Tuesday, June 30, 2009
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Wednesday, June 24, 2009
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The Pulaski City Council met yesterday with Mayor Dan Speer and Alderman Pat Miles absent.
Council members approved a resolution relative to street maintenance with the Tennessee Department of Transportation. City Administrator Terry Harrison reminded council members of the purchase of a street sweeper. City leaders learned of a little know grant that pays the city for maintenance of state roads in the city limits. Harrison stated that basically, the state is making the payments on the city’s street sweeper.
A resolution passed on second reading pertaining to $311,600 in appropriations for various organizations that serve the city. and consider a budget ordinance on second reading.
A public hearing relative to the 2009-2010 General Government, Natural Gas and Water & Sewer budgets was held with no one addressing the council.
A public hearing was held to get input concerning the rezoning of property on Mill Street from R-4 High Density Residential to C-2 Highway Service. The property in question is adjacent to the fire hall on the Minor Hill Highway. Dollar General plans to build a store at the location. No one spoke during the public hearing and the resolution to rezone the property passed on first reading.
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Council members approved a resolution relative to street maintenance with the Tennessee Department of Transportation. City Administrator Terry Harrison reminded council members of the purchase of a street sweeper. City leaders learned of a little know grant that pays the city for maintenance of state roads in the city limits. Harrison stated that basically, the state is making the payments on the city’s street sweeper.
A resolution passed on second reading pertaining to $311,600 in appropriations for various organizations that serve the city. and consider a budget ordinance on second reading.
A public hearing relative to the 2009-2010 General Government, Natural Gas and Water & Sewer budgets was held with no one addressing the council.
A public hearing was held to get input concerning the rezoning of property on Mill Street from R-4 High Density Residential to C-2 Highway Service. The property in question is adjacent to the fire hall on the Minor Hill Highway. Dollar General plans to build a store at the location. No one spoke during the public hearing and the resolution to rezone the property passed on first reading.
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Monday, June 22, 2009
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ROANOKE RAPIDS — Use of a street sweeper is more for function than it is for beauty, city Public Works Director Richard Parnell explains. The program, however, was grounded last year when four positions were frozen due to budget cuts and is now beginning its second year as the city continues to struggle with lower than expected revenues while shouldering part of the debt of The Roanoke Rapids Theatre.
“Really what drove it was when they froze four positions,” Parnell said Friday. “We had to reevaluate services, we had to prioritize our services.” Running the street sweeper, which requires a Commercial Driver’s License, a steady hand and defensive driving, also costs the city $80 to $90 an hour. Some of its mechanics are fragile, especially a device called the gutter broom, he said.
When the program was under way, it was a Monday through Thursday deal with a late night sweep of the avenue.
Parnell says, due to the size of the city, a second sweeper is needed to sweep debris on some 70 miles of curbed and guttered streets.
What are the consequences of going into a second year of not running the machinery, which has a $100,000 to $120,000 sticker price? “Some people think the sweeper is for beauty,” Parnell said. “It’s to keep sediment out of storm drainage which leads to the water (including the Roanoke River and streams).” There are already signs the street sweeper is not running. Some as minor as a dusting of sediment along street sides while in other places debris is covering storm grates, which could eventually lead to sediment building in storm drainage pipes, causing some street flooding.
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“Really what drove it was when they froze four positions,” Parnell said Friday. “We had to reevaluate services, we had to prioritize our services.” Running the street sweeper, which requires a Commercial Driver’s License, a steady hand and defensive driving, also costs the city $80 to $90 an hour. Some of its mechanics are fragile, especially a device called the gutter broom, he said.
When the program was under way, it was a Monday through Thursday deal with a late night sweep of the avenue.
Parnell says, due to the size of the city, a second sweeper is needed to sweep debris on some 70 miles of curbed and guttered streets.
What are the consequences of going into a second year of not running the machinery, which has a $100,000 to $120,000 sticker price? “Some people think the sweeper is for beauty,” Parnell said. “It’s to keep sediment out of storm drainage which leads to the water (including the Roanoke River and streams).” There are already signs the street sweeper is not running. Some as minor as a dusting of sediment along street sides while in other places debris is covering storm grates, which could eventually lead to sediment building in storm drainage pipes, causing some street flooding.
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SANTEE - A man who got his hand stuck inside a street sweeper vehicle Monday morning in Santee was recovering from serious injuries he suffered, authorities said.
