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Public Works Committee 6. 3. <br />Meeting Date: 08/14/2014 <br />By: Grant Riemer, Engineering/Public <br />Works <br />Title: <br />Roadside Mowing - Priorities and Scheduling <br />Purpose/Background: <br />Provide information on our ROW mowing activities and scheduling. The Public Works Department is responsible <br />for mowing city owned ROW and various open spaces/properties owned by the City of Ramsey or the HRA. Large <br />area mowing normally starts in late May or early June, with ROW mowing starting in late June or early July. The <br />first areas mowed are the properties in the COR owned by the City of Ramsey or HRA. The large open areas are <br />mowed with a tractor pulling a large rotary type mower. This mower cuts a 14' swath on each pass. After that work <br />is complete the operator switches to a rear flail type mower, to cut the rougher areas or areas where the larger <br />mower would be ineffective. As the large equipment operator is mowing, we also have our seasonal staff mowing <br />next to the curb lines, cleaning up any grass missed by the large mower. This person also weed whips around light <br />fixtures, hydrants, signs, etc.... Both operators need about 16 hours per mowing event to complete their tasks. We <br />mow in the COR every 2 weeks during the peak season. The HRA budgets $6500.00/season for the mowing in the <br />COR, after that amount is exhausted, the cost is covered by the general fund. For ROW mowing the tractor with the <br />flail attachment is used. Mowing starts on the arterial roads and when those are complete we move into residential <br />areas. If we receive complaints about poor visibility at intersections, we respond to those first and then go back to <br />our normal schedule of mowing. We also respond to visibility complaints from residents on county or state roads, <br />simply because we have more flexibility in our scheduling and we want to increase safety, no matter who's <br />responsible for road maintenance. We try to get through the entire city at least twice a summer. We have one <br />person who is largely dedicated to large area mowing/ROW mowing from mid May -early October. <br />Timeframe: <br />5 minutes <br />Observations/Alternatives: <br />Possibly contract out mowing in the COR area. This area is well defined geographically and would be easier to <br />develop contract terms for compared to citywide ROW mowing. <br />Funding Source: <br />General Fund and HRA Budget <br />Recommendation: <br />Informational only <br />Action: <br />Based on committee discussion <br />Attachments <br />No file(s) attached. <br />Form Review <br />