Improving Public Works Efficiency

Evaluating what we do: Are we doing the right work?

Animal Control FY 04 – eliminated after-hours Public Works response to animal control calls for a reduction of approximately $1,500 in overtime (police officers now handle) FY 09 – eliminated animal traps/trapping Previously – the City would bring the trap to residence, set trap and collect trap with animal in it (City then had to relocate animal) – average hours per month $ In-take costs to ARL (cats, dogs) $ Relocation problem for other (possum, raccoons, etc.) $ Relatively few residents (<12) consuming significant resources Total of $5,500 in animal control costs eliminated

Evaluating how we do it: Contracting? Contracting: Are we contracting services we can provide at a lower cost doing the work in-house? Conversely, are we conducting work in house that can be done by a contractor at a lower cost? Stormwater intakes done in-house for $703/unit versus contracting at $4,100/unit$27,176 Sewer lining: demoing equipment and learning how to do lining point repair in-house instead of accepting quote to have private company take care of line at Marilyn Dr.$12,550 Demo PW driveway in-house$10,564 Bring cleaning functions in-house$5,682

Evaluating how we do it: Partnerships? Sharing? Street sweeping 28E agreement$10,824 Salt Storage Facility (gross savings of $10,264)$4,264 Equipment Sharing (sewer televising; stump grinder; Vactor truck, etc.)DTQ $15,088 WH also shares its new Community & Events Center as a meeting venue in return for free training

Evaluating how we do it: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Salt reduction$35,000 LED Traffic Lights$8,777 Reusing 6336 Hickman office furniture$4,500 Repurposed fence from Community & Events Center construction and used it for dog park construction instead of disposing of it or buying new fence$4,000 Turn off the lights on University Avenue after 2:30 a.m.$1,200 Elimination of pagers from Public Works$1,080 Staff contacted architectural salvage company to take fire bay doors instead of discarding them in a landfill.$300 $54,857 Always looking for ways to divert waste from the landfill: environmentally and economically advantageous

Evaluating how we do it: Other Resources/Outside Funding Demolition of old shelter and rough grading of park site$215,000 Alternative compost site for flood debris instead of landfill$11,250 Received rain barrel grant from MWA to capture and reuse rain water from Community & Events Center Roof$2,500 Alternative compost site for street sweeping clippings (instead of landfill fees);$2,500 Used inmate labor to assist with the debris removal and clean up in the park related to the flood$1,512 $232,762

Evaluating who we have

The people – the expectations – the tools Do we have the right people and are they in the right positions? Who leads - most qualified or employed longest? Do they have the correct/adequate training? Do they understand the expectations? Using MBO’s Do they have the tools? Street striping example Tar Machine, Skid Loader

How do we measure? Citizen surveying 92% satisfied or better with infrastructure maintenance in 2007; 99% in 2010; 92% satisfied or better with Parks & Recreation facilities in 2007; 96% in 2010; Benchmarking; Cost analysis; Performance Measurement; How much tonnage of cold/hot patch is used each year to fill potholes? How quickly do we handle snow removal? How many miles of street is resurfaced? How many stormwater intakes are rebuilt? How many stormwater BMP’s are implemented?

Discussion/Questions