How to resolve AdBlock issue? LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport City Council last week approved having the city manager give final approval to an engineering contract for a replacement Library Park seawall.
Public Works Director Doug Grider discussed with the council at its Tuesday meeting what he described as the “ongoing saga of the seawall,” damaged by storm wave action during the early 2017 flooding.
Based on city documents, approximately 525 lineal feet of seawall supporting a concrete promenade and handrail is to be replaced, with the existing sidewalk is to be removed to reveal voids which will be backfilled.
Grider said his staff sent out two requests for proposals for the project. The first time, no one responded. So the second time his staff went through every professional magazine they could find, called 30 firms, followed up by telephone and advertised with every known agency to reach engineering firms who could do the project.
Ultimately, the city received two responses – from MGE Engineering Inc. and GHD Inc. MGE Engineering Inc. was ranked the highest by a consultant selection committee, he said.
By Tuesday, no firm agreement with MGE had been reached, with Grider explaining that they were still working out the details of the professional service agreement.
“We want to keep this process moving. We desperately want to get going on this design,” said Grider, adding that he wanted to have the matter resolved before the council’s next meeting, at the start of December.
Attorney Jon di Cristina of the firm Colantuono, Highsmith & Whatley, PC was filling in for colleague David Ruderman, who serves as Lakeport’s city attorney but was absent for the meeting.
Di Cristina gave the council recommended language for an updated motion authorizing City Manager Margaret Silveira to make the decision to select the engineering firm and execute a professional services agreement with that firm so the matter doesn’t need to return to the council.
Councilman George Spurr asked about whether or not the city is getting about half a million dollars from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the seawall replacement.
Grider’s report noted that the approved preliminary budget for the new sheet pile seawall is $522,000.
In response to Spurr’s question, Grider explained that the city isn’t set to get a specific amount. Rather, it will be dependent on the final cost. He said FEMA will pay 75 percent of the project total, the state will pay a portion and the city’s actual share will be approximately 6.78 percent.
Spurr asked if staff knew what the engineering portion would cost. Grider said they didn’t, but that a general rule of thumb is that engineering is typically 10 percent of whatever the project cost is.
Councilman Tim Barnes moved to approve di Cristina’s suggested motion, which the council approved 5-0.
On Tuesday Finance Director Nick Walker also presented to the council a resolution approving the City of Lakeport Municipal Sewer District and Lakeport Municipal Financing Agency of Lakeport Investment Policy for idle funds.
Walker noted that, over the last few years, the city hasn’t had much of an investment policy.
In March, a city investment committee was recommissioned “with the expressed purpose of evaluating the City’s current cash portfolio and exploring new ways of prudently diversifying it. The City had received several investment proposals from various broker/dealers specializing in municipal securities which have brought attention to opportunities that warrant consideration. The primary focus will remain capital preservation, a core tenet explicitly stated in the investment policy. But greater emphasis than before will be placed on returns and portfolio growth. Due to market volatility and uncertainty in the US economy, a conservative approach will be employed,” Walker’s written report explained.
Councilwoman Stacey Mattina was concerned about the inclusion of mutual funds, explaining that she didn’t believe that was how the city’s funds should be invested.
Mattina asked if mention of mutual funds as an investment option could be taken out of the document, and Walker said yes. “For the future I would just feel better if that wasn't in there,” she said.
Councilman Kenny Parlet said he disagreed, and Mattina explained, “It’s the people’s money and I think we should have no risk.”
Parlet said he had a problem with closing the door forever on an opportunity, with Silveira explaining that it would have to be improved by the investment committee.
Councilman George Spurr said if the council receives quarterly reports on the investments and don’t like the directly, they can stop it.
“I think this is a great step forward,” said Parlet, who moved to approve the resolution. Barnes seconded Parlet’s motion, which ultimately was unanimously approved by the council.
The council also approved the purchase of two vehicles, a three-quarter ton service truck for the utilities department from Redwood Ford for an amount not to exceed $32,078.68 and a small utility pickup from Matt Mazzei of Lakeport for a bid price of $25,975.84.
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112018 Lakeport City Council agenda packet by LakeCoNews on Scribd
