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<br />Mayor Kuzma stated that maintenance personnel is requested every year and the Council has not <br />been able to approve these requests. He explained that they try to find a balance of needs and <br />staying realistic. He noted that they are now at the point where the City is growing and they need <br />to get these items taken care of. He asked if the Council is comfortable with bringing on these <br />three maintenance workers. <br /> <br />Councilmember Howell asked how the City compared to cities in the surrounding area of a similar <br />size with the number of parks workers. <br /> <br />Parks and Assistant Public Works Director Riverblood shared that they used to look at other cities <br />in the surrounding area of a similar population every year. He stated that they would compare the <br />streets, parks, and utilities maintenance workers. He noted that every time they looked at this <br />Ramsey was way below other cities. He explained that the departments are very efficient but with <br />the population growth it is hard to keep up. <br /> <br />Councilmember Howell asked if there are parks that could be sold off so that they are not <br />maintaining so many parks with a subpar outcome. <br /> <br />Parks and Assistant Public Works Director Riverblood stated that they have discussed selling parks <br />in the past and they are looking at this now. He shared that they received a grant for the 20 acres <br />in the downtown area that they are converting to a native landscape so that mowing can be reduced. <br />He stated that there are other parks that they have converted into native landscape which will help <br />reduce maintenance over time. He added that they have also removed some playgrounds. <br /> <br />Councilmember Olson thanked Parks and Assistant Public Works Director Riverblood for the ten <br />year forecast. He asked if they currently have 15 workers and if the number of new workers <br />requested is based on projected needs. <br /> <br />Parks and Assistant Public Works Director Riverblood stated that the number is based off of <br />population growth only and noted that there are also new things that are being added as new <br />requirements. <br /> <br />Councilmember Musgrove asked if street sweeping includes spraying for weeds. <br /> <br />Parks and Assistant Public Works Director Riverblood explained that spraying for weeds is an <br />additional item. <br /> <br />Councilmember Musgrove asked if there would be an appetite to bring on two new workers at the <br />beginning of the year and bring on the other two later in the year. <br /> <br />Administrative Service Director Lasher explained that all of the numbers in the packet account for <br />a January 1, 2024 hire. She stated that it would be very optimistic that they would hire all of these <br />workers on January 1 and shared that it would likely be March or April before they were hired. <br />She noted that it has become more and more challenging to hire seasonal workers. She stated that <br />City Council Work Session / July 11, 2023 <br />Page 5 of 8 <br /> <br />