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JANUARY 30, 1978
A Special Meeting of the City Council of the City of Delray
Beach, Florida, was held in the Council Chambers at 7:00 P.M., Monday,
January 30, 1978, with Mayor James H. Scheifley presiding and City
Manager J. Eldon Mariott, Assistant City Attorney Clifford Shandy and
Council members Robert D. Chapin, David E. Randolph, Aaron I. Sanson,
IV., and Leon M. Weekes, present.
Mayor Scheifley stated that the Special Meeting was called for
the purpose of considering recommendations made by Russell and Axon
with respect to the expansion of the City's Water Treatment Plant.
The City Manager reported that Council held a workshop meeting
on January 24th, on the City Water situation, at which time a report
was received from Russell and Axon containing the recommendation with
respect to expansion of the City's Water Treatment Plant. Council
informally gave its approval to the recommendation submitted by Russell
and Axon and authorized the City Administration to take certain steps
with regard to the beginning of the implementation. On January 25th
the City Manager drafted a letter to the Health Department, DER and
others informing them of what happened at the workshop meeting on
January 24th; arrangements were made with the Health Department,
Mr. Klinck, Mr. Martin, and DER officials to meet with the City Manager
on January 26th. At this meeting everyone was informed, verbally, as
to what happened at the City's workshop meeting and then proceeded
to discuss point by point, the Health Department's violation citation
of Delray Beach Water Supply, dated December 13, 1977, in which four
requests were made of the City.
The City Manager stated that on January 4, 1978, he responded
to the Health Department's violation notice point by point, in which
communication he told them the City considers themselves in compliance
with items 3 and 4 and would be back to them later on items l'and 2.
On January 26th, a conference was held with them at which time the
items were again~discussed point by point; on items 3 and 4 it was
agreed by the Health Department that the City was in, virtually, full
compliance by the first days of February, about the 2nd or 3rd, - the
date they considered to be the legal deadline date of their 45 day
notice submitted to the City which was given to the City on December
13, 1977. On items 1 and 2, one of them dealing with the construction
schedule for the City's expansion of the water treatment plant and the
other one dealing with their request that the City obtain outside
source for providing the City additional water, it was agreed by all
parties present that the City was in compliance with their request
that the City provide them with a schedule and a copy of Russell and
Axon's recommendations that were informally approved by Council at the
workshop meeting which was hand-delivered to them also. The only item
remaining that is of substantial concern is the matter of the securing
of an agreement between Delray and some other entity for additional
water; the City has not been able to do this at this time - both
Boynton Beach and Boca Raton expressed willingness to do this but, at
this time, they do not have the excess water. There are some road
blocks with respect to obtaining an agreement with the County for
obtaining water from them; the big reason being a monetary nature.
After some discussion, the Health Department agreed to accept the City's
offer of a substitution, which was the City's Water Conservation
Program that, basically, consists of irrigation to take the place of
as much City water supply as possible and, a reduction in the City's
water pressure. The two combined permits a net saving to the City on
its water supply of over a million gallons per day. The Health
Department has assured the City, at this time, that there will not be
any moritorium placed on the City, as far as water connections are
concerned, and they agreed that the City is in full compliance with
the four points.
The City Manager stated that he is anticipating that shortly
after tonight's meeting, he will have official word from the Health
Department that the violation citation issued to the City on December
13, 1977, will be officially withdrawn.
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With regard to the Water Extension Moritorium that is in effect,
the City Manager stated that it was agreed by the Health Department
that that matter will be taken up at such time as the City is able to
go to them with an agreement for acceptable water from an outside
source and he is anticipating that this will happen in the next 6 to
8 months or so.
It was requested that in the Council's formal approval of the
Russell and Axon recommendations, they include~ the fact that the pro-
posed expansion schedule be included in the bid specifications for
expansion of the treatment plant so that not only are the City officials
giving commitment to DER and the Health Department, but they will also
have the contractor who does the construction, legally bound to try to
live within this time frame.
The City Manager added that following Council's formal action
on the DER report., the proposed authorization of Russell and Axon to
do the work that they need to do, as far as implementation is concerned,
is before Council for their review.
Mr. Klinck stated that in preparing the authorization form, they
translated the schedule that was appended to the program, into a date
schedule so that instead of saying so many days it states that it
starts on February 15, 1978 and the pilot plant test completion and
report authorization is June 15, 1978.
Mr. Chapin moved that Council authorize the engineering firm of
Russell and Axon to proceed immediately with testing of in-line direct
filtration without flocculation, direct filtration with flocculation,
and iron coagulation using polyelectrolytes; approve proposed construc-
tion schedule submitted by Russell and Axon to Council at the January
24, 1978, workshop meeting and revised copy subsequently submitted,
said schedule to be included in the contract, and that authorization
be given for execution of the contract with Russell and Axon to do the
work, seconded by Mr. Weekes. Upon roll call Council voted as follows:
Mr..Chapin - Yes; Mr. Randolph - Yes; Mr. Sanson - Yes; Mr. Weekes -
Yes; Mayor Scheifley - Yes. Said motion passed with a 5 to 0 vote.
