PUBLIC WORKS DIVISION

Street and Storm Sewer Section: The Street and Storm Sewer Section of the Public Works Division handles the following on a daily basis:

• Answer a wide variety of complaints ranging from streets to drainage to trees.
• Maintain roadways, curbs, sidewalks, and rights-of-way.
• Repair, maintain, and construct storm sewer systems.
• Sweep and flush streets.
• Trim trees and weeds, along with the control and removal of the same.
• Monitor and maintain drainage adjacent to City Landfill sites.
• Snow removal and deicing.
• Traffic control and clean up for special events - - WVU Football games, Parades, etc.
• Maintain and construct roadway drainage.
• Repair and install street name signs.
• Repair and maintain guardrails.
• Clean and flush storm sewers
• Assist other Departments and City Organizations as needed

Graph of Work Tasks

Signs and Signals/Building Maintenance Section: The Signs & Signals/Building Maintenance Section of the Public Works Division handles the following on a daily basis:

• Install and maintain traffic signs and signals and street lights.
• Install and maintain pavement and curb markings.

Maintain City Hall, Public Safety Building, and other City Government facilities.

• •Provide janitorial services for City Hall and Public Safety Building.
• Operate a sign-making machine.
• Install signs as needed and requested by City Administration and other City Departments.
• Post streets with appropriate signage for parades and athletic events.

Graph of Tasks Accomplished

Fleet Maintenance Section: The Fleet Maintenance Section handles the following on a daily basis.

• Maintain and inspect the City fleet which includes approximately 170 vehicles and other pieces of equipment.
• Operate and maintain the computerized fuel pump station.

Graph of Tasks Accomplished

The work force in each of the Divisions and Sections is as follows:

Engineering Division (3 employees)

Code Enforcement Division (6 employees)

At present, the Code Enforcement Officers have the following certifications:

1 Officer: BOCA PM/HI

1 Officer: BOCA PM/HI, CABO Mechanical, CABO Building

1 Officer: Master Electrician registered by the State of West Virginia

(Scheduled for BOCA certification exams December)

1 Officer: Master Electrician registered by the State of West Virginia,

BOCA PM/HI, CABO Plumbing, CABO Electrical, CABO Building, BOCA Electrical, Representative for the State of West Virginia of the International Association of Electrical Inspectors

1 Officer: BOCA PM/HI, CABO Mechanical, CABO Building, serves on the Board of Directors for WV Code Official Association

Public Works Division (43 Total Employees)

Division Manager 1 Secretary II 1

Street & Storm Sewer Section (27 Employees)

Signs & Signals/Building Maintenance (8 Employees)

Fleet Maintenance Section (6 Employees)

Operation of the Public Works Department requires special equipment, machines, and tools. All divisions and sections within the Public Works Department use computers and printers. The Engineering Division also uses a full size copy machine and surveying equipment. The Engineering Division will also be acquiring a full size scanner in order to scan the drawings within the Division.

The Public Works Division uses more than seventy (70) pieces of large equipment (including a skid steer loader, 1-ton dump trucks, a bucket truck for street and traffic lights, 1 ˝ ton dump trucks, vactor truck, grader, sweeper, flusher, backhoes, hi-lift loader, mowing equipment)

PAST YEAR'S ACTIVITIES

The Public Works Department's activities during the past 12 months included the general and routine functions of the different divisions and some special tasks and projects. The following is a summary of these activities:

Engineering Division:

• Processed 424 work orders and complaints from citizens and council. These requests included complaints and inquiries. They were broken down between divisions as follows:

Street and Storm Sewer Section 150

Signs & Signals/Building Maintenance 134

Engineering 64

Code Enforcement 76

• The 2000 Paving Program resulted in resurfacing 46 street sections totaling approximately 30,714 linear feet (approximately 5.8 miles) using 5,877 tons of asphalt.
• Designed and constructed (with the Street Section and Signs and Signals Section personnel) a parking lot at the end of Court Street for the Trail users.
• Began design work for storm water bypass pipes on Burroughs Run.
• Administered the contract for the construction of a 96-inch CMP culvert at Dogwood Avenue which was destroyed in flooding in February and May of 2000.
• Worked with FEMA to regain monies for damages to various structures during the flood in February 2000.
• Administered the contracts for the landfill environmental monitoring.
• Administered the contract for the uniform rental services.
• Administered the contract for the Wharf District Revitalization Project - Hurley Street Improvements.
• Continued the contract for the removal of an underground storage tank at the City Garage in order to meet federal deadlines for compliance of UST's.
• Purchased new computers to aid in tracking work done by the Engineering Division, tracking complaints, and implementing the new GIS system. New software purchased which will make work done by this Division compatible with the Street and Storm Sewer Division and Code Enforcement. Software will also be used for pavement management, traffic signs inventory, and other engineering programs and projects including GIS.
• City Engineer attended several seminars in order to maintain Professional Development Hours requirements to meet State Licensing Requirements.

• Reviewed plans for several private sector developments within the City.
• Continued implementing the NFIP for FEMA.
• Purchased a new street sweeper and various vehicles for the Public Works Department.
• Upgraded radio system for the Public Works Department.
• Began the engineering design for the construction of the sidewalks and pedestrian bridge at Marilla Park for the 1999 TEA-21 grant.
• Began work on the shoulder berms and safety rail on the Decker's Creek and Caperton Rail/Trail for the 2000 TEA-21 grant.
• Aided in submittal of TEA-21 grant for the installation of a pedestrian bridge across South University Avenue and continuing work on Clay Street in the Wharf District.
• Attended Traffic Commission meetings for technical and City staff input.
• Assisted the West Virginia DOH in several construction projects including Patteson Drive Signal, Downtown Signalization, and South High Street Bridge.
• Continued updating the Flood Plain Ordinance to reflect FEMA regulations.
• Continued reorganizing and upgrading the filing system and records retention for the Public Works Department.
• Continued reorganizing and general cleaning of the storage area and basement of City Hall.
• Began work to install a restroom facility and roof over the amphitheater at Hazel Ruby McQuain Park
• Worked with George Longenecker on the West Virginia Botanic Garden on Tyrone Road.
• Assisted with video projects for City Council as needed.

Code Enforcement Division:

• Processed 1,811 permits for work valued at $61,994,551. This included several multi-unit apartment buildings and office buildings and brought in $78,066 in fees for these permits.
• Inspected 1,954 rental units for compliance with BOCA Property Maintenance Codes.
• All Code Enforcement Officers now carry cell phones along with 2-way radios. This aids in the protection for the officer as well as making them more accessible to the contractors. It also improved the number of inspections that were performed daily.
• Two officers' hours have been changed to 7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. to provide better access to the contractors. Along with staying open during lunch, the Code Enforcement office is open 10 hours a day.
• A program has been instituted to catch property owners with over-occupied apartments. This has been very successful as we have caught and cited several property owners for violation.
• Exterior property maintenance program has continued to be successful. Ninety-three (93) property owners were sent letters concerning trash on their property, 94 letters were sent about high grass and weeds, and 111 exterior property letters were sent regarding the exterior of the properties.
• One hundred fifty (150) houses had siding installed and another 104 houses have been painted. An additional 41 paint letters have been sent to property owners.
• Razed and removed 30 structures and the lots reclaimed.
• Purchased an additional carbon monoxide detector for use in inspections.
• Officers attended several educational seminars to obtain C.E.U.s to maintain certification and to better serve the public.
• Issued 52 citations (total fines were $5,365) to achieve compliance. Citations were issued for tampering with the smoke detectors, over-occupancy, unregistered rentals, interior furniture on porches, etc.
• Issued 37 stop work orders (total of $1,480 in fees) for working without a building permit, not building to code standards, no contractor's license, falsifying contractors' license, etc.
• More B.O.C.A. codes have been installed on the library computer for faster response to public questions and requests for assistance. This will also enhance time and quality of work performed by Code Enforcement Officers.
• Cameras are still in all vehicles for better documentation of problems and for use in court appearances.

