BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS MEETING MINUTES
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1999 - 6:55 P.M.
PORTAGE COUNTY COURTHOUSE ANNEX-1462 STRONGS AVENUE
CONFERENCE ROOM 1

PRESENT: Mayor Wescott, C/T Schlice; Alderpersons Aldinger, Barr, Kedrowski, Nealis, Perlak

ALSO
PRESENT: Director Van Alstine,, Superintendent Krieski, Clerk Zdroik, Captain Dowling, Attorney Molepske, Assessor Kuehn, Director Gardner, Director Schrader, Mayoral Assistant Bumgarner, Personnel Specialist Jakusz, Administrator Disher, Rich Smaglik, Peggy Rentz, Mike Kemmeter, Gene Kemmeter; Alderpersons Niedbalski, Pazdernik, Phillips, Rackow, Sevenich, Walther

1. PARKING METER REPORT (ATTACHMENT-AGENDA PACKET)

Mayor Wescott presented the October 1999 Parking Meter Report.

C/T Schlice moved, seconded by Alderperson Barr to accept the October 1999 Parking Meter Report and place it on file.

Ayes - all; Nays - none; Motion carried.

2. AIRPORT ACTIVITY REPORT (SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER, 1999) (ATTACHMENT-AGENDA PACKET)

The Mayor presented the September and October Airport Activity Report.

Alderperson Aldinger moved, seconded by Alderperson Kedrowski to accept the September and October, 1999 Airport Activity Report and place it on file.

Ayes - all; Nays - none; Motion carried.

3. CORRESPONDENCE FROM DNR REGARDING REMEDIATION CASE CLOSURE AT FINAL SCORE (ATTACHMENT-AGENDA PACKET)

Mayor Wescott said this was an informational item, the letter should be self explanatory and no motion would be required.

4. TRAFFIC STUDIES: (ATTACHMENT-AGENDA PACKET)

A. #99-10-A - NO PARKING -JEFFERSON STREET AT WORZALLA PUBLISHING

Director Van Alstine said this was requested to make it easier for trucks to enter and exit Worzalla Publishing.

Alderperson Rackow asked what the reaction was from Worzalla Publishing?

Director Van Alstine said they requested it.

Alderperson Aldinger moved, seconded by C/T Schlice to approve Traffic Study #99-10-A - No Parking - Jefferson Street at Worzalla Publishing.

Ayes - all; Nays - none; Motion carried.

B. #99-10-B- INSTALL TRAFFIC CONTROL SIGNALS AT INTERSECTION OF JEFFERSON STREET/MICHIGAN AVENUE
Mayor Wescott said this is the intersection that is under construction and Alderperson Aldinger asked if this was part of the original plan.

The Mayor said it was.

Alderperson Perlak moved, seconded by Mayor Wescott to approve Traffic Study #99-10-B - Install Traffic Signals at the intersection of Jefferson Street and Michigan Avenue.

Ayes - all; Nays - none; Motion carried.

C. #99-10-C- INSTALL TRAFFIC CONTROL SIGNALS AT INTERSECTION OF WILSHIRE BOULEVARD/HIGHWAY 10

Director Van Alstine said this was part of the Worzalla Publishing Project.

Alderperson Aldinger moved, seconded by C/T Schlice to approve Traffic Study #99-10-C - Install Traffic Signals at the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Highway 10.

Alderperson Phillips asked if this would be too close to the signals at Sunset?

Director Van Alstine said they were about one and a half blocks apart, and said that signal is controlled by the State and they will study it for a year and decide, they like to observe it through all four seasons.

The Mayor called for a voice vote on the motion.

Ayes - all; Nays - none; Motion carried.

D. #99-10-D- 35 MPH SPEED LIMIT - HIGHWAY HH

The Mayor explained that the County has jurisdiction over the speed limit, the explanation on the Traffic Study reflects the City’s request to the County to lower the speed limit to 25 MPH in the area of Ben Franklin school. These requests were rejected and the County adopted the 35 MPH speed limit and we are obligated to accept that.

Director Van Alstine told the Board in order to receive money from any traffic citations issued there, the City must approve the 35 MPH speed limit. If we don’t, the citation money goes to the County.

Alderperson Barr said he wanted to go on record saying that even though we are obligated to accept the 35 MPH speed limit, we object to it in the school area where we would like it to be 25 MPH.

Alderperson Kedrowski said he would like the speed limit to go from 25 MPH past the school directly to 45 MPH to avoid confusion.

Discussion followed regarding the 15 MPH limit near a school when children were in the area.

Captain Dowling said according to the City Attorney the 15 MPH speed limit is in effect only when children are crossing the street.

Alderperson Sevenich said she had been advised that the five foot sidewalk should have been eight feet wide. She was concerned about safety, particularly during the winter when snow will be a problem.
Director Gardner said he didn’t recall the exact width of the sidewalk but he didn’t think it was changed later.

