HomeMy WebLinkAbout02212023 PACAB Work Session Notes WORK SESSION NOTES PACAB
Called by: Bruce Jaffa Time: 12:00pm Date: 2/21/2024
Purpose: Sewer Treatment Options and Sidewalks
Present: Jodi Kurtz, Doug Schoessler, Council Member Present: Bruce Jaffa, Melissa
Shannon Thorn, Jason Bickling, Nancy H, Schutter, Ben Smith, Dwayne Atwood
Lynda Paquette
Absent—Tom Miller
You can see this discussion on this on YouTube. There were some technical issues with Youtube but
now it is working.
Bruce Jaffa introduced talking about the Sewer Treatment Options and Sidewalks.
Jaffa questioned about the comprehensive plan?
Jason Bickling—Process of finalizing and did some metrics and can be pulled from that to get data
information.
Sewer Treatment—Doug Schoessler presented to PACAB a summary of the system. Seward Lagoon is
30 million gallons/million gallons a day at peak that goes through the system about a 30-day
retention. Talked about Sledge removal (10 years ago), check every two years, where you test the
depth of the sludge. 2-3 inches which is good. R & M gave suggestions on what to do with the
aeration. of the R&M's Report and what they found. Suggestions and overview finding that the
system lacked the maintenance and building up.
Doug Schoessler—Would love to have new blowers (20 years old). Suggested that if we could get
funding for the blowers, it would be good. It was only$ 2 million that Mulkowski was able to get.
When you do sludge removal,you drain one system, ($3 mil), do one side then do the other. We do
have 3 monitor wells and checking to see if there are any leaks and when we do that check for new
liner(30 years old), need new one. To do new liner you have to remove all aeration equipment, and
biodome (45) all lifted by helicopter, reline it then put all biodomes back in. It makes the project
bigger. That is when you want to get the new stuff and it's a money thing. Talked about the past
issues.
Population has been roughly 5000 and it has gone down since each census. It's gone down from
2010,2015,2020. In summer we have more, peak in July, and for the one month we are at that peak
of keeping it going.
Dwayne Atwood—Small pot across bay and this pond for the larger population, do we need a third?
Schoessler said no at this point. Wonder what PACAB take on it. Mentioned how Paquette wondered
if we could get rid of the lagoon or move it into town.
Melissa Schutter asked if the there has been talk about the lagoon being moved into town?
Schoessler said yes at some point there was talk about moving it into town. Schutter—can the money
for the infrastructure be used for this and moving into town. Bickling said it's very specific in what we
can use.
Jaffa—how many options are out there for city of 2000 people; how many cities are out there and
what cost for sewer treatment plant for a city like Seward?
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WORK SESSION NOTES PACAB
Schoessler- it is a total monetary thing. Does council want to fund this to move the sewer plant?We
can suggest to do this.Jaffa—asked what the replacement cost would be?
Schoessler said $85 million. This is an engineering deal and council deal on what we want to pursue
and fix and/or bring into town.
Ben Smith—growth of community and that plan is more than adequate? Schoessler readdressed that
in July we are at the peak. Smith—packaging the repairs and what would be the impact if the sides
failed?Schoessler said it would be an urgent and we would have to fix it. And that is in the process of
getting that$2 million improvements. New blowers and additional aeration.
Questions from Audience
Paquette mention the new legislated priorities is a new facility-and her impression on this meeting
to be is the combination of different types and what types the city wants to have and potential
locations.
Schoessler-states the council needs to say what we want to do and it has to be a feasibility study on
the location.
Discussion on that PACAB make a recommendation to council to do a feasibility study.
Schutter asked if the line to the lagoon under the road?Yes, and it is Steel.
Atwood asked what the acreage is for the facility? Not sure but believes it's like 5 lots.
Atwood—if relocate and finding a 5-acre patch, we would have to have a smaller footprint.
Smith—talked about how Sitka has theirs in a shed and trucks their sludge out.
Schoessler—if we could discharge into the Kenai River we could but it's an expense.
Discussion on R & M report and what council wants to do with it. (funding, strategic plan, comp plan,
grants available, etc.)
Atwood—questioned if it matters which direction it goes, plant on north end of town,tapping into
what we have currently. Thinking to future and growth and using existing lines.
Schoessler—depends on where it is located,gravity flow, engineering thing to figure out, put a new
pipe, room to put things. Anything is possible with proper funding.
Jaffa asked if the electric provided by the city? Schoessler states it's a metered and city pays.
Jaffa—not convinced that it is inadequate for what the city needs.
Schutter—questioned something that Lynda stated about that went to Washington.
Bickling—stated how we have legislative priorities a feasibility study for public safety building,water
line replacement and sewer replacement and other priorities. Schoessler added that it's a wish list of
what we are need and are our priorities.
More discussion on Legislative priorities and how we use that.
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WORK SESSION NOTES PACAB
Discussion on how the Tunnel Project will affect the pipes under the road for the lagoon.
Bruce Jaffa—thanked Doug for information and with the paper he submitted to PACAB.
Bruce stated we need to get that presentation to council and possible replacement of this facility.
And the 7 items be looked at before replacement.
Bruce asked what would he guess would reduce or do to the electrical use? Schoessler said they are
the original blower and not the new efficiency but would say at least 20%.
Moved to the sidewalk issue—active improvements
Other sidewalks around town that have been identified.
But would like to see or hear if heated sidewalks to the community.
Schoessler—said that when we put in the heated system in front of Annex building in the is$15K for
peks.
51"Avenue one side$282K.
Schoessler talked about what all sidewalks/repairs have been completed.Trying to repair worst first.
Have done every year except for last year due to too much rain (summer of 2023). Liberty Theatre
needs that sidewalk replaced. Schoessler mentioned some others as well.
Side walk money listed in his account is$75K.
Atwood—sidewalk triage—alternating sidewalk in 41"Ave and Port Ave would be good to have
sidewalks on both sides of the street.
Schoessler stated you have $75K per year.
Discussion on risk and liability of getting hurt on poor sidewalks.
Discussion on snow removal on sidewalks in the downtown area.
Discussion on if maintaining a paved road or gravel road is more cost effective.
More discussion on sidewalks.
Jaffa thanked Doug for coming.
Adjorned 1:29pm
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