HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Operations - 05/17/2005 Adhh
KENT
OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MINUTES
MAY 17, 2005
Committee Members Present: Chair Tim Clark, Julie Peterson, and Bruce White
The meeting was called to order by Tim Clark, Chair at 4:03 p.m.
1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES DATED MAY 3, 2005
Bruce White moved to approve the minutes of the May 3, 2005, Operation Committee
meeting. Julie Peterson seconded the motion, which passed 3-0.
2. APPROVAL OF VOUCHERS DATED MAY 13, 2005
Assistant Finance Manager Cliff Craig presented the vouchers for May 13, 2005, for approval.
Julie Peterson moved to approve the vouchers dated May 13, 2005. Bruce White
seconded the motion, which passed 3-0.
3. PUBLIC NVORKS DEPARTMENT—STREET SYSTEM VEGETATION
MAINTENANCE PROPOSAL—AUTHORIZE FILLING THREE (3) POSITIONS
Public Works Director Larry Blanchard requested authorization from the full City Council to
create and fill. one Street Maintenance Worker 3 (FTE) and two Street Maintenance Assistants
(PTE's) positions to be assigned to the Street Vegetation Maintenance Sub-section of the
Public Works Operations Division which would staff the Street Vegetation Maintenance Sub-
section at the sarne level it was prior to the 2003 lay-offs. Mr. Blanchard advised that these
positions will be funded by charging 50% of the cost to the Street Maintenance Fund and 50%
of the cost to Projects. In most cases 50% of the work is performed in and around property that
is fully developed has curb, gutter, and sidewalks adjacent to them, and requires more
manicured. vegetation maintenance. The other 50% of the work is performed adjacent to
property that is undeveloped and needs to be mowed because it is in the City's right-of-way,
and the cost of said mowing can be identified to benefit these undeveloped properties or
projects. Thereby a portion.of each of the projects will provide for the cost of this service. The
estimated cost of these positions for the remainder of the 2005 Budget including benefits for
the full-time employee is $47,455. The general fund portion of cost is $23,723 allocated by
general fund contingencies. Prior to the lay-offs that occurred in 2003 the Street Vegetation
Maintenance staff included 2 Full-time and 2 Part-time employees. Total work hours available
to complete the 8,500,000 SF of maintenance was 6400 work hours. The number of tall grass
Operations Committee Minutes
May 17, 2005
Page: 2
and noxious weed complaints at that time averaged 30-40 per year. After the lay-offs street
vegetation staff was reduced by 1 FTE and 2 PTE's leaving only 1,800 work hours to complete
the same work listed above. The one Street Vegetation Maintenance Worker left could only
respond to emergency mowing/ trimming, and site distance/vision area maintenance call-outs.
Complaint/service calls for tall grass and noxious weeds now averages between 300-400 per
year, and many of the calls are going directly to City Council members. Operations is
currently only doing reactive maintenance responding to service calls and cannot, due to
staffing, provide a preventative maintenance program for Street Vegetation Maintenance.
Since 2003 the area maintained by the Street Vegetation Sub-section has increased by 24%
from 8,500,000 SF to 10,540,000 SF, and as we head into summer will only multiply our
backlog of vegetation call-outs. To maintain the Downtown area Public Works Operations will
utilize one of the authorized.Part-time Street Vegetation Assistants to keep the Downtown area
maintained to an acceptable preventative maintenance level.
Julie Peterson moved to recommend the full Citv Council authorize the creation and
filling of one Street 1Vlaiutenauce Worker 3 and two Street Vegetation Assistants to be
assigned to the Street Vegetation tllainteuauce Sub-section of Public Works Operations.
Bruce White seconded the motion, which passed 3-0.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:14 p.m.
Renee Cameron
Operations Committee Secretary
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