Oct 22, 2018 Public Utilities Board on 2018-10-22 6:00 PM

- Number 22nd, 2018, Public Utilities Board. The first item on the agenda is the consent agenda. So does any board members wish to pull an item on the consent? Nope, okay. Do we have a motion to approve items A through D on the consent agenda? - So moved. - Second. - All in favor? - Aye. - Aye. - Opposed? Motion carries. Items for individual consideration. The first item is consider the approval of the board minutes from October 8th of 2018. Were there any changes or corrections that need to be made? Okay, having none, then we'll approve them as presented. Receive nominations and elect a secretary for the Public Utilities Board. Do we have any nominations? - I'd like to nominate Charlie. - Okay. Is there something formally we have to do? Is one nomination good? Do you accept that nomination? Okay. Okay, all in favor of Charlie being the secretary? Say aye. - Aye. - Aye. - Opposed? Congratulations, Charlie. Item number three, consider recommending the adoption of an ordinance for the City of Denton and to execute an agreement with Hewitt-Sillers, Incorpor ated. - Good evening, everyone. I'm Chad Allen, Deputy City Engineer, and I have this presentation about the McKinney Street widening final design contract. It does involve utility funds, so we're spending water and wastewater funds to build some of the improvements that are associated with this project. Otherwise, it's a large roadway project. I'm asking you to consider recommending adoption of the ordinance to allow us to execute the agreement for the engineering-related professional services to widen McKinney Street, and the contract would be with Hewitt-Sollers, Inc. in the amount of $1,731,200. So this map shows the extents of the project. On the west end, it starts at Woodrow, and on the east end, it goes all the way to Grissom Road. We've performed 30% design already of this entire length of the project, but the final design part of the project focuses in on this red portion from Loop 288 east to Grissom Road. So the scope of the project includes widening McKinney from two lanes to four lane divided roadway and installing turn lanes and sidewalks. We're gonna adjust utilities along the corridor, and we're also gonna build a 20-inch water transmission main from Loop 288 to Mayhill Road. We're gonna build drainage improvements throughout the corridor, and right now we have about $18.3 million in the budget. We don't expect that that's gonna be enough to allow us to complete the entire project, so we plan to bid the project with alternates and just build as far as we can, starting at the loop going east. So here's a little bit of history about the project. In June of 2016, Textot and the City of Denton agreed to turn the roadway over from Textot to the City of Denton. So the City of Denton now owns the roadway, and we maintain it. And then in January of last year, we entered into an advanced funding agreement with Textot, and they gave us $18.3 million to widen the road. We originally intended to use a design-build process to design and construct McKinney Street. As part of that process, we hired an engineering firm to be our representative, and so far they've created 30% construction plans. Also, next, if we continue down the design-build pathway, they would issue an RFQ and then an RFP to help us bring on a design builder. And then after that, the design builder would finish the construction documents and build the project sort of simultaneously. Last year, we brought on Hugh at Zollers as part of an RFQ, and we chose them to be our engineering representative. And as of today, they've created the 30% construction plans. So right now, we can move forward with the design-build process, or we could have Hugh at Zollers just perform final design, which is our typical process, and then build the project with our standard solicitation process. Rather than go through the RFQ and RFP process right now, which would take until May of next year, we would prefer just to get Hugh at Zollers under a final design contract so that we could start construction next May instead of just finishing the RFP process by next May. So that's what we're asking to do. We're proposing to cancel the remainder of the Hugh at Zollers contract, and then enter into a new contract for final design. We would select Hugh at Zollers for the final design project using RFQ 6590, and that is an RFQ that happened last March that allowed us to have now a pre-qualified list of engineering firms that we can choose from quickly to design our projects. Hugh at Zollers is one of those qualified firms for roadway design. So here's a little bit of information about the contracts. The original contract amount is $1,358,300. So far, Hugh at Zollers has earned $754,300, and so remaining in that contract is $584,000. So far, they've developed a 30% construction plans. They've done a lot of special services that are required to finally design the project, to build the project. They've done geotech and environmental and utility coordination and subsurface utility engineering, and then they also develop final plans for the construction phase