Minutes - Public Works Committee - 04/18/2006

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Public Works Director Olson indicated the City would not currently have enough tandem trucks to accomplish snow removal with a fully built out Town Center area. Fire Chief Kapler indicated staff will review the capital equipment in June and will be able to advise the Committee on staff's recommendations. He explained staff's intent has always been to contract for some of the snow hauling; the intent was never to have a fleet of tandem trucks. Chairperson Elvig directed staff to include this topic with a review of the planned build-out of roads on a future agenda after staff has reviewed the capital equipment. Fire Chief Kapler commended Public Works Supervisor Reamer for his work with the snow removal process. He stated Mr. Reamer has incorporated the Internet and weather service into the snow removal process, and the employees are now being informed of the optimal time to be hitting the streets. Efficiency has gone through the roof. Communication has also been improved with a snow hotline that provides information on the status of the clearing. Every complaint is followed up with a personal answer. Stakes are provided for the public, and there has been a merge from the use of sand into salt. Case #3: Consider Modifying Address Signing Requirements City Engineer Jankowski stated as a result of a recent 911 call to a townhouse address it became apparent that not all townhouse addresses are visible from the street on which their address is assigned. This is the case in instances where short driveways off the named street service as many as eight or more residential units. These driveways are too short and numerous to be practically assigned individual private street names. Yet emergency responders and the general public need to be able to locate an address without having to drive down these short stubs checking for address numbers. Mr. Jankowski advised staff suggests that a policy be adopted which would require that an address plaque be required on all multiple unit driveways where the house address cannot be clearly seen from the street on which the address is located. To insure that such address tags meet minimum standards for reflectivity and conformity it should be the City Public Works Department's responsibility for the installation and maintenance of these address tags. Developers should be required to pay the cost associated with this requirement on all new developments similar to what they are currently required on for street and traffic signs that are required in their developments. City Engineer Jankowski advised it is estimated that the cost for the purchase and installation of an address tag will be $200. At this time it is estimated that 50 such address signs maybe required at an estimated cost of $10,000. 23 of these signs would be in locations where the developer has an obligation under the development agreement to have these installed. Mr. Jankowski indicated it was anticipated that the Public Works Department would purchase sign making equipment capable of producing these types of signs in 2007, which consists of a computer, a plotter, software, and sign materials at an estimated cost of $20,000. Staff estimates that the City can produce signs at half the vendor cost with this equipment. In addition, this sign making equipment will be a valuable asset to the department for providing signage for special Public Works Committee / Apri118, 2006 Page 4 of 10