DPW - COMMITTEE

Monday, March 20, 2023 - 9:30 AM

Robin DeLoria, Chairperson

Clayton Barber, Vice-Chairperson

Chairman DeLoria called this DPW Meeting to order at 9:35 am with the following Supervisors in attendance: Robin DeLoria, Stephanie DeZalia, Derek Doty, Shaun Gillilland, Charlie Harrington, Roy Holzer, Ken Hughes, Steve McNally, Noel Merrihew, James Monty, Tom Scozzafava, Matt Stanley, Joe Pete Wilson, Davina Winemiller, Margaret Wood and Mark Wright. Clayton Barber and Ike Tyler were excused.

Department Heads present: Judy Garrison and Michael Mascarenas. Jim Dougan was excused.

Also present: Alice Halloran and Todd Hodgson.

News media: Sun News – Alana Penny

DELORIA: We will call this DPW meeting to order, stand for the pledge please. Todd if you would come up. Mr. Dougan is on a vacation and Todd will stand in for him today.

HODGSON: Do you want to start with resolutions?

DELORIA: Sure, Todd let’s do that. Absolutely.

HODGSON: Okay the first resolution that we have here is for the main complex for creating some new office within the main complex that would be moving money from the 2022 budget forward to 2023.

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A BUDGET AMENDMENT IN THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS – BUILDINGS & GROUNDS INCREASING REVENUES AND APPROPRIATIONS IN THE AMOUNT OF $63,500.00, UNEXPENDED 2022 CARRYOVER FUNDS. Holzer, DeZalia

DELORIA: Any questions? Being none, all in favor, any opposed – carried.

HODGSON: Resolution number two, this is a term contract so Essex County has a term contract with a local contractor for executing heavy highway projects. We have resolutions, the next three are that type of resolution. This one in particular is about a quarter mile of Lake Shore Road in the Town of Westport for reconstruction.

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY CHAIRMAN OR COUNTY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT AMENDMENT WITH REAL CONSTRUCTION, INC., IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $37,350.00, FOR LABOR AND EQUIPMENT NECESSARY FOR ROAD RECONSTRUCTION OF A SECTION OF COUNTY ROUTE 80, LAKE SHORE ROAD, IN THE TOWN OF WESTPORT WITH FUNDS TO COME FROM BUDGETED FUNDS. Harrington, Holzer

DELORIA: Any questions? Being none, all in favor, any opposed – carried.

HODGSON: Resolution number three, this resolution is for 1.89 miles of Tracy Road in the Town of Moriah for that same term contract as we discussed previously.

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY CHAIRMAN OR COUNTY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT AMENDMENT WITH REAL CONSTRUCTION, INC., IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $36,100.00, FOR LABOR AND EQUIPMENT NECESSARY FOR ROAD RECONSTRUCTION OF A SECTION OF COUNTY ROUTE 6, TRACY ROAD, LOCATED IN TOWN OF MORIAH WITH FUNDS TO COME FROM BUDGETED FUNDS. Scozzafava, DeZalia

DELORIA: Any questions? Being none, all in favor, any opposed – carried.

HODGSON: Thank you. The next resolution the final one for the term contracts is for a half a mile of Hurricane Road in the Town of Keene.

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY CHAIRMAN OR COUNTY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT AMENDMENT WITH REAL CONSTRUCTION, INC., IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $37,175.00, FOR LABOR AND EQUIPMENT NECESSARY FOR ROAD RECONSTRUCTION OF A SECTION OF COUNTY ROUTE 13, HURRICANE ROAD, LOCATED IN TOWN OF KEENE WITH FUNDS TO COME FROM BUDGETED FUNDS. Wright, Winemiller

DELORIA: Any questions? Being none, all in favor, any opposed – carried.

HODGSON: Resolution number five, a significant amount of damage was done to the paver somewhere in care and this is the repair for the paver from Finke who is the original supplier of our Vogle Paver.

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASING AGENT TO AWARD A PURCHASE ORDER WITH FINKE EQUIPMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $7,786.80, FOR LABOR NECESSARY TO REPAIR COUNTY OWNED ASPHALT PAVER WITH FUNDS TO COME FROM BUDGETED FUNDS AND FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY CHAIRMAN OR COUNTY MANAGER TO EXECUTE SAID PURCHASE ORDER. DeLoria, Wood

DELORIA: Any questions?

SCOZZAFAVA: You said damage Todd?

HODGSON: There was some water intrusion into the control box.

SCOZZAFAVA: It wasn’t involved in an accident or anything?

HODGSON: No, no the computer.

MONTY: Todd, was this our newest paver?

HODGSON: New paver, yes.

