Agenda - Council - 05/31/1988 - Special

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that we will be able to use this excuse much longer instead of providing the needed maintenance to the storm water system. Park maintenance, like so many other tasks, used to be performed by the same people that patched roads, plowed snow, etc. As Ramsey has grown from a Township of a couple thousand to a City of 12,000 and nearly 20 parks, the park maintenance demands have increased. Not only have we more parks, but with more residents the parks are being used more and require differing levels of maintenance. The Council has recently requested that standards and specifications be established for the purpose of contracting for park maintenance. Whether this task of park maintenance is performed by direct employees of the City or by indirect employees of the City, the need for improved park maintenance is here. The area which represents the greatest responsibility is the sewer and water system management. It has been only three years since the City installed its first municipal sewer and water system, and since that time no staff has been added to manage or maintain this system or relieve existing staff to perform these duties. Like the park maintenance, Council has looked into the possibility of contracting for this task. However, the cost of doing so appears to be prohibitive since the cost must (according to law) be paid by the few users of the system. Immediate action must be taken to properly staff and/or contract for these needs since the public's health, safety, and welfare is clearly at risk. The several areas where this department has met or exceeded the needs of the City have occurred in the past. However, with the growth in the City, the Council should not expect four full-time employees and a few seasonal workers to meet the needs for maintaining 100 miles of roads, hundreds of acres of storm sewer, 19 parks, and a growing sewer and water system. RECOMMENDATION The specific needs of the utilities as mentioned above should be addressed immediately! A position should be established which would be responsible for the management and operation of the water and sanitary sewer utilities. Since the current size of these utilities is not great the same position can and should be responsible for the coordination and/or inspection of the park maintenance in the City of Ramsey. It has been previously established that there will be a continuing need for inspection even if the City contracts for park maintenance due to good contract management as %~ell as a need to manage public liability. The essential equipment for the operation of the Public Utilities Staffing Report May 1988 Page 17