sidewalk that was built from Loop 288 to Ryan High School recently, successfully. The new contract would be for final design services. So we would cancel the original contract. That $584,000 would not be spent, and then we would enter into a new contract for final design services in the amount of $1,731,200. So that would be an additional $1.1 million on top of the $584 remaining in the original contract. If we do this, the final design scope includes all of these things that are required to finish the plans, topographic surveying, easement preparation, environmental, public involvement activities, the roadway design, 1.8 miles of roadway design, drainage, water, wastewater, as-built surveying, and then some construction services. So here's a comparison of the schedule, and this is one of the reasons, this is the reason we really wanna do this. We wanna start construction in May instead of just finishing up an RFP process in May. So the original design build schedule, we were supposed to have 30% plans in September of 2018. We have those. Then we would go through sort of a lengthy RFQ and RFP process that would end next May. Then our design builder would come on board, and they would start to do final design and sort of construct it simultaneously after they could finish a couple design packages. What we wanna do now is that we have the 30% design. We wanna bid and award a utility package to start construction in May. We can do that if we bring Huwitz-Aullers on with his final design contract. We can be under construction in May, and it's really important that we do that because we have stakeholders like NECS, NECCOG, and TxDOT that really want us to start spending money on the construction project. Then we wanna bid and award a paving and drainage package in November of 2019, and again, basically complete the job in the same amount of time that we'd get under construction sooner in May, and that's what our partners want us to do. So we recommend adoption of the ordinance and execution of this agreement for final design of the McKinney Street widening project with Huwitz-Aullers Inc. And the not to exceed amount of $1,731,200. And I'll be happy to try to answer any questions you might have. - You mentioned that the funding amount would most likely not finish the project. Can you make any estimations about how far the 18 million might take us? - So this is Grissom. So we're thinking we can get down, I'm not sure what this street is called, I'm sorry. We think we can get here or here with the roadway project. Right now we estimate that the red segment here is gonna cost about $24 million. We currently have about 16 to 18 left in the account, plus we have some utility funds in the amount of three or $4 million. So we don't think we can build the entire project to Grissom, but we can get close. But again, we're gonna bid it all the way to Grissom and design it all the way to Grissom and have alternates in the contract. Hopefully we can get some good processing and we can build the entire project or we could get some additional funding. - When you mentioned the estimate of wherever that street was, was that with everything, with drainage and sidewalks and everything to that point? - Yes, that's everything. - Okay, okay. - Was this gonna be the first road design build project that you were doing? - It was going to be. - Okay, all right. That answers. - Okay. - It's going, okay. - Okay. - To finish the project, is that an additional 20 million? - So are you talking about this part of the project? - I guess we're talking about the little red line you've got there. - Okay, yes, the eastern end of the project, our current estimate is for $24 million. - Total? - Yes. - And this part is 18 million, is that right? - That's how much money TechStalk gave us. TechStalk gave us $18.3 million. - So it'd be a six million or so shortfall. - We have some utility funds too, so it's about a three or $4 million shortfall we have right now. - Where's that gonna come from? - We, if we don't get additional funding, we're gonna build the project with alternates and we're just gonna build a shorter length. We're gonna build as far as we can, starting at loop 288 and going east. - Okay. - So we would set up the bid so that we go to certain roadways and we have segments that we can add on if we can afford it. And the contractor will provide numbers to allow us to add on to the bid. We'll bid it with alternates. We're doing it right now with our Hickory Creek West Road, Hickory Creek Road West project. - So what is the outlook for funding for the western section? - I guess that could be part of a future bond program. - So no near term? - I think it would be funds from a future bond program where we do have 30% design for that right now. So that's really good information. It's definitely not wasted information. We'll have that available if funds do come available and we can finish the design of the project. - So is this contract gonna finish design on that section or just-- - No, it is not. - Just at east? - Yes, sir. - So is there different ownership or jurisdiction of the road from east to west of loop 288? - No, there is not. We