Public works praised for quickly clearing roads – and repairing a water main

Public works employees were praised Monday by the Webb City Council for their foresight and for working round-the-clock in clearing the streets after the snowstorm on Thursday.

Mayor Lynn Ragsdale said the decision to pretreat intersections early in the week turned out to be correct.

Eddie Kreighbaum, director of public works, reported no equipment breakdowns and said the department is preparing for the possibility of more wintry weather this weekend.

The department was also tested when a water main broke near King Jack Park and was repaired during the latest cold spell. The water crew members’ “dedication and hard work does not go unnoticed,” wrote City Administrator Carl Francis in his report.

Limb yard closure to commercial firms lamented

During the public comment portion of the meeting, two individuals told the council that they regret the city’s ban against commercial firms bringing cut trees to the limb yard at the wastewater treatment plant. The ban took effect Jan. 1.

Residents can still take limbs to the limb yard. The entrance is in back of the recycling center on North Madison Street.

David Coss, of Oronogo, said the closure directly affects his business, and he offered his expertise for a feasible solution.

The second speaker, James Morris, of Asbury, said the limb yard is a fantastic location that he is sad to see close. He noted that he brings trees from several area communities.

Ragsdale cited three reasons why the limb yard no longer accepts commercial tree waste:

1. There is no longer a buyer for the compost produced with ground up limbs.

2. There’s no more room at the site. “We’re not in a position to buy more property for a free service.”

3. Wear and tear on the equipment, which is estimated to cost between $2 to $3 million to replace. Plus, fuel to run the equipment costs $1,500 per week.

In other action, the council:

• Authorized Ragsdale to sign an agreement with the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration in order to receive funds under the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program.

• Accepted the low bid of $27,285 from Consolidated Pipe & Supply for 1,800 feet of replacement water line for Crestwood Drive between College and Fourth streets and Rose Lane from College to Fourth streets.

• Approved the purchase of another vehicle for the fire department. Fire Chief Andrew Roughton recommended that his current red SUV be equipped for safety operations at emergency scenes. It will be assigned to Jeremy Denton, who was recently promoted to the vacant position of deputy fire chief.

The new vehicle, to be used by Roughton, will be a red 2023 Ford F150 STX with 16,035 miles, purchased from McLarty Daniel Motors for $37,000. Roughton recommended the used vehicle instead of a new one because it is available sooner and will save $10,000, which can be used to pay for the equipment being installed on the deputy chief’s vehicle.