Council approves traffic fixes and hears Department of Public Works annual report

The Common Council on Sept. 24 approved three Transportation Affairs recommendations — installation of stop signs at Garfield Avenue approaches to 118th Street and at the Clark Street approaches to 100th and 117th Street, and an ordinance limiting parking on the west side of 84th Street from noon to 9 p.m. — by unanimous vote.

Director of Public Works Dave Simpson presented the department’s annual report. Simpson highlighted a new service module integrated with the city’s financial system that has increased resident service requests and improved tracking. “The public is finding it quite useful,” Simpson said, noting the city has logged more than 1,600 tree-related service submissions this year, partly driven by a large January storm.

Simpson reviewed trends in curbside collection and recycling commodity markets, saying the city has been working to stabilize recycling revenues through a dedicated fund. He also updated the council on water-utility trends (overall water usage trending downward) and on lead-lateral outreach: if the federal EPA rule in its current draft stands, the city expects to mail letters to homeowners about lead-lateral status around mid-November.

Simpson described major engineering projects in the five-year CIP including Watertown Plank reconstruction with new off-road pathways and a multiuse path on 116th, North Avenue planning and the Schoonmaker Creek watershed flood mitigation project, and said several projects include ARPA, grant or partner funding.

Council members asked clarifying questions about the service-request system, the possible need for additional staff for sealcoating and engineering functions, and the status of a half-time sustainability manager position (staff said they plan to create a half-time position by reallocating existing FTEs and will post any permanent role when finalized).