2015-04-28_PWETC_AgendaPacket - Laserfiche WebLink

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Xri 127 Member Lenz opined the way the program was promoted did not serve to 128 encourage interest its use, and suggested better promotion of the program if it was 129 to continue. 130 131 Member Cihacek questioned if better promotion would bring numbers up 132 sufficiently to make the program viable; stating that he personally transported his 133 leaves to the compost site and then returned in the spring to pick up compost, 134 noting that he found that of value as well. 135 AL 136 Member Lenz suggested promotion of both the leaf pickup program and 137 availability of compost for residents to help the environment either way. 138 139 Mr. Schwartz briefly reviewed anticipated replacement equipment needs in 2015 140 and 2016 at a total of $350,000 specific to the leaf program itself, and not 141 including extraneous equipment such as dump trucks and equipment used for 142 other applications as well. Mr. Schwartz advised that, the reason staff was 143 seeking input from the PWETC was due to the current equipment being at the end 144 of its useful life, leaving alternative but to replace it if the program was to 145 continue. 146 147 Specific to labor for the lea ogram alone Mr. Schwartz advised that in 2014 148 the City documented 1,026 crew hours for this program. Other Street Division 149 activities at that time of year (e.g. tree trimming, tree storm damage removal, sign 150 maintenance, patching, sweeping and other preventative maintenance) are put on 151 hold. 152 4 153 At the request of Member Cihacek, Mr. Schwartz confirmed that hours currently 154 used for the leaf pickup program could be allocated to those other areas. Mr. 155 Schwartz nothat, if trees were not sistently and properly trimmed, it 156 created additional maintenance costs to the City when additional tree damage 157 occurs during storms. 158 159 At the request of Member Seigler, Mr. Schwartz advised that more users didn't 160 necessarily can a direct incremental cost to the City as the current smaller 161 number of p 'ci ants required more travel time between stops for the crew. 162 163 While recognizi that promotion often impacted participation, in this case 164 Member Wozniak opined that it wouldn't be highly evident. Personally, Member 165 Wozniak opined that, while a nice service, the program was not worth the money 166 required; and without a large population turnover in the community that might 167 increase participation or indicate a newer demographic not aware of or alert to the 168 program, he could see no major increases in the program through additional or 169 more enticing promotion of it. 170 Page 4 of 17