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2015-12-01 Council Workshop Packet Eng Staffing� 1. Call to Order 2. Roll Call 3. 4. 5. CITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP AGENDA December 1, 2015 5:45 pm Mendota Heights City Hall Discussion of the Engineering Department Staffing Levels Discussion of Purchase of Dump Truck Adjourn 11C1 Vict�ora Curve , Mendota He,ghts� MN 5511a 651.452.1850 phone J 651.452.8940 fax � evww.mendota-heights.com _ � � � � Cirv aF MEN�O�A H�fGH�� DATE: December 1, 2015 TO: Mayor, City Council, and City Administrator FROM: John R. Mazzitello, PE, PMP, MBA Public Works Director/City Engineer SUBJECT: Project Engineer Position I:���1:Zli.Z�111►`I 7 The Engineering Division has been a division of the Public Works Department since 1981. Engineering has had a variety of different staffing configurations and structures between then and the present day. From 1981 to 1995, Engineering consisted of the Public Works Director, one engineer, two engineering technicians, and a department secretary that is shared with the Fire Department. Between then and now, there have been a variety of staffing levels and combinations of positions. The Engineering Division is currently authorized for a Public Works Director/City Engineer, Assistant City Engineer, Project Engineer, Senior Engineering Technician, and an Administrative Assistant that is shared with the Fire Department for a total of 4.5 personnel. The Project Engineer position is currently vacant. The attached graph shows the Engineering Staffing levels and positions through the years. SIGNIFICANT ISSUES In November of 2015, the junior staff engineer (Project Engineer) resigned to take a position with a municipality in California to be closer to family. This vacant position leaves a labor void in the Engineering Department that needs to be addressed. The Engineering Division has a body of work that is necessary for the continued maintenance, operation, and development of the City's infrastructure systems. This body of work includes, but is not limited to the following items: • Street reconstruction & rehabilitation projects (feasibility report, survey, preliminary design, public meetings, project design, bidding, construction administration & inspection, public interaction, assessment calculation, as-built drawing production, etc.) • Street preventative maintenance (crack seal & seal coat) projects • Sanitary sewer maintenance, rehabilitation, & reconstruction projects • Storm sewer maintenance, development, & rehabilitation projects • Surface water management including three lakes, 107 storm water treatment ponds, and numerous streams — Projects include impaired water restoration, storm pond inlet & outlet repairs & corrections, & stream bank stabilizations • Provides customer service for all matters pertaining to Public Works and/or Engineering • City owned facility maintenance and improvement • Maintenance of the City's Geographical Information System (GIS) and Asset Management databases • Capital Improvement Planning • Utility Locations for construction activity (Gopher State One Call) • Provides Assistance to Public Works Garage • Develops and maintains design standards and specifications • Obtains and maintains permits required by State law • Applies for reimbursement from the City's Municipal State Aid (MSA) account • Maintains and monitors nine budgets including street maintenance, park maintenance, sanitary sewer utility, storm sewer utility, water utility, city hall, infrastructure, engineering, and Municipal State Aid • Conducts miscellaneous contractual repairs to infrastructure systems • Coordinates all projects with utility companies/contractors • Maintains relationships and coordinates work with other agencies doing work in or having regulatory authority within Mendota Heights (MnDOT, Dakota County, MPCA, DNR, MAC, DLI, OSHA, FHWA, USF&WS, etc.) • Responsible for all Building Permits issued by the City • Responsible for undeveloped, City owned properties and rights-of-way • Reacts to emergency repairs on all infrastructure and facility systems • Serves in the City's Emergency Operation Center (EOC) and develops contingency plans for City-wide emergencies in conjunction with other emergency service agencies These tasks and more have been completed by in-house staff since 1981 in a relatively economical fashion. By comparison, consultant services would be more expensive to the City. The enclosed table shows a cost comparison between the consultant costs to design the 2014 Victoria Road North project and what City staff would have billed the project for the same amount of hours. If a consultant were to be utilized to replace the Project Engineer position, it would need to be a 40-hour a week position, and the City would wind up spending more on the position than it would by hiring staff. Moreover, the City of Mendota Heights has enjoyed a reputation for many past decades as having a superior level of service to our residents from the Public Works Department (including Engineering). If the Project Engineer position were to be filled by a consultant, that level of service would likely suffer. Consultant services are