Public Works Committee

Public Works Committee Meeting Agenda Wednesday, November 9, 2022 at 6:00 PM Council Chambers Page 1. CALL TO ORDER 2. ROLL CALL 3. ADOPTION OF AGENDA 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a. Public Works Committee Minutes - 20 Oct 2022 2-3 5. PUBLIC COMMENT 6. WINTER MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS POLICY a. Memo: Winter Maintenance Operations Policy 4 - 15 7. 2023 STREET & SIDEWALK MAINTENANCE a. Memo: Street & Sidewalk Maintenance 16 8. COMMUNICATION AND MISCELLANEOUS 9. ADJOURNMENT  Public Works Committee Meeting Minutes 11:30 AM - Thursday, October 20, 2022 Council Chambers The Public Works Committee of the City of New Richmond was called to order on Thursday, October 20, 2022, at 11:30 AM, in the Council Chambers, with the following members present: PRESENT: Craig Kittel, Pete Vrieze, Scott Grady, Tim Gjovik ABSENT: Kari Kraft OTHERS Noah Wiedenfeld, Erik Evenson, Rob Weldon, Rae Ann Ailts, Lexi Derrick, Lori PRESENT: Brinkman, (Wes Arndt, Dave Pufall, Brody Larson for tours) CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL ADOPTION OF AGENDA Pete Vrieze made a motion to adopt the agenda as presented. Scott Grady seconded the motion. Carried unanimously. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Pete Vrieze made a motion to approve the minutes of the September 14, 2022, Public Works Committee meeting as presented. Tim Gjovik seconded the motion. Carried unanimously. 2023 BUDGET DISCUSSION Rae Ann Ailts, Finance Director, provided an overview of the budget process for 2023 and explained how the timeline will change for 2024 and beyond. Erik Evenson, Director of Public Works went through the planned street and infrastructure expenses for 2023. He also spoke about the street and utility projects planned for 2024 - 2028. Rob Weldon, Public Works Operations Manager, highlighted the proposed equipment purchases for 2023. Details of the Public Works projects and budget items for 2023 is linked below. 2023 Public Works Budget Presentation TOUR OF THE STREETS/PARKS, WATER, ELECTRIC SHOPS Committee members were taken on tours of the Streets/Parks, Water and Electric Shops. Space needs were discussed including office space, meeting space, vehicle/equipment space and outdoor storage. There was discussion on shared equipment and spaces. Public Works Committee Meeting October 20, 2022 COMMUNICATION AND MISCELLANEOUS ADJOURNMENT Pete Vrieze made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 1:35 p.m. Scott Grady seconded the motion. Carried unanimously. Public Works Committee Meeting October 20, 2022  MEMO Prepared for: Public Works Committee Staff Contact: Rob Weldon Meeting: Public Works Committee - 09 Nov 2022 Subject: Winter Maintenance Operations Policy Updates BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The Public Works Department has a policy that outlines winter maintenance procedures (snow plowing, salt/sand use, shoveling, winter parking, etc.). The policy hasn't been updated for several years. Staff has gone through the policy and has submitted suggested updates for the Committee to review and consider approving. The redlined version is attached for review. ATTACHMENTS: Winter Maintenance Operations Policy_updated 11 18 19 (rw edits)  Winter Maintenance Operations Policies Public Works Department City of New Richmond, WI Page 2 of 12  Table of Contents General Purpose……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 3 Mobilization……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 3 Communications…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 3 Citizen Inquiries………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 3 Inspection and Calibration………………………………………………………………………………………………. 4 Personnel Available………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 4 Training of Personnel……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 4 Anti-Icing Operations……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 4 De-Icing Operations………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 5 Snow Plowing…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 5 Salt and Sand Use…………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 5 Snow Storage…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 5 Requests for Assistance from Emergency Personnel………………………………………………………. 6 Damage Complaints………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 6 Parking Restrictions………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 7 Sidewalk Maintenance……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 7 Sidewalk Maintenance Enforcement…………………………………………………………………………….… 8 Mailboxes……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..