WINEMILLER: Where is Finke located?

HODGSON: I believe it’s down toward Albany.

DELORIA: Any other questions? All in favor, any opposed – carried.

HODGSON: Resolution six, is a FEMA project, it’s on Tracy Road over Feeder Pond outlet. That project is 75% funded by FEMA, twelve and a half percent State, twelve and half percent local funds.

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASING AGENT TO GO OUT TO BID THE TRACY ROAD OVER FEEDER POND OUTLET CULVERT REPLACEMENT PROJECT LOCATED IN THE TOWN OF MORIAH. Scozzafava, Holzer

DELORIA: Any questions? All in favor, any opposed – carried.

HODGSON: Thank you. Resolution number seven, Johnson Pond Road for an unnamed trib in the Town of North Hudson that again is also a FEMA project very similar to the last resolution.

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASING AGENT TO GO OUT TO BID THE JOHNSON POND ROAD OVER AN UNNAMED TRIBUTARY CULVERT REPLACEMENT PROJECT LOCATED IN THE TOWN OF NORTH HUDSON. Winemiller, DeZalia

DELORIA: Any questions? All in favor, any opposed – carried.

HODGSON: Resolution number eight, is for flooring replacement at the main complex specifically the second floor of DSS.

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASING AGENT TO AWARD A CONTRACT TO D&D FLOORING IN THE AMOUNT OF $13,642.05, FOR FLOOR COVERING INSTALLATIONS AT THE MAIN COMPLEX FIRST FLOOR HALLWAY AND DSS SECOND FLOOR ADMIN AREA WITH FUNDS TO COME FROM BUDGETED FUNDS AND FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY CHAIRMAN OR COUNTY MANAGER TO EXECUTE SAID CONTRACT. Scozzafava, Wright

DELORIA: Any questions?

WINEMILLER: What is the flooring?

HODGSON: It will be carpet.

DELORIA: All in favor, any opposed – carried.

HODGSON: Thank you. Resolution number nine is the purchase of two HVAC units for the Public Safety Building.

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASING AGENT TO AWARD A PURCHASE ORDER TO J HOGAN REFRIGERATION AND MECHANICAL, LLC IN THE AMOUNT OF $14,990.00, FOR SUPPLYING (2) REPLACEMENT MINI-SPLIT HVAC UNITS FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING, WITH FUNDS TO COME FROM BUDGETED FUNDS AND FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY CHAIRMAN OR COUNTY MANAGER TO EXECUTE SAID PURCHASE ORDER. Wright, Wood

DELORIA: Any questions? All in favor, any opposed – carried.

HODGSON: Okay and then the final resolution is for the LP gas system at the Public Safety Building. There are two vaporizers on that propane system that gasified the liquid propane off of the bottom of that large propane tank up there to supply that to the Public Safety Building. They are original equipment and we are looking to replace those two.

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASING AGENT TO AWARD A PURCHASE ORDER TO TRANS-TECH ENERGY, LLC IN THE AMOUNT OF $65,448.00, FOR SUPPLYING (2) REPLACEMENT PROPANE SYSTEM VAPORIZERS FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING WITH FUNDS TO COME FROM BUDGETED FUNDS AND FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY CHAIRMAN OR COUNTY MANAGER TO EXECUTE SAID PURCHASE ORDER. Wright, DeZalia

DELORIA: Any questions? Being none, all in favor, any opposed – carried.

HODGSON: So that’s resolutions. Jim has a couple of items here for discussion. I guess the whole share of that verbiage here under discussion is for 15 annual bids that DPW puts out. We received those on March 15, based on our understanding with Purchasing and the County Attorney’s Office we’re probably going to need some resolutions for those. Jim doesn’t have everything prepared right now I believe he’s looking to go to ways and means to have those resolutions.

MASCARENAS: Yeah, so typically in the past, even items eight, nine and ten any of those items that were spelled out in terms of the budget, what have been basically we would have taken as approval from the board that there was approval to make those expenditures and move forward with that. After conversations with the County Attorney, Purchasing Department and our department and DPW we’re going to, even though they are approved in the budget we’re going to continue to run those back through the board just as a belt and suspenders items but with that being said, timeframes can become a problem because people only hold bids for a maximum of 45 days and those types of things so yeah, we got back 15 bids. Donna has been staying late doing the tallies of all those bids and trying to get that information ready so that Jim will have it available to bring to the board for approval so if it’s prepared we would just like to put the board on notice that we’d like to bring those to ways and means. I know we typically don’t like to kind of get outside of committees on those things but in terms of meeting the obligation of procurement we want to meet those timeframes and get them in front of you as quickly as possible. Again, we didn’t used to do it that way, it is a change which means you’re going to see some more resolutions but it almost gives the board a second whack at turning something down if you didn’t find it to be important as you may have looked at in September and October and kind of forgotten so it at least it keeps it on the forefront for the board on whatever item that maybe coming up for purchase.

