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Public Areas Department proposed in Fort Dodge

It would consolidate maintenance chores

-Messenger file photo
An aerial view of Fort Dodge’s Harlan and Hazel Rogers Sports Complex from 2015 is shown. The sports complex would have a $495,577 budget under a proposal discussed Monday.

In Fort Dodge, there are places and situations in which the city’s Development Services Department is responsible for mowing the grass and shoveling the snow.

However, that department doesn’t own a mower, a shovel or a snowblower.

A new agency called the Public Areas Department has been proposed to take care of all city properties and relieve other departments, such as Development Services, of the need to figure out how to get things done that don’t really seem like part of their main mission.

Assistant City Manager Ryan Maehl said Monday that implementing this new agency would actually save money by bringing maintenance work in-house, eliminating the need to hire contractors.

He added that it will allow other city departments to “do what they should be doing” instead of mowing grass and shoveling snow.

“We’re excited for it,” he said.

The concept of the Public Areas Department was introduced to the City Council Monday evening during a budget workshop.

In the fiscal year that begins July 1, it would have a proposed budget of $2,387,519.

The new department would be in charge of these tasks:

• Parks maintenance

• Custodial services

• Streetscape maintenance

• Upkeep and operation of the cemeteries

• Forestry work

It would be staffed by transferring employees from other city departments, most notably the Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department. That department has an eight-member parks and forestry crew which would become the nucleus of the new agency.

The new department will provide “seamless and improved services for all the growth we’re seeing,” said Lori Branderhorst, the director of parks, recreation and forestry.

Maehl said the plan is for the new department to start operating in April.

None of the council members commented on the planned Public Areas Department.

Also on Monday, the council reviewed these proposed budgets:

Fire Department

Current budget: $3,286,093

Proposed budget: $3,743,016

Iowa Municipal Police and Fire Retirement System contributions

Current budget: $1,437,006

Proposed budget: $1,471,907

Social Security/Iowa Public Employee Retirement System

Current budget: $1,153,322

Proposed budget: $1,196,733

Ambulance

Current budget: $1,175,536

Proposed budget: $1,131,476

The ambulance service is provided by the Fire Department but it has a separate budget because it is paid for with fees.

Employee health and life insurance

Current budget: $1,116,400

Proposed budget: $2,787,782

Lakeside Municipal Golf Course

Current budget: $659,976

Proposed budget: $636,670

Harlan and Hazel Rogers Sports Complex

Current budget: $445,771

Proposed budget: $495,577

The complex north of the city has softball, baseball and soccer fields.

General administration

Current budget: $394,800

Proposed budget: $397,200

Rosedale Rapids Aquatics Center/Splash Pad

Current budget: $365,232

Proposed budget: $411,846

DART bus

Current budget: $262,000

Proposed budget: $262,000

Community recreation

Current budget: $238,178

Proposed budget: $238,017

Information technology

Current budget: $213,934

Proposed budget: $175,000

City Clerk’s Office

Current: $208,640

Proposed: $213,150

Mayor and City Manager’s Office

Current budget: $150,154

Proposed budget: $153,381

Human resources

Current budget: $80,519

Proposed budget: $90,359

Legal services

Current budget: $30,000

Proposed budget: $30,000

City Council

Current budget: $18,956

Proposed budget: $18,956

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