The accident at Cottonwood and Buena Vista avenues, near Mission Gorge Road, occurred around 6:15 a.m., according to a Heartland fire dispatcher.
Paramedics took the unidentified man to Sharp Grossmont Hospital after he was freed from the vehicle by firefighters.
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The accident at Cottonwood and Buena Vista avenues, near Mission Gorge Road, occurred around 6:15 a.m., according to a Heartland fire dispatcher.
Paramedics took the unidentified man to Sharp Grossmont Hospital after he was freed from the vehicle by firefighters.
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Monday, June 15, 2009
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SALISBURY -- Starting July 1, Wicomico County will eliminate the street sweeping and leaf cleanup services it has offered to residents of housing developments for years.
"It might not seem like a big deal, but once you don't sweep, you'll see weeds growing up on the curb," said John Redden, acting Public Works director.
County Executive Richard M. Pollitt Jr. cut the services and also funds for herbicide spraying to save about $100,000 in the fiscal year 2010 budget. With the county's economic picture dark for the foreseeable future, Pollitt said leaf collection and street sweeping might not return for a "long time."
"It's nice to do and goes to the image of the county, but when you don't have a lot of money to go around, they finish a far-distant second," Pollitt said.
The decision affects more than 160 subdivisions throughout the county. It also affects Fruitland, Delmar and other municipalities which are recipients of the county's street sweeping service.
Bruce Murphy, who lives in the Willow Creek subdivision near Pemberton Road, said he views it as a "typical" cutback given tough economic times. The maintenance hiatus doesn't appear to be a big deal, but it will drive up the county's costs in the future, he said.
"The end result is that the county is cutting its own foot off," said Murphy, 49.
Pollitt said residents have a right to be upset over the changes.
"I hope every time people see a decrease in the level of services, they get very upset and think about what it takes to run a county," Pollitt said.
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"It might not seem like a big deal, but once you don't sweep, you'll see weeds growing up on the curb," said John Redden, acting Public Works director.
County Executive Richard M. Pollitt Jr. cut the services and also funds for herbicide spraying to save about $100,000 in the fiscal year 2010 budget. With the county's economic picture dark for the foreseeable future, Pollitt said leaf collection and street sweeping might not return for a "long time."
"It's nice to do and goes to the image of the county, but when you don't have a lot of money to go around, they finish a far-distant second," Pollitt said.
The decision affects more than 160 subdivisions throughout the county. It also affects Fruitland, Delmar and other municipalities which are recipients of the county's street sweeping service.
Bruce Murphy, who lives in the Willow Creek subdivision near Pemberton Road, said he views it as a "typical" cutback given tough economic times. The maintenance hiatus doesn't appear to be a big deal, but it will drive up the county's costs in the future, he said.
"The end result is that the county is cutting its own foot off," said Murphy, 49.
Pollitt said residents have a right to be upset over the changes.
"I hope every time people see a decrease in the level of services, they get very upset and think about what it takes to run a county," Pollitt said.
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Friday, June 12, 2009
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Skaneateles Town Highway Superintendent Jim Card is hoping to purchase a street sweeper to add to the municipality’s arsenal of large equipment.
Card presented the idea of purchasing a 1994 sweeper to the town board during their meeting on June 4. He has repeatedly rented the equipment from Cyncon Equipment Inc., a company near Rochester, to clean up the roadways in the town, at a cost of $8,500 a month.
He said he has received a letter from the supplier that if the highway department would like to purchase the sweeper they would credit the rent that has been paid toward the $20,000 cost. A brand new sweeper would cost approximately $100,000, Card said. “And we don’t need that,” he added.
According to Supervisor Phil Tierney, unless there was an urgency to purchase the equipment, he would prefer to follow the budget process.
Budget Officer Bridgett Winkelman said the highway department has $267,567 in reserve funds. Despite the amount sounding like a lot of money, Winkelman said it can go very quickly.
“My theory is, it’s probably the best buy you’re going to get,” Councilman Jim Greenfield said.
Winkelman said the board would have to post the information for 30 days before the board voted on the purchase as a permissive referendum. Tierney said he would like to get additional information and then post it.
