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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-10-1993MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS AND SAFETY OF THE CITY OF JEFFERSONVILLE, INDIANA MONDAY MAY 107 1993 Mayor Raymond J. Parker Jr. called the meeting to order at 9:30 A.M., and on call of the roll those members present were Mayor Parker, Personnel and Safety Director Harold Lakeman, and Sewage Collection Office Director Jim Matra. Also present were: Building Commissioner Bill Gavin, Street Commissioner George Trembly, City Attorney Mike Gillenwater, Utility Director Steve Tolliver~ Police Chief Rick Elliott7 Assistant Fire Chief Clifton James Jr., Animal Shelter Manager Jan Wheatley, Vehicle Maintenance Director Mike Wathen, Parks Secretary Jackie Langdon7 Sewer Office Manager Bob Gotdman~ Administrative Assistant Donna Metzger, Council Person Andrew Williams III, Clerk and Treasurer C. Richard Spencer Jr., and Clerk Alice Davis. Director Lakeman made the motion to approve the minutes of the meeting of May 3, 1993 as presented, seconded by Director Matra and carried unanimously. Director Lakeman made the motion to approve the payrolls as presented, seconded by Director Matra and carried unanimously. Director Lakeman made the motion to approve the claims as presented, seconded by Director Matra and carried unanimously. PRESS RELEASE Mayor Parker read a Press Release concerning a news paper article that appeared in the Courier Journal on Friday May ?, 1993 in regards to the hiring of Proctor~ DavisTand Ray for inspection engineers for Jeffersonville's Market Street Reconstruction project. (see copy) BIDS FOR NEW ALBANY-CHARLESTOWN PIKE SEWER EXTENSION Jorge Lanz a representative of Jacobi~ Toombs and Lanz reported that they took bids on May 3~ 19937 and there were 5 contractors7 these are bids for the construction of the sewer extension. Irish Park~ Inc. was low bidder, we don't have ail the documentation and are not prepared to make a recommendation to the Board right now. I propose to the Board to table this until next week. TRAFFIC PROBLEMS AT JEFF HIGH SCHOOL Street Commissioner George Trembly reported that he has new signs for the High School and they will go up today. George took a look at the rest of the schoots~ and they have a variety of speed limit and School signs, some places no signs. George and Lt. Schmidt will be going to all the schools and check on the signs and come back to the Board with a recommendation on the traffic problem at the schools. City Attorney Mike Gillenwater said that we would have to amend an Ordinance to change any of the speed limits. Mayor Parker asked Chief Elliott to investigate the cost of flashing lights. PAGE 2 MAY 10, 199B BASKETBALL GOAL COMPLAINT ON DUNBAR Police Chief Elliott sent an Officer to talk to the 5 residents on Dunbar about taking the goal down. He reported that 2 were in favor, 2 against~ 1 didn't care. We need to get together and make a decision on this. Mayor Parker said that we need to have a policy on this situation. CRESTVIEW CT. DRIVEWAY RAMPS Street Commissioner George Trembly reported that a Milling Co. is going to mill out Crestview Ct. before we pave and the 2 concrete ramps can be gone around and won't have to be taken out~ the same with the blacktop ramp. AMERICAN LEGION ROADBLOCK Roberta Nolan representing the American Legion requests roadblocks for May 15~ 1993 at 8th.& Main Street, Main & lOth., Court at McDonalds. Police Chief Elliott said that some of those locations have already been taken. Mayor Parker asked Chief Elliott to check this out and coordinate with Ms. Nolan. Director Lakeman made the motion to accept these roadblocks after Ms. Nolan talks with Chief Elliott, seconded by Director Marra~ and carried unanimously. CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION Roberta Nolan presented Mayor Parker with a Certificate of Recognition for Outstanding Services on behalf of Community Service from the American Legion Auxuilary. UTILITY AGREEMENT FOR MARKET STREET PROJECT Nathan Grimes and Jorge Lanz representing Jacobi~ Toombs and Lanz has a utility agreement that needs to be signed for the Market Street project~ this is between the City and the different utilities, they are, Indiana Gas, PSI, Water Corp., Cable, Indiana Bell, the agreement states that if they are in the right-of-way of the road they will have to move them. 3-WAY STOP NACHAND LANE AND CLAIRVIEW DRIVE Council Person Andrew Williams and Mrs. T. Alford, 1020 Nachand Lane appeared before the Board requesting a 3-way stop at the intersection of Nachand Lane and Clairview Drive. Mayor Parker asked Police Chief Elliott make a traffic study and make a recommendation at next weeks meeting. STREET LIGHT ON MARY STREET Council Person Andrew Williams is doing a follow up on light on Mary Street for Mr. Suddeth who wants to know Its been approved by the Board and turned over to PSI. will give them a call. the street the statis. Bill Gavin PAGE 3 MAY 10, 1993 RESIDENT PARKING Council Person Andrew Williams reported that June Oliver of 1Al3 Francis Drive wants to know what procedures that she has to go through to get a resident parking. Mayor Parker told Council Person Williams the procedures. EASEMENT C6uncil Person Andrew Williams reported that Lois Kerberg, 108 Williams called him regarding the easement at the rear of her property hA~exposed utility wires. Mayor Parker suggested that she caiI the utility Co. and report them~ and we will send Bill Gavin out to check on them. · '' SPECIAL PERMITS FOR PARKING LOT Council Person Andrew Williams wants to know if there will be any special permits or special permission granted to City residents who wish to use the new City parking tot off of Spring Street for special events. Mayor Parker said that we can't get the three people together to sign the agreement. SEMI-TRUCKS ON MAIN STREET Janetta Coley, 1038 Main Street request for semi-trucks on Main Street was tabled, she did not appear before the Board. TRAFFIC HAZARD AT WATT & 8TH STREETS Carolyn Howard requests a stop sign at 8th & Watt Streets. Mayor Parker asked Chief Elliott and George Trembly to check this out and make a recommendation at the next Board meeting. STOP SIGN Director Lakeman received a call from Rose Severs requesting a stop sign at Roosevelt and Lee Streets. Mayor Parker asked Chief Elliott t~ investigate and report back to the Board. LETTER Mayor Parker read a letter from Falls City Electric Co. commending the Jeffersonviile