City Council Study Session Summary 2007 02 27

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City Council Study Session Summary February 27,2007 Page 2 of 3 Recap - Snow Removal Procedures Tom Phare gave the Council a recap of the established snow removal procedures and discussed how the process worked for the storms in December and January. He noted staff levels for the Operations Division is 14 staff plus two mechanics and one administrative person. He added that over the past four years resource allocations for snow removal have declined. He also noted that the growth in regional traffic over the past few years has impacted the amount of traffic on the streets, particularly as regional roads were shut down during the snow storms. Sisk noted that staff performed well during the storms but asked Phare what resources may make the process better in the future. Phare noted that the purchase of ice-slicer should be considered as a part of the overall snow removal plan. However, he noted that should the City purchase the ice-slicer, it will require an enclosed storage facility which would need to be built. Scott Robson gave an overview of the role of the Land Management Department during recent snow storms. Their role is to keep City parking lots and offices clear of snow as well as clearing some of the paved trials. He noted that his staff was reallocated during the storms to help with intersections and some side streets. He noted that this redistribution of resources seemed to work well in the larger storms. Sackett asked about the possibility of creating a volunteer program to help residents who might need to get out of their homes in a non-emergency medical situation or the like. Yarnell added that perhaps the Senior Center's Snowbusters program could be expanded for such an occasion. Goodman noted that during the storms his officers helped a few residents with such problems. He noted however that many residents his staff spoke with wanted to get out of their homes for appointments. Those residents were reminded to call ahead as most offices were closed due to the weather. Goodman noted that in the cases of real emergencies, the Operations staff was able to help the ambulances get through as needed. Sisk asked about street repairs that will be needed now after the storms. Phare noted that the needed repairs are extensive and will require some reallocation of funds from the 2007 CIP projects. He noted that potholes are being patched, but the cold patch will not hold well over the long term and additional work will be needed this summer. Sisk asked Phare to provide resource recommendations as a part of the 2008 budget process. City Manager's Report Salser went over the proposed agendas for the March 6 meeting and the March 13 study session.