DELORIA: Okay so based on the list that was provided, does the board have any questions on any of these?

WINEMILLER: Is the Hot in Place Recycling, is that for millings?

MASCARENAS: That is asphalt I believe.

HODGSON: It is asphalt.

WINEMILLER: So it is running millings back down?

HODGSON: Yes, that is a recycled product.

WINEMILLER: Okay.

HOLZER: Question for Michael. Michael when you get these dollar amounts will the board be provided with a list of everyone that bid on the specific items? Like dollar amounts and stuff? I mean this seems to be getting more involved in the process and if I’m going to get behind supporting that I’d like to see how many members put in.

MASCARENAS: Yup, we always have the tally list we can certainly get those out to the board.

HOLZER: But this way, if we’re expected to make a formal vote on it I’d like to have some more back ground information.

MASCARENAS: Yup, we can do that for you. That’s not a problem.

HODGSON: This is also the list that the towns operate off of, the asphalt that comes off of this list respect to each town.

MASCARENAS: That is correct, thanks Todd.

DOTY: I think this is a good direction. Certainly I am involved right now in one of the bridge projects that you know for years, I know this board has been working with a ten year plan if I remember right on various bridges and over the course of just five years we watched materials and things change to a huge degree so, as Roy was saying, being able to see where we are at through the year would be a help.

MASCARENAS: Yeah, and there is some differences and we can explain those as we go between procurement on a Federal aid project verses procurement on some of our local dollars where on the Federal aid costs isn’t something we are even supposed to consider. We have to make that decision on the vendor prior to even opening the envelope that shows costs, that’s just the difference in the process to be able to accept those so those costs are usually higher because of that but locally we always look at costs as a factor for award.

DOTY: Well, equally important is not leaving DPW off on their own to accept or deny these variances so anyway, I think it’s a good direction.

MASCARENAS: I don’t think we need a motion. I just want to make the board aware that there may be a lot of resolutions coming up for ways and means committee. So, no motion today.

HODGSON: So the last item I had is just to point back to the second document that you received, which is the monthly report of DPW, just flipping to the second to last page at the staffing and where we are at right now. So it will be the one that has the bar graph on top of it, so just as an update to that at least to what I have for notes, we did hire a heavy equipment operator position and a construction equipment mechanic since this printing.

DELORIA: Any questions for Todd on the report?

WINEMILLER: I just wondered about the Fish Hatchery?

HODGSON: I don’t believe we heard back from the State to my knowledge so I know a letter was issued to the State with a draft report that was sent to them but to my knowledge we have not heard anything back from DEC at this point.

WINEMILLER: Do we have a time frame for that?

MASCARENAS: No, they kind of give us timeframes when we have to meet and then we leave it open ended on the back side.

WINEMILLER: That’s a shocker. I’m really surprised. Thank you.

GILLILLAND: Are we talking about the letter we sent to DEC?

MASCARENAS: Yes, sir.

GILLILLAND: We have no answer from DEC is because DEC right now is trying to figure out what they are going to do with the phosphorus maximums, nothing is going to happen until we all get the bad news.

DELORIA: Okay, any other questions for Todd? Being none, Todd, you are excused.

MASCARENAS: Todd, I just want to publically thank your department for effort last Tuesday during the storm. It was remarkable and all the county agencies and towns, what happened last Tuesday was something we hadn’t seen quite some time in the North Country and the organization and dedication your employees had was really awesome. So please pass along our thanks to those individuals.

HODGSON: I will do that. Thank you.

DELORIA: Okay, Ms. Halloran.

HALLORAN: Good morning. So I don’t think I added in my report, we also went up to World Water Day at the mall this weekend which was great, I brought our stream table up there and there were a lot of people that attended so it was a great outreach event.

I also included our list of current grants this month just to kind of give you an idea of some of the funding that comes through our office so if you have any questions let me know. That’s it.

WINEMILLER: I just want to know how your tree and shrub orders went?

HALLORAN: Great. We just have a few things left to sell on the day of the sale, we are almost sold out.

WINEMILLER: Thank you.

DELORIA: Anything else for Alice? If not, thank you. I think that concludes our business for the day. If nobody has anything, we stand adjourned.

As there was no further discussion to come before this DPW committee it was adjourned at 9:50 a.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Judith Garrison, Clerk

Board of Supervisors