MINUTES OF THE INFORMAL MEETING OF THE JOHNSON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS:
APRIL 10, 2008
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
County Engineer Greg Parker: Bids Received for the 2008 Johnson County Dust Control Safety Program. 1
County Engineer Greg Parker: Bids Received for the 2008 Seed And Fertilizer Program..... 2
County Engineer Greg Parker: Bids Received for the 2008 Bituminous Resurfacing Program 2
Board of Supervisors: Request for Letter of Support for Coralville Center for the Performing Arts 3
Reports and Inquiries From Executive Assistant Mike Sullivan............................................ 4
Reports and Inquiries From the Board of Supervisors.......................................................... 4
Chairperson Sullivan called the Johnson County Board of Supervisors to order in the Johnson County Administration Building at 6:08 p.m. Members present were: Pat Harney, Larry Meyers, Terrence Neuzil, Sally Stutsman, and Rod Sullivan.
County Engineer Greg Parker said that Secondary Roads began the annual renewal of bids for dust control. He noted that in the future Secondary Roads will be using calcium chloride for road safety. They sent out 11 bid notifications and received one bid back from Binns and Stevens. He stated that the amount of dust control material put on the roads was increased because of the 2006 ADT changes. He added that the anticipated quantity needed was 306,000 gallons at a cost of $.71 per gallon. The bid came in at $217,801, which is more than the estimated cost of $212,865. Parker mentioned that fuel costs are changing on a daily basis, which makes it very difficult to estimate costs. He noted that the actual bid was about 2.3% over his estimate. He recommended proceeding with the specific bid item and putting it on the next formal meeting agenda.
Harney noted that there was only one Iowa bidder, and asked if there is only one company in Iowa that provides the service. Parker said the bids were sent to 11 vendors. He noted that the bid winner in 2007 did not submit a 2008 bid. He also mentioned that Binns and Stevens was probably the only Iowa vendor that he has seen recently but noted that new companies start up all the time. Parker used the Department of Transportation (DOT) approved listing of vendors for this application to submit the bids. Meyers asked if Binns and Stevens do this application. Parker confirmed this and said that Binns and Stevens supply the materials and the trucks even if they subcontract the work out. He said that Binns and Stevens has previously worked with the County. Parker noted that 2007 was the first year that Binns and Stevens was not the low responsible bidder.
Stutsman asked Parker to compare the cost increase to 2007. Parker said that the per-gallon cost in 2007 was $.65 to $.66 and noted that the price for 2008 increased by $.45. R. Sullivan said that in 2008 more miles of road will be treated and therefore more gallons of material would be needed. Meyers asked for clarification on the term, “to the yard,” used in Parker’s handout. Parker explained that the material would be delivered and stored in a plastic tank and Secondary Roads would pump out the material for winter operation use. The Board agreed to place the contract on a future formal agenda.
Parker said that Secondary Roads sent out 10 bid notifications for seeds and fertilizer and received six bids. He noted that the 2008 low responsible bidder was a Johnson County firm, Big Country Seeds Inc, with a bid of $19,210. The high bid was $28,230. Parker said the cost estimation for this program was $24,320. Parker recommended putting the proposal from Big Country Seeds on the formal agenda for approval. Stutsman asked if the company is new. Harney thought they used to be Amana Seeds. Parker said they received bids from Amana Seeds, and noted that the representative from Big Country Seeds is taking over their bidding activity. The Board agreed to put the seed bid on a future formal agenda for approval.
Parker said there are very few contractors who do bituminous resurfacing. He noted that there are only two local contractors, a subsidiary of River Products, and L.L. Pelling. Parker said that L.L. Pelling was the only bidder for 2008. Parker said the cost for Division I is $414,630 and $21,600 for Division II. He noted that the total price for the contract is $436,230. Parker said the bid was 2% over the engineer’s estimate of $427,900. Parker said that the seal coat quantities have not changed since 2002 but the cost has almost doubled. He said that in 2002 the total cost for Division I was $235,218 and the 2008 quote is $414,630. Parker explained that due to the increasing prices Secondary Roads has been using less material, which is not allowing proper maintenance of the roads. He recommended proceeding with the L.L. Pelling bid.
Stutsman noted that the (DOT) estimates 20% yearly increases in road costs. Parker said that over the past five or six years the prices had been fairly steady, but about five years ago they began jumping at a higher rate than they had in the past. Harney pointed out that petroleum and fuel costs have gone up. Parker said that everything Secondary Roads does revolves around oil, and the increase in prices has an enormous negative impact. There was agreement by the Board to move forward with this proposal at the next formal meeting.