own the entire road. We maintain the entire road starting in Elm and going all the way out to the eastern city limits. Techstop turned that over to us. Unfortunately, they only gave us 18 million instead of 40 or a larger amount. They basically gave us, they worked on the design of this project for years and they just gave us what was left out of their project account when they turned over the road to us. It wasn't based on any estimate of, hey, this is the amount of money you need to build the project. - And so we chose to do the eastern component that wasn't a stipulation of the money or anything. - No, it was not. We chose to focus on that eastern end. - Okay, great. - But we'll also work with our, we have a consultant, his name is John Polster with ITS and they work very closely with city staff and the council of governments along with county and Techstop. So while Chad does mention that there is a shortfall, we work pretty closely with them and if we can try to identify those funds, he's a good advocate to help us. - I just hate to have to go back out there two years later or whatever and cause disruption again. - I think the other thing too, Chad, can you go back to that, the slide that showed the timeline for just a few moments with that change and again, cut me if I'm wrong, part of that is trying to go to construction a lot sooner to stretch those dollars. - It is. - So the quicker we can get a contractor on underbid, the further those dollars go just based on our, based on the history we're having here and here in Denton around the region when it comes to construction. So it may just, even just a few months helps quite a bit. - So when Techstop turns a road over to us, don't they usually either upgrade it or give you an equivalent of what it would be to upgrade it or not depending? - So usually when we take back a road, yes, we coordinate with Techstop and they'll go in and reconstruct the road up to our standards or some standards that we agree with them about and then after they rebuild the road, we agree to take it over because we don't want to immediately have to start maintaining that roadway. We don't have the money to do that so that's usually what happens, yes. In this case, it did not happen. They gave us that money so that we could widen it and reconstruct it. It just doesn't cover the entire limits of the length of the project. - All right. All right, any other questions? - Forgive the newbie. Can you just define design build? - So design build is a process that allows, what usually happens is the city will get an engineer to create the 30% plan so we have a preliminary set of plans and we give it out, we solicit our design build teams and usually it's a contractor who's teamed up with an engineer and others and they give you a guaranteed maximum price based on the 30% plan so you pick the design build team because they give you a guaranteed maximum price and then they guarantee to finish the design and build it for that amount. There's some unknowns when you do that. You don't have final design yet but the teams are trying to maybe use some innovation to get it done so that they can make a profit and after they give you your guaranteed maximum price so they would finish the design and they also are able to issue construction packages in piecemeal so they can do a grading package and then a utility package and then a paving package so they can theoretically start construction sooner. We're gonna have our designer, Hugh Zollers, if you approve this contract, we're gonna sort of do it like that. They're gonna issue the utility package first and we're gonna go start building it and then they're gonna issue the paving drainage package next and we're gonna go start building it so it's sort of a pseudo design build process. - I just wasn't sure what the hyphen meant whether it was first design, then build, design combo. - It's simultaneous, yeah. - Design build combo, okay. - Exactly. - All right, thank you. - Happens at the same time. - Any other questions? - Just one remaining, any right of way issues? - Yes, so we're gonna-- (laughing) - Good one, Charlie. (laughing) - We're gonna build a project within the existing right of way throughout the corridor except at the intersections. At the intersections, we need turn lanes so we anticipate having to widen the road at most of the major intersections and get right of way in those areas. We're gonna have Hewitt's hollers get that right of way and perform those right of way services so that we don't overwhelm our staff and so that we can get it done more quickly. - And that's included in the cost? - Right, so-- - Or in addition to? - It's gonna be in addition to. - Any estimate? - We don't have that contract yet. - Now any more questions? - I have one, just kind of a comment. So as the project moves forward and the funds start to diminish even further, I would encourage whoever is sitting down at the table to decide where we spend money to evaluate the pedestrian traffic in the area. We have lots of kids going from Luke 288, well, in the neighborhoods off there off Luke 288, walking to Ryan High and I don't believe they have a sidewalk to