NOTE:

IN ACCORDANCE WITH PROVISIONS OF THE ARIZONA REVISED STATUTES AND THE FLAGSTAFF CITY CHARTER THE SUMMARIZED MINUTES OF CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS ARE NOT VERBATIM TRANSCRIPTS.  ONLY THE ACTIONS TAKEN AND DISCUSSION APPEARING WITH QUOTATION MARKS ARE VERBATIM.  AUDIO RECORDINGS OF CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS ARE ON FILE IN THE CITY CLERK’S OFFICE.

SUMMARIZED MINUTES

CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION

June 2, 2009

5:00 p.m.

A work session of the Flagstaff City Council was held on June 2, 2009 convening at 4:00 p.m., in the Staff Conference Room at City Hall, 211 West Aspen Avenue, Flagstaff, Arizona.

CALL TO ORDER

The meeting was called to order by Mayor Presler.

1.      ROLL CALL

On roll call, the following were present:

Mayor Presler

Vice Mayor White

Councilmember Brewster

Councilmember Evans

Councilmember Haughey

Councilmember Overton

Councilmember Swanson

Also present were:

City Manager, Kevin Burke

City Attorney, Patricia Boomsma

2.      POTENTIAL TOPICS OF DISCUSSION

(1)

Welcome and Introductions.

(2)

Rio de Flag Flood Control Project and Funding.

(3)

Federal Stimulus Programs.

(4)

Local and National Reclamation Projects.

(5)

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Role in Local Projects.

(6)

Continuing Funding Sources for Local Reclamation Projects.

Also present at the meeting were Army Corps of Engineers Colonel Thomas Magness as well as two staff members.

The meeting began with general introduction and social comments on a wide variety of issues apart from City matters.

Colonel Magness explained the geographic responsibility of the local headquarters of the Army Corps of Engineers as it extends through southern California, and the states of Nevada and Arizona.  $1.2 billion worth of revenue was received last year with almost $1 billion already in the ground.  The focus is now moving from California to Arizona with many rich and diverse programs of civil works and military construction (infrastructure and border patrol).

A construction office arm of the Corps has been opened in Flagstaff that oversees flood control projects in the region including in the reservations.  Colonel Magness pledged that the Corps stands ready to help at any time.

Estimates are that the Rio de Flag could be completed in 2013 if everything goes well.  Flagstaff has a 10% risk factor in any given year of experiencing significant flooding and this is a major issue.  The Corps would respond immediately to a flooding emergency with technical expertise and management.  In the case of a significant flood, the Corps would remediate the problem.

The Clay Avenue detention basin project would connect up to the north to the Rio de Flag project which is a combination of open and covered channel and bridge at Butler and a culvert underneath Butler, which are the main flood control elements.  The contract has been let for this work.

The next piece of the project is from Butler up to the confluence of the two washes in the downtown.  The project will also consistent of a combination of open and covered channel.  That portion of the project is shovel ready and could begin in October, 2009, when the new fiscal year begins.  90% plans and specifications have been completed and Colonel Magness is ready to advertise for bids in October.  But, in order to advertise, the real estate must be acquired.  So, if the ity can purchase the parcels by October, the Corps will advertise.

This project, though, was not budgeted for by the Corps administration.  Under the new rating system, Flagstaff came in at a priority 1; the Corps is looking for projects that are ranked much higher.  A new rating was included this year that made it impossible for the Corps to meet the projections for Flagstaff.

The Corps received $4.6 billion for civil works projects, but all of the monies will be retained until the district awards contracts for every jurisdiction who said they were ready if they are actually ready.  If some of the jurisdictions aren’t ready, the funds would be reallocated. For that reason, Colonel Magness would like Flagstaff to be poised to go in October when the Corps’ fiscal year starts.

Colonel Magness strongly recommended that the City council work with its Federal Senator who is a champion of flood control.  It is his hope that the Butler-to-confluence portion of the projection could be completed in FY2010, with the confluence portion being built in FY2011, the Rio de Flag segment in FY2012; and Clay Avenue in 2013.  Also, Senator Ed Pastor is now the Chairperson of the Energy and Water Committee and the City should be working with him as well.

Flagstaff’s opportunity for funding isn’t over and the Council should use every opportunity to forward its cause.  It will some a little time for the entire list of funded projects to play out.

Council agreed that they would work to see that the City’s portion of the project is completed by October.  If there are issues with the railroad, Colonel Magness would like to know so that he can negotiate a compromise.  It is imperative that the City and the Corps work together to bring the project to fruition.

3.      ADJOURNMENT