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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/08/2000 Adjourned Meeting 1 260 CITY OF YAKIMA, WASHINGTON FEBRUARY 8, 2000 ADJOURNED MEETING The City Council met in session on this date at 7:30 a.m., in the 2nd Floor Training Room, at the Police Station /Legal Center, 200 South 3rd Street, Yakima, Washington. Mayor Mary Place, presiding, Council Members Clarence Barnett, Larry Mattson, John Puccinelli, and Bernard Sims were present. Council Members Lynn Buchanan and Henry Beauchamp were absent and excused. Dick Zais, City Manager; Glenn Rice, Assistant City Manager; Marketa George Oliver, Administrative Assistant to the City Manager; Ray Paolella, City Attorney; Bill Cook, Department of Community & Economic Development; Dueane Calvin, Water & Irrigation Division Manager; Kay Adams, City Engineer; Dave Brown, Water & Irrigation Engineer; Bill Cobabe, Neighborhood Development Services Manager; Mike Morales, Grants Writer, were present as well as consultants Arthur Fleming, Golder & Associates; and Michael Hodgins, Burke & Associates. Members of the Citizens Irrigation Committee were also present. They include: Maud Scott; John Klingele; Philip Small; David Garretson; Bev Luby Bartz; and Onni Perla. Mayor Place called the meeting to order at 7:'40 a.m. Mayor Place suggested asking Council Member Barnett to act as Mayor when she and Assistant Mayor Mattson would both be out of town later in the week. The Council Members concurred. 1. REVIEW OF THE MASTER IRRIGATION PLAN City Manager Zais gave a brief overview of the history of the irrigation system. He said the review has gone back 30 years, but the most important action Council has taken in the last 70 years was the formation of an irrigation utility, allowing the City to consolidate the irrigation districts. This allows the accumulation of a reserve fund for repairs and rehabilitation. This Master Irrigation Plan is the next step, and outlines what action should be taken over the net 20‘years. The City has always known that repair and rehabilitation of the irrigation system would take considerably more resources than the City has, even with the capital reserve fund development. Looking at the entire Plan and the choices that are in it, the highest priority, is the replacement of the 308 Irrigation System and staff provided some suggestions and recommendations. It will take three years to set aside funds for design and another 23 years to build up funds for construction. There are options identified in the Plan, such as issuing a revenue bond. Mr. Zais said that there are also issues tied to the Acquavella case involving the questionable convertibility of domestic water rights for irrigation purposes. He said that no Council action is anticipated today and the Council could not issue a bond right 261 FEBRUARY 8, 2000 - ADJOURNED MEETING now because of the passage of I -695. However, the issues surrounding I -695 should be cleared by the end of the year. Mr. Zais thanked the Citizens Irrigation Committee for their work. • Dueane Calvin, Water and Irrigation Division Manager, said the Plan gives a brief overview of the irrigation system and a guideline for future system development. He said it provides information about the physical character and financial needs of the irrigation system. He introduced Art Fleming, of Golder & Associates. Mr. Fleming gave an overview of what is contained in the Plan document. The system was developed at the turn of the century and some parts of it have not been modified since that time. It contains 67 sub - systems that were formed as Local Improvement Districts (LID's) during the 1920's and later as the City expanded and grew. The system is composed of a variety of materials and it is primarily the wood and the smaller diameter steel that are causing problems. The system receives water from three different reservoirs as well as canals. Golder & Associates worked with the City to test the different sections of the system. They reviewed the City's records and updated the GIS system. They used a video camera in the pipes and cut out pieces to analyze for corrosion. In a Power Point presentation he showed the corrosion in the pipes, which restricts the flow of water. Golder & Associates conducted test fittings and of the 67 different subsystems, 11 were selected for detailed analysis. Focusing on those 11 systems, they did an alternative analysis to look at hydraulic flows. There is the ability to install pipes that are made of polyethylene inside of current pipes. Mayor Place asked what the life expectancy would be of the pipes inside the pipes. Mr. Fleming answered 50+ years. Mayor Place said that some of the pipes had been in the ground for 100 years. He said the life expectancy of the polyethylene pipes could easily last longer, especially considering they would be