Council Conference Room
Municipal Building
March 1, 2007
The McAlester City Council met in Special Session on Thursday, March 1, 2007, at 6:15 P.M. after proper notice and agenda was posted on February 27, 2007, at 5:00 P.M.
Present: Don Lewis, Sam Mason, Buddy Garvin, Travis Read, Haven Wilkinson & Donnie Condit
Absent: Greg Rock
Presiding: Don Lewis, Mayor
Staff Present: Mark Roath, City Manager; Bart Van Nieuwenhuise, Assistant City Manager; Elaine Green, acting as City Attorney; David Medley, Assistant City Engineer & Cora Middleton, City Clerk
Mayor Lewis called the Special Session to order.
Councilman Wilkinson moved to recess the Special Session to reconvene in the Council Chambers. The motion was seconded by Councilman Condit, and the vote was taken as follows:
AYE: Councilman Mason, Read, Condit, Wilkinson, Garvin & Mayor Lewis
NAY: None
Mayor Lewis declared the motion carried, and the Special Session was recessed at 6:18 P.M.
The Special Meeting was reconvened in the Council Chambers and Mayor Lewis explained that the meeting had been called to approve the resolution and contracts for the debris cleanup and tree trimming.
Councilman Mason moved to approve RESOLUTION NO. 07-02, to amend the Budget for debris removal, tree trimming and associated work (monitoring and brush bulldozer) in the approximate amount of $725,000.00. The motion was seconded by Councilman Condit.
Before the vote, Mayor Lewis asked Bart Van Nieuwenhuise to go over the information for the Council since they had did not have it before the meeting commenced.
David Medley distributed copies of the fact sheet, resolution and contracts to the Council.
Mr. Van Nieuwenhuise briefly reviewed the fact sheet associated with the resolution and the four contracts. He stated he would go over the budget amendment and the resolution and David Medley would discuss the contracts. Mr. Van Nieuwenhuise stated that the City’s Fiscal Year 2007 budget had been approved on June 20, 2006 and it required a budget adjustment to cover the necessary expenses related to the January 12, 2007 Ice storm. He stated that the original estimate for the cleanup had been in the 1.5 million dollar range. The current estimate was for $725,000.00 and it was recommended that the adjustment be taken from the Emergency Cash Reserve Account. He further stated that these funds would be reimbursed at 87.5% by FEMA and the State of Oklahoma with proper documentation.
Mr. Van Nieuwenhuise stated that the actual amount of the cleanup could be less than estimated. He stated that the adjustment form was included in the packet and it had been forwarded to the Assistant City Treasurer from Deanna Crawford of Crawford and Associates.
There was discussion among the Council concerning the use of the Emergency Cash Reserve and the possible depletion of this account.
Mark Roath, City Manager, stated that the City would have the opportunity to replenish the fund during preparation of next year’s budget. He stated the City would also have a better understanding of what FEMA would reimburse by then.
There was no further discussion, and the vote was taken as follows:
AYE: Councilman Wilkinson, Mason, Condit, Garvin, Read & Mayor Lewis
NAY: None
Mayor Lewis declared the motion carried. Mayor Lewis stated that the action that had just been taken was required by the State before the contracts could be awarded.
David Medley addressed the Council to explain the four contracts the City would award for the cleanup from the January 12, 2007 Ice storm. He stated that three of the contracts would be for the cleanup and the fourth contract would be for monitors.
Mr. Medley explained that on February 26, 2007 the City received 20 bids for debris removal. The low bidder was Bamaco, Inc. of Bunnell, Florida. He stated that they had informed the City that they had the equipment and finances available to perform the contract and their bid was for $396,000.00.
Councilman Wilkinson moved to approve the contract with Bamaco, Inc. in the amount of $396,000.00 for debris removal. The motion was seconded by Councilman Condit.
Before the vote, there was discussion among the Council concerning the range of the bids, when the cleanup could begin, if performance and payment bonds were required and when those bonds could be furnished. There was also discussion about how the City would determine what tonnage was at what price and that the debris would be hauled to the landfill without being chipped.
There was no further discussion, and the vote was taken as follows:
AYE: Councilman Read, Condit, Wilkinson, Mason, Garvin & Mayor Lewis
NAY: None
Mayor Lewis declared the motion carried.
David Medley reviewed the second contract which covered the tree trimming. He stated that there had been 17 bids and the low bid was again from Bamaco, Inc. Their price was for $87,210.00 and they informed Mr. Medley that they had the finances and equipment available to begin the work.
