Council Watch...
A Report on Council

Notes and commentary on the 12/2/09 Petaluma Council Meeting presented by the Council Watch Team of Petaluma Tomorrow

Council watch report, February 2, 2009

Agenda item 5A (Discussion and possible action regarding an appeal by Scot Stegeman representing Alicia Herries and the El Rose/Hayes Lane Coalition of a decision by SPARC to approve the Northbridge Office Project located at 30 West El Rose Drive for an addition to an existing structure) was continued to the March 2 city council meeting. The project applicant asked for staff to look into a situation involving Council Member Renee that might cause a conflict of interest. Also Council Member Harris may have a conflict as well and he asked for staff to look into it.

Council Comments

Council Member Harris - The recent e-waste recycling event was a success, even without much notification. There will be another event in July.

Mayor Torliatt - The Sonoma County Water Agency has reported that water levels in Lake Sonoma, Lake Mendocino and Lake Pillsbury are at an all-time low, including during the 1977 drought year. The SCWA will be delivering significantly less water than in previous years.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The SCWA will be holding a public forum on the County water supply EIR at the Petaluma Veterans memorial on Feb. 18 at 6:30pm

Numerous Council Members commented about the possibility of a ballot measure to extend the life of the current UGB to match the life of the General Plan. The City Manager said that the state might hold a special election either this May or this June. With that uncertainty and the short time available, it would be a rush to try to put a UGB extension on this ballot. Mayor Torliatt stated that waiting for the fall 2010 general election would probably be the least expensive way to go and the city manager agreed. Regardless, Mayor Torliatt wants staff to begin the process as soon as possible in order to make sure that the General Plan EIR will be valid to use in the process.

The City Manager, the City Attorney, City Staff and Councilmembers Glass and Rabbit met with the neighbors and the developer of the Pinnacle Ridge development. Progress was made and it will return to the City Council on Feb. 23.

Agenda item 4a

Resolution authorizing City Manager to execute Amendment No. 2 to the Professional Service Agreement for interim operation and maintenance of the City of Petaluma Wastewater Treatment Facility (Hopper Street) with CDM Constructors, Inc. for final draining, cleanup, and shutdown of wastewater tanks, basins and other facilities.
What's at stake?

Shall personnel from CDM Contractors (current operators of the Hopper Street wastewater treatment facility) be allowed to temporarily supplement city staff at the new Ellis Creek facility AND shall staff go ahead with phase one of decommissioning the Hopper Street facility?

Details

Decommissioning the Hopper street plant will happen in two phases. Phase I is to drain and remove app 600,000 gallons of sludge, grit and other debris from the existing holding tanks and the two digesters. Also approximately 1.5 million gallons of sludge, grit and other debris are to be removed from the three treatment lagoons. The estimated cost of this phase is $793,124 and it is expected to take approximately 11 weeks.

Note: Phase II of the project is the removal of the structures and equipment.

Council comments

Numerous council members inquired into the need to spend $170,000 for security fencing (6' high topped with barb wire) for the project. Mr. Ban (of staff) seemed concerned that after the tanks were emptied, that people could wander onto the site and potentially injure themselves. Mr. Ban stated that staff would no longer be on-site during the day to prevent trespassing. This fencing is mainly needed for the time frame between Phase I and Phase II.

Analysis
The entire site already has a 6' high fence surrounding it. Since this site also includes the City of Petaluma maintenance yard as well as the Animal Shelter, there actually is city staff nearby during the day. The site is not currently staffed at night and there are no current problems with trespassing, so council concern for the extreme expense of fencing is definitely justified. They should be able to easily find a much more cost-effective solution.

Council votes

With no objection, CDM personnel are to temporarily supplement Ellis Creek Staff. Phase I of the decommissioning if the Hopper Street plant to commence with CDM Contractors performing the work (with the exception of them sub-contracting out the digester cleaning to a specialist). However, the security fencing issue is to be studied further.

Pit Bull waits....when a Marxist makes a move I will bit your leg off.....I will watch the P-Comms for Tomorrow...