01-14-2015 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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515 Little Canada Road, Little Canada, MN 55117-1600 (651) 766-4029 / FAX: (651) 766-4048 www.ei.little-canadamin.us MEMORANDUM TO: Mayor Keis & Members of City Council FROM: Bill Dircks, Public Works Superintendent DATE: January 5, 2015 RE: Institution Community Work Crew Contract Renewal MAYOR John Kcis COUNCIL. Rick Montour Michael McCraw Tom Fischer Christian Torkelson ADMINISTRATOR Joel R. Hanson The City has been contracting with the State of Minnesota Department of Corrections for the use of a work crew for nearly ten years. The first two or three years the City had the crew for two days a week and they accomplished a lot of work, but it was difficult to come up with projects for such a big crew two days a week for a year. The past six or seven years has been on an as -needed basis. This allows the City to utilize a crew of up to ten offender crew members and a crew supervisor for a full day of work. In the past the crew has completed numerous projects for the City including tree trimming, hydrant painting, manhole cover replacement, construction of a few retaining walls, general right- of-way and park maintenance, and special projects such as sodding the Veteran's Memorial Park site last November. The cost for the crew is $475 per day for regular time and $67.50 per hour for overtime. The City was only able to use the crew on Fridays in 2014, which is an overtime day, but it is my understanding that there may be a crew available on Mondays and Tuesdays in 2015 unless it can get another city on a full-time contract. This past year we utilized the crew to trim trees and brush around the storm water ponds in Pioneer Park and Rondeau Park, they completed other miscellaneous tree trimming in the City's right-of-way including significant removal of buckthorn and other invasive brush on the Vanderbie right-of-way north of Allen Avenue, they removed the existing pavers from the Veteran's Memorial site and prepped the area for sod, and they sodded the entire site. The work crew can accomplish large amounts of work during a full day. The crew members work hard and the supervisors do a nice job of directing them. Staff recommends renewing the contract with the State of Minnesota Department of Corrections for 2015 at the terms listed above and in the attached contract. 1