Councilman Condit moved to approve the contract with Bamaco, Inc. in the amount of $87,210.00 for tree trimming. The motion was seconded by Councilman Read.
Before the vote, there was discussion concerning tree damage in the alleys and if those trees would be considered on public right-of-ways.
There was no further discussion and the vote was taken as follows:
AYE: Councilman Garvin, Read, Wilkinson, Condit, Mason & Mayor Lewis
NAY: None
Mayor Lewis declared the motion carried.
David Medley then reviewed the third contract. This contract addressed the need for an additional dozer at the landfill during the cleanup. He stated that he had received three proposals but only two were quoted in unit price per ton, which was required by FEMA. He stated that the low bid had been from Lott’s Dozer Service of McAlester, Oklahoma. He added that this bid had been for $39,913.50.
Councilman Mason moved to approve the contract with Lott’s Dozer in the amount of $39,913.50 for dozer work at the landfill during the cleanup. The motion was seconded by Councilman Garvin.
Before the vote, Councilman Garvin stated that he would like to see a signature on the low bid; the other bids had been signed.
There was no further discussion, and the vote was taken as follows:
AYE: Councilman Mason, Read, Condit, Wilkinson, Garvin & Mayor Lewis
NAY: None
Mayor Lewis declared the motion carried.
Councilman Mason moved to approve the contracts for monitoring of the debris removal and contracts for the monitoring supervisors in the amount of $120,000.00. The motion was seconded by Councilman Wilkinson.
Before the vote, David Medley reviewed the last FEMA requirement. He stated that FEMA required detailed monitoring of the debris removal operations. Mr. Medley stated that the estimated number of monitors required for this project was ten (10) with two (2) supervisors. These individuals would be independent contractors working for the City under a personal services agreement. The supervisors would be supervised by Cliff Pitner and David Medley. He stated that the estimated cost of the monitoring and supervisors would be $120,000.00.
There was discussion among the Council concerning the number of individuals to be hired, who they might be and what the requirements for monitoring and supervising would be. The Council also discussed when and where the cleanup would begin.
Mr. Medley stated that they would be given a short and intensive training by FEMA. He would be looking for retired city employees.
Mr. Medley stated that he had some individuals in mind but if any of the Council had ideas, he would talk to them. He also stated that the reason the City had shied away from a company to monitor was that their prices could be very high and FEMA had not always reimbursed cities for this cost.
Mr. Van Nieuwenhuise stated that the pickup would be based on the map that had been published in the newspaper and the City had been divided into eight (8) segments.
Mr. Roath stated that they would make every effort to advise the citizens in advance what areas and when the crews would begin work. He also stated that work would be done during the same time that the City landfill was normally open.
Councilman Mason stated that the City currently had a resolution that required Council approval of the hiring of unbudgeted employees. He asked if this would become a budget concern and would the Council need to override that resolution for this event.
Mr. Medley stated that these would not be employees but would be hired on a personal contract basis.
Mr. Roath stated that it would be the intent of the staff that before anyone was hired the contract would be reviewed by the City Attorney and they would adhere to any criteria that he set.
There was no further discussion, and the vote was taken as follows:
AYE: Councilman Wilkinson, Mason, Condit, Garvin, Read & Mayor Lewis
NAY: None
Mayor Lewis declared the motion carried.
Mayor Lewis stated that hopefully within a week there would be lots of activity in the community. He asked that the citizens be patient that the crews couldn’t be everywhere at one time. He wanted to compliment Bart, George, Dave and Cliff in the effort and time they had spent since the bid opening at 10:00 A.M. Monday morning. The process had been lengthy because of the FEMA requirements and they wanted to meet the requirements so the City could be reimbursed.
Mr. Roath complemented the staff for doing a Yeoman’s’ job in their work with FEMA to make sure the City gets reimbursed.
Councilman Mason stated that no one had been dragging their feet and it had really not taken that long to get to this point. He also asked with what he had heard, what could the public expect as a start date for the cleanup.
Mr. Medley stated that a week from Monday, March 5, 2007 would be a good target date.
Mayor Lewis thanked Elaine Green for setting in for the City Attorney.
There being no further business for the Council to discuss Councilman Wilkinson moved for the Special meeting to be adjourned. Councilman Condit seconded the motion, and the vote was taken as follows:
AYE: Councilman Read, Condit, Wilkinson, Mason, Garvin & Mayor Lewis
NAY: None
Mayor Lewis declared the motion carried, and the Special Session was adjourned at 7:10 P.M.
Attest:
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Don R. Lewis, Mayor
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Cora Middleton, City Clerk