Infrastructure Committee Meeting

June 9, 2014

The Riverlea Committee on Infrastructure met on June 9, 2014 at 5840 Falmouth Court. The following members were in attendance: Council member Eric A. MacGilvray (Chair), Bill Charles (Street Commissioner), Marc Benevento, and Pamela Colwell. Jim Dippel from Burgess & Niple was a guest. At 7:15 p.m. the meeting was called to order.

  1. Review of 2009 SEIP report; preliminary discussion of work to be proposedThe Committee reviewed the options set out in the 2009 Street Evaluation and Improvement Plan (SEIP) prepared by Burgess and Niple. Replacement of the street base along with new curbs would cost the most, but would allow easier and cheaper replacement of the water lines and upgrades/repairs to the storm sewers since the streets would not have to be dug up and repaired. The cost of this option is around $7 million .

    A less costly option would be to replace the curbs at a higher level in order to mill and overlay the existing pavement. Dippel expressed concern that the base may be in bad condition, which could lead to future street problems. However, there was some discussion that the base may be fine. Raising the curbs also would affect driveway aprons and would require re-grading of many yards, which would disturb current plantings and objects located in the right-of-way.

    Among options not included in the report, leaving the curbs and milling down the asphalt may not be possible because there may not be enough asphalt above the base. The last and cheapest option would be to mill down the asphalt and cover the gutters again, replacing only the portion of curbs needing it most. These options do not address water line replacement or storm sewer upgrades and repair.

    MacGilvray will check with MORPC to see if there is a backend deadline for completion of the project. There is interest in doing the project in sections over a period of time to spread costs and facilitate resident access throughout the Village.

    The Street Commissioner said he will try to get the water lines assessed this summer. There may be a safety issue if there is not enough water pressure to put out a house fire. This would show residents that this work must be done now and cannot be put off indefinitely. Dippel said it would make sense to do the upgrades and repairs to the storm sewers at the time the streets are done, and that this was assumed when they completed the recent storm sewer evaluation. They can be done separately but this would cost more since the street above them will need to be repaired, and for necessary immediate repairs, costs are higher because time is limited.

    Dippel will provide some ballpark estimates and pros and cons of the different options for the Council meeting next Monday. He will also provide an estimate of the cost for Burgess & Niple’s assistance in preparing the OPWC proposal.

  2. Review of SCIP/LTIP application processThe Committee reviewed the terms of the OPWC grant and loan programs and discussed other options for receiving financial assistance. Concern was expressed regarding the magnitude of the expenses and the legal limit of indebtedness for the Village. Because the streets are only used by residents, it may be difficult to get outside assistance in paying for them. Before any application is made, the Village must show how it will repay the debt. The options are: levy, assessments, income tax, and service surcharges. The Committee will discuss those options at its next meeting. They will also plan to have a public forum at the August Council meeting to get input from residents.
  3. Division/delegation of tasks; discussion of schedule and agendas for subsequent meetingsThe next meeting will continue the discussion of the financial aspects of the infrastructure repairs, including current and potential new revenue sources.
    OPWC funding – MacGilvray
    Levy and service surcharges – Colwell
    Assessments and income tax – Benevento
    Update options and costs – Dippel
    OWDA loans – Charles

The next Committee meeting will be Monday, June 23, 2014 at 7:00 pm at 5840 Falmouth Court. The meeting was adjourned at 8:21 pm.

ERIC MACGILVRAY, CHAIR