PUBLIC WORKS & SAFETY COMMITTEE
May 4, 2005
The meeting was called to order at 1:30 p.m.
Clm. Paul Skrede, Administrator Dana Young.
Safety Committee members Teresa Pendleton, Police Chief Virgil Gustafson and Owen Fuglseth were also in attendance.
Public Works Supervisor Jerry Hudlow, Jon Monson
There were no monthly accidents to report.
Police Chief Gustafson provided a brief update on recent police training efforts. He stated that his staff had recently attended a mandatory training session on bloodborne pathogens.
Owen Fuglseth stated that the City should be more proactive in the purchase of safety glasses for public works personnel. Dana Young stated that the public works staff submitted a request for the City to upgrade various safety equipment at a Labor / Management meeting that was held just prior to this meeting. He stated that the list of safety-related recommendations included replacing manhole blowers, the safety harness and tripod rope, the purchase of hearing protection equipment, the replacement of the mounted winch on the sewer truck, additional tools for lift station maintenance and the repair of the front end of the tractor.
Teresa Pendleton stated that the administrative staff has been dealing with a recent influx of ants. She stated that the City has contracted with Plunkett’s in the attempt to eliminate the ants.
Paul Skrede asked about the safety instruction that is given to part-time summer employees. Dana Young stated that he would review the safety instruction procedures for summer employees with Jerry Hudlow, who also serves as the City’s Safety Coordinator.
Teresa Pendleton stated that she had received a few phone calls about the condition of the tennis court fence at Thorpe Park that is located next to Westview Drive. Dana Young stated that the Park Committee would be reviewing alternate uses for these tennis courts at tonight’s meeting and will likely submit a recommendation to the City Council that will involve the removal of the fence.
Teresa Pendleton stated that she had also received a call from Pat Florence on the number and the speed of vehicles traveling on Park Avenue. Paul Skrede reminded the Committee that Park Avenue is the street that is used to access the Yacht Club dock and the Park Avenue docks. Police Chief Gustafson recommended that this portion of Park Avenue should be re-striped to slow down vehicle speeds. Dana Young stated that Park Avenue is scheduled to be striped this year and that the striping usually occurs in July or August. He stated that he would talk to Public Works Supervisor Jerry Hudlow about the possibility of striping the streets earlier this year.
Dana Young stated that the police installed a traffic monitor on Ridgewood Road for a two week period and the monitor showed that Ridgewood Road averaged approximately 1,700 cars per day over this period and 90% of the vehicles traveled 33 mph or less.
The Committee reviewed the following list of Safety Committee responsibilities developed by the League of Minnesota Cities and the MN Municipal Utility Association:
1. Review the results of work place safety inspections to identify and analyze hazards.
2. Review accident and injury reports (including close-calls) to identify and analyze hazards.
3. Review and act upon safety and health related concerns, suggestions, and needs communicated by employees and supervisors.
4. Review work place hazard assessments.
5. Conduct semi-annual walk-through safety inspections.
6. Identify and communicate specific safety and health related needs and improvements to the city, supervisors and employees.
7. Perform an annual audit of the safety and health program.
The Safety Committee meeting was adjourned at 2:10 p.m.
Mara Hollenbeck, a resident at 20640 Woodhaven Place, was present to submit a claim for damage to her 2000 Lexus RX300 that resulted from the striping of Minnetonka Boulevard during the 2004 overlay project. She stated that she incurred the damage sometime during the middle of August 2004. The Committee reviewed two quotes that Ms. Hollenbeck had received to remove the paint markings from Wayzata Auto Center in the amount of $939.99 and from Minnetonka Collision Center in the amount of $1,049.72.
Discussion was held regarding Ms. Hollenbeck’s auto insurance coverage and her insurance company’s apparent reluctance to accept her claim. She stated that she had originally talked to her agent regarding the claim and was told that there is no coverage for this type of claim. She stated that she had just recently sent her claim to the home office with the hopes of obtaining a more positive response.
Paul Skrede stated that the City has paid the deductible of Bill Robinson, another Deephaven resident who experienced a similar problem during the striping of Minnetonka Boulevard, and he would be equally in favor of recommending that the City pay Ms. Hollenbeck’s deductible in this situation. The Committee reviewed the paint damage to Ms. Hollenbeck’s car and recommended that she contact Administrator Young after she hears back from her insurance company on whether they intend to honor her claim.
Discussion regarding the proposed 2006-2010 Capital Improvement Plan was postponed until next month.
The Committee met with Wendy Bennis, project coordinator for the Kyle Hunt office building project, at the site of their proposed project at 18258 Minnetonka Boulevard. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the City Engineer’s recommendation that curb & gutter be extended along Maplewood Road. Dana Young stated that the City Engineer has recommended that curb & gutter be extended in order to control water runoff on Maplewood Road, to prevent erosion along the boulevard, assist snow plowing operations and to match the curb & gutter that has been installed throughout the remainder of Chowen’s Corner.
Wendy Bennis expressed her concern that the extension of curb & gutter would cost approximately $10,000 and she felt there wasn’t a compelling reason to install it on Maplewood Road. Dana Young stated that the City Engineer estimated the cost of the curb & gutter at closer to $2,000. Wendy Bennis stated that cost was a primary concern regarding the curb & gutter extension and would recheck with her engineer to verify the cost of extending curb & gutter along Maplewood Road. Dana Young stated that the Public Works Committee wouldn’t mind meeting again to consider any other alternative to curb & gutter as long as the alternative solution was attractive and did not inadvertently cause there to be parking along Maplewood Road, which was expressly prohibited by the City Council.
The Committee reviewed the condition of the public sidewalk bordering St. Terese Church on Minnetonka Boulevard and on Western Road. There was no specific recommendation given at this time.
The Committee reviewed a complaint concerning on-going drainage problems at the intersection of Northern Road & Lakeview Avenue. Various solutions concerning the installation of a storm water grate and pipe were discussed.
The Committee reviewed a complaint regarding the ponding of water next to a group of mailboxes across from 3622 Lowell Street. The Committee reviewed the possibility of piping the water to the rear of a property or extending a pipe a distance of a block and one-half to a storm grate located within the City of Minnetonka. It was the consensus of the Committee that neither solution was cost effective and it was suggested that relocating the mailboxes might be the best possible solution to the problem.
Motion to adjourn by Paul Skrede, seconded by Dana Young. Motion declared carried. The meeting adjourned at 4:25 p.m. The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Public Works & Safety Committee will be held on Wednesday, June 1, 2005.