DPW COMMITTEE

Wednesday, November 12, 2003

Walter Rushby, Chairman

Robert Dobie, Vice-Chairman

           Chairman Rushby called this DPW Committee meeting to order at 10:00 a.m. with the following Supervisors in attendance: Robert Ashline, Jeanne Ashworth, Thomas Both, George Canon, Daniel Connell, Robert Dedrick, Robert Dobie, Dale French, Ronald Jackson, Joseph Kelly, Noel Merrihew, Joyce Morency, Gerald Morrow, Cathy Moses, Thomas O’Neill, Walter Rushby and Shirley Seney. (Anthony Glebus had been previously excused).

           Department Heads present were: Fred Buck and Debbie Palmer.

           News Media present was: Laurie Besanceney-Adirondack Enterprise.

RUSHBY: Good morning everybody - I will call the DPW Committee meeting to order.

HIGHWAY DIVISION:

BUCK: Good morning everyone. We have finished up our paving projects for another year and we are presently backing up the pavement overlays with shoulder material. One of the last county paving projects was Alexandria Avenue in Ticonderoga. Shouldering is also being completed in Minerva, Ti and Crown Point. Ticonderoga also leased our paver and operator to overlay several town roads.

A six foot diameter culvert was replaced on the Tracy Road in the Town of Moriah, we had to close the road for a couple of days to complete the project.

The reconstruction for the Trudeau Road project in the Town of St. Armand has been completed, the work included drainage improvements, re-profiling the road base, new guide rail and re-paving the entire length from Route 3 to the Franklin County line; this should eliminate all of the silt build-up down on Route 3.

Work on the construction for the new Goodnow Flow bridge is nearing completion and should be open to traffic within the next week. The abutment, super-structure and the concrete deck are all in place as well as the blacktop for the new road, guide rail, some seeding and cleanup is all that is needed. When time allows we will remove the temporary bridge that is now in service which crosses over the dam. The project was made possible with the joint effort of Finch & Pruyn, the Goodnow Flow Association, the Town of Newcomb and Essex County.

Ditches have been reconstructed on the Ray Brook Road in North Elba, the Hoffman Road in Schroon, Stowersville Road in Lewis and Pelfisher Road in Moriah. We plan to hammer mill a portion of the Hoffman Road next year and re-pave it.

Preliminary plans are underway to replace a large box culvert on the McKenzie Pond Road in North Elba, the new culvert will be relocated somewhat for both a better stream and a road alignment. When construction is completed we will overlay the entire road.

Last week we received $87,000 in grant monies from HUD toward the rehabilitation of the Stone Arch culvert on Amy Hill Road in Crown Point, this project was recently completed and is a historic landmark.

The Senate Finance Committee has also approved the $100,000 in multi-modal funding which I had asked Senator Stafford for, for the reconstruction of the Trudeau Road. The money should be in our hands by the end of December.

Work on the Alder Meadow bridge in Schroon is well underway. Sheet piling has been driven and the pipe piling is currently being pounded in for the foundation supports. The contractor hopes to start forming for footers by the end of next week.

After reviewing the second round of bids for the reconstruction of the Jay Covered Bridge, we have determined that the low bidder meets the qualifications to carry out the job. Alpine Construction of Still Water, NY should begin to dismantle the bridge by next month. The bridge material will be stored through the winter and whatever lumber is needed will be sized and cut. The reconstruction process will begin late April or the first part of May, work will continue through the summer and fall and should be completed by December, it will remain along side the river until the new highway bridge is opened. NYS DOT has indicated to me that bids for the new bridge and roadway should be let sometime in July.

I am in the process of securing $6 million dollars in federal funding for a new bridge and some road realignment and reconstruction for the Military Road in North Elba. The work will include the replacement of a large culvert near the railroad tracks with the new bridge realigning the road for better sight distance on either side of the new bridge and reconstruction of Ricky Hill and several intersections - preliminary plans should begin by late next year.

I have a couple of resolutions that were brought to me since I handed my agenda in and one of them is for changing a county route number in Jay and Wilmington. It would be County Route 12 which is known as the Springfield Road and the Haselton Road in Wilmington - it will now become County Route 83 and that is for the E911 new addressing.

RESOLUTION CHANGING CERTAIN COUNTY ROAD NAMES AND ROUTE NUMBERS TO COMPLY WITH E911.

