05/29/1990 Meeting (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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e e e Mr. Smith acknowledged that the Metro Plan amendment process will not be completed when the council takes action, but he pointed out that the amendments under consideration are not required in order for the council to form local improvement districts. Les lyle, City Engineer, reported that the bid process involved advertising in the local paper and in the Daily Journal of Commerce. letters were sent to suppliers describing the types of materials the City was looking for. A prebid conference was held with plan holders and the bid opening was staggered to encourage additional competitiveness. Breaking the project into basins with three proposed for construction for 1990 made the contract bids more biddable for local contractors. Mr. lyle said that contractors are required to pay prevailing wages and to submit certified payrolls. A performance bond is included in the contract to assure that inability to complete the work allows the City to secure another contractor. City Attorney Bill Gary commented that the City's bonding authority allows it to issue revenue bonds without a vote of the people. While a constitutional argument could probably be made regarding a State statute authorizing the City to use its bonding authority to bond projects in a special assessment district outside the city limits, Mr. Gary doubted that such a constitutional attack would be successful. Regardless of whether it was successful, the existence of such a potential challenge, in the opinion of bond counsel, would not be likely to have an effect on the marketability of bonds that would be backed by the retainment of the assessments in the special assessment district. Referring to questions raised about whether a groundwater contamination problem really exists, Mr. Smith said that those issues are not within the council's control, but have to do with State policy on clean water that requires the Department of Environmental Quality to protect all beneficial uses for waters of Oregon and that forms the basis of the DEQ's requiring the installation and hook-up of sewers. Mr. Gleason noted that if the region is required to repay the Federal government the money used to construct the trunk line and the sewage treatment plant, whoever is required to provide the services demanded by the State will be responsible for that repayment and that cost will be borne by the people who are required to hook up to the sewer. He pointed out that because the residents of the City of Eugene are already hooked up, those costs would be paid by the residents of River Road/Santa Clara. Answering a question from Ms. Ehrman, Mr. Smith said that local improvement districts are not governing districts, are for a single project, and are without ongoing responsibilities once the project is completed. A board is not usually part of such a district. MINUTES--Eugene City'Council May 29, 1990 Page 6