MINUTES

WATERTOW= N TOWN COUNCIL

PUBLIC H= EARING (#2)

JOHN TRUMBULL PRIMARY SCHOOL CAFETERIA

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2003, 7:30 P.M.

PRESENT: &= nbsp; &nbs= p; Elaine Adams

&= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; Lee Archer

&= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; Jean King

&= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; Raymond Primini

&= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; Richard Wick

ABSENT: = &nb= sp; Raym= ond Hebert

&= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; Robert Kane

&= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; Paul Rinaldi

&= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; Paul Valenti

OTHERS PRESENT: Meredith Robson, Town Manager

1.&nb= sp; Convene Public Hearing - 7:30 P.M.

&n= bsp;

Mr. Archer, Chair= man, called the Public Hearing to order at 7:31 p.m.

Mr. Archer, Chair= man, read aloud the following Notice of the Public Hearing for the record:

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

TOWN COUNCIL

TOWN OF WATERTOWN

OCTOBER 16, 2003

The Town Council of the Town of Watertown will hold a Public Hearing at John Trumbull Primary School, 779 Buckingham Street, Oakville, Connecticut, on Thursday, October 16, 2003 at 7:30 p.m. to consider the following proposed ordinance:

AN ORDINANCE INCREASING BY $11,530,000 THE $3,275,000 APPROPRIATION AND BONDS, NOTES, AND TEMPORARY NOTE AUTHORIZATION APPROVED AT REFERENDUM HELD APRIL 2= 5, 2000 FOR THE DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TURKEY BROOK FLOOD CONTROL IMPROVEMENTS.

Watertown Town Council=

Public Hearing (#2)

October 16, 2003

Page 2

Copies of the pro= posed Ordinance is on file with the Town Clerk of the Town of Watertown. Eligible voters and affected perso= ns will be heard at the Public Hearing concerning the proposed ordinance.

Dated at Watertown, Connecticut this 9th day of October, 2003.

= &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p;

= &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; Meredith S. Robson

= &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; Town Manager, Town of Watertown

CERTIFICATE OF NOTICE

I = HEREBY CERTIFY that on October 9, 2003 I caused a copy of the foregoing corrected notice of Public Hearing to be published in the Republican American, which newspaper has a general and substantial circulation in the Town of Watertow= n; that I caused a copy of the foregoing notice of Public Hearing to be posted= on the public signposts in the Town of Watertown on October 9, 2003 and that a= ll of such acts took place at least five days before the holding of said Public Hearing on October 16, 2003 and that such notice has been filed with the To= wn Clerk in the records of the Town.

Da= ted: October 9, 2003.

&= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p;

&= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; = Meredith S. Robson, Town Manager

&= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; = Town of Watertown

TOWN CLERK’S CERTIFICATE AS TO NOTICE

I HEREBY CERTIFY that the attached warning and notice are duly recorded in th= e records of the Town of Watertown, Connecticut, and that the following person was the duly appointed Town Manager of the Town on the date the attached warning and notice was signed: Meredith S. Robson.

Signed and sealed at Watertown, Connecticut this 9th day of October, 2003.

&= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p;

&= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; Virginia Stewart, Town Clerk

&= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; Town of Watertown

Watertown Town Council=

Public Hearing (#2)

October 16, 2003

Page 3

2. = Public Participation

&n= bsp;

&= nbsp; Mr. Archer: This is additional monies to add to those approved April 25, 2000 for the Turkey Brook Flood Control as was read.

&n= bsp;

<= span style=3D'mso-tab-count:1'> &= nbsp; Chuck Berger, Town Engineer

<= b>

<= b> &= nbsp; Mr. Berger: This plan that I = have here is really just to illustrate a couple of points. It’s not the final plans we = put out to bid; those plans are on the back table. If there are any questions I’= ;ll be happy to answer those using the detailed plans. The project as it currently exists consists of channel improvements along Turkey Brook beginning down to Sunny= side Avenue here, Falls Avenue here, Sunny Lane, McLellan Drive, and Sylvan Road. The project beings on t= he upstream side of Sunnyside, continues with channel improvements up through = and under Falls Avenue, continuing on up and under Sunny Lane here, up and under McLellan Drive and ends here. That length of channel improvements is about 2,000 feet and consists primarily of deepening and widening the channel up to in some places 20 to 22 feet wide. (Inaudible) Falls Avenue crossing here, Sunny Lane crossing McLellan Drive crossing. Those are all proposed to be repla= ced with large box culverts with single openings so they don’t catch debris.

