F. JOSEPH EUCLIDE, P.E.

The following report is a highlight of current/anticipated activities in the Department of Public Works. If there are any questions, please let me know.

1. Stevens Point Airport

• Airport Fuel Remediation. No change from last month. The fuel remediation work at the airport continues to operate in a "non-emergency" mode. The remediation system is in "winter mode". In the spring, the final remediation plan will be put in place.
• Airport Fuel Dispensers. Construction of the fuel dispensers and piping at the airport has been completed. Northwest Petroleum is expected to install the dispensers and card readers as soon as weather permits.
• Planned Airport Improvements. The planned improvements continue to move forward. The governor has approved the contract with Becher Hoppe as the consultant for the building improvements at the airport. We are in the process of setting up the first "working meeting with the parties interested in the airport improvements and will be moving forward with the projects. Once the consultant gets settled in we distribute a detailed concept plan for those improvements
• Airport Management and Operations. Management and operation of the airport are running smoothly. C/T Schlice has been working closely with us to work out the financial details.
• Airport RFP. Over 300 invitations were sent out in January and ads were placed in the local paper as well as a national aeronautical magazine. Thus far, five businesses have requested the full RFP package. There will be a pre-proposal meeting at the airport for those interested in submitting proposals with the proposals being due March 31st.

2. Engineering

• Bid #04-04; West Side Force Main Installation Project. No change in status from last month. This project is still on hold, pending additional evaluation of alternatives base on what Stora Enso's plans for relocating their effluent line and other alternatives.
• Whitetail Trail Subdivision. Bids for this project are due February 10th. We will be recommending approval of the lowest qualified bidder at the February 14th Public Works Committee meeting.
• Tamarac Relocation Order. The city and the CN Railroad have been issued orders by the Wisconsin Railroad Commissioner to close the railroad crossing at Tamarac Street. As a part of that order, the city must construct a turn-around on the north side of the railroad. It is necessary to purchase property to accomplish the construction. The railroad must pay for the cost of the turn-around with the work being done by the city. Due to emergency and maintenance issues, city staff recommends the construction of an off-set cul-de-sac in lieu of a turn-around that would require vehicles of all sizes to pull in and back out in order to turn around. The city would then have to pay for the difference between the basic turn around and the off-set cul-de-sac. The cost difference is estimated at approximately $12,000.
• Parking Restrictions. Included in the packet is a copy of a traffic study analysis regarding a request to add two permit parking spaces behind 1016 Main Street for Pro Logic; a new business. Staff recommends converting two metered spaces to permit spaces.
• Stormwater Management. We have been notified that the city has received a grant in the amount of $56,609. for development of a stormwater management plan, stormwater-related ordinances and the study of the possible use of a stormwater utility for funding the costs of the city's stormwater program. As you may recall, the council approved a proposal with Earth Tech to do the study if the city received a grant. Earth Tech submitted the application for the grant at no cost to the city.

3. Streets and Other

• Snow & Ice. We think (hope) we have made it through the worst of the winter season, although we can easily get February and March storms. We are beginning to evaluate the possibility of switching from salt brine as our wetting liquid to liquid calcium chloride. While the calcium chloride is more costly on a per gallon basis; it has several important advantages such as being effective well below temperatures where salt alone works, being more environmentally friendly and reducing the amount of salt required.
• Parks Department Contract. The tree removal and trimming program contract bids is due February 10th. We will be recommending approval of the lowest responsible bidder at the February 14th Public Works Committee meeting. After approval of the contract, the Parks Department will administer the contract.
• Pavement Management Testing and Program. We are proposing approval of an agreement with IMS Infrastructure Management Services of Rolling Meadows, Illinois to perform a detailed, computerized pavement evaluation of all the streets in the city in an amount not to exceed $51,000. Included in the proposal is software used to evaluate the most cost-effective alternatives for constructing and maintaining this important city asset. By evaluating hundreds of maintenance and construction alternatives; the software is able to assign a condition rating, project the life of the pavement, develop a cost-benefit of each scenario and select the best maintenance/construction strategy. The equipment used measures the width and depth of every crack in the pavement, assesses roughness, rut depth, cracking, and texture. In addition, a structural analysis is accomplished through the use of non-destructive testing using a Dynaflect devise which measures the amount the pavement deflects under weight. The vehicle used to perform the tests is equipped with PGS and internal navigation equipment, linking the data to the city's coordinated information making it useful for the GIS. The vehicle is also equipped with video cameras; also linked to location, and making the video useful in developing GIS data for visible features such as signs, hydrants and so forth. Information is available on the IMS web site at www.ims-rst.com. The cost of these services will be paid for from the street maintenance budget.