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About The Baker County press. (Baker City, Ore.) 2014-current | View Entire Issue (April 1, 2016)
8 — THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 2016 Local Public Works Advisory Committee: Paving projects and Capital Plan • APPROVED DRAFTS NOW GO BEFORE CITY COUNCIL IN APRIL BY TODD ARRIOLA Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com The Baker City Public Works Advisory Commit- tee held its regular meeting on Tuesday, March 28, 2016, 7 p.m., in the Coun- cil Chambers, of Baker City Hall, unanimously approving and recom- mending to City Council, two draft documents: the 2016/2017 Capital Plan, and the 2016 Pavement Management Plan. Along with the 2016/2017 Asset Maintenance Plan, all three draft documents will be provided to City Council for review, during its regu- lar meeting, on Tuesday, April 12, 2016. Attending the meeting were Chair Gary Carter, Public Works Director Michele Owen, Baker City Engineer Doug Schwin, and committee members Keith Magnusom, Jim Bruce, Allen McDaniel, Jim Thomas, and John Wickert. Carter called the meeting to order, and the minutes from the January 21, 2016 meeting were reviewed, and approved, with a mo- tion from Wichert, and a second from Thomas. Schwin presented the Capital Plan, a draft docu- ment which covers updates and estimated costs for the current fiscal year 2015- 2016, and estimated costs for fiscal years 2016-2017, 2017-2018, and 2018- 2019, including supply water, waste water, and storm water projects. The estimated total for supply water costs, for the second half of the cur- rent fiscal year (January 1, 2016 through June 30, 2016) is $31,002.40, which includes: two hydrant replacements, at $12,000 total; miscellaneous water line extensions, at $5,000 total; Broadway and Fifth Street valve and hydrant replacement, at $9,000 total; engineering charges of $2,600 total; and administrative charges of $2,042.40 total. The estimated total for supply water project costs, for fiscal year 2016-2017 is $558,536.32, which includes replacement of 5,280 feet of the Mountain Line, with 20” diameter PVC pipe, at $184,800, reservoir discharge meter replacement, at $40,000, and the installation of an irrigation meter, and vault, for Cedar Acres Park. The three aforementioned proj- ects are required by state or federal regulatory agen- cies, and the current water rate structure, according to the document and com- mittee statements, doesn’t provide enough funding for all of the required projects. Because of the lack of funding required to com- plete all of the projected projects, from fiscal years 2016-2019, there were, and will continue to be, discussions, regarding pos- sibly seeking loans, grants, raising rates, and monthly billing, as opposed to bill- ing every two months. The total cost estimate for supply water projects, for fiscal year 2017-2018 is $1,914,994.40, which includes the purchase and installation of 3,000 feet of 20” diameter pipe, in the Mountain Line, at $600,000, and groundwater source development, which includes planning, design, and drilling, for a new mu- nicipal well, at $820,000. The total cost estimate for supply water projects, for fiscal year 2018-2019 is $2,238,731, which includes the purchase and installa- tion of 3,120 feet of 20” di- ameter pipe, in the Moun- tain Line, at $624,000, a chlorine system upgrade, including design of an on-site sodium hypochlo- rite generation system to replace the chlorine gas system, at $40,000, and groundwater source devel- opment, including the con- struction of a well house, pump station, new pip- ing, chlorination system, backup power, telemetry, etc., at $1,100,000. Waste water project estimates for the second half of the fiscal year 2015- 2016 are $221,547.92 total, including Cured In Place Pipe (CIPP) lining instal- lation, two new manholes, replacement of 15 feet of existing main line, on Auburn Avenue, east of the Powder River, and engi- neering support and water quality testing. Waste water project esti- mates for fiscal year 2016- 2017 are $349,373.20 total, including the installation of CIPP lining, Facility Plan updates, replacement of 492 feet of 6” main line with 8” main line, using the pipe bursting method, and reconnection of the laterals, on the alley main line, north of Nevada Street, from Fourth Street, to Dave Eccles Road, and engineering support and water quality testing. For fiscal year 2017- 2018, waste water project estimates total $256,366, including the installation of CIPP lining, replacement of 420 feet of 6” main line with 8” main line, in the al- ley main line, north of Val- ley Street, along Seventh Street, and the replacement of 330 feet of 6” main line with 8” main line, in the alley main line, east of Fourth Street, from Place Street, to Auburn Avenue. An estimate of waste wa- ter projects for fiscal year 2018-2019 is $417,340, including the installation of CIPP lining, an upgrade of the H Street lift station, at H Street and Seventh Street, and waste water treatment facility design improvements. The estimated cost for projects in the second half of fiscal year 2015-2016 is $17,289.80, including the installation of new catch Todd Arriola / The Baker County Press The Public Works Advisory Committee goes over a stack of paperwork at their meeting this week. basins at Campbell and Cherry streets, and Wash- ington and Ninth streets, and an inspection of the condition of existing storm main lines. The estimated total for storm water projects in fiscal year 2016-2017 is $27,568.29, including the installation of 480 feet of CIPP lining, on Valley Street, from Resort Street to the Powder River, instal- lation of a new catch basin at Fifteenth and Place streets, and an inspection of the condition of existing storm main lines. Cost estimates for storm water projects total $36,964.40 for each of the fiscal years 2017-2018, and 2018-2019, including, for both years, the installation of CIPP lining, and inspec- tion of the condition of existing storm main lines. The Capital Plan was approved, with some edit- ing, to recommend to the City Council for review on April 12, 2016, with a motion from Wickert, and a second from Carter. The committee next re- viewed the 2016 Pavement Management Plan, also presented by Schwin. In the document, Owen stated that it’s become more difficult to meet the goals of the pavement program, because of stagnant fund- ing, and