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Discuss Public Works Restructuring
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<br />improvement from major maintenance to reconstruction. In addition, to extend the life of the new streets
<br />as long as possible (50-60 years), Public Works will need to oversee seal coats, crack filling, mill and
<br />overlays, and other major maintenance to these new streets. It is estimated that every $1 spent on
<br />maintenance equates to $10 in deferred reconstruction costs for asphalt pavements.
<br />Many of the municipal sanitary sewers are distressed, cracked, or failing whereby allowing inflow and
<br />infiltration (1/1) of "clear" or clean water to enter. All collected sewage is transported to Metro Council
<br />facilities, who in turn, charges the City costs associated with treating the sewage based upon volume.
<br />This is a significant cost to the City and totals approximately $800,000 annually. Public Works began
<br />repairing, replacing, and sliplining sanitary sewers to reduce 1/1 into the system about 5 years ago, but
<br />many more pipes need attention. Each gallon per minute of clear water entering our 45 miles of trunk
<br />sewer (many more miles of service laterals) equates to approximately $1,000 annually in MCES fees.
<br />Similar examples exist for capital improvements that are or will be needed for the water supply facilities
<br />(process equipment, building repairs, reroofing, etc.) and distribution system (water line breaks),
<br />stormwater collection system and ponds (dredging, drainage improvements, etc.), parks and recreational
<br />facilities (shelters, ball fields, playgrounds, tennis courts, trails, etc.), and building facilities (HVAC,
<br />reroofing, energy upgrades, remodels, etc.). Public Works is expecting that capital improvements will
<br />be needed for the aging infrastructure into the foreseeable future.
<br />Increase in Capital Improvements by Ramsey County and MnDOT
<br />Our metropolitan sector has been and will continue to be inundated with major highway projects by
<br />Ramsey County and MnDOT. The Public Works Director has been coordinating on behalf of Mounds
<br />View for these various projects, including the TH 10 bridge reconstruction over 1-35W (2012), TH 10/96
<br />Interchange reconstruction (2013), and Traffic Signal at County Road 10/Silver Lake Road (2013-2014).
<br />In addition, the PW Director served as a member of the 1-35W Management Lane Technical Advisory
<br />Committee (2011-2013) and Project Management Team for TH 96 (est. 2015) and County Road H
<br />bridge replacements over 1-35W and County Road H intersection improvements (est. 2016). It is also
<br />expected that the TCAAP redevelopment will also consume PW E staff time — especially considering that
<br />Mounds View serves the portion south of County Road H with sanitary sewer and the north side (DVS
<br />complex) with water supply.
<br />Increase in Regulatory Agency Mandates
<br />There has been a steady flood of increased mandates by federal, state, regional, and local regulatory
<br />agencies with jurisdiction in Mounds View during the last decade, but these mandates have exploded
<br />the past few years causing additional burden on Public Works staff. Many of these mandates originate
<br />at the federal level but state and regional agencies are often charged with enforcing these federal
<br />mandates (e.g., MnDOT for FWHA). The following is an example of recent mandates adding some of
<br />the most burden to Public Works (there are many more examples):
<br />1. Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permit. This permit provides the City the
<br />needed approval to discharge it's stormwater to Rice Creek. This permit is mandated by federal
<br />regulations under the Clean Water Act (EPA) and administered by the Minnesota Pollution
<br />Control Agency (MPCA). The permit term is 5 years and a new cycle began August 1, 2013. Six
<br />Minimum control measures (MCMs) require numerous best management practices (BMPs)
<br />adding new regulations such as stepped up inspections, increased documentation and training,
<br />expanded written procedures, increased enforcement, and other internal operation mandates.
<br />2. Wellhead Protection Plan (WHPP): Parts 1 and 2 of the WHPP were performed over the past
<br />several years and finalized in October 2013. The program is administered locally by the
<br />Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and requires BMPs for protecting source water supplies.
<br />Examples of required actions include public education and outreach, tracking potential sources
<br />of contamination, monitoring zoning and coordinating with LGUs within the Drinking Water
<br />Supply Management Area (DWSMA) with spans various municipalities and cities.
<br />3. Retroreflectivity Standards for Traffic Control Signs: A new regulation mandated by the Federal
<br />Highway Administration (FWHA) and administered locally by MnDOT requiring inspection and
<br />evaluation of reflectivity of traffic signs.
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