This was offered by Mr. Jackson, seconded by Mr. Dobie.

RUSHBY: Discussion? All in favor, opposed, carried.

BUCK: The second one - we are looking to acquire an easement between two pieces of property off the Military Road in North Elba for a drainage easement. We have permission from both the property owners on either side but under County Highway Law, I still need board permission to enter upon the lands to do the survey work to acquire the property. I don’t know if that should come through as a resolution or committee directive.

MORENCY: I will move it and then if it is not necessary it could be withdrawn.

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING ACQUISITION OF A DRAINAGE EASEMENT OFF OLD MILITARY ROAD IN THE TOWN OF NORTH ELBA.

This was offered by Ms. Morency, seconded by Mr. O’Neill.

RUSHBY: Discussion? All in favor, opposed, carried.

BUCK: Are there any questions for Highway?

MOSES: I have so many questions on the Alder Meadow Bridge - can I get a possible projected completion date on that project?

BUCK: Depending on the weather hopefully by either the end of December or sometime in January.

MOSES: Thank you.

JACKSON: You said they are going to cut the wood that is need for the Jay Covered Bridge - what type of wood are they going to use?

BUCK: White pine. It has to be the same type of wood that was used in the past, that is what SHIPO wanted. Evidently there is a supplier talking with the contractor, we did meet with the contractor, and there is a supplier in New Hampshire that evidently has a large stand of pine because some of these like the bottom cord of the trusses is 12 x 16 x 50 feet long - it is hard to find pieces of pine that big.

RUSHBY: Any other questions for Highway?

DEDRICK: I would just like to thank you very much Fred - Alexandria Avenue came out great but we have the elementary/middle school there and there is probably 1000 students there and I had requested right after the paving to put a couple pedestrian cross walks in and that was done within a week. I drove by there and I couldn’t believe how fast it was done, thank you very much, I know kids are going to be a lot safer crossing that road. Thank you.

ASHLINE: I would like to commend Fred for the signage he did on the Garvey Memorial Bridge in Lewis, in getting them up in a timely manner and the help he gave us with that ceremony yesterday - thank you.

RUSHBY: Anything else for Fred?

MORENCY: I can’t let them get one by me - I think you did a super-duper job on Trudeau Road, better than anything else that you have done with your engineering and the drainage and the great contractor you had there. You know I am getting, because I am telling you every day, my constituents are calling me and very happy with that road job. Thank you Fred.

BUCK: He was great to work with too.

RUSHBY: Certainly I would echo the same Fred for the work you did in the Town of Moriah this year, all the projects came out well, it was very much needed on Dalton Hill there and I really appreciate what you did.

BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS DIVISION:

BUCK: Fall clean-up is ongoing around the buildings. The lawns have been mowed, the leaves raked. The state sheds were cleaned out and any surplus equipment was brought up to Highway and auctioned off.

Air conditioners are being removed from the windows and stored for winter. The maintenance shop has been cleaned and any unneeded equipment removed, the concrete floors were also cleaned and painted. Much of the winter equipment has been cleaned, serviced and painted. A door was replaced for the back entrance of the Nutrition site as well as plastic installed on the windows.

The communication building on Wells Hill was scraped and re-stained. Highway repaired and re-graded the road leading up to Belfry Mountain communications tower. New flourescent lights were installed at the training room of the highway facility, the old single bulbs were replaced with four new bulbs and fixtures. Several counter tops were removed and equipment rearranged to allow for two dedicated outlets and two new servers that are being installed in the machine room on the first floor of Social Services. Work stations were also installed and rearranged on the second floor. New shelving and furniture was assembled for WIC and some office furniture was rearranged to provide better work space for the Nurses.

There were some repairs completed in the bathrooms and for the heating system at Cooperative Extension. A new thermostat was also installed for Information Systems.

Other work activities including monthly checks and inspections that were performed on the generators, fire alarm systems, fire extinguishers and exit lights. Concrete repairs were completed on several side walks in front of the complex and we had a stump grinder some in and grind out a large stump that was in the lawn. Any questions for Buildings and Grounds?

