5.6. SR 07-11-2011Item # 5_6.
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Phil Hals, Street Superintendent
DATE: July 1 1, 201 1
SUBJECT: Streets Division Restructuring
At the May 2, 2011 City Council meeting, the Street Division was given direction to bring
forward a comprehensive Street Division re-structuring plan. With my partial retirement it has
become evident that the division should be evaluated for current and future needs. This
comprehensive information will allow for the City Council and staff to identify and make
appropriate staffing decisions as they arise.
Existing Management Structure of the Public Works Department and Street
Division
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The existing structure, without a Public Works Director, has all division managers reporting to
the City Administrator. The Public Works Department continues to operate cooperatively and
effectively within this structure but it places additional management responsibilities on the
division managers. This is especially true in the Street Division where all management duties of
N:\PubGc Bodies\City Council\Council RCA\Agenda Packet\07-11-2011\Street Dept Restructuring.docx
the street and fleet maintenance tasks are now completed with a half time Street Superintendent,
Assistant Street Superintendent, and a lead worker.
My partial retirement has identified the need for changes in the management within the Streets
Division. As Mark and the lead worker pick up more of these management duties their time in
the field working on tasks becomes more limited. This is the reason we first approached the
Council in May requesting a laborer position be filled. Until I fully retire in 2013, I would
recommend that the City Engineer also serve as the interim Public Works Director to stream
line the number of Division Managers that report to the City Administrator. In January of 2013,
the City Council can evaluate the City Engineer/Public Works Director position to decide if it
should become permanent or revert back to two separate positions.
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Under this structure the Street Division is not directly responsible for the Fleet Maintenance, but
rather they would be a separate division under the Public Works Director. Under this structure
a Public Works Director would have the responsibility to complete some of the overall Street
Division management. The Street Division could then be managed internally with a Street
Superintendent and a lead worker. This reorganization would eliminate the need for an
Assistant Street Superintendent in 2013.
Street Division Tasks:
Understanding we are moving toward a Street Division that will be managed by a superintendent
and a lead worker we have to look at the positions within the division to assure all work tasks
can be completed. The Street Division is tasked with an immense amount of work throughout
the year. Below you will find a list of various jobs completed by the Street Division during each
season. Most of this work needs multiple workers in each crew, three to six workers is very
typical for most street job tasks. Some tasks, most notably our crack seal program, can use up to
ten crew members. An average snow event requires sixteen operators.
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Siring Tasks
• Sweeping
• Boulevard sweeping
• Asphalt patching
• Street sign maintenance
• Sod damage repaiurs
• Compost site maintenance
• Gravel road maintenance
• Roadside cleanup
• Tree trimming /removals
• Crack seal program
• Equipment service repairrs
Summer Tasks
• Crack seal program
• Storm sewer repairs
• Asphalt patching including
overlays, blade lay, cold milling &
potholes
• Street sign maintenance
• Administer and supervise sealcoat
program
• Paint striping program
• Roadside mowing
• Sweeping
• Screening materials
• NPDES program
• Concrete repairs
• Tree trir><uning /removals
• Compost site maintenance
• Gravel road maintenance
• Equipment service repairs
Street Division Staffing:
Fall Tasks
• Continue NPDES program
• Leaf sweeping
• Gravel road maintenance
• Street sign maintenance
• Roadside mowing
• Compost site maintenance
• Prep snow plow routes
• Equipment service repairs
Winter Tasks
• Snow/ice issues including,
plowing, sanding/salting, hauling
and widening
• Install/replace cutting edges
• Service and wash equipment
• Brining streets
• Mailbox repairs
• Pothole patching
• Hauling sealcoat rock
• Street sign maintenance
• Roadside tree trimming
• Maintain used oil drop off site
• Thaw frozen catch basins
• Spring road restriction signing
• Equipment service repairs
For clarity, the following staffing levels include analysis of the Maintenance I & II, and
Laborer positions. These positions and corresponding field hours account for staff that is
directly responsible for completing the tasks listed on the previous page. The three fleet
maintenance staff (Bob Steve, Terry) have been excluded from the following staffing figures.
Year Staffing Levels
Total Hours
2006 - 8 Maintenance I's & II's, 1 Laborer, 1 summer employee = 17,120 field hours
• C-vertime paid for snow plowing
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2008 - 7 Maintenance II's, 1 Laborer, 4 summer employees = 18,560 field hours
• Overtime paid for snow plowing
2010 - 6 Maintenance II's, 1 Laborer, 4 summer employees =15,900 field hours
• 580 hours of comp time earned in the 2009/2010 plowing season (deducted
from total field hours)
• 186 hours of overtime paid for plowing (not deducted from total work
hours)
2011- 5.75 Maintenance II's*, 1 Laborer, 3 summer employees = 14,328 field hours
* Lead workers reduced field hours (less 0.25)
• 1152 hours of comp time earned for plowing (deducted from total field
hours)
• 311.5 hours of overtime paid for plowing (not deducted from total work
hours)
We are requesting at this time to add a full time laborer position in August to be funded with
the savings from my full budgeted salary. This will result in a net increase of 866 field hours
in 2011.
Revised 2011 (with Laborer hired in August) = 15,194 field hours
In the requested 2012 Street Division budget, we have requested for the following staffing
levels:
2012 - 7.75 Maintenance II's*, 2 Laborers, 4 summer employees = 22,200 field hours
* Lead workers reduced field hours (less 0.25)
• Overtime paid for snow plowing
The increase in field personnel corresponds with the workload we have undertaken for the
increased crack sealing program to keep pace with the expanded seal coating program,
expanding our pond/storm system maintenance for compliance with the mandated NPDES
permit requirements, and a Federal Highway Administration street sign replacement
program.
Upon my full retirement the 2013 staffing levels would be as follows:
2013 - 7.5 Maintenance II's*, 2 Laborers, 4 summer employees = 21,680 field hours
* Lead workers reduced field hours (less 0.5)
• Overtime paid for snow plowing
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The following comparison of staffing information was collected from six cities that are
similar in size.
Prior
City Shakopee Ramsey Elk River Lake Hastings Otsego Waconia
Population 33,000 24,000 23,500 22,500 22,260 15,000 10,000
Square miles 34 32 44 18.3 44 38 4
Miles of streets 175 160 155 100 155 115 56
Employee
number 7 9 6.75 11 12 7 6
Summer Help 4 2 3 6 4 5 1
Total Field Hours 16,480 19,680 14,328 25,763 26,880 16,960 12,960
In summary, the Street Division is requesting the following positions be filled in the
timelines indicated:
Full Time Laborer -August 2011 -Paid with Phil's '/a Time Retirement
Full Time Maintenance II -January 2012 -To Replace Retiree of 2008
Full Time Maintenance II -January 2012 To Replace Retiree of 2010
Name Official Lead Worker -January 2013
Full Time Laborer -January 2013 -Paid with Other Half of Phil's Retirement
At the work session I will be prepared to discuss the above listed information in more detail
and take any comments, questions, or direction. If the Ciry Council is comfortable with
hiring a Street Division Laborer and the combining of the City Engineer/Public Works
Director position, I would propose bringing the items back at a later date for Council
approval. At which time an updated financial analysis will be presented. If you have any
questions on the above information before the meeting please call.
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