<= o:p>

<= span style=3D'mso-tab-count:1'> &= nbsp; The Sunnyside Avenue culvert project is part of the Sunnyside Avenue road improvement project, which consists of changes to the horizontal and vertic= al grades of Sunnyside Avenue, drainage improvements up the hill and particula= r to this are the Sunnyside Avenue culvert that carries Turkey Brook. That is a separate and distinct pr= oject from the Turkey Brook Drainage Improvement Project but is integral to achie= ving the flood reduction benefits that this project here will provide the reside= nts of the area. So that is a sep= arate but integral project to the Turkey Brook Drainage Improvement Project.

<= o:p>

&= nbsp; Also included in the Turkey Brook drainage Improvement Project not shown on this plan is the replacement of the Skipper Avenue culvert that is next downstre= am crossing from Sunnyside Avenue. That culvert needs to be replaced cause the improvements that we are doing here, to the channel and these 3 stream crossings and the Sunnyside Avenue crossings do result in minor increase in flooding on Skipper Avenue. The Skipper Avenue cu= lvert replacement project has been added in so that we do not cause any increased flooding down to those properties. The work on the two unnamed tributaries here and here that we now ca= ll the Sunny Lane drainage ditch and McLellan Drive drainage ditch also includ= ed in the project again widening, deepening, and armoring those channels as we= ll.

Watertown Town Council=

Public Hearing (#2)

October 16, 2003

Page 4

&n= bsp;

&= nbsp; The project includes public water and sewer line relocations in the areas where they’re crossing the brook and will be relocated deeper in some areas where they can’t be moved (inaudible). The project has been around for ma= ny years, it’s been studied on and off for the past 20 years to come with the most effective way to address the drainage and flooding issues that exi= st out there. The project here b= egan in the mid 1990’s. Lena= rd Engineers out of Winsted were hired to develop the plans which were put out= to bid in July and September of 2001. That followed an April 2000 referendum to provide a $3,275,000 that = we talked about earlier tonight. The project went out to bid again in July 2001 and had only one bidder. It was rejected and rebid in Septe= mber, 2001. There were 4 bidders at= that time, but there was not enough money to have the project done. There is about $3,000,000 available right now to implement the project. The majority of those funds available Town referendum. There is a small amount of reimbur= sable money, about $250,000 remain in a grant in the State Department of Community and Economic Development.

&n= bsp;

&= nbsp; This Summer there was renewed interest in the project and the Public Works Engineering Department got the plans out, made a couple of minor revisions = to them, did a bid package and put it back out to public bid in late July of t= his year. About 23 construction f= irms picked up the plans, and on August 27^th 5 firms submitted bids.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> They were opened and Guerrera Construction of Oxford was the apparent low bidder, with the price of $3,445,000. We also have received a proposal, we have a good construction price, it was very close to what we estimated it would cost. We have done some preliminary work= on checking their references and they appear to be a reputable firm. They have very good references. They have a construction bid price= of a little over $3,400,000. We ha= ve a proposal from the engineering firm to do the construction inspection, engineering, a= nd administration of almost $400,000, $398,000 and some change.

&n= bsp;

&= nbsp; Land rights is one of the unknowns at this point. Back 2 years ago when the project = had momentum about half of the property owners donated their property, the other half we made offers of compensation. Those offers of compensation were never signed because of the uncertainty about the money. = Over the past month and a half I did contact those property owners, visited with them to see where they stand at this point. I’ve been pleasantly surpris= ed that the majority of them are still in agreement, are still willing to acce= pt the previous offer. All those additional land rights and estimated costs have been signed (inaudible). The additional land rights of about $204,000 contingency of 10%, construction costs brings us around $400,000, = which brings us to a total of about $4,500,000 (inaudible) $1,500,000 (inaudible)= .

