Public favors use of pure salt on streets

By LORRI SUGHROUE

City Editor

Public feedback was favorable in using 100 percent salt on the streets in winter, instead of a salt and sand mixture, so the city will do that again this year.

But it comes with a small price, as the cost of salt has increased and that will be reflected in the 2008-09 budget for the Street Department.

Public Works Director Kyle Potthoff said at the budget workshop Monday night that $7,562 was spent last year in salt, although only $3,500 was budgeted. For 2008-09, the budget includes $10,000 for salt purchases.

Despite the increase, Potthoff and city staff think the money is well spent. In addition to positive comments from the public, using the salt alone also eliminates the clean-up that comes with the salt/sand mixture.

In response to a question by Mayor Dennis Berry, Potthoff said using the brine water from the water treatment plant on city streets, as a pre-treatment for ice and snow, also paid off. Staff is considering building another piece of equipment to spray the brine on residential streets.

Capital outlay expenses planned for the street department next year include one street improvement project and several equipment purchases.

The re-surfacing of West I, K and L Streets, from Westridge to West 10th will cost a total of $362,000, with funds coming from the general fund at $62,000 and $250,000 from city sales tax revenue. Another $50,000 will come from the repair and maintenance line item in the Street Department budget, budgeted at $150,000.

Proposed purchases include replacing a mosquito sprayer at $12,000, which is on its "last legs," Potthoff said, with replacement parts almost non- existent; the payment on the street sweeper in a four-year finance plan, at $30,000; a surplus snowplow purchased from the Nebraska State Department of Roads, at $15,000 and a bat wing mower, to be pulled behind a tractor to cut weeds and grass, at $11,000.

Capital outlay expenses increased to $72,000 this year from $52,000 last year.

The total budget for the Street Department for 2008-09 is $834,000, compared to $765,000 last year.

Potthoff said much of the increase was due to fuel costs and personnel, as seen in other departments.