HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/06/2012 Work Session IT COLUMBIA EIGHTS Mayor
Gary L. Peterson
Councilmembers
Robert A. Williams
590 40 Avenue NE, Columbia Heights, MN 55421 -3878 (763)706 -3600 TDD (763) 706 -3692 Bruce Nawtocki
Visit our website at: www.ci.coluntbia- heights.ntn.us D nanaera Diehm
Donna Schmitt
City Manager
Walter R Fehst
ADMINISTRATION
NOTICE OF CITY COUNCIL MEETING
to be held in the
CITY OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS
as follows:
Meeting of: COLUMBIA HEIGHTS CITY COUNCIL
Date of Meeting: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2012
Time of Meeting: 7:00 P.M.
Location of Meeting: CONFERENCE ROOM 1
Purpose of Meeting: WORK SESSION
1. NLC Service Line Insurance
2. 50th Avenue Turn Lane
3. Property maintenance inspection enforcement process - discussion
4. Council Corner - discussion
5. 2012 Council /City Staff Liaison Assignments
The City of Columbia Heights does not discriminate on the basis of disability in the admission or access to,
or treatment or employment in, its services, programs, or activities. Upon request, accommodation will be
provided to allow individuals with disabilities to participate in all City of Columbia Heights' services,
programs, and activities. Auxiliary aids for handicapped persons are available upon request when the
request is made at least 96 hours in advance. Please call the City Clerk at 763 - 706 -3611 to make
arrangements. (TDD /706 -3692 for deaf or hearing impaired only)
AGENDA SECTION: WORK SESSION ORIGINATING DEPARTMENT: CITY MANAGER
NO: PUBLIC WORKS
ITEM: NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES BY: Kevin Hansen BY:
SERVICE LINE WARRANTY PROGRAM DATE 02/01/2012 DATE:
Background:
Following a League of Minnesota Cities meeting in 2011, Council member Schmitt obtained information published by
the National League of Cities (NLC), offering a low cost protection program for property owner's sewer and water lines.
The program is called NLC Service ! ine Warranty Program Detailed information on the program is available on the
NLC website at the specific URL:
hiap :Ay wrA (c.or1T /lilid-city-solutions/enterprise-programs/service-16 ie- warranty
The program is administered through Utilities Service Partners, Inc. (USP) and is available to cities in almost all States
— see attached 2 -page brochure.
Analysis /Conclusions:
The program is advertised as a warranty, or is essentially an insurance policy that helps pay for private utility line
repairs. The program costs between $4.50 -$5.50 a month (each), offers no deductible, and is capped at $4,000 each
sewer and water service, per occurrence. There are no annual or lifetime caps for coverage.
The Cities' involvement requires an approving resolution, and reviewing /approving the Press Release, campaign letters
and publications used in the City. USP entirely administers the program, including customer contacts, billing and
arranging contractors when needed for repairs.
A FAQ 2 -page brochure is also included that provides details on the Warranty Plan and implementation in the City.
The City Manager and Public Works staff did meet with the USP regional account manager who explained the
background and details of the program. Currently in the State of Minnesota, only the City of Buffalo has the program
available.
It should be noted that CenterPointe offers a protection service plan that also offers coverage for sewer drain emergency
cleaning at $5.20 a month.
Recommended Motion: Consider implementing the NLC Service Line Warranty Program in Columbia Heights.
COUNCIL ACTION:
NATIONAL
LEAGUE
ocCITIES, NLC SERVICE LINE WARRANTY PROGRAM
UTILITY
How long has the company been in business? How much will residents save by using the warranty
The company was originally formed in 1998 within program?
Columbia Energy to provide service line warranties for its While costs for water line and sewer line repairs can vary,
utility customers. USP was formed in September 2003 to the average cost of repairing a broken water line or sewer
purchase Columbia Service Partners from Columbia Energy. line may range from $1,200 to over $3,500.
USP continues to expand the product offerings and grow the
business through city and utility partnerships. USP is a proud Will th program cost t c any money
member of the Better Business Bureau.
Not a cent. USP pays for all marketing materials and
program administration. Furthermore, USP will pay the city
PROGRAM a royalty for every resident that participates in the program!
Is this program available everywhere? What benefit does the city receive from endorsing
The NLC Service Line Warranty Program will be introduced these programs?
throughout the contiguous United States in phases over the By endorsing the USP programs, the city is able to reduce
next 18 months. Please see our National Roll -Out Schedule residents' frustration over utility line failures by bringing
map for details regarding your state. them low -cost service options. 96% of survey respondents
say that their image of the city is enhanced because the
How are our citizens notified of the program? warranty program is offered as a service by the city. These
USP mails each resident a campaign letter which outlines programs also generate extra revenue for the city through
the cities' endorsement, followed by a reminder letter two the royalty that is paid by USP to the city. Finally our
weeks later to ensure the highest response rate. USP only programs help to stimulate the local economy. USP only
solicits through direct mail — no telemarketing is ever uses local contractors to complete the repairs which helps
employed. All homeowners will have the option to enroll in to keep the dollars in the local community.
the program, regardless of the age of their residence.
