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Ms. Hanson replied that staff evaluated outsourcing the work but found it would cost <br />significantly more than hiring a full-time employee to perform the GIS work in-house. <br /> <br />The Council generally agreed that GIS technology will become increasingly important as the <br />City continues to grow. <br /> <br />New Streets Maintenance Worker Position <br /> <br />Mr. Westby requested adding a Streets Maintenance Worker position, explaining that the <br />department's workload has continued to grow as the City adds new neighborhoods, streets, and <br />trails and addresses aging infrastructure. He said staff has managed the increased workload <br />through overtime and shifting responsibilities, but those measures are no longer sustainable. The <br />new employee would assist with year-round street maintenance, snow removal, drainage, <br />signage, pavement repairs, and other routine operations while improving response times during <br />winter storms. <br /> <br />Councilmember Olson asked whether changing employee work schedules had been considered <br />before requesting additional staff. <br /> <br />Mr. Westby explained that scheduling is regularly reviewed, but many maintenance activities <br />require multiple employees and emergencies cannot be addressed through scheduling changes <br />alone. <br /> <br />Councilmember Peters asked whether contracting out additional maintenance work would be <br />more cost-effective than hiring another employee. <br /> <br />Mr. Westby replied that while specialized projects are contracted, daily maintenance <br />responsibilities are more efficiently handled by City employees and provide greater flexibility for <br />emergency response. <br /> <br />Councilmember Stewart asked whether continued growth would require additional Street <br />Department employees. <br /> <br />Mr. Westby explained staffing needs will continue to be evaluated, but the current request is <br />intended to address existing operational demands. <br /> <br />Mayor Heineman commented that street maintenance and snow removal are among the most <br />visible services the City provides, making adequate staffing important to meeting residents' <br />expectations. <br /> <br />Mr. Hagen added that staff take a conservative approach when requesting new positions and <br />bring forward requests only after evaluating workload over several years. He said this <br />recommendation reflects current service demands rather than anticipated future growth. <br /> <br />The Council generally agreed the request should remain under consideration as part of the <br />overall 2027 budget discussion, with final decisions depending on the Council's levy direction. <br />City Council Work Session / July 14, 2026 <br />Page 6 of 14 <br />