Public Works Division:

• Maintained City streets and storm sewers; treated streets for snow and ice; and cleaned leaves. The leaves are now being dumped at WVU farms for composting/recycling.
• Performed extensive ditching and culvert replacement prior to the 2000 Paving Program.
• Reconstructed 200 feet of road base on Beechwood Street for paving. Work consisted of removing unsuitable material, installation of fabric, and building the stone road base.
• Installed new storm lines on Listravia Avenue, White Avenue, Forest Avenue, and Whitmore Park.
• Installed guardrails on Protzman Street, Ice Street, and Grant Avenue
• Continued to change several concrete lid style drops to grate inlets.
• Removed numerous hazardous trees City wide for a total of 66 removed in 22 different locations.
• Assisted Main Street Morgantown with maintenance on trash receptacles and tree grates.
• Widened intersection and installed ADA ramps on Court Street and University Avenue.
• Performed several construction projects on Caperton Trail including setting stones and post to block vehicular entrance to the trail, building head walls and repairing culverts, and grading and installing a parking lot at Court Street.
• Assisted Code Enforcement to secure several condemned structures.
• Provided special trash and yard waste collections for areas not serviced by BFI.
• Built new gas storage building.
• Replaced rails and repaired culverts at White Avenue (subterranean bridge).
• Concrete slab replacement on Oxford Place (1), Baldwin Street (5), Elmhurst Street (4), Des Moines Avenue (4), and Cobun Avenue (2).
• Reconstructed Kingwood Street following a water line break.
• Excavated for and constructed bases for Downtown Kiosks (Main Street)
• Rebuilt wall in Burroughs Run at Aspen Street due to flooding.
• Rebuilt retaining wall on Listravia Avenue.
• Graded and repaired all unpaved alleys.
• Patched and repaired pavement City wide using approximately 125.5 tons of hot asphalt and 60 tons of cold asphalt. Using an average of 100 pounds per pothole, this is approximately 2510 potholes patched. The potholes include asphalt aprons installed on gravel alleys in the Sunnyside area to prevent gravel from entering the streets and causing a safety problem along with an eyesore. It should be noted that the amount of pothole patching has significantly declined due to the aggressive paving program that the City has instituted.
• Installed new windows in the rear stairwell of City Hall. This has made a marked impact on the comfort in this area of the building.
• Began remodeling for Code Enforcement Division.
• Rebuilt the center line machine and the curb machine adding an airless pump that made it possible to use lead-free paint in order to comply with EPA standards.
• Painted curbs throughout the City for a total of 105,600 linear feet.
• Maintained traffic signs and signals.
• Repainted most of the blue curb in permit parking zones.
• Reinstalled crosswalks on the streets Downtown that were paved by the State.
• Placed more than 3000 linear feet of thermal plastic crosswalk material.
• Installed a new central air condition in the City Manager's office.
• Installed a new furnace in the Sabraton Fire Station.
• Installed a new furnace in the paint room at the City Garage.
• Installed a new sanitary sewer line in the Wiles Hill Fire Station.
• Responded to routine calls generated by other Departments in the City including Main Street Morgantown. This included hanging banners, Christmas Decorations, etc.
• Installed/replaced traffic control signs throughout the City.
• Installed/replaced street signs throughout the City.
• Repaired, serviced, refurbished, etc. approximately 170 pieces of equipment and vehicles. The services are provided on an average of 30 to 40 vehicles a week. Time spent on duties is as follows: repair work - 40%, service work - 30%, paint and body repairs - 20%, and overhauls - 10%.
• Refurbished an out of service Fire Pumper Truck to a brine application/utility truck for the Street Division. At an approximate cost of $4,000, this vehicle will become to the Street Division what the Heavy Duty Rescue truck is to the Fire Department.
• Continued to set up a preventive maintenance program to track the work done to vehicles and equipment belonging to all Departments of the City.
• Continued with the inventory program of all parts and supplies purchased and used by the City.
• Continue to refurbish older equipment and vehicles to extend their lifespan.

In addition to the above activities, the Public Works Department provided services in the form of technical support and consultation to citizens and other City Departments.

