Dave Cooks, director of Public Works, presented the department's FY2026 accomplishments and FY2027 priorities, focusing on infrastructure maintenance and larger capital projects. Cooks reported a FY26 headcount of 204, noted workforce diversity statistics, and described a suite of maintenance accomplishments (millions of square feet of sidewalks, miles of overlay and micro-surfacing, crack filling, ADA curb ramps) completed in FY26.

For FY27, public works plans include overlays (designated miles), seal coat, concrete patching, micro-surfacing, crack filling, and multiple large reconstruction projects such as Adloff Lane, Wheeler Avenue and North Grand Avenue railroad-relocation work tied to a Union Pacific dual-track project. Cooks said permanent improvements account for a large share of the public-works budget and pointed to funding for a Vactor truck and sewer lateral repair work.

The department highlighted sewer-infrastructure work, including phase 2 lake sewer construction and several lining projects by street name. Public Works also emphasized community-facing programs: a tree-planting program planting 500 trees annually funded by a USDA grant, household hazardous waste collection (37,803 pounds collected in one event), and cemetery revenues and a request for additional columbarium space at Oak Ridge Cemetery.

Council members asked about project timelines—North Grand/Martin Luther King design and land acquisition steps—and operational issues such as street sweeper scheduling and the need for additional crews and operating engineers. Public Works explained staffing constraints that limit a fixed street-sweeper schedule and described options for adding crews or shared services.