City Council Work Session
The City Council Work Session focused on presentations from outward-facing departments detailing service levels provided to residents and businesses. The Public Works department provided an extensive update covering its six workgroups. Key discussions included sewer operations, including cleaning divisions, jetting equipment, sewer inspection via television trucks, manhole repair and lining, breakdown repairs, flood preparation, and pump station maintenance (31 storm, 24 sanitary, 16 hybrid across the metro area). Sanitation updates covered garbage collection (6,500 customers), recycling, street cleaning (2,200 lane miles annually), bulk waste, and the scrub program (including e-waste and hazardous waste collection). New initiatives discussed included digitized utility locating, the use of electric refuse trucks with regenerative braking, and a pilot program for smaller 33-gallon recycling carts to encourage recycling. Special services for elderly or disabled residents regarding waste cart assistance were also detailed. Additionally, the B100 program utilizing biodiesel fuel in 21 side load trucks to reduce emissions was reviewed.