… 8 Pavement Condition Definitions……………………………………………………………………………………… 8 Tips for Citizens………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…… 9 Snow Plow Routes and Priorities…………………………………………………………………………………..… 9 Municipal Parking Lots and Alleys…………………………………………………………………………………… 10 Trails System…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 10 Assisting Stranded Motorists………………………………………………………………………………………….. 10 Potholes………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 10 Appendix A-Snow Plowing Priority Level map…………………………………………………………………. 11 Appendix B-Downtown Snow Removal/Hauling Letter……………………………………………………. 12 Commented [RW1]: Appendix C-City/FNCB Parking Lot Snow Maintenance Agreement………………………………… 13 Commented [LB2R2]: Remove references to all three Appendices General Purpose 2|Page Page 3 of 12 The winter maintenance operations policies provide a uniform understanding of priorities and procedures used to combat snow or ice and other winter related conditions on public streets, sidewalks, trails, parking lots, and other areas maintained by the City of New Richmond, Wisconsin. These policies replace prior written or unwritten policies. Existing ordinances for winter sidewalk maintenance and parking control are not amended or repealed by these policies. Mobilization The Public Works Operations Manager or their designee shall monitor anticipated inclement weather conditions and keep staff informed of the anticipated corresponding action to be taken. The need to mobilize for snow/ice maintenance operations is determined when there is an actual snowfall depth greater than one inch (1”) or less if combined with freezing rain and icing conditions which make travel difficult. The responsibility for ordering personnel and equipment into service for winter maintenance operation rests primarily with the Public Works Operations Manager or their designee. Additional private equipment and contracted personnel may be hired by the Public Works Operations Manager or their designee as deemed necessary. Communications The Director of Public Works shall be the primary point of communication between the Public Works Department and other City departments, as well as the primary point of contact for local media requests concerning snow and ice control efforts. The Director of Public Works shall lead a proactive approach to educating the public about sidewalk maintenance, parking restrictions, etc. and sharing timely and relevant information about major snow events utilizing the City’s social media platforms, website, and emergency mass notification system, as well as the New Richmond News. Commented [EE3]: Change to read “local publications” Citizen Inquiries During or shortly after a major snow event, it’s very common for citizens to call the Civic Center or send messages via social media with questions, concerns, and complaints regarding snow removal operations. The majority of these communications can and should be addressed by Civic Center staff, rather than forwarding the calls to Public Works staff who are out in the field clearing snow and may not have time to return a message in a timely fashion. Citizen inquiries that require additional follow-up responses (e.g. reporting a damaged mailbox) shall be routed to the Director of Public Works. In the event that the Director of Public Works is unavailable, inquiries shall be routed to the Public Works Operations Manager or their designee. The Civic Center staff who receive the majority of these communications from citizens should review the aforementioned practices in the late fall of each year, and before any snowfall event that is expected to result in a significant accumulation of snow. Inspection and Calibration All mounted snow, wing, and under mount plows are inspected annually for structural cracks or breaks, 3|Page Page 4 of 12 cutting edge wear, and hydraulic hose condition, and are operationally reviewed. Any deficiencies detected are corrected prior to off-season storage or otherwise identified by the Director of Public Works in the City’s five-year Capital Improvement Plan, if necessary. Anti- icing, de-icing, spreaders, and other related equipment are also inspected, cleaned, lubricated, operationally reviewed, and calibrated prior to the next winter’s operations. Calibration of spreading equipment provides appropriate application rate of anti-icing and de-icing chemicals. Personnel Available All Public Works employees shall be available to assist in winter maintenance operations as Commented [EE4]: Adjust to say “Designated Public needed. The Public Works Operations Manager or their designee may call private contractors Works employees” and other City personnel for assistance as needed for particularly large snowfall events. Overtime during snow/ice operations is assigned by the Public Works Operations Manager or their designee and determined by the severity