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DPW details paving, parks and fleet plans in 2026 budget pitch
Summary
DPW superintendent Mark Fesser presented a roughly $7.9 million 2026 operating request, outlined pothole and stormwater repairs, new equipment buys (excavator with flail mower), and a time-and-materials bidding approach to speed repairs.
Mark Fesser, stepping into a redefined DPW superintendent role, presented the department’s 2026 spending request and listed accomplishments and near-term priorities. "In 2025, our budget was 7,800,000 and in 2026 we're looking for 7.903745," Fesser said, describing a modest increase to support in-house work and equipment purchases.
Fesser told the council pothole repairs rose noticeably — from 113 in 2024 to 283 year-to-date — which he attributed to a new hot-box asphalt capability and increased in-house capacity. He outlined stormwater repairs (including Oakwood Drive and a Hamilton Avenue collapse), CHIPS/state-aid paving funds ($679,973 available in the program per the slides), and plans to purchase a new excavator with a mower attachment to reduce rentals.
On fleet and sanitation, Fesser said the city maintains five primary garbage trucks plus two older backups and is budgeting for parts, a scan tool to diagnose Mac truck codes and a power washer for sanitation trucks; he noted lead times for new garbage trucks can be 18 months. Council members also asked for more frequent cleaning of the downtown parking garage; Fesser said current hosing is limited and acknowledged citizen complaints about frequency and odor.
Several council members thanked DPW staff and praised the department’s forward planning and grant capture; no formal votes were taken on the DPW budget at the meeting.