Before roll call the following discussion was had. Mr. Sanson
stated that he would like to get some further clarification on the
part of Mr. Klinck, as to their intentions, to pursue a higher filter
rate capacity - during the course of their pilot plant studies
exactly how hard are they going to be pursuing seeing if it's realistic
to go up to 4 gallons per minutes or three.
Mr. Klinck stated that the filter rate is one factor in this
design study, along with the filter media and the chemicals, coagu-
lants, coagulant aid, etc., and they are not so sure that the filter
rate will be limited to 4. There is a good possibility that it will
go higher than four - possibly as high as five or six gallons per
minute per square foot. It is one of the things to be determined and
is specifically listed under item 3 of the schedule.
Mr. Sanson asked Mr. Klinck if he is still of the opinion that,
basically, ~he maximum monetary outlay that the City would be looking
at would be about 2.2 million dollars? Mr. Klinck stated that they
will not be able to answer that question until the greater part of the
pilot plant studies are in hand and had a chance to be analyzed -
they don't know yet what size the filters are going to be and what
other pertinent equipment and treatment functions will have to be
provided to make it work. He stated they are looking in a bracket
somewhere between 2.2 million dollars and possibly as high as 4
million dollars but they will definitely try to optimize everything
in the design.
John Gotlinger, 1710 South Ocean Blvd., Delray Beach, asked the
City Manager just what is going to happen to the water pressure in
the City of Delray, for how long, and starting when? He stated that
this could have an insurance effect insofar as fire protection and
the service that they now have. He asked will building permits and
water hook-ups be permitted during this interim period without a
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215
specific valid contract for outside water sources?
The City Manager stated that there has been no change in the time
schedule that was presented by Russell and Axon to which Council in-
formally gave approval at a workshop and formal approval tonight. On
the second point in regard to water pressure, that is already in
effect; on the third point of building permits and water hook-ups, no
moritorium has been placed by the City on the issuing of building
permits and no moritorium has been placed with respect to water hook-ups
either by the City or the County Health Department.
Mr. Gotlinger asked if the Fire Department had any expression
in this in relating to treating with the higher floors in condominiums
as to that water pressure effect. The City Manager stated that the
Water Department has been consulted and is in full partnership with
the Utilities Department in making sure that sufficient water pressure
exists so there would not be a problemi_with regard to fighting fires;
there will be no problem with regard to the insurance question. That
question came up at the conference with the DER and Health Department
and the Utilities Department answered it to the full satisfaction of
those officials.
Mr. Gotlinger asked what the source is going to be for outside
water? The City Manager stated that they don't know right now, that
there will be one but is hopeful. The City Manager noted that the
City has leveled with the Health Department and DER and they realize
that the City cannot assure them that there will be one.
Mark Manafo, 1378 Audubon Blvd., Delray Beach, stated that in
light of the water pressure situation, what procedures are in place
now to monitor the pressure of the hydrants throughout the system?
Lou Martin, Director of Public Utilities, stated that the existing
water pressure is monitored at the Fire Department in the dispatcher
room 24 hours a day; it is also monitored in the North Water Plant in
the'meter control room and, also, at the South Water Plant on the
Master Control ~Qard. It is now running between 48 pounds per square
inch on the low side and 52 pounds per square inch on the high side.
Mr. Sanson asked theCity Manager why is it not a valid considera-
tion to take back the water that the City is giving the City of Gulf-
stream? The City Manager stated that Council has a right to discuss
this alternative - it just had not been brought up before now.
Mr. Sanson noted that in the contract entered into with Gulfstream, it
states that if there was ever any danger to the citizens of Delray,
they could return that water to the City of Delray and this is a
considerable amount of water.
Mr. Sanson stated he considers the action that Council is taking
tonight .sort of like accepting half a loaf of what he had hoped for.
He stated he would consider obtaining another quarter of that loaf
if it is to be assumed that the City is going to get a higher filter
rate capacity - the cost savings to the taxpayers warrant every effort
to be made in that line and he would hope that Russell and Axon would
pursue that. The final quarter of that loaf, in his opinion, would
have been the retaining of another engineering firm. Mr. Sanson stated
he is glad that they have a united Council to go along this path and
he thinks they have taken the correct path; he would be absolutely
astounded to think that going on this course, that they would have to
spend over $2 million. At this point, he offers Mr. Klinck and Russell
and Axon any assistance that he could give them and would like to
think that all of them can start working together on this course.
Roll call on the motion was had at this time.
Mr. Weekes, at 7:30 P.M., moved for the adjournment of the
meeting, seconded by Mr. Chapin. Said motion passed unanimously.
City Clerk
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The undersigned is the City Clerk of the City of Delray Beach
and the information provided herein is the minutes of the meeting of
said City Council of January 30, 1978, which minutes were formally
approved and adopted by the City Council on~A~.~_~
City Clerk
NOTE TO READER:
If the minutes that you have received are not completed as indicated
above, then this means that these are not the official minutes of the
City Council. They will become the official minutes only after they -
have been reviewed and approved which may involve some amendments,
additions or deletions to the minutes as set forth above.
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