Public works director asks City Council to fund backfill from unallocated TIF after staffing losses
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Summary
Public works director reported the highway crew is short five employees and requested council permission to backfill one highway position for the rest of the fiscal year using unallocated TIF funds (estimated $47,000–$48,000 including benefits).
Ellsworth — The public works director told the council the highway department lost multiple positions and is now operating five staff below its needed level, straining routine maintenance and winter operations.
He described the work backlog — ditching, grading, sidewalk maintenance and reactive calls such as water-main breaks — and said having fewer employees increases safety and service risks during storms. The director asked the council to authorize funding to backfill one existing highway position for the remainder of the fiscal year using unallocated Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds. He estimated the cost for salary and fringe at roughly $47,000–$48,000.
Councilors discussed available unallocated TIF balances; staff gave differing figures during discussion (statements cited around $200,000 and later approximately $352,000). Several council members expressed support for backfilling the position and for longer-term efforts to consolidate budgets and reduce backlog through modernization and cross-departmental planning. No formal appropriation vote was recorded in the workshop minutes; the item will be brought to a future council meeting for a formal decision.
