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Council approves temporary repairs to Hillside/Waverly stairs, seeks long‑term plan
Summary
City staff presented three repair options for the deteriorated Hillside/Waverly stairs; the council approved a temporary fall repair (~$6,000) to restore access before winter and directed staff to plan a permanent solution for future budgets.
The City Council approved a temporary repair to the Hillside/Waverly stairs this fall and asked staff to return with specifications and a permanent funding plan during the next budget cycle.
Public‑works staff reported the wooden stairs were in poor condition with loose railings, split boards and failed fasteners. Chris Lomberg, sustainability and facilities coordinator, presented three options: a short‑term repair costing about $6,000 that would be expected to last roughly one year; a full rebuild in wood estimated at about $55,000 (assuming some existing piers can be reused); and a steel‑tread, wall‑attached stair option estimated at about $40,000 that would reduce long‑term maintenance.
Council action and rationale: Councilor Ben (first name only in the transcript) moved and the council approved proceeding with the temporary repair and directed staff to develop specifications, cost estimates and a capital plan for a permanent replacement to be considered in the FY27 budget. "Recommendation really is to find $6,000 to repair these stairs as is," Lomberg said, and councilors stressed the importance of adding the stair to future capital planning and maintenance tracking.
Community input and technical points: Several residents who use the stairs urged careful design for a permanent solution: one commenter said a permanent stair needs uniform treads and stable footings to prevent future twisting and settling; another suggested commercial steel construction with improved footings could cost in the $12,000–$15,000 range plus labor and concrete for new footings. Staff noted the stairs date from the 1980s, have had recurring repairs, and do not appear in prior capital needs lists.
Next steps: Staff will authorize the temporary repair before winter, prepare engineering/specifications for a permanent replacement, and present budget options during the capital budget process. Councilors asked staff to track small assets such as stairs in future capital planning to avoid reactive repairs.
