Award of Contract for the Police Department Remodel Project

The Police Department and its 18 staff members have outgrown their current space in Town Hall and are in need of a larger space to better serve the Frisco community. In 2020, Council directed staff to begin design of an expansion and remodel, which has now been completed and put out to bid.

One bid total was received in response to the request for proposal, and that bid was from Saunders / Heath with a total construction cost of $1,501,123.00; $600,000 was budgeted for construction of this project. This leaves a budgeted shortfall of $901,123. This shortfall can be directly attributed to the significant increases in the cost and the decreased availability of building materials, as well as a lack of available construction labor.

Council is in full support of improving working conditions for the Frisco Police Department. Council directed staff to pursue grant funding sources for this project and to delay considering the construction contract for this project until the August 24, 2021 meeting when new Town Manager Tony O’Rourke has been in the job for three weeks and has had a chance to better understand this project and work through recommendations.

Frisco Bay Marina Update

During public comment at the July 13, 2021 Council meeting, a group of Frisco Bay Marina slip holders provided feedback concerning the Marina’s decision to establish “Dock Island”, an area in the deeper part of the bay and not connected to land where slips were set up due to Denver Water’s forecast that the Reservoir would not fill. They also expressed their frustration regarding other operational and customer service complaints. In addition, some slip holders have requested that the Town consider some form of compensation since they have been unable to use the slip, attached to land, for which they paid, but instead need to use a Frisco Bay Marina boat shuttle to get to their boats.

Each year, Denver Water provides water level projections for Dillon Reservoir. Based upon those projections, staff evaluates the likelihood of low water that would make the use of the slips unfeasible and makes the best operational decision based on the available data. This year, Denver Water projected early season levels would be low and that the Reservoir would not be filled to capacity this season. Staff immediately took steps to establish “Dock Island” to allow slip holders to access the water as soon as possible. Despite forecasts to the contrary, the Reservoir did reach capacity; however, Denver Water has alerted the Town to the reality that they could start drawing water very soon, based on weather and demand on the Front Range, which would lower water levels.

Based upon the information provided by Denver Water to the Marina, staff made the decision to continue using Dock Island for the remainder of the summer 2021 season. Staff and F3 Marina, contracted by the Town of Frisco to provide management and operational guidance, have continually evaluated this year’s operations and the following changes have been made to improve “Dock Island” and the marina experience for all guests:

• Eliminated dinghy fees for boaters
• Ordered additional dock carts
• Installed additional bike racks
• Extended (from 8:00am to 11:00am) how long slip holders could have their boats at the courtesy dock overnight
• Improved staff communication by using radios to support safety and other boater needs
• Installed more shade structures for the lawn area
• Reviewed safety protocols with all staff
• Dedicated one slip at each dock to dinghy parking

Council directed staff to make a recommendation at the staff level about any reimbursement amount for slip holders and to include a reimbursement policy (if recommended by staff) in future slip holder agreements, as drought conditions may persist. Council also encouraged staff to make an investment of resources and time to better understand and meet elevated customer service expectations and continue to grow in this area. They also encouraged staff and F3 Marina to bring back an update in the next month, along with an analysis of any reimbursements, future contracts, and a plan to elevate customer service.

Downtown Complete Streets Plan

The 2019 update to the Frisco Community Plan included a special mobility element that defines Frisco’s vision and goals related to the multi-modal transportation network and preservation of a walkable community. Community outreach, conducted as part of the mobility analysis for the update, showed strong support for a street design for Granite and Galena Streets that would make the downtown area more appealing to bicycle and pedestrian users by improving parking and adding bike lanes, sidewalks,  landscaping, and traffic calming elements. The 2017 Frisco Trails Master Plan also contains recommendations relating to the development of complete street policies in order to improve opportunities for safe and efficient multi-modal transportation throughout the community.

The term “complete streets” refers to streets designed to prioritize safety and accessibility for all users regardless of their mode of travel, age, or ability. Originally conceived as a campaign to reduce  pedestrian traffic fatalities, complete street design has evolved into a comprehensive transportation  policy approach based on community-sensitive, multi-modal transportation solutions that incorporate sustainable practices for drainage, landscaping, and pavement design.

In order to reach those goals around safety and accessibility in the areas around Frisco Main Street, Frisco Town Council approved a contract with Toole Design Group for the Frisco Downtown Complete Streets Plan. The Toole Design Group was selected from eight proposals with four teams having been invited to interview for the project.  The total fee proposal for this project is $127,676.

Water System Corrosion Control Project

In 2020, five (5) homes/buildings out of 40 homes/buildings tested in Frisco were found to have lead levels at or in exceedance of 15 parts per billion (ppb). In early 2019, lead levels were also found in exceedance of maximum allowable levels, as six (6) homes/buildings out of 40 sampled were found in exceedance. Frisco tested its four (4) water sources and testing found that three of Frisco’s water sources had lead levels registering at below detectable levels (BDL). The fourth source of Frisco’s water tested at 1 part per billion (ppb); the maximum allowable level is 15 parts per billion (ppb). This means that lead is not coming from the source water, but rather from lead leaching into the water as it sits in the copper pipes with lead soldering in individual homes/buildings.

This exceedance in individual homes/buildings prompted the Colorado Department of Health and Environment (CDPH&E) to issue a Notice to Correct to the Town, which requires the Town to install corrosion control treatment. This project must begin before the State imposed deadline of August 21, 2021. Subsequently, Council approved a contract with Velocity Constructors in the amount not to exceed $436,325 to install a water treatment process that will adjust the pH to make the water more neutral and mitigate the leaching of lead in individual homes/buildings, which still have copper piper with lead soldering or fixtures with lead.

Several years ago, the Town of Frisco launched a Start At the Tap: Fixture Rebate Program to encourage Frisco water users to improve their own personal water infrastructure by offering up to $100 per fixture and a maximum of $1,000 in rebates per location when they replace an old fixture with a WaterSense approved fixture. These fixtures include toilets, faucets and shower heads, which will improve efficiency and possibly eliminate old fixtures that contain lead. Council encourages residents to read through and apply for this rebate program if they are replacing old fixture with new WaterSense approved fixtures.

How to Watch This Meeting

A recording of this meeting may be found through YouTube once posted to the channel by Friday.