A variety of advancements in matter of public works to other improvements to begin in the near future were presented at the City Council Meeting held on Wednesday, April 11 at City Hall.

Mayor and Council approved numerous agenda items, including the bid proposal by SQP Construction, from Tucson to build Well-17 for the City, the adoption of a residential anti-displacement and relocation assistance plan for Fiscal Year 2012, the submission of an application for the State of Arizona Department of Housing for Regional CDBG funds, the redesign of the southbound traffic configuration on U.S. 191B to cross to Mexico, among others.

The approval of the bid proposal submitted by SQP Construction for the equipping of Well-17 located on Sulphur Springs Road was made unanimous at the meeting.

City Manager Curtis Shook explained to the Council that the project consists of the installation of a new 1,200 gallons per minute vertical turbine pump, discharge pipe and appurtenances, fencing, electrical, site work and all associated work as outlined in the construction and bid documents. He also said a total of six bid proposals were received and staff recommended that this bid be awarded to SQP with the understanding that they will use the subcontractors outlined in their bid document submittal.

This project will have a fiscal impact of $504,794, which will be funded out of the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority (WIFA) Drinking Water Loan and Water Service fees.

In another item, the approval of submission of a CDBG application came after staff explained to the Council that they are seeking authorization to apply for the State of Arizona Department of Housing for regional CDBG funds, which is estimated to be at $170,697.

According to Shook it is recommended that these funds be used towards the completion of curbing and drainage in Wards 1 and 6 since these wards are the only ones that present the needs that can be addressed with the funds. The areas to be completed are the avenues between A Avenue and Washington Avenue, from 18th through 23rd Streets and sporadic areas throughout Ward 1 that are in need of curbing and drainage.

On the next item, with the approval of resolution 12-877, the City of Douglas will adopt and Anti-displacement and Relocation Assistance Plan that is required by the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 to be adopted and implemented every five years. The most recent plan was adopted by Mayor and Council in 2006.

With this plan, if residents will be required to vacate their homes for rehabilitation, the City of Douglas must provide relocation assistance to the tenants, such as providing them with an apartment and rental of a storage unit if necessary. These costs are borne out of CDBG or Rehabilitation grants.

In another key point, with the approval of resolution 12-879, authorizing the execution of an intergovernmental agreement between the City of Douglas and the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) for the redesign of the traffic configuration for southbound Port of Entry traffic, the City of Douglas seeks to eliminate the risks of having big lines of traffic trying to cross to Mexico.

For over two years, the City has been faced with a unique challenge at the Port of Entry that has created a traffic queuing on Pan American and 5th Street, causing dangerous traffic congestion within the vicinity.

The project consist of the modification of pavement markings and striping on U.S. 191B to provide three southbound lanes and two northbound lanes south of 3rd Street, an automatic metering signal system with a manual override, and barricades to direct traffic as needed. The City will be responsible for the electrical power expenses of the metering traffic signal. The anticipated cost electrical power expense is approximately $1,000 per year, to be funded out of the HURF fund.

In other action, the Mayor and Council approved the second reading of ordinance no. 12-1009, an ordinance of the Mayor and Council of the City of Douglas, Cochise County, Arizona, authorizing the City to enter into a renewal of the cable television license agreement with Cox Communications that expired on April 20, 2011. Motion passed by a vote of 6-0.

The approval of resolution no. 12-878, a resolution of the Mayor and Council of the City of Douglas, Cochise County, Arizona, adopting the City of Douglas public housing authority (the “PHA”) Annual Plan and Administrative Plan for fiscal year 2012. Motion passed by a vote of 6-0.

The approval of resolution no. 12-880, a resolution of the Mayor and Council of the City of Douglas, Cochise County, Arizona, authorizing the acceptance of a grant from the State Homeland Security Grant Program (SHSGP) in the grant funding amount of $11,460 for hazardous material handling equipment to be used by the City of Douglas Fire Department and possibly other national and international emergency response agencies in the border region. Motion passed by a vote of 6-0.

The approval of resolution no. 12-881, a resolution of the Mayor and Council of the City of Douglas, Cochise County, Arizona, the City of Douglas acceptance of grant funding and to enter into an agreement with the Arizona Department of Transportation for a reimbursable grant in the amount of $292,500 with a ten (10) percent local match for the design and reconstruction or runway 3/21 at the municipal airport under the Arizona Department of Transportation Airport Development Program. Motion passed by a vote of 6-0.

The approval of resolution no. 12-882, a resolution of the Mayor and Council of the City of Douglas, Cochise County, Arizona, committing local funds as leverage for a fiscal year 2012 community development block grant application(s). Motion passed by a vote of 6-0.

The approval of resolution no. 12-883, a resolution of the Mayor and Council of the City of Douglas, Cochise County, Arizona, declaring and adopting the results of the court-ordered recount of the ward three and ward five primary election held on march 13, 2012. Motion passed by a vote of 6-0.

The next City Council meeting is scheduled for May 9 at 6 p.m. at City Hall, located at 425 E. 10th St.