based on a specific scope of work. In order to react to the needs of our residents, anything assigned to the consultant that is outside of that specific scope would result in additional fees charged to the City. Lastly, a consulted Project Engineer could not provide the emergency reaction that was evident on July 15, 2015 when the sanitary sewer trunk main collapsed under Decorah Lane. In-House Engineering staff (Assistant City Engineer, Project Engineer, and Senior Engineering Technician) were able to react immediately, and while utility crews rushed to repair the sewer pipe, they grabbed the as-built drawing of the trunk main and began moving upstream checking manholes and knocking on doors to inform residents of the emergency, and to ensure no private property was damaged as a result of the collapse. A consultant Project Engineer would not have provided as an eXpedient of a reaction and would have charged the City extra for the assistance. BUDGETIMPACT The Engineering department is funded through a number of sources, including public improvement projects and various fees/retainers charged to other departments, divisions, and utilities. The Project Engineer position that is currently vacant is budgeted in the proposed 2016 budget, and is funded through Engineering Department revenues. The General Property Tax Levy is not impacted by the funding of this position. RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends Council authorize the hiring of a Project Engineer. Position Principal Proj Mgr Designer Sr. Technician Technician Victoria Road North Cost Comparrison Consultant Staff Hours C- Rate C- Total S- Rate S- Total 25 $ 198.00 $ 4,950.00 $ 125.73 $ 3,143.25 70 $ 154.00 $ 10,780.00 $ 110.38 $ 7,726.60 170 $ 89.00 $ 15,130.00 $ 76.90 $ 13,073.00 159 $ 125.00 $ 19,875.00 $ 86.80 $ 13,801.20 125 $ 96.00 $ 12,000.00 $ 86.80 $ 10,850.00 $ 62,735.00 $ 48,594.05 Consultant represents 29.1% increase in fees for project services JRM RR AR BCC BCC Number of Engineering Employees 6 I ♦������♦ ♦��♦ 5 ♦♦ ♦�������♦ ♦����♦ 4 - 3 ♦ # of Employees 2 1 � 0 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 Streets Leadperson Maintenance (Streets) Maintenance (Streets) Maintenance (Streets) Maintenance (Streets- Seasonal) Public Works Department Pubiic Works Superintendent Utilities Leadperson Maintenance (utilities- Seasonal) Parks Leadperson Maintenance (Parks) Maintenance (Parks) Public Works Director/ City Engineer Building Official Assistant City Senior (contracted) Engineer Secretary Mechanic Project Senior Facilities Engineer Engineering Manager Technician Maintenance (Parks-Seasonal) Maintenance (Parks-Seasonal) DATE: TO: FROM: SUBJECT: CITY OF MENC�OTA HEIGHTS BACKGROUND: ilCl'victor;� Curve �endata Ne��chts, MN ��lld 651.452.1850 phone � 651.452.894fl fax � www.mendota-heights.com , December 1, 2015 Mayor, City Council and City Administrator Terry Blum — Public Works Superintendent Purchase of Dump Truck and Snow Plow Equipment The Street Maintenance 2016 Budget includes $200,000.00 for the purchase of a new dump truck with accessories to be paid from bonds sold on November 3, 2015. The purchase would replace a 2000 Sterling dump truck. We received the following quotes off the state contract: - Nuss Truck and Equipment (Mack) _ $93,368.25. - Boyer Ford (Ford Western Star) _ $107,851.00 - Rihm Kenworth (Kenworth) _ $113,400.00 We have purchased three Mack trucks in the past and are very pleased with all of them. The purchase of a fourth Mack would standardize our truck/plow fleet to a single make of vehicle. We are asking for authorization to order the truck now (with purchase and payment in 2016) because the build date would be in January (with delivery in May or early June) and if we asked for authorization any later the build date would be in late spring with a much later delivery date. We also received a quote for the dump body, hoist, wing, sander, warning lights and hydraulics from Towmaster, Inc. in the amount of $104,786.00. The price quoted far this equipment is from the State contract as welL There is no sales tax on these accessories for the truck. (The accessories would be purchased after the truck arrives in 2016 and the price will be the same). The total cost of the truck, plow and equipment is $198,154.25, $1,845.75 under budget. BUDGETIMPACT: The 2016 Budget includes $200,000.00 for the purchase of the new plow truck. During budget discussions it was agreed that this vehicle would be purchased via financing. The purchase price is $1,8�5.75 under the budgeted amount. Actual invoices will be received and paid in 2016. ACTION REQUIRED: Staff recommends that the City issue purchase orders to Nuss Truck and Equipment in the amount of $93,368.25 for the purchase of the new Mack dump truck and to Towmaster Inc. in the amount of $104.768.00 for the truck accessories. If Council wishes to implement staff's recommendation, they should pass a motion authorizing the issuance of purchase orders to Nuss Truck and Equipment in the amount of $93,368.25 far the purchase of the new dump truck and to Towmaster, Inc. in the amount of $104.768.00 for the truck accessories. This action requires a simple majority vote.