HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/19/2001 Work Session
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MINUTES OF THE WORK SESSION
OF THE SPRINGFfELD CITY COUNCIL
HELD ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19,2001
The Springfield City <=;ouncil met in work session at Springfield City Hall, Jesse Maine Meeting
Room, 225 Fifth Street, Springfield, on Monday, November 19,2001 at 6:20 p.m., with Mayor
Leiken presiding.
ATTENDANCE
Present were Mayor Leiken, and Councilors Ballew, Fitch, Hatfield, Lundberg, Ralston, and
Simmons. Also present were Assistant City Manager Gino Grimaldi, City Attorney Joe Leahy,
City Recorder Kim Krebs, and members of staff.
1. Springfield Mill Race Ecosystem Restoration: Project Update.
Staff members Ed Black, Susie Smith, Len Goodwin were present for the staff report. Mr. Black
said representatives from McKenzie Forest Products were in the audience tonight who are critical
players in this project. He said the purpose of this work session was to provide the council with
an update on the Mill Race Ecosystem Restoration Project, and also to obtain some direction from
council. He said the direction in a couple of areas.
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Mr. Black provided some background information for the council, and highlighted the
information contained in the Agenda Item Summary (AIS). He said the Corps would complete a
feasibility study on the renovation within the next couple of weeks. He said the Corps released a
draft of the study in September recommending it relocate the Millrace inlet upstream along the
Middle Fork of the WilIamette River, remove the Mill Pond dam and fish ladder, and replace the
pond with a meandering stream, wetlands and seasonal ponds. He said the Corps needs to move
the inlet so the Millrace can capture the water at a higher elevation in the river and at a more
stable point than the existing inlet has proven to be. He said the Corps plans to construct
improvements in 2003. It estimates the work and pre-construction design work will cost $3.5
million. The Corps requires a formal commitment by the city to fund 35 percent of the project,
which is approximately $1.2 million.
Ms. Smith said the Corp would be constructing improvements. She said the three main goals they
are working on is 1) inlet for permanent flow, 2) water quality, and 3) fish passage. She said the
focus of their efforts is most cost effectively direct their improvements to solve all three of those
problems. They will be focusing their restoration efforts in the upper reach with a lot of riparian
restoration activity, and the middle reach relative to the pond. They will not be constructing any
restoration improvements downstream of the pond because it is so degraded that it would not be
cost effective. Given what the Corps will do, the city will then be responsibility for maintaining
both the benefits that are generated through the Corps restoration efforts as well as meeting our
obligations of the Clean Water Act for meeting and achieving water quality standards and
cleaning up the water for fish passage so that we can avoid the construction of fish greens. She
said in the upper reach we will be required to maintain a larger buffer about 100 feet and said we
own a substantial amount of the real estate in that area in order to accomplish that.
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Ms. Smith said in summary the responsibility of the city will vary in terms ofthe property we
need to manage in order to manage Ecosystem Restoration functions from roughly 50 feet in the
lower reaches and 100 feet in the upper reaches.
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Springfield City Council
Work Session - November 19,2001
Page - 2
Len Goodwin said we are now reaching the point in the project will involve a formal commitment
on the part of the city to expend funds related to this project. He said the Corp's work to date has
all been funded by federal and Corps money without any participation on the pa,rt of the city. He
said one this feasibility phase is complete, and before the Corps will move into design and
construction they will require that the city enter into a project cooperation agreement with them.
He said, as stated earlier, that agreement would require perpetually maintaining the benefits of the
project, and will also require us to contribute 35% of the total cost of the project as our local
share. He said this would commit Corps to the project, which means there will be mutual
commitments on both sides. He said another feature ofthis, there are other possibilities for
educational and recreational components are included in an ecosystem restoration project of this
nature.
Mr. Goodwin highlighted the various maps that were displayed at the meeting, and pointed out
some of the features displayed. He said these are conceptual diagrams only.
Mr; Goodwin said the desired direction from council is:
o Develop Project Cooperation Agreement with the Corps.
o Explore Joint Sponsorship with Willamalane.
o Explore partnership or arrangement with McKenzie Forest Products and other property
owners regarding affected property
o Develop Recommendation to council concerning the vineyard property, once cash needs
are defined.
Staff responded to technical questions of the council.
City Attorney Joe Leahy responded to legal questions ofthe council.
Councilor Hatfield said because there is not enough time for council to further discuss, he
requested that staffreturn in the next couple of weeks to further discuss this issue, and to seek the
council approval for the contract.
ADJOURNMENT
The Meeting was adjourned at 6:50 p.m.
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Minutes Recorder - Kim Krebs