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
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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.
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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
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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.
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FEBRUARY 8, 2000 - ADJOURNED MEETING
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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.
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READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY: ,/ V616
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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
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