Mayor Wescott moved, seconded by C/T Schlice to recognize that the County has jurisdiction and statutory authority to set the speed limit at 35 MPH on County Trunk HH from its intersection with Polk Street northwesterly to a point 2,440 feet east of West River Drive and does therefore approve Traffic Study #99-10-D and that the Director of Public Works along with the Board of Public Works and the Police Department would prefer that the speed limit be 25 MPH in the school area and that we ask the County to review the speed limit applications after one year.

Alderperson Rackow asked that Director Gardner review the plans to make sure they were followed.

The Mayor said he wouldn’t recommend that be part of the motion, but we can look at it.

It was discussed that the School Board and County negotiated the width of the roadway and sidewalk, the County owns as much right of way as possible short of buying the building. Alderperson Sevenich said she understood the City wouldn’t allow that type of a sidewalk.

Director Van Alstine said the County has jurisdiction, we have no control.

Mayor Wescott called for a voice vote on the motion.

Ayes - all; Nays - none; Motion carried.

E. #99-10-E - INSTALL STOP SIGNS SOUTHBOUND AND NORTHBOUND ON GOLLA ROAD/SANDY LANE INTERSECTION

Director Van Alstine said this was recommended by the Town of Hull Board through the Sheriff’s Department.

Alderperson Kedrowski moved, seconded by C/T Schlice to approve Traffic Study #99-10-E - to install stop signs southbound and northbound on Golla Road/Sandy Lane intersection.

Ayes - all; Nays - none; Motion carried.

F. #99-10-F - 45 MPH SPEED LIMIT ON HIGHWAY HH

Captain Dowling said this is to maintain a 45 MPH speed limit 2,500 feet west of Echo Dells.

Alderperson Kedrowski moved, seconded by Alderperson Perlak to approve Traffic Study #99-10-F -a 45 MPH speed limit on Highway HH at the western City limits east to a point 2,440 feet east of West River Drive (2,500 feet west of Echo Dells).

Ayes - all; Nays - none; Motion carried.

5. 10TH WARD BOW HUNTING - 1999 (ATTACHMENT-AGENDA PACKET)

Director Van Alstine said he and Alderperson Phillips discussed increasing the amount of permits issued to put more hunters out there. He said some hunters that had been issued permits did not even go out.

Mayor Wescott asked how many permits they were considering.

Director Van Alstine said perhaps forty.

Alderperson Phillips said we could try this for one year.

Director Van Alstine said he has written a letter to Consolidated asking them to allow bow hunting on their land in the City during the period of December 4th through December 31st. He hoped to have that information available for the Council meeting.

C/T Schlice moved, seconded by Alderperson Perlak to allow Bow Hunting in the designated area of the 10th Ward from December 4, 1999 through December 31, 1999 following the same rules and regulations used in 1998 with the modification that 40 permits be issued instead of 15.

Ayes - 6; Nays - 1 ( Alderperson Aldinger); Motion carried.

6. SUPERINTENDENT OF SERVICES' REPORT (ATTACHMENT-AGENDA PACKET)

Superintendent Krieski presented his October 1999 report. He went over the graph that was part of the packet saying street reconstruction will decrease over the years.

Mayor Wescott said that must indicate we are catching up with street reconstruction.

Superintendent Krieski continued his report by saying some residences had over 80 bags of leaves to pick and he was happy to say there is someone who will take nearly all of the bagged leaves.

He went on saying Michigan Avenue is scheduled for the first coat of asphalt on Wednesday and in addition there is a lot of work to do such as shouldering, sand boxes, Christmas decorations, and getting the plows and sanders ready. He said he felt they had a productive construction year.

Alderperson Rackow said he wished to congratulate the Public Works Department.

Alderperson Kedrowski asked if we were ahead in the street rebuilding?

Director Van Alstine said he thought so. We are doing all we can with the time and manpower available, we can’t physically do more. He said the Highway 10 construction will take care of one of our more problematic areas.

Alderperson Perlak moved, seconded by C/T Schlice to accept the October 1999 Superintendent of Services Report and place it on file.

Ayes - all; Nays - none; Motion carried.

7. DIRECTOR’S REPORT (ATTACHMENT-AGENDA PACKET)

Director Van Alstine reported we will finish the Jefferson/Michigan intersection. We are working on the electrical and underground, we have one property yet to acquire and intend to finish next spring.

Alderperson Kedrowski said he would like updates on Brilowski, Highway 10 & P, and West River Drive.

Director Van Alstine said Brilowski is a State project but he understands they are getting the last coat of asphalt soon and intend to open on schedule, the middle of November.

He said had just talked to the State’s Project Manager on Highway P and Highway 10 and it sounds as though they intend to pave this week and the signals should be installed and will flash in an operational mode prior to being turned on.

He said the Contractor on West River Drive has hit rock and is in the process of buttoning up the work so there will be a street for the winter, they will have to finish next year.

Alderperson Perlak moved, seconded by C/T Schlice to accept the October 1999 Director’s Report and place it on file.

Ayes - all; Nays - none; Motion carried.

The meeting was adjourned.

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