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HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - June 24, 2021, Special Meeting of the Ames City CouncilAGENDA SPECIAL MEETING OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL COUNCIL CHAMBERS - CITY HALL 515 CLARK AVENUE JUNE 24, 2021 NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC: The Mayor and City Council welcome comments from the public during discussion. If you wish to speak, please complete an orange card and hand it to the City Clerk. When your name is called, please step to the microphone, state your name for the record, and limit the time used to present your remarks in order that others may be given the opportunity to speak. The normal process on any particular agenda item is that the motion is placed on the floor, input is received from the audience, the Council is given an opportunity to comment on the issue or respond to the audience concerns, and the vote is taken. On ordinances, there is time provided for public input at the time of the first reading. In consideration of all, if you have a cell phone, please turn it off or put it on silent ring. CALL TO ORDER: 11:00 a.m. 1. Welch Avenue Tree-Trench Fencing: a. Motion directing staff to move forward with installing fencing 2. Resolution awarding a contract to Maxima of Shawnee Mission, Kansas (dba North American Substation Services, LLC, of Alamonte Springs, Florida), for the transformer oil reconditioning and repair in accordance with bid in the amount of $56,335.50 (inclusive of Iowa sales tax) DISPOSITION OF COMMUNICATIONS TO COUNCIL: COUNCIL COMMENTS: ADJOURNMENT: ITEM # __1 ___ DATE: 06-24-21 COUNCIL ACTION FORM SUBJECT: CAMPUSTOWN PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS (WELCH AVENUE) BACKGROUND: The 100 block of Welch Avenue, between Lincoln Way and Chamberlain Avenue, is one of the oldest corridors in Ames. The reconstruction of this block included underground utility updates of the water main, storm sewer, and sanitary sewer along with street reconstruction and the addition of streetscape features. This project is considered substantially completed (see design concept cross section, below). A unique feature of the stormwater management for the area was the construction of tree trenches along Welch Avenue. These are engineered to improve stormwater quality and include trees and native plants to aid in treating the water. The tree trenches were funded through a grant from the Iowa Department of Ag and Land Stewardship (IDALS). With the tree trenches now constructed, a concern has been identified regarding pedestrian safety due to the depth of these boxes. The tree trenches are designed and constructed 2.5’ deep from the top of the sides to the soil level in the bottom of the box. The deepest end (north end) is designed to act as benches where visitors can sit while enjoying the Campustown area. City staff and Campustown Action Association met and discussed several solutions to this issue, while meeting the requirements of the IDALS grant that was received for the tree trenches. Two options have been explored: 1) the installation of grates and 2) the installation of decorative fencing. While the addition of grates would be an attractive addition, they pose two major drawbacks. First, due to the size of the trenches, there is no standard grate available for use, thus increasing the cost substantially and resulting in a lengthy delay in delivery. Second, in order to keep the debris from passing through the grates, the mesh spacing would have to be extremely close. This would inhibit the viability of the planted material in the trenches that are designed to filter the storm water and the loss of which would jeopardize the state funding. The addition of ornamental fencing around each trench would also be an attractive addition that would inhibit pedestrians from falling into the box. There are three benefits of this approach. First, there is a standard size ornamental fence that can be ordered which matches the fencing in other private property locations in the corridor. Second, with the addition of a gate, access can be easily attained for maintenance and cleanup. Third, the fencing will not inhibit the growth of the plant material in the trench, thereby allowing us to qualify for the state funding. (See attached photos demonstrating a sample section of fencing at various locations). The staff did explore a shorter fencing height of 2’, but this would be a non-standard size. The manufacturer indicated that because of material shortages and high customer demand, they were not willing to modify their equipment for this custom order. Revenues and expenses associated with this program are estimated as follows: Available Revenue Estimated Expenses Water Utility Funds Sewer Utility Funds Electric Utility Funds Road Use Tax IDALS (Grant) Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation (Sewer Utility Funds) Storm Water Improvements (Storm Sewer Funds) $ 425,000 $ 125,000 $ 100,000 $ 100,000 $ 100,000 $ 156,000 $ 70,000 Campustown Public Improvements (Base Bid) Campustown Public Improvements (Alternate 2) Benches/trash/bike rack Fence (Materials and Installation) 2019 Lincoln Way Water Service Transfer (completed) $ 2,081,067.00 $ 69,000.00 $ 28,022.00 $ 21,958.00 $ 169,969.96 Engineering/Administration (Est.) $ 250,000.00 Totals $ 2,676,000 $ 2,620,016.96 ALTERNATIVES: 1. Direct staff to install a 3’ ornamental fence around the tree trenches on Welch Avenue by contracting with The Door and Fence Store of Ames, Iowa at a cost of $21,958. Funding for this project will come from the available funds in the project budget. 