Public Works

Public Works Website Banner

Department Description

The Public Works Division maintains city streets, the water system, the wastewater system and local drainage ways. They also operate and maintain the airport, the cemetery, the wastewater treatment plant and maintain a contract for solid waste collection and disposal.

Examples of Common Issues Referred to Public Works:

  • Bikeway hazards
  • Illegal dumping within city limits
  • Local drainage issues
  • Parking concerns
  • Potholes in streets
  • Requests for street sweeping
  • Sewer backups or odor complaints
  • Streetlight out
  • Street signs missing or damaged
  • Traffic concerns
  • Traffic signals not working
  • Water leaks

To report a concern, please use the green button on the left at the bottom of the page.

Administration

Administrative staff is responsible for coordinating the preparation of the annual operating budget for each of the divisions and directing the distribution, allocation and use of resources among the various divisions.

Streets

Our street department has three primary programs for street maintenance and repair. These programs are guided by our Overall Conditions Index (OCI), an assessment completed approximately every 5 years to determine the conditions of each street in segments. 

Bond-funded maintenance of major streets.

  • Bond-funded projects primarily focus on our major north-south and east-west corridors. These projects may include extensive repairs or complete reconstruction down through the road base.

Level-Up Program

  • Our Level-Up program utilizes the OCI to focus work on the worst street segments across the City. These streets are then given an overlay of asphalt to create a smooth surface. This kind of treatment does not fix the underlying issues with the road base but will provide a smoother riding surface for 3-5 years or more. This program has received increased funding each year since its inception with almost $1,000,000 allocated in FY 2025.

Crack Sealing

  • Our crack sealing program is a preventative maintenance program that works to keep water from penetrating beneath the surface of the street. Water penetration is a primary factor contributing to the creation of potholes. This program has limited funding and covers approximately 3 miles of streets each year.

Water and Wastewater

The water and wastewater department is responsible for the maintenance of water and sewer lines throughout the City as well as maintenance and operation of the Mustang Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant. This department is funded through a separate utility fund dedicated to water and wastewater services. The fund is operated like a business where income must be greater than or equal to expenses. The department maintains a water and wastewater master plan which outlines future capital improvement projects to improve and expand the system over the coming 20 years. They also conduct a rate study every 5 years. This study informs the necessary water and sewer rates to be charged to customers to ensure that the fund is able to make the necessary investments identified in the master plan.

Drainage

The drainage department is primarily funded by a drainage fee added to the monthly water bill. The department is responsible for maintaining our drainage ways and implementing our drainage master plan. The drainage master plan was developed following catastrophic floods in 2015 and seeks improve our drainage systems to prevent future flooding. The projects are funded through a variety of grants, loans, and cash.

Trash and Recycling

Public works maintains a contract with Waste Connections for the collection and disposal of trash and recycling throughout the city.

Airport

Public works oversees the operation of our municipal airport. The airport maintains its own fund but is subsidized from property taxes. The city owns a variety of hangars that pilots and businesses can rent to store their plane or operate an aviation-related business. 

Cemetery

Public works maintains the City Cemetery located on East 4th Street.

Engineering

Public works maintains a contract with HDR Engineering to provide engineering services for the dozens of ongoing projects across the City. They serve streets, drainage, water, wastewater, facilities, and development services.