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March 19, 2009 Special Board of Supervisors Meeting

Thursday, March 19, 2009
Special Board of Supervisor Meeting

A Special Meeting of the Board of Supervisors was held in the Town Hall on Thursday, March 19, 2009 at 4:00 p.m.

Chair Hoenisch called the Special Board meeting to order.

Present were Chairperson Betty Hoenisch, Supervisor Tad Schult, Supervisor Sue Shore, Tetra Tech Engineer Andy Walters , REI Design Division Manager Marijean Hoppe and 3M representative John Edwards.

Chair Hoenisch stated that the first item of business was discussion and possible action regarding N. Fourth Avenue Design Study Report, Survey Report and Cross Sections.

Andy Walters explained the surveying and engineering work that had been done to date. Now the Town has to determine if it wants to widen N. Fourth Avenue or stay at the current width. Supervisor Schult asked if the road top could be wider with the current road right of way the Town owns. Mr. Walters stated that it appears so. He showed the $250.00 map that Tetra Tech had received from the state for the N. Fourth Avenue project.

Marijean Hoppe explained the cross section maps that show the current asphalt lanes are 11 feet to 11.25 feet, have 4 foot shoulders and sloped ditches. Ms. Hoppe said that the state would allow the Town to widen the lanes to 12 feet. She then explained the vision clear zone and ditch slope requirements. She will be creating a profile map of the road.

Ms. Hoppe then explained that the Town has a site distance problem at Cassidy Drive and N. Fourth Avenue. The Town could request an exception for this intersection, but whoever completes the exception form and files that form with the state is acknowledging that they know there is a potential problem with that intersection. In this case it would be the Town and if there would ever be a bad accident on that corner it puts the Town at a very high liability risk.

Mr. Edwards asked what the difference is now. Ms. Hoppe replied that when the road is repaved it will be in better condition and vehicles will travel at higher speeds. When an entity accepts TEA grant money it will be shown in the design report that there is a site distance discrepancy to what meets code. Someone will have to write an exception that we feel it is OK to not improve that site distance problem and go forward with project.

Chair Hoenisch said this is some of the hoops you have to jump thru to accept TEA grant money. We have so many town roads that would never qualify for grant money because the shoulders are not adequate, the ditch slopes do not have the proper ratio and there are deep drop off areas along town roads. If the Town would re-construct N. Fourth Avenue as a town road we would not have to address the shoulder, ditch and site distance issues.

Andy Walters explained that when working with Crest Corp on the TEA grant requirements Kevin suggested that the Town apply for a stimulus package which would pay for the complete project. Mr. Walters said that the Town would need to complete an application form by December 2009, must fix the site distance issues and address shoulder and ditch issues. The projects will not be let until December 2009 and the road would be reconstructed during the 2010 construction season.

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Thursday, March 19, 2009
Special Board of Supervisor Meeting

There was additional discussion regarding N. Fourth Avenue being a three rod road and the differences of the TEA grant and Stimulus requirements. Ms. Hoppe explained that both work thru Cedar Corp. The Stimulus rules are far more stringent than TEA rules. Both require a full plan set, are let thru Wisconsin Dept. of Transportation, constructed under Wisconsin Dept. of Transportation specifications and both would allow the re-construction of the road even if it is three rods if the Town can meet all the other specifications. Ms. Hoppe said that if the Town needs to acquire road right of way then that will change things.

John Edwards stated that he has worked very hard to get everyone at 3M on board with the 3M - 90% and Town 10% cost share of the road project. He stated that 3M is having equipment maintenance issues and employees are experiencing back problems due to the condition of N. Fourth Avenue. The Town and the City of Wausau have agreed to the 90,000 lb truck weight limit increase, however due to the road condition 3M has not gotten new equipment or increased the truck weight. Mr. Edwards said there is a cost savings that 3M hopes to capture once that road is repaved. 3M does not want to wait until 2010 to re-construct that road. Mr. Edwards encouraged the Town to continue with the TEA grant program because this would allow the reconstruction to happen this summer.

Supervisor Shore asked if N. Fourth Avenue landowners would have to give up land to widen the road. Ms. Hoppe said that if this project continues as a re-construction project then the road can stay the current 49.5 feet width. However, cutting down the hill north and west at the Cassidy Drive and N. Fourth Avenue intersection may put this project into a different classification. Ms. Hoppe stated that she has spoken to Kevin at Cedar Corp and the intersection problem cannot exceed 60 % of the project area.

Chair Hoenisch asked if the TEA grant would cover the hill excavation costs. Mr. Walters said that he will have Kevin at Cedar Corp check with TEA grant coordinator Don Uelman to see if that cost will be covered.

Chair Hoenisch asked Mr. Edwards if 3M would be interested in doing the N. Fourth Avenue excavation because the excavation could be part of the road bid ad. Mr. Edwards stated that their equipment could easily handle the excavation which is similar to what they do in their quarry. Due to close proximity to their quarry he felt 3M would be a bidder for that part of the project.

Mr. Edwards asked Mr. Walters and Ms. Hoppe how many tons of rock needed to be excavated. Ms. Hoppe stated that based on their calculations approximately 8,000 tons would need to be removed to cut the hill back about three to four feet. She also stated that the road would need to be closed for this part of the process.

The supervisors then discussed the possibility of coordinating a shut down time which would allow for the road excavation from Cassidy Drive north and while that is happening the paving company could be pulverizing N. Fourth Avenue from Cassidy Drive south. To coordinate all phases of the project would minimize the shut down time.

Ms. Hoppe explained that there will need to be a new topography map created to address the corner west of Cassidy Drive because of cutting the N. Fourth Avenue hill back to the north.

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Thursday, March 19, 2009
Special Board of Supervisor Meeting

There would be additional cost involved for the design and surveying of the Cassidy Drive intersection.

Discussion and questions followed regarding the project. Mr. Walters suggested calling Kevin at Cedar Corp for answers. The group held a speaker conference with Kevin.

Mr. Walters asked about expanding the road top to 12 or 13 foot lanes. Per Kevin that would be fine if the Town can show it will make the road safer for the trucks.

Ms. Hoppe had a question about the 10 foot clear zone at the Decator Drive and N. Fourth Avenue intersection. Kevin stated that because there is not a bad accident history at that intersection the state would not have a problem with the current clear zone.

Kevin will check with Don Uelman and report to Mr. Walters regarding the questions on the project.

Mr. Edwards asked Mr. Walters and Ms. Hoppe for a recap of the meeting and reconstruction process.

Ms. Hoppe explained that REI�s engineers will need to redo the Cassidy Drive / N. Fourth Avenue site distance curve and will need to do additional surveying of the area. She said that once the surveying is completed REI will be able to give the Town and 3M a better estimate of the work that needs to be done.

Mr. Walters stated that he will check with American Asphalt, Northeast Pavers and RC Pavers on the 2009 asphalt costs.

Chair Hoenisch stated that the next item on the agenda was discussion and possible action on Tetra Tech�s Cost Estimate for the N. Fourth Avenue Design Study Report, Environmental Report and TEA Grant application process.

Motion by Supervisor Schult to have Andy Walters at Tetra Tech proceed with the reports needed for the reconstruction of N. 4th Avenue and to hire REI to complete the engineering and surveying needed to determine the site distance and re-construction issues related to the project, seconded by Supervisor Shore. Motion carried.

The next item of business was discussion and possible action to create the 2009 Public Works project schedule. This item was tabled.

Supervisor Schult made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 5:40 p.m., seconded by Supervisor Shore. Motion carried.

Respectively submitted,

Betty Hoenisch

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