Minutes - Public Works Committee - 11/21/2017

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City Engineer Westby explained a Maintenance Expenditure Report must be completed by a lump sum request is greater than 25% of its total allocation. If a city requests more than 25% as maintenance allocation, a Maintenance Expenditure Report must be completed and filed each year. He stated this report takes about 30 hours of staff time to create and in the end, it provides no benefit. City Engineer Westby stated in 2007, Ramsey requested its maintenance allocation be increased to 35% and to avoid the need to complete expenditure reports each year, staff would like to maintenance allocation for 2018 to roughly $300,000, which would not have a negative impact on its street maintenance program. It was noted that each year, $140,000 of the total allocation is transferred from the State Aid account to the General Fund to cover street maintenance activities, which is well below $300,000. If approved, he would have to submit a request to reduce the allocation to 25% along with a City Council resolution. Chairperson Riley asked why the percentage had been changed in the past. City Engineer Westby stated in the past there were some funding issues and the City was not receiving enough funds for street maintenance so it was bumped to 35% to allocate more funds to maintenance. Chairperson Riley asked staff to assure, when presenting to City Council, it is clearly explained so it does not appear to reduce funding towards maintenance. Councilmember Johns stated it does not prohibit the City from having 26% or 27% in maintenance costs. City Engineer Westby stated that is correct, noting the same allocation will be received. Motion by Councilmember Shryock, seconded by Councilmember Johns, to recommend that the City Council 5% to 25%. Motion carried. Voting Yes: Chairperson Riley, Councilmembers Shryock and Johns. Voting No: None. 5.07: Consider the Addition of Street Lights in our Industrial Area Public Works Superintendent Riemer presented the staff report and explained the purpose of this explained staff received a complaint from a local business owner about vandalism who felt part of the cause was lack of adequate street lighting near his business. Staff inventoried street lighting in the industrial area and found it could be improved at several key intersections. Public Works Committee / November 21, 2017 Page 12 of 16