technology Update — Adams Tunnel Fiber — Following an inspection that occurred earlier this summer, it appears to be feasible to run fiber through the tunnel between Estes Park and Granby. Currently Eaglenet, Tri-State, Western Area Power Authority (WAPA), and the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), have an arrangement to install fiber. It is unclear at this time the number of strands to be installed, the cost of the installation, and the percentages of investment for the partners in the project. Manager Fraundorf said it is the Town's intent to continue to develop relationships and understand available options. The Town will participate in and monitor these ongoing discussions. Highway 34/36 Fiber — Crown Castle is planning to install wire for cell phone service, and wire to be used for Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) cameras, between Lyons and Estes Park, with a plan for wire to be installed between Loveland and Estes Park next year. Staff spoke with CDOT to make them aware of the Town's interest in the project and desire to engage in discussions about available options. CDOT staff indicated that exact costs and a construction start date are not known at this time. Platte River Power Authority (PRPA) will also be engaging in discussions regarding the project as they see this as an opportunity to make a connection with existing PRPA wire in Longmont and provide the means to move away from the low capacity microwave towers currently in use in Estes Park. Crown Castle will provide staff with costs for leasing fiber strands which could be utilized as an alternative or regular path of communication out of Estes Park. Staff indicated that the cost could be substantial and would require Board discussions related to the type of investment the Town would be interested in pursuing. Longmont Fiber — The Economic Development Corporation (EDC) Fiber Committee met with the City of Longmont's Director of Power and Communications and discussed a ballot question that was passed by Longmont voters in 2011 that gave the city the right to offer internet, voice and TV service to customers, with no tax increase. Manager Fraundorf suggested that there is a lot to learn from Longmont's process as they have created a business plan, set up an enterprise fund, secured revenue bonds, and are moving forward with the main fiber installation. It is Longmont's goal to pay off the revenue bonds through fees passed along to users of the service. Discussion may occur in the future related to taking a similar question to Estes Park voters as numerous towns and cities in Colorado are pursuing taking back local control. Town Administrator Lancaster said that Fort Collins is also studying this and that Loveland will more than likely follow suit. He added that if all four PRPA partner municipalities are involved it could become a more regional discussion, rather than a discussion for each individual community. Estes Park Computer Users Group — Manager Fraundorf will attend an upcoming meeting of the group to inform the members about the current fiber situation and to describe options that may be available in the future. Verizon Inquiry — Verizon approached the Town asking about the possibility of installing cell towers on the roof of the Town Hall. Verizon has inspected the site and the arrangement is being pursued. The Town could receive some revenue RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Public Safety/Utilities/Public Works Committee — July 10, 2014 — Page 3 for the attachments if an agreement is finalized. Town Administrator Lancaster requested that if a contract with Verizon moves forward that approval be through the Consent Agenda at a Town Board meeting. Manager Fraundorf stated that Verizon's purpose is to satisfy their customers and not to provide wireless service to the downtown corridor. He said that Rocky Mountain Data Availability Services (RMDAS) has also inquired about installation of antennas on the Town Hall building possibly to point a dish at Bond Park. Trustee Nelson said it would be helpful to have knowledge about the needs of businesses in order to attract them to Estes Park. Town Administrator Lancaster stated that through an Economic Development Agency (EDA) grant, the EDC will have a consultant looking at data on needs, demand, and the market. Information related to the market analysis and return on investment will be key in deciding how to move forward. PUBLIC WORKS. WATER DEPARTMENT DUMP TRUCK REPLACEMENT. The 2014 budget contains funds for the purchase of a dump truck for the Water Department to replace a 1999 International that has been in service for 15 years. Staff utilized the State of Colorado competitive bid process and recommends the purchase of a 2014 Freightliner M2106 single axle dump truck from Transwest Trucks at a cost of $105,067, plus $21,489 for the dump bed, for a total cost of $126,556. Manager McEachern noted that $120,778 will be utilized from the Vehicle Replacement Fund (#635-7000-435-34-42) with the additional $5,778 from the Future Vehicle Purchase Fund (#503-6300-540-25-44). The new vehicle will have an automatic transmission and comply with State of Colorado emission standards. The 1999 truck will be retained by the Water Department to provide added flexibility when working on projects and to be used as a back-up for snow removal. The truck will eventually be used as a trade-in on a vehicle purchase in the future. The Committee recommended approval of the purchase of a 2014 Freightliner M2106 dump truck from Transwest Trucks at a cost of $126,556 budgeted, as outlined above, to be included on the consent agenda at the July 22, 2014, Town Board meeting. REPORTS. Reports provided for informational purposes and made a part of the proceedings. 1. Placement and Effectiveness of Bear Resistant Trash Cans Downtown — Supervisor Franklin said that bear resistance trash cans have been utilized in the downtown area for the past two years. He said that the trash contractor picks up trash in the evenings between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. and that this schedule may be the reason there have been fewer bear problems than in the past when trash pick-ups were scheduled for the morning hours. He said that bear resistant recycling cans have not yet been placed downtown due to space issues. He reported that household trash has been showing up in trash cans throughout Town and noted that a public announcement was made to help curtail this activity. There being no further business, Chair Norris adjourned the meeting at 8:57 a.m. APPROVED JUL 2 2 2014 l Cynthia Deats, Deputy Town Clerk TOWN OF ESTES PARK BOARD OF TRUSTEES