09.e Public Works - Staff Report
Staff Report
Date of Meeting: 7/16/2024
For: Honorable Mayor and Council
From: Charles Fischer – Director of Public Works
Subject: PW - Staff Report
Roads/ROW
Larger sections of road patching have been assessed and listed below; these are areas which
have required pothole patching every year and/or continuously throughout the season and now
have significant scaling and cracking.
• 218th Street – starting from the intersection of Lofton Ave 1700 sqft will be removed and
replaced.
• 230th Street – starting from the intersection of Oldfield Ave 700 sqft will be removed
and replaced
• 185th St – starting from the intersection of Olinda Tr 4400 sqft will be removed and
replaced
The three listed patches were completed on 7/14 and 7/15. No further large-scale repairs are
scheduled for the remainder of the year, unless required prior to the winter season.
The single pass mowing has been completed throughout the City. Staff have started at the
beginning of the route again due to the high moisture received so far this causing rapid or
excessive growth. The second mowing will take less time than the first round as we are cutting
about half the vegetation from before the first mowing.
Also, due the heavy rains, staff have removed well over 40 trees which have fallen on or
adjacent to roads either completely blocking or partially blocking traffic lanes. Staff are
currently working through small sections of ROW throughout the City cutting down immature
trees hanging low over the roads and/or branches that have become so heavy from dense leaf
growth which are also hanging low over the roads or blocking traffic lanes.
Parks
Landscape bed maintenance continues and anticipated to be near complete by the end of the
month.
The Wayne Erickson Ballfield has been busy with rentals this year. Additional dragging and
mowing have been required by staff to keep up on field maintenance for each rental. The
annual softball tournament went very well this year with many good comments on the field
conditions which staff have been providing all season.
Sewer
Upon completion of the yearly sludge and scum inspections of septic tanks both in the Bliss and
A/E systems, 44 tanks will be pumped before the end of the year. Last year limited tank
pumping was required and the two-year cycle of limited to abundant pumping every other year
continues the trend.
Equipment
Delivery update for equipment order between August 2023 and March 2024:
• Mulching head for tractor – Delivered and in use
• Track skid loader – Delivered and in use
• F550 Dump Truck – Cab Chassis Delivered, Truck accessory install end of August
• Tandem Plow Truck – Cab Chassis delivery 4th quarter 2024, Truck accessory install TBD
(likely to be completed in 2025)
MS 18.80 Inspectors (under the Noxious Weed Law Enforcement)
In early July the City was contacted by the County Weed Inspector requesting the contact
information for the Local Weed Inspector which all cities and townships are required to have
under MN State statutes. After discussion with Administrator Morell, it was determined the
position of Public Works Director would be the best fit to provide enforcement to MS 18.78 .
MS 18.78
A person owning land, occupying land, or a person responsible for the maintenance of public
land shall control or eradicate all noxious weeds on the land at a time and manner ordered by
an inspector or county-designated employee.
The role of the Local Weed Inspector as listed in the following.
MS 18.80
Sub. 2: Local weed inspector. 1) examine all lands, including highways, roads, alleys, and public
ground in the territory over which their jurisdiction extends to ascertain if section 18.78 and related rules
have been complied with;
(2) see that the control or eradication of noxious weeds is carried out in accordance with
section 18.83 and related rules; and
(3) issue permits in accordance with section 18.82 and related rules for the transportation of
materials or equipment infested with noxious weed propagating parts