and duration of a storm. Training of Personnel Newly hired employees are trained on proper equipment usage. Plow routes and chemical application are reviewed prior to a new employee being assigned to respond to a storm event. Annual reviews are conducted with all Public Works employees prior to the next snow season. Each snow event is reviewed by the Public Works Director or their designee to ensure safe streets, trails, and sidewalks were maintained in a timely manner during the snow event. Anti-Icing Operations Anti-icing is the application of liquid substances on pavement surfaces prior to the onset of the storm to prevent snow and ice from bonding to the pavement. Products regularly used by municipalities include salt brine, magnesium, calcium chlorides, or various agricultural by- products. The latter three products allow salt to melt ice below 15 degrees above zero. The Public Works Operations Manager shall have the discretion as to what materials are used, the amount of materials used, and when they are applied. De-Icing Operations De-icing is completed in conjunction with plowing operations and consists of spreading sodium chloride (rock salt) blended with salt brine and or magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, or agricultural by-products on surfaces with accumulated and compacted snow and ice. All salt spreaders are equipped with pre-wet systems that spray salt brine onto the salt at the spinner. Wetting the dry salt with salt brine activates the melting process sooner and reduces the Commented [RW5]: Omit. Only 1 truck is capable of this 4|Page Page 5 of 12 tendency of salt to “bounce” off the roadway. De-icing chemicals are stored under cover, and truck loading is completed on an imperious surface to allow any spilled product to be easily recovered and placed in the haul unit or returned to the storage building. The amount of and type of deicing chemicals used are based on current and forecasted weather conditions, rising or falling temperatures, wind, and the intensity or form of precipitation. The Public Works Operations Manager or their designee shall have the discretion as to what materials are used, the amount of materials used, and when they are applied. Snow Plowing Snow plowing is the removal of snow and ice from the streets, trails, and parking lots by mechanical means. There shall be no plowing of private driveways/roads by City staff or personnel with whom the City has contracted. Snow and ice will be deposited in private driveways/roads during snow plowing operations and will not be removed by the City (including areas around mailboxes or fire hydrants in private yards and sidewalks). Equipment Commented [LB6]: Remove “in private yards” as these and operators are assigned routes; operators are items are really in the ROWs generally familiar with all routes and strive to complete plowing and de-icing as efficiently as Commented [RW7]: Add sidewalks practical. Each snow storm is unique. Several factors must be considered by staff when preparing a snow removal strategy, including wind speed, time of day when snow began, temperature, type of snow, recent or expected snowfall accumulations, and available equipment and staff. Salt and Sand Use Sanding consists of spreading a salt and sand mixture to improve traction on packed snow or ice., and should be applied only in areas of high traffic movement or unsafe areas as determined by the Public Works Operations Manager or their designee. Sand can cause a build- Commented [RW8]: Remove up in storm sewers and points of discharge which can require additional maintenance or environmental concerns. Sanding will only be used when pavement temperatures inhibit the melting action of other available products, or conditions are extremely icy, or salt supplies are limited. Snow Storage There is not sufficient space to safely pile and store snow in several locations in the City of New Richmond, such as the downtown business district and municipal parking lots. Snow must be loaded and hauled to off-site snow storage areas located near Mary Park, Freedom Park, and Ellicott Dredge Technologies. Each spring, after the snow melt has taken place, the snow Commented [EE9]: Is there a need to calling out specific storage areas are cleaned of any garbage that remains from the previous year’s snow. locations of the snow dump sites? 