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Card presented the idea of purchasing a 1994 sweeper to the town board during their meeting on June 4. He has repeatedly rented the equipment from Cyncon Equipment Inc., a company near Rochester, to clean up the roadways in the town, at a cost of $8,500 a month.
He said he has received a letter from the supplier that if the highway department would like to purchase the sweeper they would credit the rent that has been paid toward the $20,000 cost. A brand new sweeper would cost approximately $100,000, Card said. “And we don’t need that,” he added.
According to Supervisor Phil Tierney, unless there was an urgency to purchase the equipment, he would prefer to follow the budget process.
Budget Officer Bridgett Winkelman said the highway department has $267,567 in reserve funds. Despite the amount sounding like a lot of money, Winkelman said it can go very quickly.
“My theory is, it’s probably the best buy you’re going to get,” Councilman Jim Greenfield said.
Winkelman said the board would have to post the information for 30 days before the board voted on the purchase as a permissive referendum. Tierney said he would like to get additional information and then post it.
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Thursday, June 11, 2009
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ASHEVILLE — Litter cleanup on the streets around the Asheville Civic Center went smoothly overnight in the wake of the Tuesday night Phish concert.
City of Asheville street crews used street sweepers and other equipment to clean up after thousands of fans who flooded the area for the concert, said Asheville Public Works Director Mark Combs.
"By daybreak, the downtown looked good except for some private property," said Combs, who noted city workers are only authorized to clean up public property.
A crew of five workers spent much of the night emptying trash cans and using a street sweeper to clear debris. A water truck also was used to flush Haywood and Flint streets with water, Combs said.
Private property owners with a litter problem today from the concert will have to bag the trash themselves, but the city will pick up the bags, he said
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City of Asheville street crews used street sweepers and other equipment to clean up after thousands of fans who flooded the area for the concert, said Asheville Public Works Director Mark Combs.
"By daybreak, the downtown looked good except for some private property," said Combs, who noted city workers are only authorized to clean up public property.
A crew of five workers spent much of the night emptying trash cans and using a street sweeper to clear debris. A water truck also was used to flush Haywood and Flint streets with water, Combs said.
Private property owners with a litter problem today from the concert will have to bag the trash themselves, but the city will pick up the bags, he said
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Wednesday, June 10, 2009
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The Chesterton Stormwater Utility has taken delivery of its new street sweeper.
Stormwater Utility Superintendent Mark O’Dell told the Town Council at its meeting Monday night that the new sweeper, purchased from Brown Equipment Company Inc. of Forth Wayne for $129,500, is in.
The Stormwater Utility paid cash on the barrel for the sweeper--which is actually a demo model with 97 road miles and 27 sweeping hours, $8,000 less expensive than a brand new one--and so saved at least $25,000 in interest payments.
O’Dell added that the new Stormwater Utility logo--a rain drop--will soon be applied to the machine.
Street Commissioner John Schnadenberg--who had estimated the cost of a new sweeper at $135,000--had originally asked the Stormwater Management Board to consider splitting a five-year lease-purchase agreement with the Street Department. But the council urged the board to bear the entire cost, inasmuch as a strict street-sweeping protocol is a requirement of the MS4 program.
President Emerson DeLaney, R-5th, thanked Stormwater Management Board President Thomas Kopko for finding the cash to make the purchase.
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Stormwater Utility Superintendent Mark O’Dell told the Town Council at its meeting Monday night that the new sweeper, purchased from Brown Equipment Company Inc. of Forth Wayne for $129,500, is in.
The Stormwater Utility paid cash on the barrel for the sweeper--which is actually a demo model with 97 road miles and 27 sweeping hours, $8,000 less expensive than a brand new one--and so saved at least $25,000 in interest payments.
O’Dell added that the new Stormwater Utility logo--a rain drop--will soon be applied to the machine.
Street Commissioner John Schnadenberg--who had estimated the cost of a new sweeper at $135,000--had originally asked the Stormwater Management Board to consider splitting a five-year lease-purchase agreement with the Street Department. But the council urged the board to bear the entire cost, inasmuch as a strict street-sweeping protocol is a requirement of the MS4 program.
President Emerson DeLaney, R-5th, thanked Stormwater Management Board President Thomas Kopko for finding the cash to make the purchase.
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A day after a Dane County highway worker was killed on the job, sheriff's deputies set up a "move over" traffic enforcement operation and nabbed numerous drivers for failing to follow the rules in a construction zone.