SOLID WASTE DIVISION:

BUCK: Although we have still not heard from the Comptroller’s office whether the contractor has signed off yet, OGS has entered into an interim agreement with C&S Engineers to do the water sampling and haul leachate. It would appear that the state may not sign off until the money has been appropriated in the 2004/05 budget and that OGS will continue to operate under this interim agreement. Right now we are not hauling leachate and we are not doing the water sampling any more so that is out of our hands.

RUSHBY: I would just like to mention that when IP was here talking about tire burning and I know I will get a call from Mr. Elacqua, I would like to talk to him before I get done here again, they had estimated 133 tires per ton and when we ship tires from Moriah it comes out to 80 some tires per ton and so I am just wondering why that discrepancy is in there? I am sure Tony will give me a call when he reads the minutes.

Any questions for solid waste?

FAIRGROUNDS DIVISION:

BUCK: The roof has been replaced on the Cooperative Extension building, the old shingles were removed and new flashing and fascia and the new shingles were installed. The old roof had two layers of shingles and was leaking in several different areas. Scott, along with the help of the Moriah Shock inmates, has been jacking up and leveling one of the horse barns, one end has been brought up over 30 inches to level the building out. Concrete footers will be poured and new sills will be constructed. The work and materials is being supplemented by a grant.

Most of the available storage space has been occupied with rentals at the fairgrounds.

RUSHBY: Any questions under fairgrounds? I think Mr. Both has a resolution.

BOTH: I realized I am not on this committee but I think Mr. Connell would like to present a resolution.

CONNELL: Yes, because Mr. Both is not on the committee and can not present it, I would like to present a resolution to adopt the campus plan as prepared by T.J. Boyle and Associates for the fairgrounds.

RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE CAMPUS PLAN FOR THE ESSEX COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS AS PREPARED BY T.J. BOYLE & ASSOCIATES.

This was offered by Mr. Connell, seconded by Mr. Jackson.

RUSHBY: Discussion? I read the plan and it looks very nice. If there is no discussion - all in favor, opposed, carried.

Any other questions for fairgrounds or for the committee?

CANON: I had a call last night from a snowmobiler in I believe Wilmington, the President of their Fish and Game Club, and he indicated that he had information that this body in the 1970's had passed a local law, not a resolution but a local law, providing for county roads to have snowmobile access and indeed going further and requiring that they be posted as such. I know that Debbie has done a little homework on that one and maybe she can enlighten us if that is in fact the case and true?

PALMER: Yes, there is a local law on the books. I gave Rick a copy of it and he was going to give all Supervisors a copy because he wasn’t sure if everyone was aware of it and he was also going to call this gentleman and talk with him.

CANON: The fact is then if it is on the books and it is a local law that we have an obligation to comply it would seem to me and where we don’t have signage, until that is repealed, I think we have an obligation to the snowmobilers to put those signs up.

PALMER: The local law states certain roads in the towns so it is only certain roads.

CANON: Not all county roads?

PALMER: I don’t believe so, it has towns listed with names of roads underneath, I am sure there are more county roads in these towns than what is listed.

CANON: Okay, that changes the scope of things a little bit then. I will look forward to getting that resolution.

RUSHBY: We will all get a copy of that Debbie and what roads should be posted?

PALMER: Yes.

RUSHBY: Fred, do you think that is something that you can do when you get a list to post those roads?

BUCK: Sure.

RUSHBY: Thank you George.

JACKSON: Just a question going back to the fairgrounds - what were the conditions of the roof boards? I know it had been leaking a while, did you have to replace a lot of them?

BUCK: They were actually in very good condition, we were very surprised, the underlayment was very good, the roof itself was fine. We just had some rotting around where some of the fascia boards and that were and that is all there was but the sheathing was in great shape.

JACKSON: Good.

RUSHBY: Any other comments?

SENEY: I was going to comment on what George said with the snowmobilers in our area, there was something about if you don’t mark the roads or you don’t post the roads with a sign that you might have to redo some sort of a resolution or something because - I am not sure exactly how it works out but that it kind of defeated it purpose if the roads were not posted that after a while it would expire or dissolve because you were suppose to have those roads posted at all times and I think the towns were responsible for posting them, not the snowmobile club themselves.

RUSHBY: Any other comments. If not, the meeting stands adjourned. Thank you.

           AS THERE WAS NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THIS

           COMMITTEE, WE ADJOURNED AT 10:15 A.M.

Respectfully submitted,

Deborah Palmer, Clerk

Board of Supervisors