Fire Department with the way they handled the fire at the business. OLD SEWER City Attorney Mike Gillenwater is helping with the liquidation of the old sewer plant and personal property. The property wilt be auctioned off at the recommendation of the appraisers. We received 2 proposals from Crum's Auction and Reality~ Paul Semonin, Remax Commercial Brokers. It is Mikes recommendation to go with Remax Commercial Brokers at this time. Lincoln Crum representing Crum Auction and Reality appeared before the Board said that his company would review their proposal. Director Lakeman made the motion to approve the Remax Commercial Brokers bid, seconded by Director Matra and carried unanimously. PAGE 4 MAY 10., 1993 INVESTIGATIVE WORK Utilities Director Steve Tolliver said that his men are working up on Court Avenue doing investigative work there. Also on Plank Road customer called a private plumber to do some work and they broke off instrument in the sewer~ we are trying to get it out for them. BUDGETS Administrative Assistant Donna Metzger wants to remind everyone about getting their budgets in by May 17~ 1993. The pre-budget team will have approximately 2 weeks to review them. The pre-budget committee meetings will be starting on June 1~ 1993 with the Department Head, on an individual basis. The budgets has to be in their final form by June 21~ 1993. The Council has asked for presentation of the budgets the first week of July. Mayor Parker said that he will be working closely with the Clerk Treasurers Office. HOUSING PROJECTS Mrs Knowland of Magnolia Dr. said they are building 5 duplex houses behind her. She wants to get together with the builder and put a fence up with him. The builder told her that he wasn't allowed to put up a fence that she will have to do it. Bill Gavin said that the City has nothing to do with that~ its the builders decision to put it up. There being no further business to come before the Board of Public Works and Safety, Director Lakeman made the motion to adjourn at lO:45a.m., seconded by Director Matra, and carried unanimously. ATTEST: CLERK AND TREASURER~ ~/ ' PRESS RELEASE Recently there has been media attention questioning the decision of this board in awarding a contract to Proctor Davis Ray Engineers, Inc. Because of the negative overtones and innuendo contained in that article, the Board of Public Works and Safety feels a brief reply is in order. Proctor Davis Ray, Inc. (PDR) was recently chosen from among 4 firms submitting proposals for consideration as construction inspection engineers for Jeffersonville's Market Street Reconstruction project, which is scheduled to begin this summer. The design engineering work on that project was completed by Jacobi Toombs and Lanz engineers of Clarksville, who also submitted a proposal on the project but was not chosen. Two other firms, whose proposals were considered, were not awarded contracts on any part of the project. PDR was originally employed by the City by the administration of former Mayor Dale Orem to do the design and inspection engineering work on the City's Water Pollution Control Facility, which most people know as the new Sewer Plant. Despite several very expensive unanticipated problems with environmental conditions, which made certain aspects of the project more costly, that project is anticipated to come in under budget. The expertise and diligence of PDR is felt to be a major factor in the successful construction of the new plant. PDR and Jacobi Toombs and Lanz have demonstrated a willingness and ability to work well together as effective problem solvers on the new Sewer Plant. Likewise, with 2 engineering firms working in tandem on the Market Street project the unforseen problems which will undoubtedly arise should be solved in the same manner as problems on the Sewer Plant project. As the old adage goes "two heads are better than one". Because both firms ~ employ bright professionals who are capable problem solvers and because each firm has certain areas of strength which, when appended, would promise to make the project proceed more smoothly, quicker and ultimately less expensively for the taxpayers of the City. After PDR was originally hired by the Orem administration, PDR was accused, in an unrelated incident, of an offense involving an employee making an irregular campaign contribution to a Kentucky congressman. The exact details of that incident are not known and at this point cannot be fairly commented upon by this Board. However, it is the understanding of this Board that a penalty has been assessed and paid. It is also presumed that a lesson has been learned by those who participated in that transaction. When assessing the integrity of any consultant for the City, this Board must take into account the entire past of the consultant, not just one incident. The decision to rehire PDR to do inspection work~ for the City was predicated in part on: t) PDR's demonstrated ability to do capable, efficient and quality work; 2) PDR's ability to work well with Jacobi Toombs and Lanz engineers, who designed the Market Street project; 3) as a vote of confidence from the City after demonstrating loyalty and dedication to the City on its Sewer Project; and 4) with the belief that the Market street project would be more efficiently and less expensively completed if PDR was hired. The Judeo-Christian ethic, which most of us claim to ascribe to, is that people should be punished for their transgressions. However, it also holds that a second chance is available to those who repent and pay for their mistakes. This Board recognizes that any irregularity in the past of PDR is a reason compelling this Board to scrutinize their dealings with PDR more closely. But, it is not felt that PDR should be forever excluded from consideration by the City as a potential consultant. If anything, this Board feels the likelihood of any illicit activity on the part of City employees or officials will now be minimized. Finally, note should be made that the newspaper article which prompted this response contained figures which were incorrect. How much more, if any, this project will cost the City by hiring PDR rather than another firm is at best purely speculative. But, it appears those proponents of controversy who inspired the article do not understand the facts, or do not want to share the entire truth. They would rather rely, it seems, on false rumors and innuendo than upon a reasoned consideration and discussion of the relevant facts pertaining to this issue.