Resolutions creating one new Utility Worker II position and one new Equipment Operator III position within the Public Works Department.

With the recent annexation of approximately 473 acres south of the City in Pottawattamie and Mills Counties, portions of 189th Street, 192nd Street, and Bunge Avenue will now be within City jurisdiction. An additional Utility Worker II position is proposed to assist with the required maintenance of these additional lane miles.

The additional cost for this position will come from the Road Use Budget. The Utility Worker II position is classified as AFSCME Grade 15.

In addition, as the city continues to grow, Public Works is rapidly adding plowable lane miles to the existing snow routes. Public Works currently has four routes that have been expanded beyond the practical limits. Because of the over-expansion of routes, some of the streets in the hills are currently being plowed with dump trucks in order to meet an acceptable response time. With the steep grades and multiple cul-de-sacs, the challenging terrain in the east end ultimately needs to be plowed with road graders. During large storm events, Operations must eventually send a road grader to these areas instead of a dump truck to satisfactorily clear the road. Public Works has developed a new route for these streets to be plowed with a road grader, improving efficiency and customer satisfaction in these areas. 

Currently, Public Works has nine Equipment Operator IIIs - four on days and five on nights during snow removal season. Including two rental graders during the winter, Public Works operates four road graders in total. In order to properly cover the additional snow route, the new Equipment Operator III will be added and a third road grader will be rented during the winter months.

Outside of snow and ice removal, this position will operate equipment for repair crews, or will operate one of two large mowing tractors used to maintain right-of-way areas throughout the City.

The additional cost for the Equipment Operator III position is included in the FY26 Road Use Budget. The Equipment Operator III position is classified as AFSCME Grade 19.

Approval of these resolutions. The proposed position additions within Public Works will allow the Operations Division to manage the increasing workload by aligning staff levels with actual maintenance needs.