SUBJECT:
Title
A Resolution of the Board Of Trustees of the Town of Erie Approving an Agreement for Professional Services With RockSol Consulting Group, Inc. for an Infrastructure Improvement Study for Old Town Erie in the amount of $120,000
Body
DEPARTMENT: Administration
PRESENTER/PREPARER: Ben Pratt, Economic Development Director
Wendi Palmer, Civil Engineer
TIME ESTIMATE: 15 Minutes
only required for non-consent items
FISCAL INFORMATION:
Cost as Recommended: $120,000
Balance Available: $50,000
Fund: General-Economic Development Consulting Services
Budget Line Item Number: 100-20-910-560100
New Appropriation Required: Yes, $70,000 will need to be appropriated (to be included in the 1st supplemental appropriation)
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Approve the Resolution to approve said agreement, authorizing the appropriate Town officer to execute said agreement, and authorize staff to expend budgeted funds.
End
SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND OF SUBJECT MATTER:
With the increase in growth and development in Old Town Erie, there is an increased demand on the existing infrastructure. To ensure Old Town Erie is a desired destination for services and entertainment, staff is working with Xcel Energy to prepare a comprehensive list of needed infrastructure improvements and a budget and timeline for Xcel Energy’s investments needed in Old Town Erie to serve currently proposed and anticipated future development in Old Town Erie. Staff is also working with broadband/fiber companies to obtain costs for improvements.
To have the most accurate cost to upgrade Old Town Erie’s infrastructure staff issued a Request for Proposal to solicit proposals to prepare a comprehensive Infrastructure Improvement report, including the following elements:
A. Water Line Sizes to Buildings or Manifolds
a. Indicate the existing water service size, this information can be provided by the Town’s Finance Department for each address. Evaluate if the service line is large enough for multiple tenants.
b. Evaluation of fire flow requirements for development currently proposed. The fire flow requirements established by the Consultant will be provided to the Town’s water modeler to evaluate if the existing water distribution system is adequate. Any waterline size upgrade will be provided to the Consultant to use for the costs of line size upgrade.
B. Pervious Paving
a. Identify areas where pervious pavement or other surfaces will provide a benefit to enhance the appearance of the Down Town Area and potentially improve stormwater quality.
C. Conversion to LED street lights
a. XCEL will provide this cost to the Town.
b. Consultant to incorporate the cost into the report with all of the other infrastructure costs.
D. Storm drainage improvements.
a. What improvements are needed to accommodate future development?
b. Identity where additional storm laterals are needed to support development.
c. Identify where rain gardens or other water quality improvements can be incorporated to enhance water quality and storm drainage.
E. Roadway pavement improvements
a. Assessment of the existing street pavement.
b. Recommendations for surface treatment such as seal coat, patching, mill and overlay etc.
F. Alley surface improvements.
a. Assessment of alley surface.
b. Recommendation for alley pavement treatments.
G. Off Street parking from alleys
a. In the event lots become available for parking near or in the Down Town district, provide an assessment of the cost to construct parking areas. This will assist in determining if it is feasible.
H. Tree Lawn Paving
a. 500 & 600 blocks of Briggs Street: stone pavers, provide a cost to complete the areas that don’t currently have pavers.
b. Make a recommendation for other treatments for the tree lawn besides pavers.
c. Tree lawn treatment for other Downtown/Neighborhood Mixed Use areas: colored, stamped concrete that mimics stone pavers.
I. Street Trees in Town approved grates
a. Cost to complete the areas that don’t currently have street trees, and make a recommendation for other treatments for the tree lawn.
J. Extended curbs and associated landscaping at street intersections
a. Cost to complete the intersections that don’t currently have extended curbs.
b. Make a recommendation for other treatments for the extended curbs.
The Request for Proposal was posted on the Town website on December 2, 2019. Staff held a preproposal meeting on December 10, 2019, and proposals were received on December 20, 2019.
Proposal requirements were requested from over 10 consultants. At least 5 firms attended the Pre-proposal meeting. Staff received 3 proposals on December 20, 2019.
Staff reviewed the qualifications from the three proposals, and RockSol’s qualifications were significantly superior to the other two. Fees were submitted in a separate sealed envelope to ensure the fee didn’t influence the qualification review. Due to the superior quality of RockSol’s proposal, their fees were the only ones opened.
RockSol’s fee proposal for the project is $120,000. Payment for this contract will be funded by the Town’s General Fund. However, since the purpose of the work to be performed by RockSol is to identify infrastructure needs in the Historic Old Town Urban Renewal Area (HOTURA), tax increment funds can be used to pay for this consulting project. At the January 28, 2020 Town and Urban Renewal Authority (URA) Board meetings, staff will present for the respective Boards’ approvals a reimbursement agreement between the Town and the URA providing for the payment at one or more future dates to the Town by the URA covering the cost of the consulting project. The URA’s repayment source will be either from any bond proceeds to fund potential infrastructure improvements or from tax increment revenues from within the HOTURA TIF district.
The Infrastructure Improvement Report will be presented at the March 24, 2020 Board of Trustees Meeting.
ATTACHMENTS:
a. Resolution
b. Professional Services Agreement