Plans for 2001

In addition to the regular services, the Public Works Department has plans to:

• Resurface approximately 6.5 miles of City streets.
• Coordinate with WV DOH for rehabilitation of State roads within City limits.
• Continue work on the Caperton Trail, Decker's Creek Trail, and the Hazel Ruby McQuain Riverfront Park.
• Continue to work with federal programs to obtain grant monies to enhance the transportation system in Morgantown. This includes sidewalks, bike trails, recreational trails, etc.[$1,000,000].
• Continue installation/repair of ADA ramps in the Downtown area as they are needed.
• Work with the Traffic Commission to resolve traffic problems in the City.
• Continue to rehabilitate and improve the appearance of the City's older vehicles and equipment.
• Institute more public information announcements on the radio and in public forums as needed to keep the public informed of changes to the building codes and property maintenance codes. New ICC (International Code Council) codes will be replacing the BOCA codes and the public and contractors will need to be notified of these changes. There will also be the creation of the State Building Safety Commission which will have a direct impact on how the Code Enforcement Office enforces the codes. Code Enforcement Officers will meet more frequently with contractors, rental property owners, private homeowners, and tenants to inform all concerned of the changes within the codes and to discuss what impact, if any, they may encounter.
• Continue all programs within Code Enforcement Division including upgrading rental housing standards in the City. The Division will also place greater emphasis on code provisions pertaining to cleaning the City, both structures and properties, so that it will be a more desirable place to live.
• All Code Enforcement Officers will be testing for additional certification in other disciplines of the codes. Multiple certification is necessary in order for the Code Enforcement to keep pace with the rapid growth of Morgantown and the new laws that will be imposed on the Division.
• Code Enforcement has received the Insurance Service Office (ISO) packets for the Building Code Effective Grading System (BCEGS) program. The information requested by ISO will be returned to them by December 15, 2000. Once they receive the information, they will schedule with Code Enforcement for a site visit to review the information along with records, permits, plans, and other documents. After their visit, ISO will issue the City an insurance rating from 1 to 10 (with 10 being the worst). This rating will then dictate insurance rates for all new construction and major remodeling.
• West Virginia is poised to pass legislation requiring all Code Enforcement Officers to be certified by B.O.C.A. in the type of inspections they perform and be registered with the State. Also a mandatory 15 hours of continuing education per certification will be required each year. Currently, all Officers are certified in one or more disciplines.
• Code Enforcement is working with North Central West Virginia Property Owners Association in creating a new program in which Code Enforcement will identify owner-occupied homes and property in need of repair (such as broken windows, rotten window frames, porches, steps, roof repair, lawn mowing, etc.). North Central Property Owners Association, once notified, will use personal resources and manpower to correct the identified problem at no cost to the homeowner. The exact workings of this program are being developed and should be on line early spring 2001.
• Signs & Signals/Building Maintenance will continue to strive to make the area roadways safe by maintaining and installing the appropriate traffic control devices. They will also keep the buildings where City employees work safe and comfortable.
• Fleet Maintenance Section, in addition to its functions, will be involved in rehabilitating and improving the appearance of the City's older vehicles and equipment. They will also assure safe and reliable vehicles and equipment for the City. The Section will also continue the work on getting the records computerized so that informed decisions can be made regarding whether to keep a piece of equipment or vehicle or to upgrade and/or replace it.
• Other special projects will be added as the need arises.

SUMMARY

The Public Works Department is responsible for a great deal throughout the City. This Department is able to accomplish an exceptional amount of work with a minimum staff. This speaks highly for the employees that are within this Department.

The coming year promises to be as challenging and successful as this year. Construction work will continue on the Caperton Trail, Decker's Creek Trail, and the Hazel Ruby McQuain Park as river front development will always be occurring. Additional development will continue along the river front in the Wharf District [the administration building for WVU; the hotel and convention center; and the parking garage]. Work will continue throughout the City to make it safe for pedestrians and bicyclist by addressing sidewalk issues. Next year's paving program will be just as successful as past years. The Code Enforcement Division will continue to improve and be a model for the entire state [several West Virginia municipalities continue to send their personnel to Morgantown for help in developing their programs]. Code Enforcement will continue its education; certifications for officers; removal of dilapidated structures; and improving existing housing and structures. It is anticipated that within the next few years a powerful GIS system will be in place along with other record keeping programs to help serve the citizens of Morgantown by increasing efficiency and productivity. It is an exciting time for the Public Works Department of the City of Morgantown.