HomeMy WebLinkAbout5 Airport Well Agenda Item #
Memorandum
To: Board of Directors
From: Peter Holzmeister
Date: March 26, 2003
Subject: Airport well
1. Why this matter is before the board:
This matter involves making an emergency repair to the airport well. We are asking the
board to consider adopting a resolution declaring an emergency and authorizing
dispensing with competitive bidding so we can have the repairs completed by the end of
May. Only the Board can adopt such a resolution.
2. History:
You will probably remember that last year we needed to repair the airport well because
the well shaft had snapped. We had learned that the well hole was not perfectly straight.
There was a curve in the well casing, causing the well shaft to snap.
3. New information:
Well, the shaft has snapped again. It just happened a couple of days ago, so I do not
have any other details for you at this time. Ed Taylor will provide additional information
at the board meeting next week.
You know how important this well is to our summer water supply. We need to repair it
again, even if it is just to get us through the coming summer. Clearly we cannot go on
like this. We need to consider a better long-term solution.
4. Recommendation:
I recommend that the board adopt the resolution declaring an emergency exists with
regard to the airport well and authorizing dispensing with competitive bidding related to
its repair.
# t
3S
DONNER
Public Utility District
R solu ion No. 2003- XXX
FINDING AN EMERGENCY SITUATION AT THE AIRPORT WELL AND DIRECTING
THAT COMPETITIVE BIDDING BE DISPENSED WITH IN CONNECTION WITH THE
DISTRICT'S REPLACEMENT OF THE WELL PUMP SHAFT AND THE PURCHASE
OF A SMALLER DIAMETER WELL PUMP
WHEREAS, the pump shaft at the Airport Well has snapped, making the well inoperative until it is
fixed; and
WHEREAS, the water produced at the Airport Well is of vital importance to the Truckee Donner Public
Utility District as it enables the District to provide water for domestic purposes as well as fire flow to a
good majority of its customers; and
WHEREAS, without the Airport Well the District can only serve customers during the low demand
times and can meet the emergency needs on a limited basis; and
WHEREAS, the District's temporary solution is to not utilize this water resource which will cause other
well pumps to perform at capacity which will result in severe stresses in other portions of the system
and significantly increase the likelihood of failures and problems in the water distribution system; and
WHEREAS, this temporary solution will not enable the system to handle the additional load required
during peak demand periods thereby causing water shortages; and
WHEREAS, it will take approximately eight to ten weeks to have the faulty pump shaft replaced and
purchase a smaller diameter pump through the competitive bid process; and
WHEREAS, it will take only two weeks to have the faulty pump shaft replaced and purchase a smaller
diameter pump if the District contracts to have such work performed; and
WHEREAS, Public Contract Code Section 22050 provides that in the case of an emergency, a public
agency, pursuant to a four-fifths vote of the governing body may repair or replace a public facility, take
any directly related and immediate action required by that emergency and procure the necessary
equipment, services and supplies for those purposes without giving notice for bids to let contracts; and
WHEREAS, the District's need to replace the pump shaft and purchase a smaller diameter pump
immediately has created a great emergency which, pursuant to Public Contract Code 22050, is
justification for the District to dispense with the competitive bidding procedures for the replacement of
the pump shaft and purchase of a smaller diameter pump;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Directors of the District adopt the above
recitals as its findings; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the Board of Directors that for the reasons set forth above, the
District finds that the failure of the pump shaft in the Airport Well has created an emergency and that
the emergency will not permit a delay resulting from a competitive solicitation for bids and that a
replacement of the pump shaft and purchase of a smaller diameter pump is necessary to respond to
the emergency.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the District shall therefore dispense with competitive bidding for the
replacement of the pump shaft and purchase of a smaller diameter pump for the Airport Well.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Directors shall review the emergency action at its next
regularly scheduled meeting and at every regularly scheduled meeting thereafter until the action is
terminated to determine whether there is a need to continue the action.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of Directors at a meeting duly called and held within the
District on the first day of April 2003 by the following roll call vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT
TRUCKEE DONNER PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT
J. Ron Hemig, President
ATTEST:
Peter L. Holzmeister, District Clerk