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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Report - January 7, 1998 H-01AGENDA TITLE: Additional Tree Removal in the Mokelumne River MEETING DATE: January 7, 1998 PREPARED BY: Public Works Director RECOMMENDED ACTION: That the City Council discuss and take the appropriate action. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The City recently awarded a contract to Ford Construction for removal of 22 trees from the Mokelumne River. Removal of 19 trees under this contract will be funded using FEMA funds; 3 trees will be removed using City funds. San Joaquin County, on our behalf, had applied for funding to remove the other trees in the Mokelumne River within the City limits. The City recently received the attached letter from the County, dated December 22, 1997, indicating that this component of its grant application for tree removal on the Mokelumne River was denied. Therefore, there are no allocated funds for the remaining 27 trees. Unless we receive further direction from the City Council, the only trees that will be removed under the City's contract with Ford Construction will be the 19 trees in the Lodi Lake Wilderness Area and the 3 trees at Rivergate Subdivision. The estimated cost to remove the additional trees, between the Lodi Lake Wilderness Area and the easterly City limits, is approximately $60,000. These 27 trees would be removed as a change order to the existing contract with Ford Construction. The $60,000 is an estimate. The exact amount must be negotiated with the contractor. We have recently had our permit modified to include these additional 27 trees. It was recently discovered that 5 of the 27 trees front the City's old dumpsite just east of the Southern Pacific Railroad river crossing. Since these trees are fronting City property, it may be possible to include these under a revised FEMA application. We will make every attempt to obtain additional FEMA funding, but we should not count on it. FUNDING: Funded for Ford Contract (22 trees): Mokelumne River Cleanup Account $40,000 Contingency Fund $ 6,400 Funding for additional 27 trees Contingency Fund $60,000 Funding Available: Finance DActor /2 JLR/Im Attachment cc: Deputy City Manager City Engineer Senior Civil Engineer Parks Superintendent Ja�k L. Ronsko Public Works Director ^1 APPROVED: H. Dixon Flynn -- City anagen CADDLRMVL.DOC 12/29/97 a4�4 �o SAN JOAOUIN COUNTY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT 1810 E. HAZELTON AVE., STOCKTON, CA 95205.6232 i4 PHONE: 209/468.3121 Fax: 209/468.3163 December 22, 1997 Mr. Jack Ronsko, Public Works Director City of Lodi 221 West Pine Street Lodi, CA 95240 Dear Mr. Ronsko: Re: Mokelumne River Clean-up Recently the County of San Joaquin, after consulting with you, submitted an application to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for Disaster Recovery Initiate (DRI) funding. A component of the application included $45,000 for clean-up of the Mokelumne River within the boundaries of Lodi. Although the County has been guaranteed DRI funding from HUD, HUD has indicated that using DRI funding for Mokelumne clean-up does not meet program guidelines. The County submitted this activity as meeting an "urgent need." Since the other available criteria of low income benefit or addressing slums or blight were obviously not applicable, "urgent need" was the only available criteria. HUD states in their response to our application "..., it appears, the urgency would only occur if/when the water flow increases in the river during the upcoming winter season." This essentially means the need is immediate, but only when, or if, waterflows increase and the lack of immediate need doesn't meet the urgent need criteria. Further, HUD states that FEMA funds should be available for an activity of this nature and DRI funding is to be used only as a last resort. Well, Jack, we tried ... I'm sorry things didn't work out. Should you have any questions, please fee free to contact me at 468-3065. Si erely, ON MOO Acting Deputy Director JMM/fa