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Public works and parks officials outline recycling center work, solid-waste purchases and Trails+ grant timeline
Summary
Public works reported fence relocation and gate addition at the Hayhoe Farms recycling center, planned paving and entrance adjustments next fiscal year, a potential packer truck purchase for solid waste, and Parks & Recreation said a Trails+ grant requires engineering and use by March 2027.
Kurt Epler, speaking for public works, told the council that enterprise funds for utilities are expected to roughly match revenues and expenditures and that planned capital work includes rehabilitation of pump/lift stations, SCADA upgrades and design work for a mainline to support the base area water system. Epler said a recent solid-waste capital purchase is a new packer truck and that remodel work is expected at the solid-waste transfer facility and the recycling center at Hayhoe Farms.
Councilors asked whether plans for cameras at the recycling center were included in current work. Epler said fence relocation and one gate were completed this fiscal year; curb and paved entrance work and relocation of security lights are planned next fiscal year and camera planning remains in the planning phase.
Officials and residents asked about pine-needle and stump volumes arriving at the slash intake; department staff said pine needles are labor-intensive to process and current tipping fees are low (about $5 per cubic yard in his description), noting workforce strain as defensible-space participation grows. Chief Vance and others suggested the council consider removing the resident drop-off fee to encourage Firewise participation, while councilors cautioned that eliminating fees would reduce an operating revenue source and require alternate funding.
Shay Tibulis summarized Parks & Recreation priorities: staffing (one part-time, three full-time, and seasonal positions), maintenance of fields and community-center operations, lighting improvements at the island fields, a skate-park slab commitment tied to a $15,000-a-year agreement and a Trails+ grant that requires project start and use by March 2027; Tibulis said the match for that grant is already covered.
Next steps: staff will return with project scopes and timing for the recycling center work, solid-waste capital procurement details and any policy recommendations on fees and staffing.
