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ARDEN HILLS SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION — AUGUST 11, 2025 25 Public Works Director/City Engineer Swearingen feels very strongly about the Street Lead. That is a missing piece. He understands adding a maintenance worker is a big ask. The information shows there is a labor gap when we don't have that additional worker. Councilmember Weber said he is saying we can push the maintenance worker off to the second half of 2026. Public Works Director/City Engineer Swearingen confirmed. We have been performing work with eight full time guys. He meets for thirty minutes at the end of the work day with the Leads, the Superintendent and the Assistant Public Works Director. There are so many times where it is clear that if we just had one more person, we could fill that gap. After mashing together the PTO calendar with the projects that we have going on, one more person would make a big difference. We can continue to make due with what we have but we have the data to support the need. Councilmember Weber said public works jobs are posted in the spring. If we get past that, those people are gone. Hiring someone later in the year will probably be more training. By pushing the hiring of that position to later in the year, we are passing on those people. He supports the lead position. He likes the idea of a half year. We have to see how the chips fall before we take that bite. In general, he supports the plan. Councilmember Holden asked if the seasonal calendar is set. Is there anything seasonals can do? Public Works Director/City Engineer Swearingen said the seasonals will always be busy. It is tough to task them with what requires a full-time operator. We have considered bumping it to 1 o seasonals, especially after learning of the hydrant servicing. The seasonals tend to be young and they don't have the skills that an experienced maintenance worker has. Mayor Grant said we have one that isn't a kid. Public Works Director/City Engineer Swearingen said we had a solid crew this year. Mayor Grant asked what the oldest seasonal worker is. Public Works Director/City Engineer Swearingen said he's the one who left to go to Ramsey County. Councilmember Holden said we are paying at or above what other Cities are paying. That's a plus for us. We do get transfers. Councilmember Monson asked if Staff needs anything else from us. Mayor Grant said it's his place to ask that. Councilmember Monson understands. She noted it's almost 9:OOpm and we are discussing how old our workers are. Mayor Grant said he knows. We are going to be done at 9:00. Councilmember Weber said she has the right to ask.