5|Page Page 6 of 12 Requests for Assistance from Emergency Personnel Commented [RW10]: Can this paragraph be removed? The Public Works Department may be requested by emergency services providers to assist during a winter weather-related situation such as an electrical outage, downed power line, water main break, major vehicle accident, etc. Calls received by emergency services personnel for emergency maintenance service will be sent to the proper Public Works staff members depending on the type of need. Damage Complaints Mailboxes, Fences, and Lawn Damage Plow operators are instructed not to get too close to mailboxes. However, occasionally one is knocked over or struck. Operators shall report these occurrences to their supervisor. Lawn damage occurs when the plow blade rides over the curb and tears the lawn adjacent to the curb. This occurs more often in early or late season snowstorms when there is little or no frost in the ground. Operators shall note areas of damage and report to their supervisor. A list of properties where damage has occurred shall be prepared each spring for repairs to be completed. A temporary mailbox may be installed in some cases until repairs are completed in the spring. It is the City of New Richmond’s policy to repair damage to a mailbox, fence, or lawn when physically struck by City equipment. Mailboxes, fences, or other improvements within the right of way must be structurally installed to withstand the weight of snow rolling off the blade. Mailboxes must conform to U.S. Postal Service specifications for minimum height and setback. Mailboxes must also have a 10-inch clear-zone below the physical box. Therefore, newspaper boxes or ornaments must be at least 10 inches back from the front of the mailbox. Repairs to poorly installed or maintained items that fail due to snow load are the responsibility of the property owner. The Director of Public Works or Public Works Operations Manager shall have the authority to determine City responsibility for damage. Damage to non-standard mailbox assemblies (e.g. brick planters, mailboxes with custom lettering, larger than standard installation) shall be reimbursed on a sliding scale, based on the mailbox value. Damage to other items within the Right-of-Way such as lawn decorations, plantings, irrigation, and Commented [RW11]: Add irrigation invisible fences are the responsibility of the property owner. Vehicular Damage Should a City vehicle be involved in an accident with another vehicle, the appropriate officials (law enforcement, Director of Public Works, Public Works Operations Manager, insurance company) shall be notified. The Public Works Operations Manager or their designee should be consulted as to whether it is necessary for the equipment to return to the Public Works facility immediately for inspection, or at the end of the operation. All accidents shall be reported 6|Page Page 7 of 12 regardless of how minor they may be. City employees must comply with the City of New Richmond’s Employee Handbook, including but not limited to Drug/Alcohol Free Workplace and Workplace Safety. Curb Damage Curb damage is investigated on a complaint basis. If the damage was done by a City plow, the repairs shall be completed by the City of New Richmond as soon as possible during the summer construction season. When damage is done by a private party or contractor, the Police Department shall investigate the incident with costs for repairs/replacement sent to the responsible party upon completion of the repair. Parking Restrictions Sec. 82-100. – Winter Parking Overnight winter parking on residential streets shall be limited as follows: On even numbered days on the even numbered side of the street, on odd numbered days on the odd numbered side of the street; for the purposes of this section, an even numbered or odd numbered day will be the date as of 6:00 p.m. each day. This restriction is in effect from November 1 of each year to April 1 of the following year. Such restriction shall not apply to any vehicles involved in emergency calls. Sidewalk Maintenance Sec. 70-8. – Snow and Ice (a) Removal Within 24 hours after the cessation of any fall of snow, it shall be the duty of the owners and/or the occupants of any lot or parcel of land in the City to remove, or cause to be removed, the snow from any and all sidewalks adjacent to the premises of such owner or occupant, and to keep the same free and clear of snow and ice for the full width of the sidewalk. In the case of shared parking lots and alleys, snow must be hauled away at owner’s expense. Any snow deposited in City rights-of-way will be hauled away by the City and the expense will be billed to the property owner as outlined in the City’s Fee Schedule. (b) Failure to Remove In case of failure or neglect of any owner or occupant of any land or parcel of land to remove the snow from sidewalks as specified in Subsection (a) of this section within the time set forth in said subsection and, after 24 hours after the cessation of any fall of snow, the owner or occupant has failed to remove such snow from sidewalks as specified in Subsection (a) of this section, the Public Works Director shall remove or cause the snow to be removed from any and all sidewalks and cross-sidewalks that may be so neglected by the owner or occupant, and shall charge the expense of so doing at a rate as established by resolution by the Common Council. 