January 14, 2004
(Updated) As City Council (Likely) Approves Reservoir Review Panel, Anti-Burial Group Releases Q&A With Saltzman
Note: This post has been updated. Any and all updates appear at the end of the original post.
Earlier this morning, the City Council was scheduled to take up the following resolution:
Create and authorize an Independent Review Panel to examine options for meeting the security and regulatory needs of the Mt. Tabor open drinking water reservoirs�(Resolution introduced by Commissioner Saltzman)
I didn't have the chance to get down for it, but as far as I know the Council was expected to approve this resolution.
Over on the mailing list for the Friends of the Reservoirs, two items present the text of a letter the group sent to Commissioner Dan Saltzman last month and his responses to the questions the letter posed. Below I've cut and pasted the Friends' questions and the Commissioner's answers for easier reference between the two.
Regarding the Review Panel
1a. Will all meetings, including any subcommittee meetings, field trips, e-mail discussions and other panel meetings be open to the public?
The panel should be viewed as a "governing body of a public body" subject to the Oregon Public Meetings Law. ORS 192.610 to 192.690. This also means, as well, that the Panel may hold executive or closed sessions under the terms of that law. It will be up to the panel members on how they wish to relay information to the general public and I ask you to support their decision.
1b. How much notice will be given about the activities of the panel and where will these notices be posted?
I would hope to see a minimum of 7 days notice (again, this will be up to the panel) and will continue to direct the Water Bureau to post items on the project's web page.
1c. Will the meetings be held during evening hours such that ratepayers and concerned citizens may attend and participate?
As this is a volunteer citizen panel and these folks have daily lives and jobs to attend to, I assume many of the meetings will take place at night. Again, it will be up to the panel members to decide on meeting times.
2. Will duplicates of all documents be made available to the public in real time?
Documents will be made available as soon as time permits.
3. Who will be paid on the panel and how much will they be paid?
The panel members are volunteers and will not be paid. They will utilize a paid facilitator and paid technical advisor. We estimate that the facilitator's contract will be around $30,000 and the technical advisor's contract in the $200,000 range.
4. Will the panel have water-quality experts with degrees in chemistry or biology, as opposed to engineering?
Yes.
Regarding MWH Reservoir Contract #34980
1. Has a stop work order been issued to Montgomery, Watson, Harza (MWH) on their September 16, 2003 5-year, $6,000,000.00 design services, construction oversight contract #34980? If so could you provide us with the documentation?
The Water Bureau met with MWH on December 9 and orally instructed them and their subcontractors to stop work except for a few tasks that were judged to be in the City's best interest to advance to a logical stopping point.
The following work items are being completed:
Survey Basemap. The map is needed whether the reservoirs are buried or a different solution is selected. The first draft of the basemap is scheduled to be completed within a few weeks.
Permitting. A technical memo is under development that will provide the roadmap for the permitting work. This technical memo will be completed in January.
Yard Piping. The yard piping and vault layout work is underway and will be finalized. This work is needed to support implementing any of the 5 alternatives being considered by the Panel.
Geotechnical Investigation. Most site work has been completed. The draft report is due to the Water Bureau in December. Geotechnical work related to yard piping will continue until completed.
Structural. Several draft technical memos are being prepared and are due in January.
2. Has a stop work order been given to all others contractors and subcontractors including the Seattle PR firm Norton Arnold and Co.?
Subcontract work to MWH was directed to be stopped during the December 9 meeting except for the items noted in response to Q#1. No other contracts have been awarded.
3. Has the "What Goes on Top" process facilitated by an MWH subcontractor been postponed until the new panel has completed their work?
Yes. MWH was so instructed on December 9. Also, the Bureau of Parks sent letters to the members of the new panel stating that this process would be postponed.
Regarding the Natt McDougal Washington Park Cover Contract
1. Has a stop work order been issued in regard to the installation of the Washington Park reservoir covers?
No, the work at Washington Park is continuing. The bureau will not place the cover over the reservoirs until Council has received the Panel's report.
January 15, 2004
Update
Indeed, as expected, the Council approved the review committee. It's expected to start its work next month.