Report from Public Works Committee meeting dated November 21, 2017.
1. Consider Recommending City Council Approval of Pedestrian Trail Easement Vacation on Lot 6, Block 3, Wildlife Sanctuary Third Addition: Ratify the recommendation of the Public Works Committee to recommend that the City Council not vacate the pedestrian trail easement on Lot 6, Block 3, Wildlife Sanctuary Third Addition, but talk with the resident about removing the blacktop with the resident responsible for restoration.
2. Consider Request for Additional Stop Signs at the Intersection of 163rd Avenue / Marble Street: Ratify the recommendation of the Public Works Committee to recommend that the City Council not install additional stop signs at this intersection based on the traffic counts and accident history, that speed limit signs be posted in both directions, and the Police Department continue to enforce the 30-mph speed limit in the area in an effort to reduce speeds on 163rd Avenue.  
3. Consider Public Infrastructure Feasibility Study for The COR: Ratify the recommendation of the Public Works Committee to recommend that the City Council authorize the Bolton & Menk work order, not to exceed $25,384, to complete concept designs and feasibility reports for all remaining public infrastructure needed in The COR. This is being discussed as a separate case on tonight's agenda. 
4. Consider Recommending City Council Approval of September 2017 Comprehensive Sanitary Sewer Study Update: Ratify the recommendation of the Public Works Committee to recommend that the City Council approval of the September 2017 Comprehensive Sanitary Sewer Study Update, including the sanitary sewer infrastructure needed to serve the 167th node area. Council approved the Comprehensive Sanitary Sewer Study Update on November 28th. 
5. Consider Recommending City Council Approval of September 2017 Comprehensive Water System Study Update: Ratify the recommendation of the Public Works Committee to recommend that the City Council approve of the September 2017 Comprehensive Water System Study Update and ask staff to address the questions raised relating to dead end stubs.  Council approved the Comprehensive Water System Study Update on November 28th. 
6. Consider Recommending City Council Approval of Municipal State Aid Maintenance Allocation Reduction: Ratify the recommendation of the Public Works Committee to recommend that the City Council approve reducing the City of Ramsey’s MSA maintenance allocation from 35% to 25%.  Council approved the Municipal State Aid Maintenance Allocation Reduction on November 28th. 
7. Consider the Addition of Street Lights in our Industrial Area:  Ratify the recommendation of the Public Works Committee to recommend that the City Council approve installation of priority street lights at the following intersections: Ramsey Boulevard / 143rd Avenue; Jaspar Street / 143rd Avenue; Ebony Street / 143rd Avenue; Ebony Street / 141st Avenue; and, Azurite Street / 144th Avenue.






 

