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A Newsletter by the City of Saco, Maine	October, 2006	Return to newsletter index

Public Works Department Building Needs will be the Subject of November Bond Referendum

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The Public Works site from the air.

One of three bond referendum questions on the November ballot is a rehabilitation and addition to the Public Works Department facilities on North Street. These pages give some background on the existing facilities, the Public Works Departments siting needs, and the proposed facilities.

PROBLEMS WITH THE EXISTING SITE & FACILITY

• Lack of adequate office space - using converted storage rooms now and school department is using a trailer
• Storage of vehicles outside - vehicles life could be extended by housing them inside (3± Years)
• Insufficient storage of salt and sand/salt mix - this will need to be addressed through new DEP regulations
• Inadequate space for fleet maintenance - Only one lift, long-term projects take up one on the 4 workstations
• Parts storage and inventory is limited
• Site limited by wetlands - will need to address wetlands mitigation and stormwater issues - stormwater detention basin
• Poor use of existing space for school bus parking
• Handicap accessibility - All offices upstairs are inaccessible
• Ventilation - exhaust fumes
• No conference or training rooms
• No shower facility - Employees working in collection systems and dirty jobs should have showers available for use (after work)
• Heating and cooling systems need to be updated and replaced with more efficient systems
• Roof needs to be replaced
• Lack of a separate wash bay - helpful to control vehicle corrosion

Many of our small mobile equipment like the wood chipper and sewer cleaning equipment are stored outside. These would be stored in a pull barn in the remodeling project.

Public Works Facts

• There are 65 School and Public Works employees at the North Street Facility
• The PW facility stores 46 vehicles, plow truck, sweepers, sidewalk plows, and construction equipment
• There are 27 school buses
• The site is 24.7 acres in size
• The Existing Facility is 17,664 Square Feet
• The expansion and renovation project will add an additional 36,404 Square Feet
• When completed the facility will have a total of 54,068 Square Feet