COUNCIL DISCUSSES RESERVOIR, SOLID WASTE

Expansion, solid waste, water, and various city improvements will be on the agenda for Monday's Cape Girardeau City Council meeting.

Among the items to consider is the Cape LaCroix Creek/Walker Branch Flood Control project.

"The city staff is prepared to resume the process of acquiring properties for the dry detention reservoir north of the city as part of the flood control project," said City Attorney Warren Wells.

"This will include acquisition of properties also for a sanitary sewer, for a roadway and for some recreation facilities. The city council's approval of this ordinance will authorize the staff to move forward with this phase of the project," he said.

In addition, an ordinance authorizing the city manager to enter into an agreement with Union Electric for the relocation of utility lines for the Walker Branch segment of Cape LaCroix Creek/Walker Branch Flood Control project will be considered.

Union Electric will relocate the utility lines as required for the Walker Branch I section of the project.

An agreement will be presented for council approval that formalizes the work to be done by Union Electric and the cost to be paid by the city. The estimated cost is $250,907. Union Electric has offered the city a reduced rate similar to relocation on the city right-of-way so the city's cost will be $53,619.

Another item on the agenda is specifications and bid documents for solid waste services. Additions to the document include: an approximate schedule, additional definitions and protective clauses regarding contract administration.

With the changes and additions noted the city council may approve by motion the specifications and bid documents for solid waste services and authorize the city staff to put the services out for bid.

An ordinance accepting easements for the Brink Street Sewer Replacement Project will also be on the agenda.

Negotiations between the city staff and the property owners along Brink Street, Montgomery Street and Minnesota Avenue have resulted in the acquisition of a permanent easement and temporary construction easements from four properties.

Another council agenda item calls for the issuance of special tax bills for costs incurred in demolishing condemned structures under the provisions of Chapter 7, Article VI, of the code of ordinances.

A structure at 1123 Jefferson has been demolished under these provisions. "It is recommended that the city council approve the ordinance authorizing the issuance of special tax bills to cover the cost of demolishing this structure," said City Planner Kent Bratton.

Also set for discussion will be the implementation of the water system master plan.

"In order to continue with the implementation of the water system master plan, and to follow through with budgeted project, the city staff has negotiated a master services agreement with Burns and McDonnell," said City Engineer Kensey Russell. "This type of agreement sets the general contract provisions between the consultant and the city and provides for specific project scopes and costs to be negotiated as amendments to the contract. There is no cost specifically associated with entering into this agreement. It is anticipated that amendments defining work relating to seismic protection and to water plant expansion will be presented soon."

Russell noted that this is the same type of agreement that the city has successfully utilized for the airport projects. "It allows for coordination between projects and yet does not lock the city into using a particular engineer for an indefinite time," he added.

The city council will also consider approving the resolution adopting the 1994-1999 Capital Improvements Program. The addition of the Kent Street extension to the program was made following a public hearing regarding the Capital Improvements Program March 7.

The proposed plans for recreation development projects at Shawnee and Osage Parks will also be up for consideration.

The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, the Convention and Visitors Advisory Board and the city staff have worked for the past several months on proposed plans for the recreation and development projects at Shawnee and Osage Parks.

The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, charged by the city council with the development of this project, has approved preliminary project plans. Those plans will be presented at tonight's meeting.