Environmental Quality and Public Works Committee

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Environmental Quality and Public Works Committee met on October 20, 2015, at 1:00 p.m., with Farmer presiding. The committee addressed seven agenda items, taking 10 votes and hearing 8 public comments during the session.

The committee approved three items: the Committee Summary, the Snow & Ice Control Plan Update, and the Sidewalks Priority List & Funding proposal. Two informational presentations were received on the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) and the Division of Water Quality Projects Report. Two items were deferred: Downtown Speed Limits and Items Referred to Committee, to be addressed at a future meeting.

Attendance

The following individuals were present at the meeting on October 20, 2015:

• Farmer
• Stinnett
• Kay
• Moloney
• J. Brown
• Gibbs
• Evans
• F. Brown
• Mossotti
• Hensley

No absences or late arrivals were recorded.

Votes and Decisions

Approval of September 15, 2015 Environmental Quality and Public Works Committee Summary and Motions 3:32 Motion by Kay, seconded by Evans. Passed unanimously with all 10 members voting in favor: F. Brown, Evans, Farmer, Gibbs, Kay, Moloney, Mossotti, Stinnett, J. Brown, and Hensley.

Approval of Inclusion of North Limestone Street and Bryan Avenue to Study Area 3:32 Motion by J. Brown, seconded by Gibbs. Passed unanimously with 9 members voting in favor: F. Brown, Evans, Farmer, Gibbs, Kay, Moloney, Stinnett, J. Brown, and Hensley.

Motion to Allocate $10 Million for Roadway Repairs/Repaving 5:15 Motion by Stinnett, seconded by F. Brown. Failed with 7 ayes and 3 nays. Voting in favor: Evans, Farmer, Gibbs, Kay, Moloney, Mossotti, and Stinnett. Voting against: F. Brown, J. Brown, and Hensley.

Amended Motion to Allocate Funding for Roadway Repairs According to Condition 60 or Below 5:15 Motion by Mossotti, seconded by J. Brown. Passed with 8 ayes and 2 nays. Voting in favor: F. Brown, Farmer, Gibbs, Kay, Moloney, Mossotti, Stinnett, and J. Brown. Voting against: Evans and Hensley.

Motion to Enter Recess 5:15 Motion by Kay, seconded by F. Brown. Passed unanimously.

Motion to Accept Snow and Ice Control Plan Service Levels 28:26 Motion by Fred Brown, seconded by Gibbs. Passed unanimously.

Motion to Accept Sidewalk Snow Removal Plan 56:03 Motion by Gibbs, seconded by Stinnett. Passed with 8 ayes and 2 nays. Voting in favor: Farmer, Gibbs, Kay, Moloney, Mossotti, Stinnett, J. Brown, and Hensley. Voting against: Evans and F. Brown.

Motion to Adopt Snow Plan and Request 2017 Budget 1:18:17 Motion by Evans, seconded by Kay. Passed with 8 ayes and 2 nays. Voting in favor: Farmer, Gibbs, Kay, Moloney, Mossotti, Stinnett, J. Brown, and Hensley. Voting against: Evans and F. Brown.

Motion to Approve Funding for Snow Removal Capacity Enhancement RFP 1:22:09 Motion by Kay, seconded by Brown. Passed with 8 ayes and 2 nays. Voting in favor: Farmer, Gibbs, Kay, Moloney, Mossotti, Stinnett, J. Brown, and Hensley. Voting against: Evans and F. Brown.

Motion to Adjourn 5:15 Motion by Kay, seconded by Scutchfield. Passed unanimously.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed two financial actions related to winter weather preparedness:

Snow and Ice Control Plan Enhancement

The body approved $288,034 in funding for snow and ice control plan capacity enhancement through a request for proposal (RFP) process. This contract funding supports expanded capabilities for managing snow and ice control operations.

Sidewalk Snow Removal Plan

An appropriation of $95,000 was approved for the sidewalk snow removal plan, providing dedicated funding for this winter maintenance service.

These combined allocations totaling $383,034 represent the financial commitments made during this meeting to enhance winter weather response and maintenance capabilities.

Public Comment

Eight speakers addressed the meeting, raising concerns about snow and ice control plans and sidewalk policies.

Snow and Ice Control

Fred Brown requested that roads and sidewalks be discussed separately, noting that they are distinct issues requiring independent consideration 19:50.

Maloney expressed concern about enforcement and city-caused sidewalk damage due to salt application, urging caution and a phased approach to implementation 40:04.

Sidewalk Snow Removal

Evans asked about the necessity of the plan and whether it would be included in future budgets if not approved in the current year 49:16.

Hensley stated he would not support the plan due to budgetary concerns and the absence of sidewalks in his district 53:49.

