Travis County Commissioners Court
March 13, 2007
Item 24
Due to technical difficulties some caption files may be incomplete.
>> welcome.t an update, summary where we are.
>> okay.
>> by the way, mr. Snider had appeared at one of our public hearings and his recommendation, I think, was twofold. One was that we expedite completion of the water project. Two is that we turn our attention to the wastewater issue also. And so, this is about the water project. So it was my idea that we should post for a status report to find out exactly where we are, what kind of completion date we thought we were looking at, what issues are still outstanding, if any. Some have been recently resolved I know, so if we bring the court up to speed on those, it will be good.
>> okay.
>> since securing the last source of funding for this project from Travis County cdbg grant award up $200,000 in October 2006, Commissioners court approved the contract for engineering services for the project with allen plumber and associatesassociates cindy lancaster is here with me today, c nan, principle, also expedited completion of this design. Negotiations and financial court approval occurred within a record breaking time. Marvin bryce and jason walker of the Travis County purchasing office and the transportation natural resources department provided invaluable and expeditious assistance in order to complete the procurement. Total contract amount is $153,89 $153,895. Of revenue for the contract is part of the Texas water develop development board community hardship program of $1 million. The original budgeted amount submitted with the chit grant application estimated the service to be approximately 150 150,000. The contract represents a cost savings of over 100,000. We did not issue a notice to proceed to the contract for the service until we were sure that Travis County resubmitted 2006- 2006-2010 consolidated plan cdbg was aby hud. Project was recommended for grant award for 200,000 from these resources am upon aof the plan the contractor was issued a notice to proceed on December 1, 2006. Over the last three months, allen plumber and associate has made tremendous progress in designing the new water improvement project. They are on time and within the projected budget dñtch. It is estimated that the construction plans are about 85 percent complete, probably now since this item was delayed a week, probably 90. Construction plan has been but there are a few outstanding ease am issues which we have been resolving over the last three or four days, as early as Sunday morning. Travis County and allen plumber representatives met with the proper owners to talk about outstanding construct easements and we anticipate some final draws within the would like the point out that have happened that have helped us along. We have submitted plans and had some review done by tex dot to make sure we lay the ground work work. We did get cooperation with from Austin water and utility on issues that would have cost a little more or made the harder to place the lines. The other big thing, the develop tor the south is willing to grant an easement for us to place it in the subdivision property to the south to avoid having to go through each individual lot and in some of those lots there were obstacles to work around. That was a big plus for us and we are appreciatetive of their cooperation on that. That just occurred within the last week or so.
>> it being waterlines ?
>> water easement. 15 foot. The city of Austin prefers a 15- 15-foot dedicated waterline ease am for placement of waterlines. In our case it will be a 15 foot easement to the south on the raceway subdivision property and the rest of them placed in the streets except for a couple lots to the north where we have had some issues too. Austin would prefer a dedicated easement. The existing are only ten-foot public utility, but they have agreed to work with us and allow for placement within those ten- ten-foot easements existing without having to get additional easement.
>> so we did not issue notice to proceed to the design consultant until after all the funding.
>> until we were sure that our c cd b g plan that was resubmitted was approved balk in December. I don't think it would be appropriate to issue a notice to proceed if we didn't have the estimated funding in place. They designed this, we are here less than the months, 90 percent design.
>> so we think design will be completed when ?
>> if we can get, basically there's some information we still need on the four lots to the north where we just kind of worked out things with those property owners. So if I can get that information then we are looking at a couple of weeks. That could run to three weeks.
>> let's saw that we take two to four weeks to resolve those issues. Then we would issue a construction bid.
>> actually, we do have some reviews that we still, it has to officially be submitted to city of Austin for review. We have met with them on dent expect it to be a long process. Same thing with Texas dot.
>> walk us through the additional steps. Can you eses--estimates the time they may take ?
>> my guess, it would take probably four weeks to get through review processes, even with, you knowminimal.
>> okay.
>> (inaudible)
>> I think they would occur am we would go ahead and submit to all of them. There are some orders that they sign off but they can all be reviewing at the same time.
>> and as drawings have been we submitted them to the dñb developed we submitted this emto the city and we have been multi multitracking these things, hopefully going out to bid on this deal in late April, early may. . That's a very aggressive timetable but one that we set three months ago and we are pretty much on the same schedule right now.
>> the reality check for us is that when the approval of a state entity and city of Austin is required, really if they run into things they need clarified or what they consider to be issues, then we pretty much have to resolve them at that point.
>> yeah.
>> prior to going out for construction bid. So one month to complete design. If we think we are lucky, an additional month for city and state approval. That gets us to two months but also hopefully to approval of the design.
>> right.
>> so what comes after that ?
>> then the bid process.
>> which the county controls.
>> the county controls.
