6.3. SR 05-02-2005
Item 6.3.
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor & City Council
FROM: Phil Hals, Street Superintendent
DATE: May 2, 2005
SUBJECT: Public Works Site Master Plan & Compost Update
Public Works Site Master Plan Update
To date, John Oliver & Associates have furnished the site plan, soil borings, wetland report
and TEP Review. With these documents in hand, Staff recommends that Phase I be a five
year plan that includes a salt storage building, cold storage building, partial site grading,
enlarged compost, brush and used oil drop off areas, concrete curbing and bituminous
paving. This phasing plan will allow for further site evaluation prior to adding the Street
Department office additions and the heated equipment storage building. The Planning
Commission will be considering the building plans and site plan at their May 24, 2005
meeting for a conditional use permit. The City Council will then be asked to consider the
CUP request on June 27, 2005.
Recommendation:
I would like to request Council approval to act as general contractor on the City's behalf, and
begin the site grading with both City and contracted equipment. In addition, I would like
permission to advertise for and receive bids for the salt storage and cold storage building.
Compost Update
The Sherburne County Municipal Recycling Board applied for $58,000.00 from Sherburne
County for a SCORE grant. The Sherburne County Board has approved the full amount.
This grant pays for the contract brush grinding and some reimbursement for compost
loading and hauling costs for the cities of Becker, Big Lake, Elk River and Zimmerman.
A big issue for all of the members of the Sherburne County Municipal Board is how to deal
with the leaves, grass clippings and ground up brush while it is composting. A properly
operated composting process requires weekly turning and about 6 months for the product to
completely decompose. To accomplish this, Elk River would require about 5 acres of land
and $150,000.00 worth of equipment. We had hoped that the county would furnish a site,
April 28, 2005
Mayor & Council Memo
Page 2
trucking or [mancial assistance but at this time it appears that the SCORE funding is all that
we can expect. Plaisted Companies are interested in establishing a compost site on their
property to produce a product for their own use and would be willing to let the City haul
leaves, grass clippings and brush chips from our collection facility to their site. This seems to
be a very workable solution to me, since the Park and Recreation Department has expressed
an interest in developing Hillside Park for public use and is presendy used to store and
generate the compost.
With proposed site improvements, we will be enlarging the present compost and brush drop
off site, Oak Knoll field 3 will be available for baseball usage for the 2005 season. In 2006,
Oak Knoll field 3 will become part of the Public Works site and be used primarily for
material storage.
Recommendation:
Staff request permission to pursue an agreement with Plaisted Companies to accept City
collected leaves, grass and brush chips for composting.
PH:so
4-26-05M&CC Memo Compost Update