walk on. So I would hate to see us widen the road and create more capability for automobile traffic and not accommodate those that are having to walk along the roadway. - So focusing on that pedestrian access and getting that sidewalk built has been such a great focus of city council over the last year and we did construct that sidewalk on the north side of McKinney Street. - So there's a sidewalk there? - Yes, sir. Using funds from this project. So we call it the construction phase sidewalk. We pushed it as far away as we could from the right of way so that we can get the children out of the way of the construction area. We obtained easements throughout there. And yes, we have a sidewalk that goes from Luke 288 to Ryan High School and farther east. We had a big ribbon cutting out there with the mayor. It was beautiful. - Oh, great. Well, congratulations. - But it is temporary. - It is temporary, it's concrete, but it is temporary. - Sure, sure. I mean, everything's temporary, right? (laughing) - We're gonna take it out when we build the roadway project and install a sidewalk that follows the road. Right now, it follows the existing ground, push back far away from the right of way to keep the students safe. - But we came up with a solution to help the pedestrians. - Absolutely, it was so important. - Great. Awesome. - Just one more question. (laughing) I'm sorry. Do you know about when the construction will take place in front of Ryan High School? I mean, is there any way it can be scheduled so that maybe it's like during the summer when the kids are-- - So sure, they would try to phase a sidewalk, definitely around the activities of the school. We would work with the contractor to do that. That's a little bit down the road, but that's absolutely a focus we would have when we started construction. - Okay, good. All right. So do we have a motion? - I recommend approval. - Second. - All in favor? - Aye. - Aye. - Opposed? - Thank you. - Thank you. - All right, ACM update. - Well, to make sure we keep on time. - Three minutes. - Madam Chair and members of the board, not much to report. There is, if you'll look in your new business matrix, we did add the item in regards to the assessment of the Denton Energy Center, and we'll be providing, staff will be providing an informal staff report as an ACM update in December, and we'll make sure that staff is here to answer any questions that any members of the board may have. So outside of that, I've got nothing else to report. - And I appreciate getting the staff report on the sewage release. Thank you for that. Let's see, concluding items. Are there any items that a board member would like added to a future agenda? - I do have something that, it's just kind of an idea I have, and maybe I have some shortcomings, and so I have a hard time keeping track of it. So we have all these capital improvement projects, and we have bond projects, and some of them have been going on since 2012 or something like that, maybe not quite that long. And some of them are solid waste, and some of them are electric, and some of them are wastewater, and some of them are water, and some of them are drainage. And I just wonder if maybe quarterly, we could get some kind of update of the progress of those. I know we covered it in the budget process, but there's already so much else going on in the budget process. It would just be nice. It seems like at one point in time, like the first year that I was here, we looked at the-- - We looked at the-- - Kind of like a construction to date or something. - Yeah, and we had, there was this cool timeline that showed when the project started, and when it was funded, and the phase it was going through. We don't have to have a visual, but if we could just have some kind of narrative that would say, you know, this is this project, and it started in 2012, and it got funded with this much money, and it's this far complete, and we're gonna have to come back for more money, or we have enough money to complete it. And I mean, I know that sounds like, I don't know. Are y'all already keeping track of that stuff already? And no, I know you guys are, but other-- - We're back to it again. We've got it. - I mean, I think Phil Gavin, when he was here, wanted something like that too. And I'm like, now that's years ago, obviously, but yeah. - And then did we just recently start looking at drainage, or have we always looked at drainage? 'Cause I don't remember, I mean, I remember-- - I think drainage was always a part of another department. - Coming up. - Right, is that correct? We've always done drainage, but I think it was cobbled in with another-- - Well, the budget was-- - Part of waste water. - Combined with-- - Part of waste water. - Part of the waste water fund, and so-- - So we can certainly-- - I just have, I don't remember the last drainage project we looked at. I know that it was, well, I do remember it, but it's been a long time ago. So I just, could just get some kind of update. - Sure, we'd like to. - Glad to. - Okay. - Thanks. - You bet. - You're welcome. - Any other items? - I move we adjourn. (laughing) - Do we have a second? All in favor, aye. - Aye.