2. Direct staff to pursue different solution. MANAGER’S RECOMMENDED ACTION: The solution of installing an ornamental fence around the tree trenches will allow the City to comply with the IDALS water quality grant, while resolving the safety concerns on Welch Avenue. With an estimated eight-week timeframe for ordering, manufacturing, and installing the fencing; making this decision as soon as possible is very important if we want to have this safety issued resolved prior to the beginning of ISU’s fall semester. While the amount of this contract does not require Council approval, staff believes it is important that the City Council agree with the option that is selected to respond to the safety concerns generated from the trenches. Because a delay in making this decision until the next regularly scheduled Council meeting on July 13th would make it impossible to correct the situation in time for the beginning of ISU’s fall semester, a decision is being sought at this special meeting. Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt Alternative No. 1, as noted above. This recommendation has been reviewed with the Director of the Campustown Action Association who has indicated she will be providing a letter of support for the fencing recommendation on June 24th. ITEM # ____2___ DATE: 06/24/2021 COUNCIL ACTION FORM SUBJECT: AWARD CONTRACT FOR TRANSFORMER OIL RECONDITIONING AND REPAIR FOR ELECTRIC SERVICES DEPARTMENT BACKGROUND: This bid is for the oil reconditioning and repair for a transformer for the Electric Services Department. This work needs to be completed as oil testing has revealed that there is elevated moisture in the oil. Normally, an inhibitor is added to transformer oil to keep moisture out. The testing revealed that this inhibitor is gone. Moisture in the transformer will lead to deterioration which could lead to catastrophic failure. There is also oil migrating between the main tank and the Load-Tap changer tank that needs to be addressed. This project is time sensitive because this transformer is required to supply power to Unit #8 for start-up. The Electric Department is striving to complete Unit #8 start- up prior to July 23 to meet MISO deadlines. On June 11, 2021, a Request for Quotation (RFQ) was issued to 103 vendors for oil reconditioning and repair of the transformer. The RFQ was advertised on the AmesBids webpage. On June 18, 2021, two bids were received as shown below: BIDDER TOTAL COST* Energy Solutions (Delta Star), Inc., Elkhorn, NE $33,919.00 Maxima (NASS), Shawnee Mission, KS $56,335.50 *Price inclusive of 6% State of Iowa Sales Taxes Plus 1% Local Tax In the bids, Energy Solutions indicated it is the manufacturer’s representative for Delta Star. Maxima indicated it is the manufacturer’s representative for North American Substation Services (NASS). Staff reviewed the bids and concluded that the apparent low bid submitted by Energy Solutions, is unacceptable. Its bid does not include the costs of replacing barrier boards or seals. The City would need to purchase and receive these items before repair, which may delay the project. The quote provided does not include draining the oil out of the tank and does not create a vacuum to draw out the moisture. It is critical to remove all moisture from the cellulosic paper in the winding of the transformer. The quote from Maxima includes removing all the oil, reconditioning it, and pulling a vacuum to draw out all the moisture. Maxima also included the cost and procurement of barrier boards. Between FY 2020/21 available funding and FY 2021/22 budgeted funding for Electric Substation Maintenance equipment repair, there is $78,681 in total available funding for this project. ALTERNATIVES: 1. Award a contract to Maxima, Shawnee Mission, KS, for the transformer oil reconditioning and repair in accordance with bid in the amount of $56,335.50 (inclusive of Iowa sales tax). 2. Award a contract to Energy Solutions, Inc. Elkhorn, NE, for the transformer oil reconditioning and repair in accordance with bid in the amount of $33,919.00 (inclusive of Iowa sales tax). If this alternative is selected, additional services would need to be procured to replace barrier boards and seals, drain the oil, and vacuum out moisture prior to filling the transformer with replacement oil. 3. Reject all bids. CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION: It is critical to remove the moisture in the transformer to maintain the integrity of the equipment. This work is also time sensitive and must be completed on schedule. The low bidder did not include all the work necessary to complete the repairs and reconditioning. Awarding this bid to the low bidder would require additional work to be procured to complete the project, thereby delaying the project. The alternative bidder, although offering a higher bid cost, includes all the necessary work that City staff had solicited in the RFQ. Therefore, that Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt Alternative No. 1 as stated above.