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Public works urges sewer maintenance program, flags manhole repairs and staffing need
Summary
Public Works Director Doug Lange recommended a rotating sewer cleaning program at $5,000–$6,000 per section and warned of deteriorating brick manholes; Lange also cited 20 weekly hours spent on fiber locates and signaled a staffing need ahead of his planned 2027 retirement.
At the Jan. 21 meeting, Public Works Director Doug Lange recommended shifting focus to sanitary sewer maintenance after completing current street and tree projects and proposed a rotating annual cleaning program. Lange estimated each section’s cleaning would cost about $5,000–$6,000 per year.
Lange also reported several older, brick manholes are deteriorating and recommended rehabilitation to avoid more expensive reconstruction later. He warned that ongoing fiber project locates are consuming roughly 20 hours per week and said the workload supports creating or filling an additional maintenance/utility position, noting his anticipated retirement in 2027.
Council discussed revising job descriptions for a Public Works Supervisor and assistant and, once approved, initiating advertising to recruit additional staff. The minutes do not include a formal hiring motion or timeline.
