#04 - PW Operational Assessment Recommendation

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PUBLIC WORKS ORGANIZATIONAL ASSESSMENT 29 Conclusion Over the last decade, the City of Lake Elmo Department of Public Works staff has faced high rates of growth in the infrastructure that must be maintained that has far outpaced the rate of population growth within the City. Despite that, the Department has worked to identify service level targets that align with industry standards, track their efforts, and meet the identified service level targets despite not adding additional Operator positions since 2019. The strain of meeting those work demands is becoming evident. Staff concerns with work/life balance, the ability to take time off, and workplace safety indicate that conditions are not sustainable. The recommendations offered by this report are intended to aid the City in ensuring the staff capacity needed to balance reactive work with preventative maintenance activities to prolong the useful life of the City’s critical assets. They are designed to create the staffing capacity to attract and retain employees. They also offer the City a pathway to develop a data-driven approach to work planning and assessing future staffing needs. Successfully implemented, these recommendations should provide the Department with adequate resources to be efficient and effective now as well as provide a methodology whereby the Department can support future requests for additional resources necessary to provide high quality service to the community.