Ramsey Resident - 2004 - January/February

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8 SNOWPLOWING FAQ Q. What kind of equipment does the city use for snowplowing? A. Currently the City of Ramsey has the following equipment: 2 motor graders 4 single axle trucks equipped with front plows, wings and sanders 1 front-end loader equipped with a front plow and wing 7 picl(-up trucl(s with plows (used mainly on cul-de-sacs and parking lots) This equipment is used to clear approximately: 150 miles of road 240 cul-de-sacs 720 intersections and numerous parking lots, ice skating rinks, and trails Public works staff members are on call 24 hours per day, 7 days a weel( to make City of Ramsey roads as safe as possible. Q. How does public works determine when to start plowing? A. The City contracts with a private weather service to give us frequent forecasts during snowstorms. This service combined with Internet websites, MnDOT forecasts, and local TV/radio information all help us plan for an approaching storm. Two inches of snow is our normal trigger point, but may vary due to conditions. Ideally, we as a department prefer to start at 2:00 a.m. The reason being the roads are clear of most cars and pedestrians at that time of the morning and crews can worl( without much interference. This plan works well if the snow total ends up in the 2"- 4" range. In larger snowfall events we keep trucks out clearing" main" routes so emergency services can respond. In very large snow events, staff will post public works plow equipment and personnel with the fire department to help them respond to emergencies should they arrive. Our main objective is to have as many roads as possible open for the morning commute and then clean up the streets when the majority of residents are at work or school. Ifwe start at 2:00 a.m. we are normally done with the main roads within 8 hours, with cul-de-sacs taking up to 10 hours to complete. Q. What does the City of Ramsey use to control ice and snow on our roads? A. At this time the City of Ramsey uses a salt/sand mixture and straight salt. A salt/sand mixture is used mainly on residential roads because of the relatively low volume of traffic and lower speeds. Sand is a short-term fix at Continued on Page 9 2004 General Fund Budget Continued froDl Page 6 Public Safety Budget: 2003 Budgeted Expenditures 2004 Budgeted Expenditures Budgeted Positions Monthly Net Cost For Average Home $3,594,430 $3,125,967 35.08 FTE's $13.02 Public Works Public Works consists of the following functions: Engineering, Street Maintenance, and Snow and Ice Removal. Descriptions of each function are as follows: Engineering is responsible for the construction administration of public improvement projects, private improvement projects and site developments in accordance with City standards and good engineering practices. The department is also responsible for the special assessment of public improvement projects. Street Maintenance is responsible for the planning, organizing and coordination of the maintenance of the City's streets. Snow and Ice Removal is responsible for the effective removal of snow and ice on City streets. Public Works Budget: 2003 Budgeted Expenditures 2004 Budgeted Expenditures Budgeted Positions Monthly Net Cost For Average Home $ 1,162,052 $ 1,546,001 13.50 FTE's $6.44 Parks and Recreation Parks and Recreation consists of the following functions: Parl( and Recreation, Community Programs, and Environmental Services. Descriptions of each function are as follows: Park and Recreation is responsible for the overall coordination and administration, planning, development and maintenance of the City's park system. Community Programs is a joint venture with Anoka Hennepin ISD #11 which provides for Community School programs. Environmental Services administers the tree management program including tree disease control, tree trimming and reforestation. Park and Recreation Budget: 2003 Budgeted Expenditures $ 584,351 2004 Budgeted Expenditures $ 809,190 Budgeted Positions 9.59 FTE's Monthly Net Cost For Average Home $3.37 I've learned. . . That when you're in love, it shows.