7|Page Page 8 of 12 The charges shall be set forth in a statement to the City Clerk who, in turn, shall mail the same to the owner, occupant, or person in charge of said premises. If said statement is not paid in full within 30 days thereafter, the City Clerk shall enter the charges in the tax roll as a special tax against said lot or parcel of land, and the same shall be collected in all respects like other taxes upon real estate, or as provided under Wis. Stats. § 66.0703. (c) Deposits Prohibited Except as provided herein, no person shall deposit or cause to be deposited any snow or ice taken and removed from his premises or elsewhere upon any sidewalk, alley, parkway, public place or street in the City, provided however, that the person, firm, or corporation depositing such snow shall, within one hour thereafter, cause the same to be removed from such street. (d) Nuisance The deposit of any snow or ice upon any sidewalk, alley or street of the City contrary to the provisions of this chapter shall be and is declared to be a nuisance, and in addition to the penalty provided for violation of this section, the City may similarly remove any snow or ice so deposited and cause the cost of said removal to be charged to the owner or occupant of the property from which said snow or ice has been removed. Sidewalk Maintenance Enforcement Due to limited staff availability, much of the enforcement of Section 70-8 is complaint-driven. After a recent snowfall, City staff utilize a combination of door hangers and phone calls to property owners as a courtesy reminder, before proceeding to remove the snow from the sidewalks and charging the expense to the property owner. Mailboxes The City of New Richmond will typically plow within the confines of curb line to curb line of a street. During frequent periods of heavy snowfall accumulations when storage areas for snow on the right-of-way are limited, there may be times when plows cannot physically place the snow from the curb line of the street up onto the adjacent right-of-way. The adjacent resident shall be responsible for clearing snow around their mailbox to assure delivery of the mail. Pavement Condition Definitions (Provided by MnDOT) Commented [EE12]: We can omit this section; terms not Bare Pavement Bare Wheel Paths Plowed and Treated Plowed to Snowpack used elsewhere in the policy. May be wet. Accurate Wheel paths may or and precise plowing may not be visible, Maintenance is being and chemical use may some snowpack Some slush may performed, but 8|Page Page 9 of 12 be needed to achieve remain. Plowing and remaining, plowing snowpack remains this condition and chemical applications and chemical use across the roadway. maintain normal have been made. The performed. traffic speeds. roadway is open to near-normal travel. Tips for Citizens Patience and a cooperative attitude are essential for getting through the winter plowing season. When citizens, private plowing contractors, and City staff work together, we can reduce frustrations that sometimes accompany winter snowstorms. There are many things that citizens can do to minimize plowing-related problems for themselves and to assure that City staff can do the most effective job possible. Some tips include: • Follow the City of New Richmond’s winter parking regulations to ensure more effective plowing and to avoid a citation. • Don’t allow children to build snow forts and tunnels in the snow banks adjacent to the curb, or to play near the curbs, as snow plow operators have limited visibility. • If trash/recycling pickup day coincides with plowing activities, make sure your trash and recycling bins are well behind the curb or in the driveway so the plow will not hit them. • Residents may find it less frustrating to wait until the plow trucks have completed their street before cleaning the end of their driveway. City plow trucks are designed to discharge snow to the sides of the street and are not designed to skip individual driveway areas. • Snow from the bottom of the driveway should be shoveled to the right as you’re facing the street. This will reduce the amount of snow being placed back into the driveway during the next plowing. • Residents or business owners hiring contractors to plow their driveways should remind the contractor about state and local laws that prohibit pushing or placing snow back into or across the street or into public areas. Doing so not only creates hazards for drivers, but also makes it difficult for the Public Works Department to keep the streets clean and may result in charges to the property owner. • Residents who have experienced lawn damage in the past