Public Works lays out $7.65 million Central State maintenance projection and equipment needs including a $300k multi‑function unit

Public Works Director (introduced as Mr. Thomas) presented a two-part budget request covering routine operations and a distinct Central State Hospital campus workload on April 28.

An asset-management presenter described iWERKS as a centralized system to track infrastructure and maintenance and said the city negotiated discounts off an original $99,000 annual price; presenters described savings negotiated in the amount of $60,000 from the original startup figure during vendor negotiations.

Public Works described the Central State Hospital campus as 14.49 centerline miles of roadway and approximately 1,750 acres of mixed-use land, and said maintaining that campus—including staffing, infrastructure, equipment and engineering services—has a projected cost of $7,650,000. The department estimated staffing needs of 15–17 personnel to manage rights-of-way and maintain the historic campus as redevelopment proceeds.

The department also requested several pieces of equipment: an F‑250 service truck for the central shop, a skid steer, two replacement John Deere tractors for cemetery and parks, a mini-excavator, and a multi-function mower/implement (referred to in the presentation as 'Moore Max'). The Moore Max package and attachments were discussed in the $300,000 range; councilors asked whether attachments were included and whether the requests were replacements or additional units.

Council members questioned whether some items were replacements versus additions and suggested prioritizing the most critical purchases. The department noted some recent equipment acquisitions were replacements and that other items were new purchases intended to improve crew efficiency, reduce on-site downtime and create flexible crews. No formal purchase approvals were recorded; equipment requests will be considered in the capital/budget process.