Intersection controls, street sweeping, new sewer use bylaw, capital spending update; those are just some of the exciting items on the agenda as City Council returns to full schedule after the summer lull.
Two public delegations are scheduled today: James Burnett will present on the “benefits of garbage and waste incineration” and Jonathan Valencia of the Ontario Public Interest Research Group at McMaster will suggest enhancements to the City’s street tree program.
Valencia’s delegation follows a brillant presentation on June 3rd by Nicholas Schwetz providing Council with solutions to our urban core canopy distress.
Housekeeping items
Many housekeeping items on the agenda.
Intersection controls is the installation of a few stop signs in Wards 1, 2 and 15. Of note, the City’s intersection control maps have not been updated with MacNab Street’s two-way status.
Committee will add a few items to the City’s list of approved products for purchase by public works crews.
Some trees need to be removed at the Upper James Transit Centre for the installation of a park-N-ride facility.
A new sewer use by-law is being introduced with changes primarily directed at businesses that use harsh chemicals, oils, and greases.
The mid-year Public Works capital projects budget report is included in the agenda. The Lower Davis Creek erosion mitigation project went $91,808.26 over on a $2,740,000 budget and is complete. Waterwater projects are completing under budget for the most part with one exception: The Woodward Wastewater Treatment Plant – Clean Harbour project is $11.5-million overbudget on a $38.4-million budget. $3-million is from lower than expected revenues. Other departments are within budget.
Increased Street Sweeping in Residential area of Industrial Sector
Following the presentation of Environment Hamilton’s Dustbusters program in April, staff were directed by Council to cost increased street sweepings in the industral sector.
Staff have come back with two options priced at $19,300 and $66,350 that will increase sweepings from one per-month to three per-month.
The first, less costly, proposal is for sweeping to increase north of Barton between Sherman and the Red Hill Valley Parkway. The other is to increase sweepings north of Main Street from Sherman to the Red Hill Valley Parkway.
At this expense, this should breeze through committee.
Accessible Transit Services Review Sub-Committee Report
ATS Review is asking Public Works committee to recommend to Council that the City’s internal auditing office prioritize a Value for Money audit of the DARTS service and the service delivery model.
DARTS is a major item of debate at Council right now as costs are rising, complaints are rising quicker, and service users are not happy at all with the outsourcing of the service to the DARTS non-profit board.
The ATS Review sub-committee was created to address this situation and held their first meeting two weeks ago. (Replay Video)