09.e PW - Staff Report
Staff Report
Date of Meeting: 11/21/2023
For: Honorable Mayor and Council
From: Charles Fischer – Director of Public Works
Subject: PW - Staff Report
Roads/ROW
Public Works has continued ROW mowing over the past month. It has been a slow process due to the
excessive growth in the ROW. Staff are working hard to limit damage to the equipment while performing this
task, but additional preventative maintenance and repairs have been required to maintain the mowing
equipment. Following the double pass mowing additional volunteer trees will be removed which the
equipment is unable to cut.
Final road patching and pothole filling for the season has been completed. Any other repairs which arise prior
to snow will be cold patched or temp patched until final repair can be complete in the spring.
Fall street sweeping of selected areas throughout the City has been completed. Public Works staff assisted the
County sweeper by hauling the removed material to the Public Works Facility. Additional sweeping was also
completed this year with the assistance of funding from the Watershed district with added days of sweeping
and areas not on the routine route.
Final gravel road grading is also complete.
Additional street signs have been requested by the Bliss Neighborhood Group and will be installed this year.
Two warning signs will be installed on 191st and Langly Ave where vehicle traffic is of concern to pedestrians.
Parks
Hockey Rink Boards:
Public Works staff utilized the opportunity while the boards were down to do minor grading around the
outside of and clean the concrete surface. Rink board installation is finally underway. There may be about a
week long gap between the installation of the boards and the glass due to the Thanksgiving Holiday.
Playground Project:
Public Works is working with a local contractor for the installation of shade trees to be planted on the south
and west side of the playground.
Sewer
The Anderson Erickson lift station received a new VFD (variable frequency drive) for one of the pumps within
the wet well. Public Works received an alarm through the SCADA system indicating a pump failure. Upon
inspection the VFD was found to be inoperable causing the fault and was replaced.
Public Works has continued requested contractor to provide costs in regards the inspecting for I/I within the
Bliss and A/E systems. Due to the scale and scope of work staff would not be able to complete this task and
continue serving all other areas of the City.
The Director of Public Works attended a multiday training in Mankato to obtain a Service Provider License
through the MPCA which is also mandatory under the Bliss operating permit. This was the second of two
trainings consisting of a total of 8 days.
Events
Public Works has been requested to assist in the preparation of the Vinterlights event. Staff have already
completed or will be installing banners, training volunteers for the light ceremony, setting up the hall for the
indoor event, and assisting in various outdoor set up activities as well. Tom Helke also installed the holiday
lights on the buildings and trees again this year.
Winter Staffing
Public Works is still in need of a On Call Plow Operator to clear snow from parking lots, cul de sacs, and dead
ends. The City will continue to advertise until the position is filled. All other positions have been filled.