09.e PW-Staff Report
Staff Report
Date of Meeting: 2/18/2025
For: Mayor and City Council
From: Charles Fischer – Director of Public Works
Subject: PW - Staff Report
Roads/ ROW
Public Works has added additional No Parking signs at locations where parked vehicles have continually
congested the roadway causing vehicle and pedestrian safety issues. The signs have been installed with
temporary bases and will be permanently installed in the Spring.
The grinding of the brush pile has been completed and Public Works will be discussing further options
other than trail use for the mulch. One possibility would be to open up availability to the public to pick
up chips from the Public Works site. Public Works has concerns over liability with this option and will be
discussing further if signage is enough or if waivers will need to be signed as well prior to entering the
mulch pile area to load.
Snow events have created situations where property owners have been plowing snow across the road
and depositing snow from their property into public ROW. Addresses have been collected of the
properties responsible for violating the State Statute making it illegal to deposit snow on or across a road
way. Warning letters will be distributed and documented in the Property Record files. If witnessed again
the property owner shall receive a misdemeanor offense which comes with a fine and court appearance.
Parks
Public Works full time staff have continued supplementing in the task of Zamboni operation and rink
maintenance this season. The person hired for the role of Zamoni-Rink Maintenance operator has been
off nearly as much as he has been able to work. This was known before hiring the operator and was
planned for accordingly. He was the only applicant for the role of rink maintenance and has done very
well when working. This is a difficult role to fill due to the limited hours and days available to work or
people are not interested in this field of work.
Sewer
Public Works has continued attending public meetings with the Big Marine Sewer users. Continued
discussions internally and at the public meetings have provided direction for future sewer changes.
Buildings
The new cold storage structure is complete and the concrete floor and electrical work will begin when
ground conditions allow in the spring.
Staff Report
Date of Meeting: 2/18/2025
For: Mayor and City Council
From: Charles Fischer – Director of Public Works
Subject: PW - Staff Report
Equipment
The John Deere tractor which operates the ditch mowing equipment developed a transmission shift
issue which resulted in not being able to use the lower operational gears. The tractor is currently in
Rogers at Minnesota Equipment for diagnostics and repair. Public Works is estimating the work to be
completed on the transmission will be in the $8,000-$10,000 range, unless less severe causes are found
after removing and assessing the transmission internal parts.
The tractor is still under repair at this time.
The new tandem plow truck ordered in August of 2023 has a scheduled Cab/Chassis build date of March
2025. Upon completion of the cab/chassis build it will be delivered to Tow-Master to complete the snow
plow and dump box components installation. Public Works is estimating the complete truck will be
delivered mid-summer.