What cooperation will be needed from the cities?
USP desires to enter into a co- branded marketing services RESPONSIBILITIES
agreement with each city. The agreement provides for the
use of the city name /logo, in conjunction with USP's logo, Who administers the program?
on marketing materials sent to citizens. The city is endorsing Utility Service Partners (USP) administers the program and
USP as the service provider for the warranty program. is responsible for all aspects of the program including
marketing, billing, customer service, and performing all
When do you solicit residents? repairs to local code.
Through the years, we have found the optimal times to invite
citizens to participate are in the Spring and Fall of each year. What are the city's responsibilities?
We ask each city to work with USP to provide the
Does NLC or USP sell or rent the personal following; 1) a copy of the city seal, if available, for the
information of residents that enroll in the program? solicitation letterhead 2) the city's return address for outer
No. Neither the NLC nor USP will sell or rent the names of envelope (this ensures a high "open- rate ") 3) the name, title
prospective customers or participants. and signature sample of the designated solicitation signor
and 4) the appropriate zip codes of the city to allow USP
How much does the resident pay for this service? to purchase a mailing list of the residents.
Each warranty is sold separately and the price range is Why does the city have to provide a city seal,
generally between $4 and $5 a month per product. address and signature?
We have found that while the letter is written in such a manner
as to leave no doubt that it is a USP program (the USP logo is
on the enrollment form), the city address drives a very high
"open -rate" and the city seal and signature lend credibility
to the offer, thus driving a much higher enrollment rate.
Will we get a lot of calls from citizens when they Who replaces landscaping if damaged?
get the letter?
A press release provided by USP and issued prior to the first USP will provide basic restoration to the site. This includes
mailing will help alleviate citizen concerns, which should filling in the holes, mounding the trench (to allow for settling)
result in nominal calls to city hall. and raking and seeding the affected area. Restoration does
not include replacing trees or shrubs or repairing private
paved /concrete surfaces. This is outlined in the terms &
PRODUCTS conditions sent to the customer.
What building codes will you adhere to?
How will citizens know what is covered? If the line is broken and leaking, USP will repair or replace
All customers receive a set of terms and conditions upon the leaking portion of the line according to the current code.
enrollment in a utility warranty program. They have 30 days However, USP is not responsible for bringing working lines
from the date of enrollment to cancel and receive a full refund. up to code that are not in need of repair.
What items are included as part of the water line
CUSTOMER SERVICE
warranty?
The external water warranty covers the underground service Will a citizen have a long hold time when
line from the point of connection to the city main line to the
water meter. It also covers the underground service line reporting a claim?
between the water meter and the exterior foundation of the No. Repair calls receive the highest priority and are
home. If any part of the line is broken and leaking, USP will answered 24/7. Repair calls are connected to a live agent
repair or replace the line in order to restore the service. through a voice recognition unit (VRU).
Coverage caps listed in the terms & conditions are per
occurrence as follows: Will the customer always get a live operator when
$4,000 plus an additional $500 for public they call?
sidewalk cutting, if necessary Yes. Customers are directed to select to speak with either a
service or claims agent and will then be directed to a live
What items are included as part of the sewer line Agent.
warranty?
The external sewer line warranty covers the underground What is the claims process?
service line from the point of connection to the city main line to Program participants call a toll -free USP number to file a
the point of entry to the home. If any part of the line is broken claim. USP selects the contractor, who is required to contact
and leaking, USP will repair or replace the line in order to the customer within one hour of receiving the job to schedule
restore the service. Coverage caps listed in the terms & a time to begin the repairs. Typically, repairs are completed
conditions are per occurrence as follows: within 24 hours. Emergencies receive priority handling.
$4,000 plus an additional $4,000 for public
street cutting, if necessary CONTRACTORS
The Coverage Cap looks adequate but is there an
annual or lifetime restriction on how much you will Who performs the repair work?
pay to repair? USP retains local, professional plumbers to perform all the
No. Unlike some other warranties available, we provide you service line repair work.
with the full coverage per incident. We will pay up to your
coverage amount each and every time you need us. We do How selective are you when choosing contractors
not deduct prior repair expense from your coverage cap or to conduct repairs?
limit the amount we will pay annually.
