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PW CASE # ~' <br /> <br />POLICY REGARDING THE FILLING OF SWIMMING POOLS BY CITY STAFF <br /> By: Grant Riemer, Public Works Supervisor <br /> <br />Background: <br /> <br />Every year the Ramsey Public Works and Ramsey Fire Department receive requests from <br />residents asking if City staff will fill their swimming pools. These requests are turned down <br />because of several reasons. Costs of equipment rental, scheduling, and possibility of personal <br />property darnage are often sited as reasons for refusal. <br /> <br />Our current water truck fully loaded weighs approximately 33,000 lbs. At this weight and a <br />fairly short wheel base the truck has a tendency to become unstable when used on uneven <br />surfaces. The weight also makes it prone to leaving large ruts when driven on grass. If it were <br />to get stuck in someone's yard it would cause substantial damage, not to mention the damage <br />caused by any tow equipment needed to remove the truck. Most residential driveways are not <br />designed to handle 33,000 lbs. and could be damaged by driving our water truck on to them. <br /> <br />Cost to rent our water truck as stated in our standard rates and charges is $120.00 per hour. For <br />example, to fill a 10,000 gallon pool would take just under 4 loads from our water truck. To fill, <br />empty, drive to our fill station and run hose etc. could easily take an hour per load of water <br />depending on the location of the pool in the City. The cost would be $ 480.00 dollars. People <br />located on the municipal water system pay $1.60 per thousand gallons of water used. Though it <br />would take longer, the cost to fill the same pool would be $16.00. <br /> <br />Scheduling is another conflict because requests to fill pools norn~ally come in the spring and <br />early summer; Public Works busiest season. <br /> <br />Recommendation: <br /> <br />Staff feels it would not be a sound decision to expose the City to such a high liability risk for a <br />purely recreational function. Any money made would be quickly used up in personal property <br />repairs or even resulting lawsuits. <br /> <br />Therefore, staff would like to propose the following policy for adoption: <br /> <br />The City of Ramsey ..........(exact wording of policy will be determined after, discussion at the <br />Public Works Meeting) <br /> <br />Action: Staff recommends forwarding policy to City Council for consideration <br /> <br />Reviewed by: <br />Assistant Public Works Director <br /> <br />PW: 06/15/04 <br /> <br />47 <br /> <br /> <br />