MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL AND WPC AUTHORITY
NOVEMBER 22, 2011
A (REGULAR) SPECIAL* MEETING of the City Council & WPC Authority was held in the City Hall Auditorium on Monday, November 22, 2011.
Present were Mayor Ryan Bingham, City Councilors Gregg Cogswell, Paul Samele, Elinor Carbone, Gerald Zordan, Marie Soliani and Drake Waldron, City Engineer Ed Fabbri and Public Works Director Gerald Rollett.
Mayor Bingham called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.
GREEN WASTE CHIPPING CONTRACT
On a motion by Councilor Zordan, seconded by Councilor Cogswell, the Council considered acceptance of the City Engineer's and Purchasing Agent's recommendation to authorize the Mayor to award a Green Waste Chipping Contract, based on bid results, to be paid from the City's Contingency Fund as approved by the Board of Finance on 11/15/2011, and to authorize the Mayor to act on behalf of the City regarding the execution and administration of the Contract, including approval of pay applications.
Mr. Fabbri explained that two bids were received, although not from local contractors. One was from a company in New York and the other, Supreme Industries, would subcontract the work out to a company in South Carolina. He said Supreme Industries did not bid on the specifications given them, specifically chipping the brush at curbside. After meeting with Mr. Rollett and Atty. Weaver, Mr. Fabbri said they are recommending the other bidder be awarded this contract. Because the unit-price quantity can only be estimated, he said they intend to daily track the material picked up.
Mr. Fabbri said the contractor would have four crews available that could have the project done in two weeks.
Mr. Rollett noted that the $99,000 requested two weeks ago has become $160,600. At that time we did not receive any notification from FEMA concerning eligibility, he said, and since that time the President did declare a disaster for the entire State of Connecticut for all categories of clean up and debris work, allowing the City to apply for a 75% reimbursement. In answer to Councilor Zordan's question on the likelihood of reimbursement, Mr. Rollett said this is the sixth or seventh FEMA event he's gone through and we've never been refused, although there are no guarantees. Mr. Rollett said the eligible costs for Storm Alfred could be in excess of $300,000.
Mr. Fabbri noted that FEMA insists the specifications are followed in the bid process.
Mr. Rollett said account executive, Bob Axelrod, delivered a check for $90,000 which is part of the City's streetlight rebate. Mr. Axelrod informed Mr. Rollett that a CL&P bucket truck and crew could become available for Torrington. This has been arranged for Monday, December 5th, Mr. Rollett said, which will go a long way in removing debris.
Mayor Bingham said the projected cost to the City is $40,000 after FEMA's 75% eligible reimbursement. He said he has been working on a Request for Expressed Interest for the former landfill site on Vista Drive, which could be a temporary site for potential chipped material and an additional revenue source relating to the storm process. This unanticipated revenue source could be used to offset some of these costs, he said. Mr. Rollett added that a disposal site would be good for the entire region and the State does not have adequate disposal sites for the debris that's expected to be generated from Storm Alfred.
Mayor Bingham asked if the Council would like to amend the motion with a not-to-exceed number of $160,600 and award the contract to Dom's Tree Service.
Councilor Soliani said she's concerned that the City will take a financial hit with this, and recommended the not-to-exceed figure be included, along with a plea to Torrington property owners to only put storm damaged trees curbside.
Mr. Rollett asked if, when the not-to-exceed mark is met, and only 80% of the City is done, for example, the Council will decide not to finish the other streets. He said this will be a difficult decision to make and suggested a separate storm contingency fund be set up in the future.
Councilor Soliani said it needs to be kept as cost-effective as possible to avoid additional taxpayer burdens.
Mayor Bingham recommended the motion be amended as follows: Vote to accept the City Engineer's and Purchasing Agent's recommendation to authorize the Mayor to award a Green Waste Chipping contract to Dom's Tree Service estimated at $160,600 to be paid from the City Contingency fund and to authorize the Mayor to act on behalf of the City regarding the execution and administration of the contract including approval of pay applications, contingent on Board of Finance approval.
Councilor Zordan amended his motion to include the Mayor's recommended wording, and Councilor Cogswell amended his second. Mr. Rollett reassured Councilor Soliani that he will have a good idea of the cost within the first week of cleanup. A vote was taken and the motion was unanimously approved.
ADJOURNMENT
On a motion by Councilor Carbone, seconded by Councilor Waldron, and unanimously approved, the meeting was adjourned at 6:56 p.m.
ATTEST: JOSEPH L. QUARTIERO, CMC CITY CLERK |
Respectfully Submitted Carol L. Anderson, CCTC Asst. City Clerk |
*Corrected 12/5/2011
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