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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_GTEC_11.16.2005Minutes of the Meeting of Georgetown Transportation Enhancement Corporation and the Governing Body of the City of Georgetown, Texas Wednesday, November 16, 2005 The Georgetown Transportation Enhancement Corporation of the City of Georgetown, Texas, met on Wednesday, November 16, 2005. Board Members Present: Henry Carr -President, Joe Savage - Vice President, Farley Snell - Secretary, Paul Brandenburg - General Manager, Gabe Sansing (arrived at 2:04), Henry Boecker, Ricki Salazar Board Members Absent: John Kirby, Micki Rundell - Finance Manager Staff Present: Paul Brandenburg, Jim Briggs, Joe Lara, Tom Benz, Joel Weaver, Ed Polasek, Jana Kern, Terri Calhoun, George Gomez, Mark Thomas, OTHERS PRESENT: David Patrick - Kasberg, Patrick & Assoc. (KPA), Trey McLendon - Williamson County Sun, Kelly Clayman & Wes Poarch - Citizens, G.L. Schlemeyer - Contract Land Staff, Inc. Minutes Regular Meeting Meeting called to order by Mr. Henry Carr at 2:03 p.m. Board may, at any time, recess the Regular Session to convene in Executive Session at the request of the President, a Board Member, the City Manager in his capacity as General Manager of the GTEC Corporation , the Assistant City Manager, or legal counsel for any purpose authorized by the Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code Chapter 551, and are subject to action in the Regular Session that follows. A. Consideration and approval of the minutes from the regular meeting held August 17, 2005. Paul Brandenburg Discussion:None Action: Motion by Savage, seconded by Salazar, to approve the minutes as written. Approved 5-0 (Sansing absent for this item only, Kirby absent) B. Discussion and possible action regarding the Project Progress Report and timelines(including but not limited to items listed). Joel Weaver/Tom Benz Discussion: Weaver presented the report: South Bound IH 35 Frontage Road: Bids will be be opened on December 2, 2005. Construction should start in the first quarter of 2006. At this time I do not have a construction time line. Wolf Ranch Parkway #13: ROW's have been acquired. At the request of the ROW grantor, construction has been pushed back. Construction should begin sometime in June 2006. Industrial Park Circle Connector #5QD: This project is completed. Chasco has done a remarkable job on this project. Southeast Arterial 1 #12: Currently we are looking at the intersection configuration. State Highway 29 Rehab: First part of December there should be two lanes of traffic open for traveling in the east bound direction. TxDot is running about 10 days behind. Just as a reminder this project is a State project. I am just reporting the updates as I know them. SouthWest By-Pass: presented by Mr. Carr: On October 11th & 12th, City and County representatives met with Congressional staff in Washington D.C. to discuss this project (primarily the southern segment from Leander Road to the IH35 crossing). The purpose of the discussion was to initiate requests for funding starting in FY2007 budget year, from "earmarked" amounts under control of the Texas Senators and Congressman Carter. There were four meetings with individual staffers. They were: Stephen Sepp, Legislative Assistant to Senator Cornyn, Joe Guzzo, Legislative Director (Transportation) for Senator Hutchinson, Peter Olsen, Chief od Staff for Senator Cornyn, Ryan Henry, Chief of Staff for Congressman John Carter. Each staffer gave positive feedback and discussed future follow-up. Some staffers cautioned the "earmarked" funds are limited in amount, having amounts up to about $5million. This will not support construction work, but instead the money could be used for feasibility, environmental, design and engineering work. To assure construction funding they advised the project should also be in the Trans- portation bill. They advised coordinating this project with TxDOT to assure the project was high on the priorty list. They advised assuring city and county closely coordinate and both contribute to the project. Local funding is interpreted as commitment and priority. The discussion were productive and positive. However, during the trip it was realized that the City and County plans for the IH35 bridge and the nearby ramps and access roads were in conflict. These discrepancies were minor. Since the trip, intensive efforts have been made by staff (led by Jim Briggs) to encourage the definition of one common consolidated plan. Mr. Briggs has made multiple contacts with TxDOT leadership and several County commissioners and County Staff. Mr. Carr has made contact with some commissioners, with state Senator Ogden, chair of the Senate Finance Committee and with Congressman Carter. The outlook appears to be positive for funding this project, although many steps remain to be completed. CAMPO News: Presented by Ed Polasek: Several Issues came to light in today's CAMPO Technical Advisory Committee Meeting that I wanted you to be aware of: 1. Amendments to the CAMPO Mobility 2030 Plan. CAMPO must amend the project description for 2338 (Williams Drive) to allow for phasing of planned improvements between Jim Hogg and Cedar Breaks. The CAMPO 2030 Mobility Plan called for a MAD 6 (Major Arterial Divided 6 lanes (the divide may be a continuous turn lane)), the current improvements are only to a MAD 4. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has rejected funding for the current improvements because the MAD 4 is not shown in the CAMPO plan. The plan must be amended to show phasing in order to allow the Federal funding for the project. The City of Georgetown, through the GTEC Board, has funded 1.2 million towards the local match for the project. The plan amendment will be going to the CAMPO Board for public hearing and possible action on December 12th. 2. Requested amendments to CAMPO's FY 2006-2008 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). TxDOT has requested adding projects approved from Williamson County through the Pass Through Toll Program. The six projects will cost $174 million to construct and TxDOT has agreed to reimburse the County for all but $22 million. Two of the Projects directly affect Georgetown: IH-35/SH 29 Interchange turnaround structures. Engineering, right-of-way, construction and debt service for north bound and south bound turnaround structures, at a cost of $8,240,000. FM 2338 from FM 3405 to Ronald Reagan Boulevard. Engineering, right-of-way, construction, and devt service for a 5-lane rural roadway (MAD 4) at a cost of $11,500,000. You might notice the limits the southern limits for the project are at 3405 (as taken from the Minute orders of the TxDOT Commission). The northern limits of the CAMPO TIP improvements are at Jim Hogg Road. That would leave a gap between Jim Hogg Road and FM 3405. I asked TxDOT to investigate and provide some feedback to the City if there was a gap being created. The TIP amendments are going to the CAMPO Board for public hearing and possible action on December 12th. Action: None C. Presentation of Georgetown Transportation Enhancement Corporation monthly financial report for October 2005. Micki Rundell Discussion: Joe Lara presented the financial report for Micki Rundell. Action: None D. Consideration and possible recommendation to amend the engineering contract with Kasberg, Patrick & Associates, for services relating to change in scope of the Southeast Arterial (SE One) project. In the amount of $779,600.00. Thomas Benz Discussion: Benz gave an overview of the project. There was a long discussion with several questions conserning the alignment. Full discussion is on tape. At the end of the presentation Mr. Carr opened the meeting to the public who wished to speak. Wes Poarch: We have two interests here. My daughter and I own property, off of SE Inner Loop and CR 110. And I understand that the level three bridge may or may never be a reality. It looks to me like the biggest part of the land that is propose to come off of us, is due to the level three possibility. Can we forgo that for the time being. Do we have to take to prospect of loosing that much frontage over something that may never even be used? At this point, Mr. Carr informed Mr. Poarch, that what he had said earlier was wrong, I was looking at the map upside down. But the idea that it's not needed because of traffic is not a correct statement. Mr. Sansing asked: The question that you are asking is "If it is not needed can we just forgo that until we might ultimately need it? Mr. Poarch: Yes, I understand your need to purchase right of way, upfront and as quick as you can. Mr. Benz: The goals of the City is to preserve the right of way for the ultimate design. It is not unusual to secure the right of way, for future use. Even if it won't be used for 15 to 20 years. If this right of way is not purchased up front we are not sure how that will get connected in the future. One of the things that the City can do is a lease back or work out some other arrangements so the land can be used. Mr. Poarch: I appreciated your comments and I feel that we can work some of these issues out. My second question is: What impacts us most is the access into and out of out property. As this map shows, there is no access to our property from the Inner Loop. At the present time when we leave our house to go to our barn, that are located to the north, we get onto old 110 and go down to the drive that is on the right. As I see now there will be no way for us to do that. We would not be able to go to our business, other than maybe getting on Inner Loop, going down to 29 then come back through. Mr. Benz stated: One of the things that the City can do is work with you on providing you alternate access. Mr. Poarch stated that they are not here to stop the project, they just want to be up front and voice their concerns. Action: Motion by Snell, seconded by Sansing, to amend the engineering contract with KPA for services related to the change in scope of the SE 1 project, in the amount of $779,600.00. Approved 5-1 (Beocker abstains, Kirby absent) E. Discussion and possible action related to the December, 2005 GTEC Board meeting schedule. Jim Briggs. Discussion: Briggs presented this item. We will have an item concerning the Page House Driveway that we were going to bring to this meeting but there were a couple of things that need to be reviewed. We would like to bring this to you on November 30th at 2:00 p.m. Then we would not have a meeting in December. All members agreed to meet on November 30th at 2:00 p.m. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 03:08 PM. Approved : Attest: _______________________ ________________________ Henry Carr - President Farley Snell - Secretary