#12 Authorize expenditures for landfill odor efforts (File Res. #2010-691)
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS MEMORANDUM
April 2, 2010
TO: City Council
FROM: John Whitcomb, Operations Director
SUBJECT: Landfill Odor Control Activities (File Resolution No. 2010-691)
Summary
Odor migration from the City’s operating landfill began to affect larger areas of
the City late in 2009. Several infrastructure improvements and other activities
have been undertaken the past three months in an effort to minimize off site
migration and, while there has been some improvement, the problem persists at
an unacceptable level from both a public and regulatory standpoint.
With the assistance of a consultant, and in coordination with DNR staff, additional
infrastructure improvements have been evaluated and selected for
implementation. The estimated cost of these improvements is $190,000 and
staff is proposing an additional $50,000 be allocated to cover contingency and
any additional actions which might be necessary ($240,000 total funding).
Because funding for these improvements and contingency is currently
unavailable, File Resolution No. 2010-691 has been prepared which would
authorize the Administration to expend funds not to exceed $240,000 and would
commit the Council to including an equivalent amount of borrowing in the 2010
General Obligation Promissory Note Issue to cover the expenditures.
Staff Recommendation
Operations Division staff recommends adoption of File Resolution 2010-691
authorizing the Administration to expend funds not to exceed $240,000 for the
purpose of odor control efforts at the City’s landfill.
Recommended Motion
Move to adopt File Resolution 2010-691 to authorize the expenditure of funds not
to exceed $240,000 for odor control efforts at the City’s landfill and to express
our intent to include this amount in the 2010 Note issue.
Background
The proposed improvements are designed to improve the operation of
infrastructure installed previously in order to capture landfill gases on site. The
prior infrastructure has been marginally successful, but has been limited by
oxygen intrusion into the system. Oxygen enters the system through areas that
have insufficient amounts of waste or cover material to prevent the intrusion.
High oxygen levels can cause combustion of waste within the landfill and impede
the production of electricity from the collected gas.
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Specifically, the improvements include utilization of plastic membrane to seal the
perimeter of landfill Cells 1 & 2, the area identified as most problematic from a
control standpoint. Plastic membrane will also be placed around and between
the gas collection wells installed earlier this year for the same purpose.
Installation of additional horizontal gas collection piping, covering a wider area
within the operating cells, is also planned. Lastly, the proposed infrastructure
includes connection of leachate cleanout lines, located at the north end of the
landfill, to the gas collection system. Cleanouts located at the south end of the
landfill were connected previously.
Cc: Carl Weber, Director of Public Works
Jay Winzenz, Director of Administrative Services
Mike Payne, Engineering Manager
Lindsay Motl, Landfill Manager
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RESOLUTION NO. 2010-691
A Resolution authorizing the City Administration to expend funds to mitigate
landfill odor migration from the City’s Sanitary Landfill.
WHEREAS, the City of Janesville owns and operates a sanitary landfill; and
WHERAS, conditions exist at the sanitary landfill which are currently resulting in
nuisance odor migration from the sanitary landfill; and
WHEREAS, such nuisance odor migration is deemed to exist at an extraordinary and, in
Janesville, an unprecedented level; and
WHEREAS, the City’s Operations and Engineering Division staff, in coordination with a
consultant specializing in landfill odor control, have identified specific infrastructure
improvements designed to reduce nuisance odor migration from the sanitary landfill;
and
WHEREAS, certain costs will be incurred to provide these specific infrastructure
improvements, currently estimated at $190,000; and
WHEREAS, the Common Council finds it reasonable to authorize additional funds of
$50,000 for contingency and other odor control measures which may be necessary,
bringing total funding to $240,000; and
WHEREAS, these costs will be incurred by the City in connection with this project prior
to the issuance of the 2010 tax exempt general obligation promissory notes, and the
City reasonably expects to reimburse those costs with proceeds from the notes; and
WHEREAS, the Common Council of the City of Janesville find that this funding is in the
best interest of the City of Janesville and benefit to the community to overcome the
extraordinary and unprecedented nuisance odor migration from the landfill; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Common Council of the City of
Janesville that they hereby approve and authorize the City Administration to take
actions necessary to provide additional funding in response to this extraordinary and
unprecedented landfill odor migration and make infrastructure improvements with
funding, in addition to that previously authorized, not to exceed $240,000; No funds
from sources other than the 2010 tax exempt general obligation promissory note issue
are, or are expected to be, reserved, allocated on a long-term basis, or otherwise set
aside by the City for the project, except as permitted by the Internal Revenue Code of
1986. This declaration of official intent is consistent with the budgetary and financial
circumstances of the City. The purpose of this Resolution is to satisfy the “official intent
requirement” of the Treasury Regulation Section 1.150-2; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Manager and his designee(s) on behalf of
the City of Janesville, is/are hereby authorized and empowered to enter into additional
agreements, record, file and/or make minor modifications and/or amendments to any
and all documents, papers, forms and agreements, and to make whatever other actions
as the City Manager may determine, from time to time and any time, necessary and/or
desirable to effectuate the intent of this Resolution and/or project(s).
ADOPTED: Motion by:
Second by:
Councilmember Aye Nay Pass Absent
APPROVED:
Brunner
Eric J. Levitt, City Manager
McDonald
Perrotto
Rashkin
ATTEST:
Steeber
Jean Ann Wulf, City Clerk-Treasurer
Truman
Voskuil
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Wald Klimczyk, City Attorney
Proposed by: Operations Division
Prepared by: Operations Division