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City Council Study Session — 08/15/OS <br />DRAFT Minutes - Page 9 <br />only for vehicle fuel, but for petroleum products (i.e., <br />bituminous); and the impacts realized during 2005 from the <br />maintenance position reduction in maintenance of rights-of-way; <br />pathway and parking lot maintenance; and anticipated more <br />impacts, and the possible need to contract out more maintenance <br />projects than addressing them in-house due to a shortage of <br />manpower (i.e., pathway reconstruction andlor maintenance). <br />Councilmember Ihlan noted the concern she'd expressed during <br />2005 Budget discussions related to whether cutting the <br />maintenance position would, in fact, cause more expenses in <br />outsourcing. Councilmember Ihlan requested additional <br />analytical information from staff to quantify whether it would <br />make more sense to restore the maintenance position. <br />Mr. Schwartz advised that the information could be provided per <br />proj ect. <br />Mr. Schwartz discussed the department's continual monitoring of <br />maintenance strategies (i.e., utilizing mill and overlay and <br />sealcoating to prolong street life), to delay costs of total <br />reconstruction; and provided predictions over a ten-year period. <br />Mr. Schwartz advised that this would allow the department to <br />maintain their course from year-to-year using calculations for <br />street maintenance with existing infrastructure funds (Capital <br />Improvement and Minnesota State Aid dollars), rather than <br />expenditures fluctuating drastically from year to year. <br />Building Maintenance <br />Mr. Schwartz requested a three percent overall increase, <br />basically to cover additional expenses at the new facilities, and <br />rising energy costs. <br />Councilmember Kough expressed concern that the City <br />contracted with too many outside contractors (i.e., janitorial, <br />electrical, HVAC) and questioned why more of those things <br />couldn't be done through "on-call" needs, with City personnel <br />handling minor maintenance issues. <br />Mr. Schwartz advised that staff only contracts out for those <br />services in which City personnel lack the expertise to handle; and <br />