increasing mainte- nance costs. She said the Street Fund revenue comes primarily from State Gas Tax, and from a portion of the Baker City property tax revenue, and neither source of funding is increasing, to keep up with costs of street maintenance. She said the City Council has been provided with op- tions, such as a street user fee, or a storm water fee, in order to increase funding, but neither option has been approved. Planned projects for 2016 include an asphalt grind and overly on Au- burn Avenue, from Main to Fourth streets, completion of of the same treatment on five short blocks between Resort and Main streets, including Church, Baker, Madison, Broadway, and Valley, and coordina- tion with ODOT (Oregon Department of Transpor- tation), in the complete removal and replacement of asphalt patches, along Cedar, north of Campbell, and along Seventeenth Street. Among other details provided, ratings for street conditions for 2015 include the following: 9.14% of City streets were rated as “Very Good,” including Best Frontage Road, and E Street (442 feet west of 17th Street); 49.9% of City streets were rated as “Good,” including Camp- bell Street (17th Street to the railroad tracks), and Ash Street (Spring Garden to Auburn Avenue); 40.3% of City streets were rated as “Fair,” including Plum Street (Madison Street to Campbell Street), and 11th Street (south side Estes Street to Auburn Avenue); 1% of City streets were rated as “Poor,” including Clifford Street (Wash- ington Street south), and Mitchell Avenue (Highway 7 to 4th Street); and 0% of City streets were rated as “Very Poor.” Clifford Street is the only street to have been rated “Very Poor,” however, it has received extensive asphalt patching, and is currently in the lower range of the “Very Poor” rating. The estimated street maintenance costs for 2016 include a total of $539,822.49, broken down as: $411,563 for thin overlay and grind/inlay application; $41,156.30 for engineering costs; $38,028.42 for administra- tive costs; and $49.074.77 for contingency costs. The 2016 Pavement Management Plan was also approved for recom- mendation to City Council for review, on April 12, 2016, with a motion from Carter, and a second from Thomas. The committee also reviewed the draft 2016- 2017 Asset Maintenance Plan, which includes details regarding Parks De- partment, Baker Municipal Airport, Public Works, Wa- ter Treatment, Waste Water Treatment, Sam-O Swim Center, and Quail Ridge Golf Course facilities such as values, functionality, completed and planned improvements, and maintenance needs. The committee will provide this document, along with the other two plans, to the City Council, at its next regular meeting. Creative writing workshop scheduled for April EOU theater presents witty adventure, ‘On the Verge’ Critically acclaimed author of the novel “The Suicide of Claire Bishop,” Carmiel Banasky will be coming to Baker and Union County Libraries April 19-21 to teach cre- ative writing works shops as part of an Art Place America grant. Join author Carmiel Banasky to learn about Ekphrastic (art-motivated) writing, character devel- opment and other craft elements through shown paintings and writing prompts. Following the workshop there will be a reading and writing process discussion with time for questions. Carmiel Banasky is a writer, editor, and teacher from Portland, OR. Her work has appeared in Glimmer Train, PEN America, American Short Fiction, Slice, Guernica, Prepare to be transported through space and time in Eastern Oregon Univer- sity’s upcoming production of “On the Verge” April 7-9 and 14-16. With a steampunk in- spired stage set designed to draw audiences into the ac- tion, this comedy directed by Kenn Wheeler is best known for its wordplay surrounding three Victori- an women on a chimerical journey. EOU theatre students McKayla Nitz, Victoria In- gram and Danielle DeVall are cast as Mary Balti- more, Fanny Cranberry and Alexandra Cafuffle respectively – all explorers on an adventure to strange new lands and as it turns out – the future. Fellow theatre major Sam Shown rounds out the cast, taking on seven different male characters and one female The Rumpus, and on NPR, among other places. All the workshops are free and the dates and loca- tions are as follows. April 19th in Baker City at 7 p.m. at Crossroads Carnegie Art Center 2020 Auburn Ave. April 20th in Richland at 6:30 p.m. at the Richland Library in Richland April 21st in LaGrande at 6 p.m. at the Cook Memorial Library 2006 4th Street. Funding for this program is provided by the Librar- ies of Eastern Oregon (LEO) through an ArtPlace America grant. LEO is a nonprofit orga- nization that serves librar- ies in its 15-county service area with programs, online services, and advocacy. Funding from the ArtPlace America grant aims to provide arts-based Submitted Photo. Carmiel Banasky will teach a creative writing workshop April 19-21. programming at libraries through various hands-on workshops, presentations, and art exhibits for patrons of all ages. role. The three women are markedly different in their viewpoints and approach to the situations and people they encounter. Mary is scientific, Fanny is con- servative and Alexandra is progressive. Nitz, a junior from Pendleton, said this is her favorite play to date, having appeared in six other productions at EOU including “Les Misérables” and “Jekyll and Hyde.” She said the dynamics between the three leads and their depth of character drew her to the story. Nitz said she likes the era the story begins in, and how it is contrasted by the many different time periods the explorers encounter along the way. Memorizing the dialogue, which includes numerous rarefied words, is both a challenge and a joy for the small cast of four. As the director of EOU’s production, Kenn Wheeler, an associate professor of theatre, is interested in the audience interpretation of specific references relevant to that decade, includ- ing Communism. He is excited to be revisiting the story after directing it 30 years ago for his graduate program at Michigan State University. See “On the Verge” at 7 p.m. in Schwarz Theatre in Loso Hall. Tickets are free for EOU students, $12 for general admission and $6 for senior citizens, high school students and retired or active military members. For more information call the box office at 541- 962-3757. To purchase tickets online go to www. ticketpeak.com/res/eou.