slip lined inside another pipe, providing greater protection for the new pipe. Mr. Fleming answered questions regarding the installation of the slip lining . method, stating that since the slip lined pipe would be one to two inches smaller than the existing pipe, it would slightly reduce the flow. Mr. Calvin indicated that there were also bursting techniques, which enables a pipe up to 25% larger than the original pipe to be put in. Council Member Barnett asked about some financial information that had been provided. He said the Golder & Associates memo had different numbers. Dave Brown, Water & Irrigation Engineer, suggested the Council look at Table 7 -1, advising that some of his numbers had been updated, including miscellaneous improvements for various. Mr. Fleming said the cost analysis is 2 262 FEBRUARY 8, 2000 - ADJOURNED MEETING based on field work and samples of various parts of the system and then calculated to spread it over the entire system. These are the figures included in Table 7 -1. To look at funding mechanisms, Golder & Associates had worked with Burke & Associates arid he introduced Michael Hodgins.• Michael Hodgins of Burke & Associates, reviewed the funding sources, including grants, and went through the City's rate base. He said the likelihood of obtaining outside dollars. is fairly low. Based on selected criteria and assumptions, there would be insufficient revenue to cover the $19 million needed for the Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) using the City's current rate structure adjusted for cost of living increases. They also reviewed the possibility of paying for improvements through a LID process. Also considered was a phased -in approach for the capital improvement projects. Council members expressed their concern about using a Local Improvement District (LID) funding mechanism for these improvements. Mr. Calvin emphasized that neither staff nor the consultant is recommending the LID funding mechanism. He stated cash flow or revenue bond would be more appropriate. Council Member Barnett asked if the people who are using domestic water for irrigation purposes are paying their fair share of the cost for irrigation purposes. City Manager Zais said that water and sewer capital improvement costs are included in the base rate and it is true that there is a special rate for irrigation. He said staff would look into Mr. Barnett's question further. Mr. Calvin said the question was shouldn't they (people using domestic water for irrigation purposes) be paying a capital charge for the irrigation system. Mr. Calvin asked the City Attorney if there was a way to accomplish this. Mr. Paolella said there is a statutory prohibition of one fund benefiting another fund. Mr. Barnett said there must be a twist to it from the point of view that people are using domestic water rights as irrigation. Mr. Calvin said that in issuing water rights to the City, one of the uses in the Municipal Water Right certificate is irrigation. He said that there were also irrigation issues involved with the Acquavella court case. Council Member Puccinelli said it is time for the City to abandon the antiquated two- system method of water delivery. John Klingele, Citizens Irrigation Committee member, said the trend was going in the other direction. Mayor Place said the intent today was to discuss the Irrigation Plan. She said several things were up in the air such as the outcome of the I -695 and Acquavella court cases. Council Member Mattson suggested tabling the discussion until Acquavella and I- 695 issues are decided. 3 FEBRUARY 8, 2000 - ADJOURNED MEETING • 263 Mr. Calvin said this Plan was the most comprehensive report of this system that has ever been done and asked for Council guidance. Mayor Place said Council should accept the study and mull over the possibilities One of the Citizen Committee members said the Committee met for a long time and there are dozens of reasons why keeping the irrigation system is in the best interest of the City. He asked Council not to change that. Mr. Calvin distributed a reprint of the 1998 recommendations of the Irrigation Committee. Mr. Zais said the I -695 court issue would probably not be heard and /or resolved until summer. Mayor Place also mentioned it could be impacted by the Endangered Species Act and said the Council policy has not changed at this time. The direction is that staff should pursue the actions outlined in the report. Mayor Place asked for other questions and hearing none, adjourned the meeting at 8:58 a.m., to meet again at 11:30 a.m. at the Public Works facility. / READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY: ,/ V616 C CIL EMBER A E. ci .sti�11/� 12 CIUNCIL MEMBER D ATTEST: 00 /07 /2/C:L City Clerk Ma Place, Mayor Minutes prepared by Marketa George Oliver. An audio tape of this meeting is available in the City Clerk's Office 4