>> we know that will be real, real fast.
>> cyd grimes in the purchasing office through our six-party agreement has been very kind in helping us expedite any type of procurement activity that was necessary and/or is necessary for this project.
>> so, but our, normally our bid would take really six to eight weeks, right? Even if we expe diet it to get the--expedite to get the bids in pre bid conference, the bid, evaluation of the bid, court approval. Two months really. I’m being realistic, aren't I s.
>> we had scheduled a six-week time frame, but six to eight is reasonable.
>> okay.
>> let's say six to ith weeks then. Let's proof the county judge wrong lucky, we are able to negotiate an appropriate contract, issue notice to proceed. The construction period itself is how long ?
>> I would say four to six months. Sort of depend on how they handle the plumbing issues because there's work that has to be done have the water flowing.
>> to have all the services to all the houses, yeah.
>> it would do residents a lot of good, ms. Brown, to see people out there, what they call turning dirt, actually constructing the wastewater system. Get a hookup personally? Right ?
>> zero.
>> zero.
>> the grants were written in such a way. That's why it's very important to understand the requirements of these grants they were written in such a way that all existing customers of the corporation at the time that these charging us. That's why we worked closely with the city of Austin because we are building this thing for them. That's the ultimate party that we have to satisfy. Nobody else. They are the ones taking it over over. There's no capital recovery fee associated. Now, if you have, you own a couple vacant lots and you want to tie into the city system once they take over, all that kicks in. Any existing customer of the corporation at the time that the grants were committed will be be--will be tied onto the syste.
>> no cost.
>> and most of the grants are written to benefit low to moderate income folks. And those people were submitted along with each one of the grant applications, the water develop development board, the nonboard grant with the office of rural community atears, the cdbg request from Williamson and Travis County, andcity.
>> of the city of Austin.
>> they would be considered out of city of Austin customers. They would be billed that way. I think the water bills right now are probably 75 for 3,000 gallons of water. I think that would probably cost them six bucks in the city of Austin.
>> the monthly water bill should be substantially less than now plus the water system a lot more reliable.
>> and the water quality better.
>> and the quality should be bett drinkable.
>> yeah. At one time we really chatted with resident about a solution that would cost I guess two or 3 300,000.
>> 160 at that time, judge. That was in June of 2000.
>> we concluded along with resident that actually a more comprehensive system, a modern system, is what was required. Now the total cost really is about $1.8 million with the county kicking in some contract management in kind, probably on top of that, right ?
>> all the staff time. This gentleman right here wrote the six-party agreement and it took had him probably three months to negotiate. Thank you, tom.
>> we know what a high-paid lawyer, physically get the water from the street to your house, all of these things are going to be handled in this fee ?
>> yes.
>> the construction plans are set up to where the existing customers noted on the plans that there will be a plumbing connection to their house. A lot of them now are serviced off the back because that's where the waterlines are. They have to have new lines that come from the front and hook toe wherever, you know, the plumbing enters their house. There will be, you know, taps left and empty boxes for people who may want to tie on later and work it out with the city on their own to pay the fees and all that and get a meter. We anticipate that at the time of the construct there will be people who have never had water service or have raterate cot. Once the cost comes down, this project doesn't include wastewater at all? Correct.
>> no wastewater.
>> what are the plans for future inside the commune, I would tot totally understand if there aren't any because of the of the the--because of the cost, I imagine the cost since 1997 is considerably higher. My concern is for the basic services out there that once we get the water in place, then the septic is going to fail since we will be using more water.
>> under my, you you-- you--understandably, you can drink in it and bathe in it now.
>> traditionally when we have done water projects, I can think of the first one, kennedy ridge. When those people were hooked on for the first time in 1991, 1992 the amount they used did not go up considerably. Even though that project was water and wastewater. We were required you believed the six-party agreement to inspect every septic tank out there, which we did. And city just wanted that inspection done to show what the condition of the tanks were at that time. From the liability standpoint. They want that had in the six- six-party agreement. Right, tom? And so, the city did have some discussions with me and water development board about an opportunity in the future to provide these folk with wastewater services as well. But they wanted this project done first. There wasn't any guarantee. They don't know where they are going to get the money from. There's a lot of area land out there on the Travis County side. By the way, two-thirds of the subdivisions in Williamson county, most of the resident living there. They are looking at revenue and potential customers. You would think from a business standpoint.
>> city of Austin.
>> yeah, from a business standpoint it would be an investment for them to put in the sok at your map.
>> the immediate plan is for those resident there now to continue to use the septic systems that they have.
>> that's right.
>> we have inspected them, some in better shape than other. The long-term plan, and wish and hope, is for a wastewater system a modern wastewater system, that would further dramatically improve the quality of life for these resident. But the wastewater system ended up costing 1 .8 million.
>> water.
