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Public works, wastewater and airport reports flag equipment and staffing needs
Summary
Public Works, Wastewater and Airport directors reported operations and modest capital needs: public works requested replacement zero‑turn mowers (~$11,000 each), wastewater noted $80,000/year sludge disposal costs and aging vehicles, and the airport said hangar capacity is full with an 18‑person waiting list.
Old Town — Directors from public works, wastewater and the municipal airport briefed councilors on operations, fleet needs and near-term capital priorities during the Dec. 15 meetings.
Public Works Director Steve Ry reported the department maintains roughly 164.5 lane miles (178 plow miles with seasonal variation), operates eight plow routes, and manages MS4 stormwater responsibilities. He requested replacement zero‑turn mowers (roughly $11,000 each) and noted fleet replacements will be phased to avoid long procurement lead times for specialized equipment.
David, superintendent of the wastewater treatment plant, said the plant treats roughly 1.5 million gallons per day, runs about 100 lab tests per week to ensure compliance, and maintains approximately 25 miles of sewer line. He said the city pays roughly $80,000 per year for sludge trucking and disposal to Juniper Ridge and that some vehicles are due for replacement.
Airport Director Miles Francis described Dwitfield/Old Town Municipal Airport’s assets (two asphalt runways and an 8,400‑foot water runway), 57 registered aircraft on site and a waiting list of about 18 parties for hangars. He said the airport is at capacity for tenant space but has no immediate large capital requests beyond routine maintenance.
Councilors discussed staffing levels, equipment lead times (noting ambulances and specialized trucks can take multiple years to build) and the tradeoffs of centralized grant support for departments. No formal funding decisions were made; department heads were asked to provide specifications and cost estimates for proposed replacements.
