Public Works lists waterline upsizes, camera truck and storage needs as equipment and space priorities

Public Works Director Josh Wright presented a mix of near-term projects and long-term equipment needs to the council on March 25, emphasizing constraints on storage and the cost-efficiency of bringing some services in house.

Wright outlined two waterline upsizes (400 West and 200 West projects, each listed at $175,000), an asphalt driveway at a new booster station ($16,000), parks trail resurfacing ($11,500) and equipment requests including a top dresser ($25,000), pull-behind aerator ($20,500), cemetery mower ($22,000), and a mini-excavator (mini-x) proposal with a $51,600 price that includes a $38,000 trade-in credit. He also proposed a John Deere backhoe ($75,500) with a $65,000 trade-in credit and described a lack of on-site video-inspection capability that currently costs the city roughly $30,000–$50,000 annually in contract work; purchasing a video camera truck would cost about $265,000 but could eliminate annual contracting expense.

Wright and City Engineer Clay Bodily described a sidewalk-repair proposal tied to Sunrise Elementary and Sky View High School that could require land acquisition or property agreements and an estimated $70,000–$110,000 for sidewalk segments without land costs. Wright said roughly $600,000 worth of equipment is currently stored outdoors under tarps due to limited indoor storage and proposed a nine-bay storage building estimated at $400,000.

Councilmembers pressed on staffing and the timing of projects; Wright said seasonal hiring is underway and that good weather has reduced snow-removal costs this year. He also noted that some long-term items—such as a John Deere sprayer—are not currently prioritized for the new budget.