R. Sullivan mentioned that on April 11, 2008 at 8:00 a.m. there would be a meeting with Senator Tom Harkin's staff to discuss road conditions. Parker said that the roads are in the worst shape he has ever seen in his career. Stutsman asked if school buses have started running on gravel roads. Parker said Amana, Clear Creek, and College Community buses are running on hard surfaces only. R. Sullivan mentioned that Mid-Prairie buses are also running on hard surfaces only. Parker said it is very frustrating for the residents on gravel roads, but noted that sending heavy County trucks out on the gravel roads would be doing more damage than good. Stutsman said that people who have lived in the unincorporated area for years have never seen the roads this bad. She added that the problems persist throughout the entire county. Parker said that a gentleman from Southwest Iowa said Johnson County roads are in great shape compared to the roads in Southwest Iowa.
Harney asked what the gravel budget is. Parker said that all maintenance related costs went way over the allocated budget. He explained that the expense for snow removal was over $250,000, salt expenses went up 100%, and the field budget was gone by February. Parker said the budget for gravel is $600,000 and noted that there is a need for at least $1 million worth of gravel.
R. Sullivan passed out copies of a letter that Executive Assistant Mike Sullivan received from the City of Coralville. M. Sullivan said that Coralville Assistant City Administrator Ellen Habel corresponded with him regarding a Community Action Tourism (CAT) application that the City of Coralville is compiling for the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts. They propose a 518 seat community auditorium be built at the corner of 5th Street and 12th Avenue in Coralville. M. Sullivan said that Coralville is requesting a letter of support from the Board to accompany their CAT application.
Neuzil asked if the County has made a yearly contribution of $5,000 for four or five years to these types of projects. M. Sullivan said that during the CAT application process or review, the committee asks for County financial support. M. Sullivan did not discuss financial support with Habel because Coralville just asked for a letter of support to accompany the CAT application. M. Sullivan confirmed that typically at some point during the CAT application process, the reviewing committee asks for County financial support.
R. Sullivan said the Board received a letter, via e-mail, from the Board and staff of the Englert Theatre requesting the Board to not approve the request because the area is not big enough for two theaters of similar size. Stutsman mentioned that the name is very similar to that of the Englert Theater. She is confused as to how the project can request Vision Iowa funding if Southgate and Watts would be the builders. She asked if Vision Iowa allows for private developers. R. Sullivan said that the Center would be built and then sold back to Coralville over a certain number of years. R. Sullivan voiced his concern that Coralville would use Tax Increment Financing (TIF) for the project. Stutsman added that more tax money would be paid for the Vision Iowa grant. Neuzil said that the same thing was done for the Coralville Public Library. Stutsman added that the Board supported the Coralville Aquatic Center as well.
Neuzil said that a representative from the City of Coralville should come to a Board meeting to address some of the concerns. Stutsman suggested that the Board table the issue until a representative from Coralville is available. M. Sullivan said that Coralville wants a response as soon as possible. He will discuss the matter with Habel. Stutsman said the process has usually involved someone presenting the proposal to the Board. M. Sullivan said that he will try to arrange a presentation for the next informal meeting.
M. Sullivan said there would be a Strategic Planing meeting on April 16, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. From 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. that day there will be a blood drive at the Administration Building.
Neuzil attended Hometies, a 4-Cs program. He will have a Listening Post on April 18, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. at Melrose Meadows.
Meyers attended a liaison meeting with Facilities Manager David Kempf, an Empowerment Board meeting, a Mental Health/Developmental Disabilities Planning Council meeting, a GIS Policy Board meeting, a liaison meeting with Social Services Coordinator Amy Correia, and a Chamber of Commerce Local Government Affairs meeting. He said he had received many calls from the public on several issues.
Harney attended a Lead Off Your Day leadership meeting, Pancake Day at West High, a liaison meeting with Human Resources Director Lora Shramek, a liaison meeting with Correia, the Chamber Ag/Biosciences meeting, the Key Issues meeting, CPR training, a fundraiser for the new Clear Creek Amana school, and the North Liberty RAGBRAI meeting.
Adjourned at 6:42 p.m.
______________________________________________________________________
Attest: Tom Slockett, Auditor
By:
On the _______ day of _____________________, 2008
By John Deeth, Recording Secretary
Sent to the Board of Supervisors on May 5, 2008 at 10:00 a.m.