&n= bsp;

&= nbsp; Ms. Adams: My understanding i= s that this would take care of a 10 year storm versus the former proposals 175, so= it would only do a 10 year storm.

Watertown Town Council=

Public Hearing (#2)

October 16, 2003

Page 5

&n= bsp;

&= nbsp; Mr. Berger: The project is currently designed to provide protection for the 10 year flood conditions.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> Under existing conditions there ar= e 13 homes within the 10 year flood plane and 7 businesses. This project, if constructed would remove the 10 year flood (inaudible). The 100 year storm (inaudible) the existing conditions there are 19 homes in the 100 year flood plain and 8 businesses in the proposed condition and 14 homes would remain flooded; between 2 and 4 businesses would remain flooded.

&n= bsp;

&= nbsp; Mr. Archer: You mentioned tha= t the bid came in very close to your estimate.&n= bsp; What was the difference, if any?

&n= bsp;

&= nbsp; Mr. Berger: The difference wa= s just over $56,000 less than what we estimated.

&n= bsp;

&= nbsp; Mr. Archer: So that’s a= percent maybe.

&n= bsp;

&= nbsp; Mr. Berger: The second bidder= was very close.

&n= bsp;

&= nbsp; Mr. Primini: A little over 2 = years ago, our famous Father’s Day flood that we had, we had a large amount= of rain in a short period of time; how would this flood plan come up against a similar type of storm?

&n= bsp;

&= nbsp; Mr. Berger: I don’t kno= w what frequency event that was. I t= hink that was less than a 10 year flood. My visits in the neighborhood and the storms that I hear mostly about (inaudible).

&n= bsp;

&= nbsp; Mr. Primini: (Inaudible).

&n= bsp;

&= nbsp; Mr. Berger: I’d be happ= y to look at the records and give you a better engineering (inaudible).

&n= bsp;

&= nbsp; Ms. King: If this were approv= ed, how long would it take before we’d actually be doing something, and t= hen how long before the project was complete?

&n= bsp;

&= nbsp; Mr. Berger: We are in the pro= cess of all of our environmental permits were obtained, we’re in the proce= ss of redoing them, (inaudible). I think the biggest potential holdup would be the land (inaudible) that’= ;s why I (inaudible) to touch base with all those people (inaudible). It’s take a couple of months= to track them all down with letters and phone calls and visits. I haven’t gotten any outright no’s; I’ve been very pleased.&= nbsp; There are a few people who are undecided (inaudible). I guess the direct answer is the construction bid is good until the end of December. The contractor might be willing to extend that. As soon as the additional money is approved, I’ll be out knocking on people’s doors to get them to sign the papers. (Inaudible.)

Watertown Town Council=

Public Hearing (#2)

October 16, 2003

Page 6

&n= bsp;

<= span style=3D'mso-tab-count:1'> &= nbsp; Rachel Saucier, 333 Falls Avenue, Oakville, CT&nb= sp; 06779

<= o:p>

<= span style=3D'mso-tab-count:1'> &= nbsp; Ms. Saucier: How long? (Inaudible.)

<= o:p>

<= span style=3D'mso-tab-count:1'> &= nbsp; Mr. Berger: 300 calendar days= .

<= o:p>

<= b> &= nbsp; Ms. Saucier: Spring?

<= o:p>

<= b> &= nbsp; Mr. Berger: If the money is in place, and then (inaudible).

<= o:p>

3.&nb= sp; Adjournment=

Mr. Archer, Chairman, Closed the Public Hearing at 7:50 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

&= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; = Lee Archer, Chairman

&= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; = Watertown Town Council

&n= bsp;

A= pproved: _______________________________

Lynn M. LaF= orme, Clerk