The Public Works Committee approved a 2026 pilot deal with Safe Step LLC to expand sidewalk inspections and lower-cost repairs. It also cut a private snow-removal bill in half for a Mishicot Road business and flagged that the city’s sidewalk-repair rules may need a rewrite.
The committee approved a 2026 pilot professional-services agreement with Safe Step LLC to inspect about 8.65 miles of sidewalks (starting in the northeast), keep condition data, and do lower-cost fixes like grinding/saw-cutting where possible. Staff emphasized the math: roughly $50–$100 per small repair versus about $375 per panel replacement, with examples from other cities claiming sizable savings. The committee also signaled a bigger policy shift may be coming—staff will explore changing the city code so DPW can do sidewalk replacements in-house and then bill adjacent property owners, which could change how quickly repairs happen and how costs get assigned.
Staff reported the March 14–17 storm dropped 21.5 inches and required extended plowing and cleanup, plus some equipment damage and heavy fuel use. The big takeaway: an early review shows about 80% of the year’s snow-and-ice overtime budget was spent on this single storm, which is the kind of number that can force mid-year tradeoffs if more big storms hit. Repairs noted included a ToolCat snowblower attachment module/tie rod, a haul-truck rear differential, and other minor fixes.
Staff said private-sidewalk enforcement lagged after the March storm: DPW didn’t start addressing private sidewalk complaints until March 24, about a week after snowfall ended, and the department received 57 complaints. The committee also heard an appeal from the Shell/Fast Taco property on Mishicot Road after the city cleared 515.34 feet of sidewalk and billed $644.18; the city manager questioned whether driveway openings were included in the footage. The committee voted to subtract 40 feet for driveways and then cut the remaining bill by 50%, showing the city is willing to negotiate charges case-by-case even while it struggles to keep up with complaint response times during major storms.
The committee reviewed a request (forwarded as a council communication) to change plowing on the 4300 block of Mishicot Road by pushing snow to the center for later pickup, similar to Forest Avenue. Staff said Forest is handled differently because the sidewalk sits right at the curb, while Mishicot’s sidewalk is set back about five feet, leaving terrace space to store snow. After discussion, the committee agreed not to change current plowing operations there.
Staff reported another repair to the DPW truck-garage heater ($260.50) and a contractor recommendation to replace the aging unit, estimated around $5,700. The committee leaned toward waiting until it fails, while staff warned a breakdown during a cold snap could damage equipment stored inside. The committee’s compromise was to revisit the decision in the fall and see if the budget can absorb a replacement before winter risk returns.