At a glance
The Common Council Infrastructure Committee met Sunday to review the DPW report for the month. DPW Superintendent Rob Perry presented a new state wastewater permit requiring lower chlorine levels in effluent by 2031, which will need a new dechlorination system and grants. The combined sewer overflow separation project was reviewed, with 20-foot-deep manholes planned for Third Street and full sidewalk replacement on Columbia Street. The committee discussed a $4,000 request to stripe four streets that carry over 6,000 vehicles per day, a safety issue after multiple crashes. The city will apply for a CSC grant to redesign pedestrian safety around Seventh Street Park, including bulb-outs, wider sidewalks, and potential one-way conversions on Seventh and Park Place.
New Wastewater Permit and Treatment Requirements
Rob Perry presented the new SPDES permit taking effect August 1, which reduces allowable chlorine residual from 2 parts per million to 0.1 and adds new testing requirements.
Key points
- The permit expired around 2015 and has been under administrative extension for 15 years; it now matches the plant built in 2010
- Combined sewer overflows reduced from six or eight outfalls to three, with the goal of eliminating all
- New quarterly ammonia and chloroform tests and monthly mercury testing required
- Chlorine residual limit drops from 2 mg/L to 0.1 mg/L by 2031, requiring a new dechlorination system
- The city has five years to study, design, and build the dechlorination process; grants will be pursued
- Contact tank monitoring begins August 1, requiring a mechanical sampler for every rain event over 6 million gallons per day
- Whole effluent toxicity testing begins in 2027 to measure impact on the North Bay and river
- August 1: new permit takes effect, contact tank monitoring begins
- 2027: toxicity testing starts
- Five-year period to study and design dechlorination system
- 2031: dechlorination system must be operational
The city will apply for planning and capital grants from the state, which score higher because the work is permit-required.
Annual Sewer Plant Inspection
The plant passed its annual inspection with a satisfactory rating and a short list of follow-up items.
Key points
- Overall rating was satisfactory
- Follow-up includes adding the new operator to New York Alert and revising the process control plan
- Wet testing sites must be identified in advance of 2027 start
- Contact tank samplers have been ordered and will be online by August 1
- The state inspector said he should have been notified before maintenance work on bar screen chains
CSO Separation Project Design Details
Perry showed cross-sections of the upcoming combined sewer overflow separation project, including 20-foot-deep structures on Third Street.
Key points
- A manhole on Third Street will be 20 feet tall, from rim elevation of 76 feet to base of 56 feet above sea level
- Everything must flow by gravity to avoid pumping; deep excavations are necessary to maintain slope
- National Grid utility conflicts mapped at Third and Columbia show high-pressure gas, water mains, and plastic lines
- The project will replace 100 percent of sidewalks on Columbia Street between Second and Front
- In two years, the same work will hit Green, upper Columbia, and Fair View, replacing those sidewalks as well
- Perry met with the Sidewalk Board and asked them to focus on other parts of the city while this work is underway
The separation project will destroy and then rebuild ADA-compliant sidewalks on Columbia Street, so the Sidewalk Board was asked to prioritize work elsewhere in the city.
Grant Applications for Water Infrastructure
The city will apply for two water infrastructure grants, though Perry does not expect awards because the city already holds one of each.
Key points
- Applications are for Water Infrastructure Improvement and Water Quality Improvement grants
- The city already has one of each grant active on current projects
- Applications show the state that the city is serious about financing the next round of projects
- If awarded, any match would come from the sewer fund, not the general fund
- No commitment is required unless an award is made
Water Plant Maintenance and Dam Assessment
Perry reported routine water plant maintenance, a bear inside the fence, and an upcoming dam engineering assessment that will cost $62,000.
Key points
- A bear scaled the fence at the water plant, swam in the detention pond, and left for Greenport
- Backwash surge pumps in a 20-foot wet well run 24 hours a day to slowly introduce backwash into the sewer system
- Drainage pipe at the foot of the Churchtown dam was damaged and replaced with new pipe and stone
- The dam's engineering assessment is over 10 years overdue; it should be reviewed every five to ten years
- The assessment will cost $62,000 and include mapping, hydraulic modeling, and hazard classification
- Funds will be transferred from other water fund accounts to a professional services account
Parks, Road Work, and Tree Damage
Perry showed seasonal parks work, including watering Complete Streets trees, crosswalk maintenance, and storm cleanup.
