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HomeMy WebLinkAboutM061407S District No. 1 Commissioner: Phil Johnson District No.2 Commissioner: David W. Sullivan District No.3 Commissioner: John Austin County Administrator: John F. Fischbach Clerk of the Board: Lorna Delaney MINUTES Special Meeting June 14, 2007 Chairman Phil Johnson called the Special Meeting to order in the presence of Commissioner David W. Sullivan and Commissioner John Austin. Discussion re: Coordination of Efforts on Beckett Point Sewer Project: (See also minutes of June 11,2007) Chairman Johnson opened the Special Meeting in the Jefferson County District Courtroom. Approximately 55 participants and interested citizens were present. Commissioner Sullivan explained that on June 11 several entity representatives met to discuss the issues and this follow-up meeting was scheduled to suggest ways to move the sewer proj ect forward. Allyson Brooks, State Department of Archeology and Historic Preservation, reported that there was a meeting at Beckett Point earlier in the day. At the onsite visit, they discovered that the distance between the houses and the sewer line is not as far as they thought and the drain field will not be as deep as they had expected. They have been working with Commissioner Sullivan, PUD Manager Jim Parker, and Kathy Duncan from the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe to come up with workable solutions that shouldn't be extreme. Funding is an issue that will involve the Legislature and the Governor's Office. She noted that Kathy Duncan helped develop a strategy to allow them to concentrate on sampling the areas that the excavation will disturb instead of doing random sampling all across the spit. They need to understand the vertical profile and they want to concentrate on the "hot spots." Everyone wants the project to move forward and they are working as a team. It is a balancing act of caring for the cultural resources and treating them respectfully while ensuring that the houses are connected to the onsite sewer system. She added that they have made a lot of progress and have come up with a timely strategy. Everyone is willing to work with the PUD to get the monitoring ofthe drainfields implemented as soon as the contractor can get started again. Commissioner Sullivan said that the common goal is to prevent unnecessary delays that will lead to increased construction costs. The County can expedite adjustments on permits. Another option is to have the County provide a loan for interim financing for cash flow issues. The County also has staff that can work on coordinating the proj ect. Representative Lynn Kessler agreed with Allyson Brooks' strategy that the project be "solution driven." This is a water quality issue which is a priority throughout the State. She stated that she will do everything she can to find a financial solution. This situation shows the need for the State to develop a policy to address these issues and she has been in contact with the Governor's Office. They will work to find the Page 1 Commissioners Meeting Minutes: Week of June 14,2007 <' funding. The Public Works Trust Fund could provide a low interest loan for $200,000: $100,000 from the 2006-2007 biennium and $100,000 from the 2007-2008 biennium which will be available July 1. Representative Kevin VanDe Wege stated that he and Representative Kessler have been trying to find State funding for the project. They need to know more about what the future holds. He asked about the costs to date. Commissioner Sullivan stated that the archeological costs are probably going to be close to $100,000 within a few months. Allyson Brooks said that if more remains or cultural materials are found, they may be able to take other actions, such as moving the holes. The Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe is very comfortable with the archeologist doing the studies. They could possibly continue the sewer line by peeling back layers. It helps that all the entities are represented "at the table" to help make the project a success. She understands that the costs increase if the equipment sits idle and the contractor can't work. They need the archeologist's data. Representative Kevin Van De Wege asked if the project is currently stopped? PUD Manager Jim Parker answered that the project is stopped, however ifthey get a permit to work on the upper level with an archeologist present to do monitoring, they can continue with the upper level within ten days. Jim Parker explained that the County has offered "bridge" financing in order for the work to continue. The estimated cost of the project when it began was $2.8 million which was to be paid by a $1 million grant and $1.9 million through a private bank. The project was due to be completed by October, 2007. The PUD has spent about $1.1 million to date. There are several concerns about continuing to use private funding because this is a risk that a private business may not want to take. His concern is that the current bills for the project are being paid from the PUD's General Fund and costs are growing each day. They want to do this for the homeowners. If the project is successful the PUD will get all the money back through the Local Utility District (LUD) process. The cost of continuing the project will increase rapidly with an archeologist monitoring all the excavation work. All the agencies, including the archeologist have been very helpful. If the project doesn't go forward, the PUD will be responsible for the $1.1 million that has already been spent. The PUD will be able to continue the proj ect because the County Commissioners have said they will provide funding to keep things moving. The tribes and the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) have said they will sign the permit to allow excavation to continue on the upper level. It sounds like the plan is being developed for the lower area and something can be worked out. The concern is the cost of the additional time. The Construction Engineer detailed the timeline for portions of the project. The possibility of State funding was discussed. Representative Kessler stated that she doesn't want to wait until the fall to begin discussions at the State level. She plans to call several Legislators now to discuss solutions that they can act on this year. She reiterated that water quality is a State priority and she thinks that the State will support funding for the project. Page 2 Commissioners Meeting Minutes: Week of June 14, 2007 i~':"""'''i; ,.\,.',' ~,"".;;.,".~ 'fS/f'I:N(i\~\ NOTICE OF ADJOURNMENT: Commissioner Austin moved to adjourn the meeting at 3:45 p.m. until the next regularly scheduled Commissioners' Meeting or a Special Meeting as noticed according to the statute. Commissioner Sullivan seconded the motion which carried by a unanimous vote. ~ '- JEFFERSON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS , , , , , .. .., ~;/~. 9 ~ t'l" '\..I .,~.:.' ..f''''' Austin, Member 'f ... ., . .,. . ~~~~' C/1/C Deputy Clerk of the Board Page 3