Public Works Director Jack Williams told the Board of Mayor and Aldermen on Feb. 6 that Fayetteville has been operating with a one-month rental garbage truck after repeated failures of an older truck and that the new truck chassis is in production for delivery later this year.

“We have right now got a rental truck that we leased for 1 month,” Williams said, noting the old truck broke down again and the city is keeping it running as a backup while the rental is used. He said the replacement truck chassis is being built and staff currently expect delivery in October (year not specified in the discussion).

Williams also outlined a multi-year approach to street paving and said staff are developing a prioritized list that favors streets currently clear of utilities work. He said the city is coordinating with local utility partners to avoid paving streets that will be cut for future utility projects and described work on Bluff Drive being paused until drainage issues and utility locations are confirmed.

On sidewalks, Williams and administration staff reported the contractor on the Market/Main sidewalk project has the materials needed and was expected to return to finish landscaping and punch-list items during planting season in the coming one to two weeks. The sidewalk project triggered review of additional ADA items — such as push-button crosswalk controls and tactile strips — that were not included in the original sidewalk contract but were identified by the ADA coordinator as needing remediation.

Mayor and staff said state-level coordination will be required for the next phase of sidewalk work because the follow-up project will use state funding. Administration staff said they had met with a South Central representative and TDOT ADA staff, and that a federally procured consultant will be needed; procurement for a consultant is expected to start in early April.

Williams said the street and sidewalk departments are shorthanded due to illness but credited crews for catching up when routes fell behind. The board asked staff to produce the updated paving-priority list for aldermen.

Items discussed in public works that will be moved for formal consideration at a later meeting included the proposed five-year paving plan (planning/priority list) and continuation of sidewalk procurement steps tied to state funding. No final contract awards or ordinances were approved at the Feb. 6 work session.