2016-09-27_PWETC_Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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an update on the Solar Project and information intended to be available for the City Council and energy consumption and Xcel Energy negotiations and sizing the solar systems; rights-of-way mowing by the city or alternatives for plantings that may not require mowing, and aesthetic and/or safety factors involved and valued by people. Chair Cihacek asked if consideration was given to alternatives for the larger explicit costs for maintenance that would also address water retention,I&I,bee pollinators, and other things beyond front end costs that considered long-term maintenance. Chair Cihacek used Snelling Avenue, even though it is a state road, as an example. Mr. Culver recognized the city had a wide variety of rights-of-way and public spaces to maintain, and even some that were not maintained at all unless the city received a complaint, many of those involving rights-of-way on corridors or street segments not yet constructed, while others may be in wooded areas, or some adjacent to property owners who volunteered to take on their maintenance, while others chose not to do so. Mr. Culver noted these didn't involve a great deal of maintenance with city staff attempting to balance moving them 2-3 times annually. However, Mr. Culver noted this did result in more complaints when rainfall was more considerable, such as this year. Chair Cihacek asked staff to add this topic to a future agenda, with input from Environmental Specialist Ryan Johnson,to consider taking Public Works staff from their other maintenance activities to perform this mowing; and if a better alternative with side benefits was a consideration. Chair Cihacek thanked Mr. Culver for including development project information in communication items for the PWETC's awareness. At the request of Member Wozniak, Mr. Culver provided a brief update on the Recycling contract and continued negotiations with Eureka Recycling focused on implementing parks recycling. Mr. Culver reported he hoped to have those negotiations and any phasing and financial impacts due to a smaller phase in within two weeks for presentation to the City Council in October. Mr. Culver advised that since this was the current vendor, he was less concerned with not having a need to swap carts out with the new contract. 5. Water Supply Plan Public Works Director Culver reintroduced Civil Engineer Luke Sandstrom, advising he had been working on the water supply plan, with the end product due the end of 2016. At the request of Chair Cihacek, Mr. Culver contrasted the duties of Mr. Sandstrom with that of City Engineer Jesse Freihammer. Mr. Culver advised that Mr. Freihammer served directly under Mr. Culver and served as the City's Assistant Public Works Director and as a senior engineer in charge of the overall engineering Page 2 of 17