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12-13-84 Street & Alley Comm Minutes4:00 P. M. December 13, 1984 SEWER & WATER COMMITTEE The committee met in the Conference Room, present were Chairman Nystul, C Members Ruiz and Springer, Mayor McDowell, DPW Hammer, Water Dept. Working Foreman Steve Cox, Engineer Dennis Carver and Roger Hopkins, DIL. Sandy Fellows Trailer Court DPW Hammer stated that Ms Fellows wants to hook onto our system, the trailer court is located on College Avenue and previously encountered lift station/SID problems. Dennis Carver has designed a system for her which would cost $31,400 and would serve only the trailer court. She is willing to put up this amount. Dennis proposes that the City put in a system to serve the other 279 households. The court is located in the City limits but doesn't have a lift station. Estimated cost $45,000. If stand by power is not available, another $15,000 will be needed for a generator. A force main will be an additional cost, total estimated at $75,000-80_,000. About 50% of this could be recouped with a Developer's Extension Agreement. DPW Hammer raised a question on the 279 housholds, felt it to be closer to 150. Stahly Engineering has done a design for the Evergreen Study with lift station on Willow Glen. The trailer court is not in that district. Difficulty is expected with the area being so flat, also with ground water. Hammer has talked with Stahly, money is left over in the Evergreen Study, we may be able to work in conjunction with them. He stated that if the lift station is close enough so the entire area could be pumped, the City could pay the difference. We have $430,000 in the Sewer Fund for main extensions, would like to use some of the fund to service the entire area, both in and out of City limits. The project would be on line in spring. C. Nystul suggested that it would be more efficient to have Dennis Carver hired for the preliminary design: where lift station would be located, how .large an area would be • covered and dollar costs. C. Springer moved that Carver Engineering be allowed to do the preliminary study to see what a reasonable area would be served by one lift station, then come back with costs, etc. and decide what to do. Seconded by C. Ruiz. Motion carried. Carver will give a written proposal. Personnel: DPW Recommendation to Replace Water Superintendent Position DPW Hammer stated that a full time lab technician and all around maintenance employee is needed at the WWTP. He estimates that 24-28 hours would be spent in lab work, the balance in operational duties. DPW Hammer will do a job description for operator with ability to perform lab duties as assigned. He states there is no budget problem in filling this position and he will notify the Employment Committee of the slight change in job description language to replace this unfilled position. Personnel: DPW Recommendation to Replace Water Superintendent Position DPW Hammer stated a need for two meter installers. Foreman Steve Cox reports that dur- ing the last 3 years with changeover to outreader digital meters, installation has been done in slack time and the program isn't keeping up with meters that need to be rebuilt. During the last 6 months the Water Department was so busy that meters were given to contractors to install themselves, and as a result, no one signed up for accounts. Water is being metered but not read. DPW Hammer says 247 accounts exist without meter being installed or having meters that don't work. C. Nystul states that 144 are not registering now, 243 are estimating and 28 are out, this totals 415 accounts that need immediate attention. n Sewer 6 Water Committee - Page 2 December 13, 1984 W. Foreman Cox has recorded installations; with program should be able to install 6 �- a day. He stated that if we have two full time installers, within 5 years the City could be on a reader program, which is the first step toward automated readout. He will train the installation people himself. Discussion of meter installer salary. C. Ruiz did not agree with the proposed $6.00 hourly wage, stating that it was not in line with the $8.60 wage of the waterworks meter reader. Steve Cox pointed out that the reader salary base included duties such as installations and lab work initially. C. Ruiz stated that the reader now does not do any of these duties. DPW Hammer stated that the reader put in 6 weeks in the field and 3 in the office. C. Ruiz asked that she did in the office, when told, he stated that she was overpaid, the clerk position underpaid and this would have to be cleaned up. DPW stated that the waterworks reader position would change in January. Returning to meter installer position, Cox stated that the persons hired should be able to intelligently answer questions, be knowledgeable about flow/leaks, be identi- fied as a Water Department employee in uniform. He also stated that with a price re- duction, brass meters could be purchased for less money. It costs less to replace new meters than to repair the old ones. The technical part of meter installation is not difficult and when the department expands, we will have two trained employees. With the new mall and other projects, Cox foresees torn service lines, etc. and states that on any given day he could occupy all personnel with needed projects. C. Ruiz suggested $7.50 as top starting salary for installers, this would be 90% for 6 months. The job description will indicate that the program may end after one year. DPW Hammer stated that the waterworks meter reader will schedule installations of the . meters. He will send a job description to the Employment Committee, indicating that the position will be a union job and will be further addressed to the union at bar- gaining time. Summarizing the DPW recommendation on Water -Sewer Superintendent, Hammer stated that the position of Supt. though not hourly, averaged about $10.15 an hour. The DPW Secretary position to be advertised,by union contract will pay $5.27. A balance of $4.88 remains by not hiring a Superintendent. His request for one additional full time employee at WWTP and 2 meter installers is taken into consideration. He states that the duties of the superintendent have been spread to WWTP Chief Operator Olson, himself and to Working Foreman Cox. He feels that consideration should be given to Olson and Cox at an hourly rate increase, $.50-$1.00 per hour for compensation for extra duties they have assumed if the Superintendent position is totally eliminated. He does not ask for compensation for his increased duties. It was decided that the request should come from -Cox and Olson to the union. Having a secretary for DPW office will help and the arrangement is working out well for all concerned. - C. Ruiz moved to recommend to Council not to fill the Superintendent position and to go along with DPW Hammer's recommendation to fill the other four positions. Second by C. Nystul. Motion carried. Water Billing Problem C. Nystul reports receiving a call from Northwest Dry Wall on Meridian, their water bill previously has been around $6.00, is now over $200. The water line to a trailer on the property was broken, the owners found the break and repaired it. They ask for considera- tion on such a large jump in bill. C. Ruiz suggests verification that the line was broken, and if so, doesn't mind making an adjustment on the bill. Meeting adjourned at 5:00 MS