Sidewalk Installation

Stinnett sought clarification on how the prioritization system would function and whether it would be updated regularly 1:31:47.

Bledsoe asked about neighborhood support requirements and whether multi-use paths would be considered as alternatives to sidewalks 1:40:36.

Lamb inquired about neighborhood support requirements and the process by which the community would express support for sidewalk projects 1:42:13.

Maloney raised concerns that new sidewalk construction might take priority over addressing existing ADA-compliance issues 1:43:17.

Contested Items

The October 20, 2015 meeting included two significant areas of disagreement among council members.

Sidewalk Snow Removal Funding and Implementation

Council members were divided on whether to approve a sidewalk snow removal plan immediately. The split vote reflected concerns about multiple aspects of the proposal. Members raised questions about the budget impact of the plan, noting that there had been insufficient public input before bringing it to a vote. Additionally, council members expressed concern about potential increased liability for the city should the plan be implemented.

Snow and Ice Control Plan Capacity Enhancement

A heated discussion emerged regarding a proposed four-year contract for snow and ice control plan capacity enhancement. The central point of contention was the long-term financial commitment involved. The contract would require an annual fee of $172,000, with council members debating whether this expense was justified, particularly given that the city would be obligated to pay this amount even during years with minimal or no snowfall. This concern about paying for services that might not be needed reflected disagreement over the cost-effectiveness and necessity of locking into such a lengthy financial commitment.

Approval of Committee Summary

The committee voted to approve the summary of the previous meeting 3:32. The approval proceeded without dissent, and no discussion occurred during this agenda item.

Outcome: The committee summary was approved.

Snow & Ice Control Plan Update

4:06

The committee reviewed the Snow & Ice Control Plan Update, with presentations from Albert Miller and David Holmes.

The discussion focused on three primary areas:

Service Levels Based on Snow Accumulation The committee examined how service levels would be structured in response to varying amounts of snow accumulation, establishing clear protocols for different weather conditions.

Capacity Enhancement The plan included strategies to enhance capacity through the use of private contractors, allowing the municipality to scale resources according to operational needs during winter weather events.

Funding Requirements Committee members addressed the financial needs associated with implementing the proposed snow and ice control plan.

Outcome A motion to accept the service levels was brought before the committee and passed unanimously, indicating full agreement among members on the proposed approach to snow and ice control operations.

Sidewalks – Priority List & Funding

The committee reviewed a proposal for sidewalk snow removal during this agenda item 12:49. Susan Plueger presented the plan, which outlined a three-year implementation schedule and detailed the funding requirements needed to support the initiative.

The presentation included a prioritization framework for sidewalk improvements and addressed the financial resources necessary to execute the plan over the proposed timeframe. The committee considered the scope and phasing of the project as part of their review.

Following the presentation and discussion, the committee voted on the proposal using a roll call vote. The motion to accept the sidewalk snow removal plan passed, indicating committee approval of the three-year implementation strategy and associated funding approach.

Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4)

The Division of Water Quality presented an annual update on the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) program 1:46:02. Jennifer Carey led the presentation, which was informational in nature.

The presentation covered several key areas of the MS4 program:

• Program expenditures
• Inspection activities
• Enforcement actions
• Upcoming permit requirements

The Division provided a comprehensive overview of the program's current status and performance metrics. No specific concerns or debate were raised during this agenda item. The presentation was received as informational, with no action items or decisions required from the meeting attendees.

Downtown Speed Limits

The committee discussed a proposal to reduce downtown speed limits to 25 mph, with pedestrian safety cited as the primary rationale for the change.

Key Participants

The discussion involved committee members Dowell Hoskins-Squier, Farmer, Evans, and Hensley.

Issues Raised

Several concerns emerged during the discussion:

• Questions were raised about the data supporting the proposal
• The committee sought clarification on the extent of public input gathered
• Consistency with speed limits in residential areas was discussed as a consideration

Outcome

No vote was taken on the proposal. The matter was deferred, indicating the committee did not reach a decision at this time and may revisit the issue at a future meeting.

Division of Water Quality Projects Report

Jennifer Carey presented the Division of Water Quality Projects Report 1:46:02. The presentation was informational in nature and covered multiple aspects of the division's operations and activities.

The report addressed the following areas:

• Program expenditures
• Inspections conducted
• Enforcement actions
• Future challenges facing the division

The discussion of this agenda item did not result in a vote. The item was presented for informational purposes to update the meeting attendees on the division's current work and outlook.

Items Referred to Committee

Agenda Item VII addressed items referred to committee. Due to time constraints, no discussion of this agenda item occurred during the meeting. The item was deferred for consideration at a future time.