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Public Works presents $43.8M operating plan, seeks $3.4M in fixed assets and technology upgrades
Summary
Public Works proposed a $43.8 million operating budget with roughly $870,000 in recommended cuts achieved through in-house services, timing of capital projects and process efficiencies; directors also requested $3.4 million for fixed assets and outlined digital services improvements.
Public Works Director Brian told commissioners May 20 the operating budget for the department is approximately $43.8 million and includes 188 positions. The recommended FY27 budget trims roughly $870,000 through measures such as relying on existing material stockpiles, pausing fuel-pump capital, bringing some contracts (road sweeping, window cleaning) in-house, and timing expensive LIDAR and data-collection work over multi-year cycles.
Brian described a $3.4 million fixed-asset request that focuses on equipment replacement, safety improvements and items to support ongoing expansion. The department said it has 26 vacancies but is actively hiring and does not plan to add new long-term FTEs for FY27; staff noted hire pipelines and targeted recruitment for roads maintenance and culvert work.
Public Works also outlined customer-service and technology priorities: a community-center booking portal, online payments for bulk-water stations, point-of-sale at collection centers, expanded Wi-Fi at facilities, an online domestic-well metering program, and expanded project-management and web-dashboards. Brian said these investments are intended to reduce in-person transactions and improve service access.
Commissioners asked about trail signage and interpretive content, broadband at community centers (Nantra Rodriguez, La Cienega, Max Cole), mobile-device charging pilots along trails, and fleet-management and EV strategies. Staff indicated broadband work was budgeted and midyear IT actions are underway, and they will scope signage and pilot costs as part of capital planning.