USP only selects contractors who share our commitment to
Doesn't Homeowner's Insurance cover this type
excellence in customer service. Scorecards are maintained
for each contractor, tracking the customer satisfaction rating
of repair? for work performed. Customer feedback is shared with
Typically, no. Most homeowner policies will pay to repair the our contractors and any contractor with a low customer
damage created by failed utility lines but they generally do satisfaction rating is removed from the network.
not pay to repair the actual broken pipes or lines. We
encourage you to call your insurance company to determine
your actual coverage.
NLC SERVICE LINE WARRANTY PROGRAM
i _ _
Implementation Process
' 'r 1. Upon approval from city council (if applicable), execute one -
page contract provided by USP (upon contract execution, USP
will immediately begin to recruit and screen local contractors)
2. Approve Press Release provided by USP (general notice
„..° to eliminate resident confusion /city calls) and if desired,
distribute to local media and /or post to the city website
, .„__,,, ,..... 3. Send the following to USP for the creation of the citizen
solicitation letter:
• City Seal artwork, if available
• Name /Title of designated signor plus signature
• City Address for outer envelope
• Zip +4 list of city territory
4. Approve Campaign Letter provided by USP
0 5. Access Monthly Reporting via the web
6. Receive Annual Payment NATIONAL
y LEAGUE
of CITIES '"F"
CITY COUNCIL LETTER
Meeting of: February 6, 2012
AGENDA SECTION: WORK SESSION ORIGINATING DEPARTMENT: CITY MANAGER
NO: PUBLIC WORKS
ITEM: CONSTRUCTION OF RIGHT TURN BY Kevin Hanse BY
LANE FROM 50 AVENUE NE ONTO DATE 01/31/2012 DATE:
NORTHBOUND TH 65 (CENTRAL AVENUE)
Background:
Staff prepared a site layout plan and submitted a Cooperative Agreement Application for funding the construction of a
right turn lane on 50 Avenue, east of Central Avenue, in September of 2011. The proposed work is similar to the right
turn lane on 50 Avenue, west of Central Avenue, installed by the City in 2008. Staff was notified in early January of
2012 that the application did not rank for funding (see attached).
Analysis /Conclusions:
The Cooperative Agreement application referenced above followed State requirements for the design with an estimated
construction cost of $80,000 to $90,000 as detailed below:
1. Proposed Construction
The work would involve developing a right turn (RT) lane within the northerly ROW and existing easements. The
current road width is 32 feet, and adding a RT lane would modi /; the width to 40 feet. This would provide for a 14 foot
eastbound lane, a 12 foot through /left turn lane, and a 14 foot RT lane. Existing catch basins would need to be moved
along with the loop detectors and wiring for the signal system. This work would also require minor modifications to the
new ALDI's driveway access as the taper is being developed through this area again similar to the work that was
conducted at the liquor store on the west side.
Staff has reviewed 50 Avenue and conducted additional traffic counts with Aldi's now open. This intersection does not
have designated lanes due to the current width. Those are summarized on the attached aerial photograph. In taking the
traffic counts, staff did observe that the westbound lane does experience an occasional, but not regular, backup (9 -12
vehicles observed) and the frontage road will experience a delay also with up to five vehicles waiting to exit onto 50
Avenue. During these backups the vehicles do not clear the intersection during the green and have to wait for the next
green cycle. The traffic counts indicate a similar number of right turning (RT) and left turning (LT) movements — this
suggests the intersection would see an operational improvement from a designated RT lane.
Another consideration, and as recommended by the Traffic Commission, would be to make the frontage road a one -way
to the Jimmy John's south property line (see attached site layout). This would require customers from the retail strip
center to exit onto Central Avenue at the drive access midway between 49 and 50"' Avenues. At the Traffic
Commission Hearing on June 6, 2011 for 50"' Avenue, the owner of the retail strip center voiced opposition to removing
the northbound lane onto 50 Avenue from the frontage road.
Without the Cooperative Agreement funding, staff has developed a new site layout that fits in a turn lane but does not
require modifications to the Aldi's drive entrance off 50"' or moving components of the signal system. It would involve
curbing removal on the south side of the roadway to attain a minimum width for the eastbound lane, left turn /thru, and
right turn lane. It would also require moving the catch basins and a hydrant to accommodate the new curb location. The
estimated cost of this revised layout is $46,500.
2. Project Funding/Methodology
The turn lane on the west side of 50 Avenue was funded with liquor store funds. For the east side proposal, City
Infrastructure funds could be used. Another consideration discussed by the Council was assessments to benefitting
property owners. A methodology would have to be determined — possibly using trip generation.
