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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 09162008 - C.19 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS,AS BOARD OF �=-= ��=��•`;,, Contra DIIRECTORS,OF THE CANYON LAKES f GEOLOGICAL HAZARD ABATEMENT DISTRICT Costa x iz FROM: JULIA R. BUEREN, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR C O u n ty srq,coax 1K DATE: September 16, 2008 SUBJECT: APPROVE AND AUTHORIZE the Canyon Lakes Geologic Hazard Abatement District (GHAD) General Manager, Richard D. Short, Kleinfelder, Inc., or designee, to execute a contract with M2 Consultants, Inc., San Ramon area. (Canyon Lakes GHAD Funds) (District III) Project No.: 776), 6X5148 SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDED ACTION: APPROVE AND AUTHORIZE the Canyon Lakes GHAD General Manager,Richard D. Short,Kleinfelder Inc.or designee, to execute a contract with M2 Consultants, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $15,000, to provide a slope stability analysis to the Canyon Lakes GHAD, for the period April 10, 2008 through June 30, 2009, San Ramon area. FISCAL IMPACT: There is no impact on the County General Fund. The Canyon Lakes GHAD is funded through revenues assessments levied on properties within the boundaries of the Canyon Lakes GHAD(100%). CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: 1] SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOA COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S): ACTION OF BOARD ON q(�w APPROVED A COMMENDED OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS: I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AND CORRECT / COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ON UNANIMOUS(ABSENT / 7�f/ ) MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE AYES: NOES: DATE SHOWN. ABSENT: ABSTAIN: Contact: Warren Lai,Special Districts (313-2180) CR:vz:ab �_ // G:\SpDist\Board Orders\2008\Board orders 9-16-08\M2 Consultants$15K.doc ATTESTED /lo VID MA, CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS and County Administrator cc: Auditor Controller County Administrator Office County Counsel Accounting BY: � ,DEPUTY Special Districts Kleinfelder West,Inc. '*�� � � . ,�.. e . ..F .. ' ...+ � SUBJECT: APPROVE AND AUTHORIZE the Canyon Lakes Geologic Hazard Abatement District (GHAD) General Manager, Richard D. Short, Kleinfelder, Inc., or designee, to execute a contract with M2 Consultants, Inc., San Ramon area. (Canyon Lakes GHAD Funds)(District III) Project No.: 7761-6X5148 DATE: September 16, 2008 PAGE: 2 of 2 REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS AND BACKGROUND: The San Ramon Valley Hospital is located on a level pad about 80 feet above Alcosta Blvd.The slope between the hospital and Alcosta Blvd. is underlain by an engineered fill.The GHAD monitors the ground water that flows from the subdrains located inside the fill at the contact with the native materials. In the 1990's a concern developed that the subdrains were not functioning adequately and an investigation was performed to measure groundwater in the fill. The investigation revealed that the water level had risen in one area indicating that the subdrain may be obstructed somewhat. Subsequently,a consultant recommended that a system of horizontal drains be installed in the fill at a cost of about $500,000. When the current General Manager took the position in 2002, a decision was made to drill additional wells before committing to the horizontal drain project. Not only was the proposed project very costly, but there was some concern that the drains might create a potential safety hazard during construction unless the drilling fluid could be adequately contained along the sidewalk on the east side of Alcosta Blvd. Additionally, the measured rise in groundwater was not enough to create a significant landslide threat. The GHAD has studied the groundwater for 5 years and concluded that a detailed study that would model the groundwater and the slope to determine the long term potential threat to the hospital if nothing was done is warranted. The General Manager seeks to hire a high end modeling specialist to model the groundwater and evaluate the slope stability. Mathematical modeling of this type is a highly technical specialty and is not usually done by firms involved in work and firms that do modeling are usually involved with earthfill dams or port facilities. The General Manager sought out the firm of M2 which is a one-person firm that is willing to perform this finite element analysis on a theoretical analysis basis. M2 is not designing a repair and therefore is not in a typical position of a consultant where general liability insurance would be necessary. Once the study is completed it will be determined whether new subdrains need to be added. If so, a consultant will be hired to design the appropriate solution. In order to make economically sound decisions,the GHAD General Manager needs to be able to hire an appropriate expert.The insurance requirement is very costly to the consultant and would greatly exceed the consulting fee. Therefore,the GHAD General Manager recommends that the Board approve the contract with M2 Consultants with the typical insurance requirements set forth in Section 7 of the contract deleted. CONSEQUENCES OF NEGATIVE ACTION: Without Board approval, the Canyon Lakes GHAD will not be able to hire an expert to analyze slope stability and the GHAD will be forced to make a decision that will involve as much as half of the reserve fund without the most accurate engineering analysis. A decision based on inadequate analysis could mean either not repairing a real landslide threat or spending an excessive amount to repair a minor problem.