The Public Works Committee held its regular meeting on November 21, 2017 and discussed the following cases:
1. Consider Recommending City Council Approval of Pedestrian Trail Easement Vacation on Lot 6, Block 3, Wildlife Sanctuary Third Addition: City Engineer Westby reviewed the staff report, and Parks and Assistant Public Works Superintendent Riverblood presented an alternative future trail connection route which would allow the pedestrian trail easement on Lot 6, Block 3, Wildlife Sanctuary Third Addition to be vacated.  Motion to ratify the recommendation of the Public Works Committee to recommend that the City Council not vacate the pedestrian trail easement on Lot 6, Block 3, Wildlife Sanctuary Third Addition, but direct staff to talk with the resident about removing the blacktop with the resident responsible for restoration.
2. Consider Request for Additional Stop Signs at the Intersection of 163rd Avenue / Marble Street: Public Works Superintendent Riemer reviewed the staff report and explained staff has received a petition signed by 17 residents requesting additional stop signs at the intersection of 163^rd Avenue and Marble Street.  Currently, there are stop signs on the Marble Street portions of the intersection.  He explained the reasons given for the additional stop signs are excessive speed and poor visibility at the intersection when traveling westbound on 163^rd Avenue. Staff reviewed the traffic counts for the area, noting the traffic counts and accident history do not meet warrants to change this to a 4-way stop condition.  With regard to the issue of poor visibility, staff would recommend cutting back vegetation in the northwest corner of the intersection.  Staff recommends not installing additional stop signs at this intersection based on the low traffic counts and accident history not relating to the intersection. Motion to ratify the recommendation of the Public Works Committee to recommend that the City Council not install additional stop signs at this intersection based on the traffic counts and accident history, that speed limit signs be posted in both directions, and the Police Department continue to enforce the 30-mph speed limit in the area in an effort to reduce speeds on 163rd Avenue.
 3. Consider Public Infrastructure Feasibility Study for The COR: Assistant to the City Administrator Brama reviewed the staff report and Bolton & Menk work order to provide concept level plans and a feasibility report for all remaining needed public infrastructure in The COR.  This work order is consistent with the City of Ramsey EDA Work Plan, Tactic/Strategy #2, and approved by the EDA/City Council for the Inland Group/Affinity apartment project. Staff explained that Bolton & Menk has provide the City of Ramsey with similar services in the past for the new Ramsey Business Park and was selected at that time, through a competitive RFP process based on quality of services and competitive pricing.  Staff is comfortable recommending Bolton & Menk for this work order based on their track record of helping staff successfully with similar projects, they are familiar with and have completed several recent projects in The COR, and are a Ramsey business. Motion to ratify the recommendation of the Public Works Committee to recommend that the City Council authorize the Bolton & Menk work order, not to exceed $25,384, to complete concept designs and feasibility reports for all remaining public infrastructure needed in The COR.
4. Consider Recommending City Council Approval of September 2017 Comprehensive Sanitary Sewer Study Update: City Engineer Westby reviewed the staff report and explained the purpose of this case is to consider recommending City Council approval of the September 2017 Comprehensive Sanitary Sewer Study Update.  It was noted the 2012 Comprehensive Sanitary Sewer Study was prepared with the goal of meeting the City’s infrastructure needs based on development projected within the City’s 2030 Comprehensive plan.  The 2017 Comprehensive Sanitary Sewer Study Update incorporates current population and land use projection, addresses impact on the City’s sanitary sewer infrastructure due to development that has occurred in the last five years as well as currently proposed and projected development out to the year 2040 to be consistent with the 2040 Comprehensive Plan updates that are underway.  The Public Works Committee recommended City Council approval of the September 2017 Comprehensive Sanitary Sewer Study Update, including the sanitary sewer infrastructure needed to serve the 167th node area.  Council approved the September 2017 Comprehensive Sanitary Sewer Study Update on November 28th.
5. Consider Recommending City Council Approval of September 2017 Comprehensive Water System Study Update: City Engineer Westby referenced the staff report and explained the purpose of this case is to consider recommending City Council approval of the September 2017 Comprehensive Water Study Update.  He noted it is the same consideration as the previous case with updating projections.  The 2012 Comprehensive Water System Study was prepared with the goal of meeting the City’s infrastructure needs based on development projected within the City’s 2030 Comprehensive Plan.  The 2017 Comprehensive Water System Study Update incorporates current population and land use projects and addresses impacts on the City’s water system infrastructure due to development that has occurred since 2012 as well as currently proposed and projected development out to the year 2040 to be consistent with the 2040 Comprehensive Plan Updates that are underway. The Public Works Committee recommended City Council approval of the September 2017 Comprehensive Water System Study Update, and asked staff to address the questions raised relating to dead end stubs.  Council approved the September 2017 Comprehensive Water System Study Update on November 28th.
6. Consider Recommending City Council Approval of Municipal State Aid Maintenance Allocation Reduction:  
City Engineer Westby reviewed the staff report and explained the purpose of this case is to consider recommending approval of reducing the City’s Municipal State Aid (MSA) Maintenance allocation from 35% to 25%.  Staff explained a Maintenance Expenditure Report must be completed by a MSA city if the city’s maintenance request is greater than 25% of its total allocation, or the city’s lump sum request is greater than 25% of its total allocation.  If a city requests more than 25% as maintenance allocation, a Maintenance Expenditure Report must be completed and filed each year.  He stated this report takes about 30 hours of staff time to create and in the end, it provides no benefit. The Public Works Committee recommended City Council approval of reducing the City of Ramsey’s MSA maintenance allocation from 35% to 25%.  Council approved the Municipal State Aid Maintenance Allocation Reduction on November 28th.
7. Consider the Addition of Street Lights in our Industrial Area: Public Works Superintendent Riemer presented the staff report and explained the purpose of this case is to investigate the installation of additional street lights in the City’s industrial areas.  He explained staff received a complaint from a local business owner about vandalism who felt part of the cause was lack of adequate street lighting near his business.  Staff inventoried street lighting in the industrial area and found it could be improved at several key intersections. Motion to ratify the recommendation of the Public Works Committee to recommend that the City Council approve installation of priority street lights at the following intersections: Ramsey Boulevard / 143rd Avenue; Jaspar Street / 143rd Avenue; Ebony Street / 143rd Avenue; Ebony Street / 141st Avenue; and, Azurite Street / 144th Avenue.








 

Motion to ratify the recommendation of the Public Works Committee.