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Home My WebLink About01/18/07 Public Works and Property Vacation Committee Minutesl~u~lc'V~orks ar~d Property Vacation Camrnittee ~~0~ Bouth Bend ~onmon ~aunci The January ~ , gg7 meeting of the Public 1111or1~s and Property Vacation Committee of the auth I'~end Common Council eras called to order by its Chairperson, Council lUlerr~ber David Varner at 5.~b p.m, in the Council's Informal Meeting ~oarn. Persons in a~endance included Council Members Pfeifer, Varner, Kirits, louse, IlUhite, and Puzzello; Public Iorl~ E~irector Cary Cilot, Pabert lUichols, Jamie Loa of the ouch Ber~~f Tr~~~une and l~Cathleen Cel~anski~l~arrand, Council attorney. Dr. Varner Hated that the Committee members include CaunciE Members Pfeifer, Dieter, Kelly and himself. A quorum of the Committee vuas Hat present. Preenta~tian as finer av~n and uarantee~d ~r~er ~v~n Cpntracts~ l~r~ Varner noted that the topic of light emitting diodes {l_ED~ signals vuas discussed about ~-~ years ago. He then called upon Public 1or~CS Direct, Cary Cilot, far presentation. Mr, Cary Cilot, I~irectar of the Departrent of Public 111~orlcs introduced Robert lVichals, an engineer uvith the department. Mr. Cilot noted that since the presentation to the CounciE ~-~ years ago, approximately thirty ~0} intersections ha~re been upgraded with LEDs. He stated that the remaining intersections v~ill need to be upgraded ~e then presented three ~~ handouts to thane present copies attached}. Mr. Cilvt then highlighted the first handout focusing on guaranteed energy savings contracts Hating that they ~vauld improve safety, same energy, help the environrr~ent, and save taxpayers money. H Hated that assistant City Attorney Thomas Bodnar provided a brief rnemarandum to the Council an the governing state lauv; and that the Council Attorney provided additional detailed information to the Council an the state la~u ~I~rdiar~a Code ~~-~-~.~, and provided several sample forms vuith regard to requests far qualifications, evaluation criteria, terms and conditions, etc attached}~ Mr. Cilot Hated that LED's vuauld last approximately ten ~~0~ years, corpared to the incandescent lights ~rhich cast about one ~~} year, LEA use Less energy and ~rauld have battery back-ups Which v~rould East ~-4 hourst LI~Ds ~vauld result in an ~°lo savings of energy. Currently costs far signals are paid from the general fund. Under the governing state la~v in this area, the Common Council auld be the contracting body and the Department of Public ~IlJorks uuould provide staff assistance. Mr. Cilot recommended that the busiest intersections be identified and be ear-marE~ed far the battery laac~ups. Up to 1°l~ ofthe energy savings can be use far overhead. ,~anuary 8F ~O~l Public 1~Vcrk end P~cperty Vaca~ian ~mmit~ee Meet~~g Minutes Page ~ [n response to ~ question from Caunci[ Member ~Ilhite, Mr. pilot noted that replacement bulbs may b a part of the package, Savings ~rhich ~vauld be generated could be placed into a dedicated sinking fund. ll1[ response to a question from Council Member Puzzello, Mr. Ci[ot noted that the cast per LED is much more expensive than the incandescent lights currently util~ed, but that the energy savings and LED life of ten ~ 0}years is post-savings in the long run. Robert Nichols then highlighted the entitled "City Maintained Traffic Signals„ attached} noting that currently there are 1 ~ South Bend LEDs, ~ South Bend non- LEDs, 4b State LEDs, and ~ State non-LEDs, Mr. pilot noted that the post of the conversion is projected to be ~ . million, noting that of the City of Evansville is the only Indiana city ~rhich has utilised guaranteed energy savings contracts for LEDs He noted that in the Council Attorney's emarandurn she highlighted that M. Catherine Fanello utilised guaranteed energy savings contracts in 'Vandenburgh County ~rhen she uwras a County Commissioner. He added that labor savings cannot be counted. 9g~1~ of the labor currently used to change bulbs u~rould be directed into other public ~rarks projects. Mr. ilot and Mr~ [Nichols then revie~red the multi~page handout beginning ~vith the request for qualifications ~capy attached}. He recommended that Professor Doug Hall be considered to be included in the process since his class has been involued. In response to a question from Dr. 'Varner, Mr. pilot noted that the savings are based an the therrr~s of energy used, vuith therms being the energy use n~easurer~ent vuhich v~ould be used. In response to a question from Council Member Pfeifer, Mr, pilot noted that intersection lights v~ould keep operating v~here there eras a battery backup installed for up to four ~4} hours. Mr. Cilot stated that fife cycle casting aver a ten ~~ ~} year period could be 4.~ million. The ~~°l~ projected savings v~auld be 3.75 minion. The conversion project ~rould utilise a private lease capital repaid out of the energy savings. Any energy savings shortfall from tl~ terms of the guaranteed contracts ~rould require the contractor to Trite a check to the City of South Bend for the difference. - The Council Attorney noted that the proposed schedule Attachment B} ~rould have tv b rnadified along Frith the other documents referencing specific dates since the next regular Carnn~on Council meeting fallauving next Monday's meeting ~rould be February ,~an~ary ~ 8f ~0~~ Public UVork and property Vacation Cor~mitt~a I~~eting Minutes gage 3 council President Rouse stated that he likes the overall project but believes that further discussion will have to take place, especially with regard to the proposed timeline in light of council projects currently on the table. l~llr. flat Hated that the projected savings per month are g,000g, which should be taken into consideration. He then reviewed the ~=steps in the first handout regarding proposed implementation, Hating that the first step i the council resolution. Dr, Verner suggested that 1Ir. ~ilat's one-page handwritten which he had given to hirn be provided to the entire Council. l~le also suggested Chet Assistant City Attorney 'homas draft the initial resolution referenced in the "Nest steps to lrnplement Guaranteed Energy having contract for LED Lights' and send the draft to the Council Attorney far her input and discussion, lie added that the REC~s would also be sent to the businesses listed in an attachment to the Council Attornyf memorandum. ll~lr, ilat Hated that the percentages set forkh in Attachment ~ ~`Evaluatian Criteria's were thane recon~n~ended by his department. In response to questions f rom Dr~ Varner, ll~r, ilvt noted that there is at least one ~~ ~ company locally who has experience in this area. In response to a question from auncil lUler~ber Pu~~ello, ll~r~ ilat noted that LEDs have been around since the 9~'O. Council I~ernber l~irsits suggested that as a part of this project that there be a complete base inspection of all traffic lights, Hating that many have e~cposed wires which are a safety issue. Dr, Varner asked far participants for the project and Hated that further discussion could take place at 11~anday' Can~n~~ttee Ille Vtingr council lUler~ber Pfeifer_requested awritten list of ideas which the Department of Public IlVorks is considering far this year sa that the council has a "heads up" 'here being na fu~kher business to came before the Camr~ittee, Dr~ darner adjourned the meeting at fi:0~ p.m. respectfully subrr~ittd, Council Member David Varner, Chairperson Public Vllorl~s and Property Vacation Committee Attachments