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The Public Works Department is seeking direction from the City Council to modify the work schedule for <br />operations and maintenance staff as described below. The purpose of this proposed modification is to <br />improve efficiency and productivity of the Department over the longer term response to COVID-19 <br />compared to the current split shift arrangement spanning over a 17 hour period Monday through <br />Thursday and over a 12.5 hour period on Fridays. <br />1.SHIFT SCHEDULE: Public Works operations and maintenance staff would continue to be organized <br />into two shifts with four full time employees working on Shift 1 and three full time employees working <br />on Shift 2. <br />▪Shift 1 Hours: 6:00 A.M. to 2:30 P.M. Monday through Friday <br />▪Shift 2 Hours: 7:00 A.M. to 3:30 P.M. Monday through Friday <br />2.SEASONAL STAFF: The operating budget provides funding for up to eight seasonal employees, but <br />the Department is moving forward with only four employees to better provide for social distancing <br />given the limited space at the Public Works Facility and the number of vehicles available. <br />▪Seasonal Hours: 7:00 A.M. to 3:30 P.M. Monday through Friday <br />▪Seasonal staff convene in the work bay area upon arrival in the morning to receive daily <br />assignments <br />▪Seasonal staff will take daily 30 minute break and 30 minute lunch at a City park location to <br />minimize the number of employees congregating at the shop. Hours will be monitored. <br />3.VEHICLES: The Engineering pickup truck will be temporarily transferred to operations and <br />maintenance functions for the summer, resulting in a total of six pickup trucks and four 1-ton trucks <br />available for daily use by staff. The large area mower can be driven to most locations without the <br />need for a transport truck and trailer. The Department will continue to maintain a one person per <br />vehicle practice to the extent practical. <br />4.BREAK AREAS AND SANITARY PRACTICES: Staff will begin utilizing the conference room at the Public <br />Works Facility for lunches and breaks to supplement the space available in the lunch room to maintain <br />minimum social distancing. Staff will continue to sanitize work surfaces, kitchen areas and break areas <br />a minimum of two times per day. Vehicles are sanitized at the end of each shift. <br />5.PPE RESOURCES: The Department is obtaining 40 cloth masks this week from FEMA supplies being <br />distributed through the Minnesota Rural Water Association, in addition to the current inventory <br />of disposable N95 masks. Operations and maintenance employees will be provided with three <br />cloth masks each, which can be laundered. Staff will be required to have a cloth mask with them at all <br />times during working hours. Operations and maintenance staff are required to wear masks when <br />obtaining materials at vendor locations and when interacting with the public. Staff has requested <br />that the use of masks be left to their individual discretion when not at a vendor location or <br />interacting with the public. The Department also has an inventory of gloves and eye protection <br />available for staff. <br />6.IMPLEMENTATION: The Public Works Department would prefer to implement the strategies outlined <br />above beginning on May 20th or 21st.