Three deputies issued 29 citations between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. last Friday in a construction zone on U.S. 14 near Oregon, including tickets for speeding, failure to change lanes while passing a parked emergency vehicle, operating while revoked, and failure to use seat belts.
The enforcement came a day after James Porter, 61, Monona, was killed when he was hit by a pickup truck the afternoon of June 4 in the northbound lanes of U.S. 151 in Sun Prairie.
Porter was on a maintenance crew, driving a truck with an electronic arrow on it. The arrow was flashing to warn motorists to move over to the right lane of the multi-lane highway, so the crew could work in the left lane and shoulder of the northbound lanes.
The arrow truck was preceded by a dump truck and a street sweeper. Authorities said a pickup driven by Alan Borgardt, 59, hit a trailer on the back of Porter's truck, then the median and Porter before hitting the street sweeper.
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Three deputies issued 29 citations between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. last Friday in a construction zone on U.S. 14 near Oregon, including tickets for speeding, failure to change lanes while passing a parked emergency vehicle, operating while revoked, and failure to use seat belts.
The enforcement came a day after James Porter, 61, Monona, was killed when he was hit by a pickup truck the afternoon of June 4 in the northbound lanes of U.S. 151 in Sun Prairie.
Porter was on a maintenance crew, driving a truck with an electronic arrow on it. The arrow was flashing to warn motorists to move over to the right lane of the multi-lane highway, so the crew could work in the left lane and shoulder of the northbound lanes.
The arrow truck was preceded by a dump truck and a street sweeper. Authorities said a pickup driven by Alan Borgardt, 59, hit a trailer on the back of Porter's truck, then the median and Porter before hitting the street sweeper.
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Monday, June 8, 2009
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A Dane County Highway Department worker was killed Thursday afternoon after being hit by a pickup truck on Highway 151 near Sun Prairie.
James S. Porter, 61, of Monona, died at the scene from “major traumatic injuries,” according to the Dane County Coroner and the sheriff’s office.
Porter was part of a team doing maintenance work in the northbound lanes when he was hit by a Ford F-150 driven by 59-year-old Alan C. Borgardt just before 2 p.m. about a half mile south of the Sun Prairie Main Street exit.
Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Elise Schaffer said Porter was driving a truck with an electronic arrow attached to the back to warn motorists to move into the right lane.
He and two other workers and their vehicles, a street sweeper and dump truck, had been moving slowly down the left lane and shoulder of 151.
Schaffer said Borgardt appeared not to be paying attention when he hit the trailer on Porter’s truck.
He then hit the median and ran into Porter, who had stopped briefly and gotten out of his truck.
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James S. Porter, 61, of Monona, died at the scene from “major traumatic injuries,” according to the Dane County Coroner and the sheriff’s office.
Porter was part of a team doing maintenance work in the northbound lanes when he was hit by a Ford F-150 driven by 59-year-old Alan C. Borgardt just before 2 p.m. about a half mile south of the Sun Prairie Main Street exit.
Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Elise Schaffer said Porter was driving a truck with an electronic arrow attached to the back to warn motorists to move into the right lane.
He and two other workers and their vehicles, a street sweeper and dump truck, had been moving slowly down the left lane and shoulder of 151.
Schaffer said Borgardt appeared not to be paying attention when he hit the trailer on Porter’s truck.
He then hit the median and ran into Porter, who had stopped briefly and gotten out of his truck.
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Wednesday, June 3, 2009
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OLYMPIA, WA, A participant in the upcoming Breast Cancer 3-Day walk in Seattle, Washington has come up with a novel way to raise funds: she will sell a pink street sweeper at an unreserved auction in Olympia and put half the proceeds towards her team's fundraising efforts. Tina McDonough, the owner of One.7, Inc., the largest used sweeper dealer in the U.S., will sell the pink 2001 Elgin/Freightliner FL70 S/A street sweeper at an unreserved public auction being conducted by Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (www.rbauction.com) in Olympia on June 17 & 18, 2009. Ritchie Bros. will also donate its commission and any additional fees from the street sweeper's sale to the breast cancer fundraiser.