Key points
- DPW waters Complete Streets greenery and CAC trees with 400 feet of hose from hydrants, taking half a day per direction
- Perry said he agreed to water the trees for five years, though he did not recall making that commitment
- New water bags were ordered for the trees
- The crosswalk by the opera house was removed because it was not ADA compliant and had utility and sign conflicts
- A storm knocked down trees, including one at Seventh and Cherry Alley; crews cleared the road and sidewalk, leaving private property cleanup to owners
Green Street Crashes and Striping Proposal
Jason Foster presented police reports from two crashes on Green Street and proposed striping streets that carry over 6,000 vehicles per day.
Key points
- Two crashes on Green Street: one driver fell asleep and rear-ended a parked Jeep, pushing it 10 feet and shoving a GMC 2500 onto the sidewalk; another said the vehicle pulled to the right, hitting two cars
- No tickets were issued in either crash
- Foster argued that even drunk drivers follow lines, and striping helps all drivers stay in lanes
- Streets with over 6,000 vehicles per day should have center lines per federal MUTCD guidance
- Perry currently spends $5,000 per year on striping; adding the high-traffic streets would cost $4,000 more annually
- Streets identified: Worth Avenue, Third Street, State Street, Green Street, Prospect, Fair View, and upper Warren (based on speed sign data showing 48,000 vehicles per week)
The committee will seek $4,000 in the September budget session to stripe high-traffic streets.
Perry noted that striping, unlike a permanent sign, must be redone every year. The $4,000 would be a recurring expense.
Public Comment on DPW Staffing and Parking Rules
Bill Houston called in to say the city is asking too much of one DPW superintendent and questioned why Prospect Avenue has no overnight parking rule.
Key points
- Houston said the city is requiring too much of Rob Perry and no one is Superman
- He asked why Prospect Avenue from Rossman to Hudson has no overnight parking rule when DPW wants to sweep and plow both sides
- Perry said there are odd and even addresses on the same side of Prospect, which prevents alternate-side parking
- Houston pointed out that Second Street between Columbia and State has no parking on Friday nights despite the same issue
- Perry said hospital employees and a garage park cars on Prospect, not residents
Seventh Street Park Safety Study
Foster presented a plan to apply for a CSC grant to study pedestrian safety improvements around Seventh Street Park, including bulb-outs, wider sidewalks, and potential one-way streets.
Key points
- Friends of the Public Square had proposed park modifications as a third phase after the fountain
- The city is applying for a CSC design grant to expand sidewalks and improve pedestrian safety around the park
- Proposed changes include a bulb-out at Columbia and Park Place, added crosswalks, widened sidewalks at Warren and Seventh, and street trees
- The study will consider making Seventh Street one-way southbound and Park Place one-way northbound
- The grant application requires Common Council approval at the next meeting
- Warren Street between Prospect and Park Place carries over 48,000 vehicles per week and would be included in striping plans
The grant application will go to the next Common Council meeting for approval. President Morris confirmed it will be a public process.
The proposal builds on work by Friends of the Public Square, whose third phase called for park modifications. President Morris said FOPS will be invited to present to the Council.
Budget Process and Staffing
Committee members discussed the need to restore two DPW positions cut in recent years and the upcoming public budget process.
Key points
- Two DPW positions were eliminated two years ago, limiting the department's capacity
- Committee members recommended reinstating the positions but acknowledged budget constraints
- President Morris confirmed the BEA (Board of Estimate and Apportionment) will hold public meetings for the 2027 budget process, starting with a preliminary meeting this week
- Lloyd Kenny said he attended most BEA meetings last year and recalled one executive session that excluded the public
- Morris said she attended all BEA meetings for six years and no member of the public was ever excluded
- The budget deficit last year was $400,000; the revenue did not meet expenses
Morris said the BEA process was fully public last year. Kenny said he recalled one meeting where the public was excused. The disagreement was not resolved.
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