Public Works highlights blight and tree programs, flags landfill cost pressure after waste-to-energy closure

Interim Public Works Director Patrick Crowley told the Finance Committee that Measure H staffing additions for blight abatement and urban forestry have materially improved response times and service levels, but that the department faces new cost pressures after the regional waste-to-energy facility closed.

Crowley said Measure H added five blight abatement staff and eight forestry positions; those teams and third-party contractors reduced turnaround on blight-related requests from an average of 15 days to about three days after the Measure H hires. The department also uses the GoModesto app to route resident reports; council members praised faster resolution times.

On solid waste, Crowley and budget staff said the closure of the Covanta waste-to-energy facility required more material to be landfilled, increasing tipping and disposal costs. "When we go to a landfill instead of spending that to create energy, it has to now go into the ground," a staff member said, and the city is assessing the full fiscal impact and potential rate or budget responses.

Public Works also highlighted fleet management pressures: StanRTA's bus fleet expanded and the city now supports more vehicles through in-house and ISF arrangements, prompting a planned multi-year vehicle replacement schedule (about 132 units recommended for replacement next year). The department said some enterprise and internal service funds draw on reserves in the short term and staff will recommend structural changes to how those internal-service funds are funded.

Crowley requested limited non-Measure H items (airport security camera upgrades and a compost-site truck) and said staff would return with pavement-condition metrics and a multi-year plan for continuation of the slurry, curb, gutter and sidewalk backlog reduction program.

Committee members asked for follow-up data on Forestry and green-waste fund accounting and requested more detail on the fiscal impacts of the waste-to-energy closure; staff committed to returning with those numbers.