"I lost one of my friends to breast cancer," said Ms. McDonough. "I can't bring her back, but I can raise funds to help find a cure for breast cancer. I walked the 3-Day for the first time in 2007 to honor Michelle while she battled this disease. After she passed away, I decided enough is enough. So I formed a team to walk again in 2008. Together we raised $115,000 for the cure. We want to do more this year, so we decided to paint and sell one of the sweepers from our fleet to raise awareness and more funds towards a cure for breast cancer."
The pink 2001 Freightliner/Elgin street sweeper will be sold on Thursday, June 18 as part of a two-day, unreserved public auction at the Ritchie Bros. auction site in Olympia. The sweeper will be sold to the highest bidder on auction day, with no minimum bids or reserve prices. If the highest bidder is a U.S. taxpayer, they will receive a charitable donation receipt for 50 percent of their winning bid.
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"I lost one of my friends to breast cancer," said Ms. McDonough. "I can't bring her back, but I can raise funds to help find a cure for breast cancer. I walked the 3-Day for the first time in 2007 to honor Michelle while she battled this disease. After she passed away, I decided enough is enough. So I formed a team to walk again in 2008. Together we raised $115,000 for the cure. We want to do more this year, so we decided to paint and sell one of the sweepers from our fleet to raise awareness and more funds towards a cure for breast cancer."
The pink 2001 Freightliner/Elgin street sweeper will be sold on Thursday, June 18 as part of a two-day, unreserved public auction at the Ritchie Bros. auction site in Olympia. The sweeper will be sold to the highest bidder on auction day, with no minimum bids or reserve prices. If the highest bidder is a U.S. taxpayer, they will receive a charitable donation receipt for 50 percent of their winning bid.
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WASHINGTON - A tragic roadside construction accident in the District has claimed the life of a female worker.
It happened Friday night at a work zone on interstate 395 at the Maine Avenue exit. D.C. Police say a street sweeper struck and killed the woman as she directed traffic. Neither police nor the city's department of transportation is saying how it happened.
D-Dot says the worker was part of a crew from the Fort Myer Construction company, a city contractor working on a paving project.
Safety experts are concerned the number of these kinds of accidents could be headed upward. With $28 billion dollars in stimulus money...the number of roadside projects is growing rapidly.
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It happened Friday night at a work zone on interstate 395 at the Maine Avenue exit. D.C. Police say a street sweeper struck and killed the woman as she directed traffic. Neither police nor the city's department of transportation is saying how it happened.
D-Dot says the worker was part of a crew from the Fort Myer Construction company, a city contractor working on a paving project.
Safety experts are concerned the number of these kinds of accidents could be headed upward. With $28 billion dollars in stimulus money...the number of roadside projects is growing rapidly.
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Monday, June 1, 2009
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Two women were struck by vehicles and killed in the District on Friday night and Saturday morning, authorities said. One was apparently at work on a paving project and the other, a caregiver, was crossing a street, authorities said.
In the first incident, a construction worker was struck about 11:10 p.m. on southbound Interstate 395 near Maine Avenue SW, D.C. police said. John B. Townsend III, a spokesman for AAA Mid-Atlantic said he understood the woman was acting as a flagger, directing traffic, when she was struck by a piece of heavy equipment known as a road sweeper.
Townsend said the flagger is typically the most vulnerable worker at road construction sites.
A spokeswoman for the D.C. Department of Transportation said a private contractor was involved in repaving the Southeast-Southwest Freeway. The spokeswoman, who expressed condolences to the victim's relatives, said she understood that the vehicle involved belonged to the contractor and was used in the project.
Attempts to reach the contractor were unsuccessful. Police released little information, but a police spokesman said he understood that occupational safety authorities had taken over the investigation.
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In the first incident, a construction worker was struck about 11:10 p.m. on southbound Interstate 395 near Maine Avenue SW, D.C. police said. John B. Townsend III, a spokesman for AAA Mid-Atlantic said he understood the woman was acting as a flagger, directing traffic, when she was struck by a piece of heavy equipment known as a road sweeper.
Townsend said the flagger is typically the most vulnerable worker at road construction sites.
A spokeswoman for the D.C. Department of Transportation said a private contractor was involved in repaving the Southeast-Southwest Freeway. The spokeswoman, who expressed condolences to the victim's relatives, said she understood that the vehicle involved belonged to the contractor and was used in the project.
Attempts to reach the contractor were unsuccessful. Police released little information, but a police spokesman said he understood that occupational safety authorities had taken over the investigation.
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