may wish to mark their yard line with flexible stakes. These can help snow plow operators avoid future damage. Snow Plow Routes and Priorities Public Works staff divide the city into geographical territories in order to achieve greater efficiency when it comes to snow removal. Streets are assigned a snow removal priority on a 1- 2 scale as shown in Appendix A. A map of snow removal routes is located at the Public Works Commented [RW13]: Remove references to Appendices building and is available to the public. In general, Knowles Avenue and streets by local schools Commented [EE14]: and Westfields Hospital & Clinic receive first priority, along with collector streets. receive the next priority, followed by Priority 2; local street and cul-de-sac plowing will take place upon completion of Priority 1 streets. It takes considerably longer to clear snow from cul-de-sacs than other “uninterrupted” stretches of streets. Given their low traffic volume, cul-de-sacs may not 9|Page Page 10 of 12 be cleared during the first 48 hours following a snowstorm while resources are focused on higher priority streets. The typical snow removal procedure for cul-de-sacs with limited boulevard area less than XX feet of curb is for snowplows to push the snow into the center of Commented [EE15]: Leave out a specific length so that it the cul-de-sac and then to return the following day to load the snow and haul it away. At this is at staff discretion time, this includes but may not be limited to, the areas of Spruce Court, Balsam Court, Highpoint Court, Cedar Court and the east end of North Fifth Street. In some neighborhoods, where there is not adequate room on the boulevard for snow storage and snow piles jeopardize visibility and safety, snow may be loaded and removed by City staff. One such area is Odana Avenue, where there is parking along the entire east side of the street; snow is plowed to the west side of the street and at times may be hauled away for visibility and safety. St. Croix County is responsible for winter maintenance on county highways. The City of New Richmond has agreements with the Town of Richmond in regards to winter maintenance for “border roads” 125th Street and 175th Street. 140th Street is subject to incidental plowing by both the City of New Richmond and the Town of Richmond. Municipal Parking Lots and Alleys The City of New Richmond is responsible for clearing snow from municipal parking lots and alleys. Efforts will be made to the extent possible to clear snow from municipal parking lots and alleys at a time when doing so is least disruptive to local businesses. Snow piles may be created temporarily in some municipal parking lots until snow can be loaded and removed, which may result in a temporary reduction in parking stalls. Please see Appendix C for the agreement Commented [RW16]: Remove references to Appendices between the City and First National Community Bank regarding snow removal/hauling for the shared parking lot at South Arch Avenue and East Second Street. Commented [EE17]: This agreement is no longer in place. Omit this sentence. Trail System Snow shall be cleared from all trails, with the exception of the Nature Center Trail, Doar Prairie Trail, and Freedom Park Trail. Trails will not be maintained to a bare pavement condition. Handwork will not be performed and surface irregularities and slippery conditions may result. No sanding or ice control will be performed. The cross country ski trails at the New Richmond Golf Club require a minimum of twelve inches of snow before grooming by City staff. Snow removal from streets, parking lots, alleys, and multi-use trails will receive priority before cross country ski trails are groomed. Assisting Stranded Motorists Public Works personnel shall not attempt to remove a private citizen’s stuck vehicle from ditches, snow banks, or other impediments. Public Works Staff may assist stranded motorists by contacting law enforcement. Potholes Late winter can bring continuous freezing and thawing cycles, which in turn can lead to the formation of potholes. In the winter months, a temporary patch can be made using a cold-mix asphalt product, until a later date when weather conditions are more favorable for more 10 | P a g e Page 11 of 12 permanent hot-mix patching. Citizens who notice a pothole of concern can report it utilizing the Keep It Beautiful! citizen report form on the City’s website, www.newrichmondwi.gov. 11 | P a g e Page 12 of 12  MEMO Prepared for: Public Works Committee Staff Contact: Erik Evenson Meeting: Public Works Committee - 09 Nov 2022 Subject: Sidewalk and Street Maintenance BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Staff will show the sidewalk and street maintenance dashboards to the Committee so members can offer feedback on areas of priority for 2023.