>> water system. I don't know what the wastewater system would cost of I do know that early on it became clear to us that if we were able to get a comprehensive modern water system, it would be a big deal and we ought to focus on getting that done. Seems like every time we met the cost would kind of go up.
>> the last estimate take I saw on wastewater when you and I met with the city of Austin was folk about two and a half years ago was $2.5 million.
>> but we inspected the systems out there, and they are operat operating. Some are in good shape, such go. Typically, if you are not care careful with a modern system like this, your water consumption will go up. But you have to be concerned about the wastewater problem also. So the minute the water system is operational and everything, all the glitches worked out, seems to me that it would be appropriate to start discuss. One other little thing, Williamson county is here today and have been partners for several years now, making a commitment to be one of the financial partners. They would like to see their financial contribution used for construction. There are several ways that we could work that. In a meeting with them last wee to work everything out in such a way that that could happen. You know, the total will end up being $1.8 million. And so, we ought to be able to creatively accommodate that request and get the project done done. But you know, I was not, I had not been briefed when the discussion came up two or three weeks ago. So it's good to know. We are basically about to complete the design work. Then we have an approval process with the city of Austin and the statelve they knew with this system. As we have added on different parts and tried to locate different funding, they have pretty much blessed different pieces. But at the same time, at some point they need to see the total design.
>> that's right.
>> and sign off on that.
>> even after approval of the design, we got the bid process that we have to go through, then signing of a contract, then the actual construction work. I think it's safe to tell resident they are looking at probably about a year. We will do what we can to expedite this. A year, given construction, I guess, maximum time to get done. Could be ten months. If we say about a year, we are safe. And that way if we come in a little short of that, it will be better.
>> I will just add on the cost, until we have the design final finalized and all the approvals and stuff, there are still some costs. The cost isn't finalized until we--
>> and the construction bid.
>> right.
>> we have tried to build in reasonable contingencies am we are kind of praying that--
>> right. We have sought from the different analysis some variance variances that we thought would help on is cost. We have gotten some cooperation on that but the costs are still what they are.
>> the increases will be in the bid. In the backup documentation where we say completion date is September for September 2007, that should probably be pushed out to the end of the year or as late as March '08.
>> I put that on there because that's what all the parties agreed to. We are going to shoot for that make it.
>> ms. Lancaster wants us to take a reality check. I do think we ought to do everything we can to expedite completion of it. At the same time we have to be mindful of the quality, due diligence, approval by various part necessary. Necessary--partners. You hate to see billed in drace dracedrace--built in .
>> judge briscoe, for the record may name is nettie brown, I’m president of the forth ridge acres homeowners association and I’m here today to let you know we appreciate everything you are doing. With your help and with dan's help, who we have had to turn to over and over and over over the years, we hope this project will begin the summer. I know once the contractor gets in there , he can push this. It doesn't take him six or nine months once he gets his money, he is ready to go. So I’m hoping we don't waste the summer to get our water.
>> we are going to promise all the money ugh to keep him movin.
>> keep him work zñg right.
>> I’m also here to let you know that a week ago I was asked to define poverty for a low-income neighborhood. Poverty is not having water. Not having sewer. We can live without the sewer. As far as the water, using so much water after we get this water in, those people are used to conserving water. They haul their water right now. So they are going to be very conservative until we get the sewer system in.
>> I don't bring that up because I think people will wastewater. I bring it up because I know that neighborhood hasn't been able to do the common things like other neighborhoods do like wash your car or take a bath or water your lawn. These are things that other people take for granted that you all haven't been able to do for years.
>> yes every day this project sits, that's more expense, more that we have to go and look for more money. I mean, dan has been our life safer. Hangs --thanks to judge briscoe. He has allowed him to do this. We went to the legislature and made laws to change the water code. We looked for grant funding everywhere. I am so thankful that we have dna to callve when our water is open, I finally pick up the phone and call dan and he e-mails the tc e q to get them to do something. I have pictures here of the run on the overflow of the well. There was no one to call. I mean, you call the tceq, it does not good. We called our state representative, we called dan, and then we called kirk watson's office. Finally after three solid days of running the water well day and night, just spilling on the ground, talk about waste, we are the ones that have to pay for this. The only thing to save us and help us is to get this project started and finished and not 2008 either. This summer. Hopefully. I have faith in you, judge briscoe, and in every person sitting at that table. I have a lot of faith in dan and the engineering company. I know this can get done. I know we are not going to have to sit here and wait until 2008. If you do, then you're going to see us done here again. We are going to say, what happened? What happened? September is the earliest since the very beginhere.
>> a long time ago.
>> where is plñz snider today ?
>> isn't that pitful to have to wait that long for clean water? I’m not blaming the that's a good quote.
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Last Modified:
Wednesday, March 14, 2007 8:00 AM