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5. Staff Report-Change Order 201 Improvements Staff Report Date of Meeting: January 7, 2015 To: City Council From: Kristina Handt, Administrator Re: Change Order, 201 Improvements Project Background: In April 2014 after a couple of meetings of the Wastewater Advisory Committee, the Council awarded the 201 Improvements Project to Automatic Systems for $94,918. This bid was based on using 10 foot mast atop the lift station control panel but it was noted that a radio path study had not been completed. The new panels and pumps were installed this fall on the Anderson/Erickson lift station and Bliss 3 and 4 lift stations. A radio path study was done next which revealed hilly terrain between the lift stations and the fire hall. A copy of the study is included in your packet. The signal needs to be received at the fire hall where the master SCADA system is located. The telemetry provides an electronic report on the lift stations and alerts staff when there is a problem. Because of the hilly terrain the original proposal to put a mast atop the lift stations will not work. Currently the lift stations are operating but there is no electronic system to alert staff when there is a problem. Daily rounds are completed Monday-Friday to check on the lift stations and take readings. Issue: Which option should be pursued in order to get the telemetry on the 201 system to work properly? Proposal Details: Included in your packet is a quote from Automatic Systems with three possible solutions: A/E Drainfield Pole: $9,987 + Easement Costs ~$2,000=$11,987 In addition to the description provided by Automatic Systems, the City would need to secure an easement to directional drill from the lift station to the drainfield. This easement could also encompass an existing monitoring well. The landowner has been approached and is willing to grant the easement. The additional costs are anticipated for the survey and legal work necessary to prepare the easement. VHF Installation: $8,585 Initially the City chose not to go with the VHF radios because of the ongoing FCC licensure costs which can be up to a couple hundred dollars every few years. As is noted in the estimate from Automatic Systems, this may not address the Anderson/Erickson site and additional costs may be needed. For these reasons, staff is not recommending this option. 90 Foot Pole at Fire Station: $5,377 In order to implement this option, the Council would need to consider an ordinance change to exempt publicly owned utility poles from the height restrictions or the City would apply for an Interim Use permit for Wireless Communication Antennas. An ordinance change could cost a couple hundred dollars while an IUP could cost a couple thousand. Regardless of which option above is chosen, staff would recommend another radio path study be completed first to ensure that the remaining lift stations will be accounted for in the future. The wastewater committee talked about upgrading the other two Bliss lift stations in a couple years. The cost of a radio path study is estimated at about $1,500. Automatic Systems believes the pole at the A/E drainfield will work with Bliss 1 and 2 but recommends a radio path study be completed for the fire hall option due to possible foliage issues. Options: The options are outlined in the estimate from Automatic Systems and additional information was provided above. Recommendation: Either a pole at the A/E drainfield or at the fire hall unless the radio path study says differently. The trade offs are cost versus visual impact.