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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTransportation Committee 08-29-07 NOTICE OF MEETING AND AGENDA ST. CROIX COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE August 29, 2007 - 8:00 A.M. St. Croix County Highway Department Office, 920 -3 Street, Hammond, WI CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL ADOPTION OF AGENDA APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING DATE OF NEXT MEETING CONSIDER VOUCHERS FOR PAYMENT REVIEW FUND BALANCES REVIEW HIGHWAY SAFETY MINUTES CONSIDER SEMINAR ATTENDANCE REQUESTS CONSIDER STATE PROJECT REQUESTS ANNOUNCEMENTS & CORRESPONDENCE OLD AND NEW BUSINESS 1. Highway Safety ROADEO 2. 2008 Budget Update Discussions 3. Consider CTH "M" Schedule of Land Interests 4. Consider Roof Repair Quotations 5. Consider Tractor Upgrade ANY OTHER BUSINESS AUTHORIZED BY LAW POSSIBLE AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING ADJOURN (Items may be taken in different order. Action may be taken on any or all items shown.) SUBMITTED BY - Tim Ramberg, Highway Commissioner DATE SUBMITTED — August 16, 2007 ** Additions /Changes /Corrections Items for County Board approval must be submitted to the County Clerk's office by Wednesday morning preceding a County Board meeting. 8/16/2007 2:06 PM MINUTES OF THE ST. CROIX COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE Meeting of August 29, 2007 Chairman King called the meeting to order at 8:00 A.M. Roll call was taken with King, Grant, Peterson, Rebholz and Hurtgen in attendance. Others present for all or parts of the meeting included Tim Ramberg, Jane Bond, Kevin Brown and Rich Loney. A motion was made and seconded (Peterson / Hurtgen) to adopt the agenda as published. Motion carried. King noted that the minutes of the previous meeting would be approved at the next meeting, which is scheduled for September 7 Also, at this meeting there are no vouchers to approve, fund balances to review, safety minutes to discuss or seminar attendance requests to consider. King noted that the bi- annual Safety Roadeo is underway and that the Committee would be attending this event in the Main Shop /yard area once the business portion of the agenda is complete. Various newspaper items were discussed, including one letter to the editor article that related to the recently completed hot mix overlay on STH 35 near River Falls. The writer commented on the smooth ride and timely completion of the project. Ramberg shared an invitation he had received from the Wisconsin Supreme Court regarding upcoming cases being held in St. Croix County October 31 through November 1, 2007. Ramberg noted that, as is the practice with other municipalities and continuing with intergovernmental efforts, the Department plans to sell deicing material to the Town of St. Joseph for winter maintenance use on their town road system as requested by the Town. The Committee discussed the sale of various other Highway Department materials to municipalities. Ramberg brought to the Committee's attention a permit request he had received involving the installation of a biogas transmission line in the right of way along a route from Baldwin to rural Emerald. He noted that the project is in its formative stages and that the Department will further investigate the request. Correspondence from the Zoning Department to an individual regarding fence removal along the County Trunk Highway System was reviewed. Regarding the 2008 budget, Ramberg shared with the Committee three different scenarios he had prepared for Department operations next year. County budget development guidelines were reviewed, including information distributed to departments that outlined various summary - level considerations the County is facing as the budget development process moves forward. Included in this analysis is an allowable levy increase of approximately $578,400. Of the estimated $1,352,000 increase projected by the County for total salary and fringe benefit ST. CROIX COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE MINUTES Page 2 August 29, 2007 increases next year, Ramberg noted that the Highway Department budget accounts for approximately $238,117 of this, or 17.6 %. The Committee discussed the impact of these items on the Department's maintenance plan, particularly hot mix and chip seal operations. In keeping with the various allowable levy increase scenarios, the Committee focused on a budget that requests a levy increase of 3.92% and 2.475 %. The budget includes $696,940 in anticipated revenue from the vehicle registration fee with this money specifically designated to help in funding hot mix and chip seal projects, enabling the Department to reverse the trend of doing less of this work and try to get back to the surface maintenance goals. This strategy will still not reach the established goals; it only will reverse the trend from backwards, to moving towards the goal. The Department is grateful for this additional funding, which was the result of it doing as the Finance Committee and County Board had previously requested in seeking out new revenue sources. In addition to being in line with the anticipated overall County levy increase rate, this budget would maintain the County commitment to levy funding one of it's core services. Ramberg also noted that, as he understands current budget proceedings in the legislature, all parties involved are in agreement that county money levied for county aid bridge projects be exempt from levy limits. With this being the most probable outcome, the Highway Department levy request percentages for 2008 exclude county aid bridge funding. The Committee further discussed various aspects of the budget. The Committee expressed its strongly held belief that the recently enacted vehicle registration fee not be played against the Department's levy request for 2008. A motion was made by Peterson, seconded by Rebholz, that the Highway Committee submit to the Finance Committee the budget scenarios that reflect an increase in the number of miles of chip seals and hot mix overlays utilizing funds generated from the vehicle registration fee for that purpose. Motion carried. Ramberg discussed with the Committee a proposed schedule of land interests for the CTH "M" construction project running from CTH "T" to CTH "W ", a distance of approximately three miles. The total for the Temporary Limited Easements (TLEs) and one Permanent Limited Easement (PLE) amount to $5,300. A motion was made by King, seconded by Hurtgen, to approve. Motion carried. Brown presented quotations from four vendors for roof repairs to three specific areas of the Hammond facility, originally constructed in 1955. These areas are currently gravel covered. Drainage issues were discussed, as the areas involved all currently drain to the main shop area. Brown reviewed the plans, which would re -route this roof water to the Village of Hammond storm sewer. The project would also increase the R -value in all areas. Potential roof repairs that may be necessary were discussed. After further consideration, a motion was made by Rebholz, seconded by Peterson, to approve the quotation received from Sure -rite Construction of Chippewa Falls in the total amount of $47,775. Motion carried. ST. CROIX COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE MINUTES Page 3 August 29, 2007 Brown reviewed an offer to upgrade one of our current 2002 model utility tractors for a new model. The history and performance of this and like units in the fleet were discussed and reviewed with this specific unit being discussed. A motion was made by Hurtgen, seconded by King, to accept the offer to upgrade one the John Deere tractor for a net amount of $28,897. Motion carried. The Committee recessed to participate in the Safety Roadeo and annual picnic. After the Roadeo, Hurtgen was not able to stay for the remainder of the meeting. Upon returning from the events, the Committee further discussed the proposed 2008 budget. A motion was made by Peterson, seconded by Rebholz, to schedule a meeting of the Transportation Committee for 8:45 AM on September 6 th and attend that portion of the budget hearing with the Finance Committee that deals with the Highway Department's 2008 request. Motion carried. A motion was made by Rebholz, seconded by Peterson, to adjourn at 2:10 PM. Motion carried. ----------------------------- SECRETARY