CITY COUNCIL LETTER
Meeting of: February 6, 2012
AGENDA SECTION: WORK SESSION ORIGINATING DEPARTMENT: CITY MANAGER
NO: PUBLIC WORKS
ITEM: CONSTRUCTION OF RIGHT TURN BY: Kevin Hansen BY:
LANE FROM 50 AVENUE NE ONTO DATE 01/31/2012 DATE:
NORTHBOUND TH 65 (CENTRAL AVENUE)
Page 2 of 2
Recommended Motion: Ordering the construction of a right turn lane on 50 Avenue NE onto northbound TH 65
(Central Avenue) in the 2012 Street Zone Improvement Program.
Attachment: MnDOT Cooperative Agreement Letter — 01/04/12
Traffic count - aerial
Revised site layout
COUNCIL ACTION:
•
0s °4 Minnesota Department of Transportation
e
Metro District Office Tel: 651-234-7768
Office of State Aid Office Fax: 651-234-7765
1500 West County Road B2 gregory.kern@state.mn.us
Roseville, MN 55113-3174
January 4, 2012
Mr. Kevin Hansen, P.E.
City of Columbia Heights
637 38 Avenue NE
Columbia Heights, MN 55421-3806
RE: Request for FY 2013 Municipal Agreement Program Funding
TH 65 at 49 and 50 Avenues
City of Columbia Heights
Dear Mr. Hansen:
I am writing to inform you of the decision reached on December 21, 2011 by the Fiscal Year (FY) 2013
Municipal Agreement Program Selection Committee regarding the above referenced project. After
considering 16 candidates submitted for inclusion in the F:f 2013 Program, the Selection Committee reached
the decision not to fund the referenced project. The folloWing process was utilized to arrive at that decision.
We utilized a selection process this year that ranked each of the project proposals within the four investment
categories (Support Community Develeprnett Safety, Improve Mobility and Maintain Existing
Infrastructure) and then the projects were compared across categories by the Selection Committee to prioritize
proposals for funding. Proposals were categorized under one or more of the investment categories based on
primary benefit (s). The goal was to haVe balance across'the investment categories and not have a strict
hierarchy determine selection priorities. The final step was, then determining what funding, if any, would be
offered to each project.
These steps were followed until all available: funding had been awarded. This project was categorized as a
Safety/Mobility project which the committee felt were the primary benefits. We had many excellent projects
submitted this year and unfortunately funding was completely allocated before the committee was able to put
any towards this project.
It is recommended that you continue to work with your Mn/DOT Area Manager/Engineer on this project.
If you have any questions about the selection process please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Gregory lan
Acting Cooperative Agreement Engineer
cc: Greg Coughlin, Mn/DOT-Metro State Aid *
Wayne Norris, Mn/DOT-Area Manager 4 `
Mark Lindeberg, Mn/DOT-Area Engineer *
File
* Electronic Copy Only
An equal opportunity employer
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I hereby certify that this plan was prepared by me or under DESIGNED BY :
my direct supervision and that I am a duly Licensed Professional DRAY& BY : RICH NORDSTROM C ITY o f C
Engineer under the laws of the State of Minnesota . DATE : FEBRUARY 2012 (I) CONSTRUCTED :
Date License No. ASBUILT :
COLUMBIA HEIGHTS - CITY COUNCIL LETTER
Meeting of: February 13, 2012
AGENDA SECTION: ORIGINATING DEPARTMENT: CITY MANAGER'S
NO: CITY MANAGER APPROVAL
ITEM: Approve 2012 Council /Staff BY: Patty Muscovitz BY:
Liaison Assignments DATE: February 7, 2012 DATE:
NO:
Tami Diehm was elected Council President at the January 23, 2012 City Council meeting.
Attached is the list of Council /City Staff assignments as discussed at the work session.
MOTION: Move to approve the 2012 Council Staff Liaison Assignments as reviewed.
COUNCIL ACTION:
h:\2012president & liaisons
2011 COUNCIL /CITY STAFF ASSIGNMENTS
City Commissions
Telecommunications Commission Bruce Nawrocki
Library Board Tami Diehm
Park & Recreation Commission Gary Peterson
Bobby Williams - alternate
Planning & Zoning Commission Gary Peterson
Bobby Williams - alternate
Traffic Commission Donna Schmitt
Charter Commission Tami Diehm — delegate
Gary Peterson - alternate
External Boards
League of Minnesota Cities Bruce Nawrocki — delegate
Council /City Manager — alternate
Rice Creek Watershed Advisory Board Bobby Williams — delegate
Kevin Hansen — alternate
North Star Corridor Bruce Nawrocki
Joint Law Enforcement Council Gary Peterson — delegate
Chief of Police - alternate
H/Boards & Commissions /2011 Council Liaisons