Council heard a summary of work performed by Keremeos Village Public Works in 2013.
Staff shortages provided a challenge for public works in 2013 as one staff member took four months parental leave and two others lost 34 days due to illness and short term disability.
Training for certification in wastewater treatment continues as only the village foreman has required wastewater treatment 2 certification at this time.
The village’s trees have been inspected and found to be in reasonable health, while a keyless entry program initiated for the village’s public works buildings continues.
There were no major road repair projects undertaken in the village in 2013, although there were a number of large patching jobs done.
Issues surrounding an obstuction near an isolation valve in one of the village’s sludge pumps continue, as last year’s efforts to reduce or eliminate the blockage have failed to resolve the problem. The issue has resulted in costs in excess of $4,000 so far, and efforts continue to resolve the blockage.
A new sludge pump will be ordered this year, at a cost of $12,000.
The village’s readerboard, located in front of the tourist Infocentre, has been inoperative since a thunderstorm in August took out some circuitry. Electrical interference with an underground cable continues to impede the operation of the board. The village and Fortis are working on a resolution to the issue.
Capital projects update
- The public works wash bay pad and drain system is on hold pending resolution of issues surrounding freezing of the oil separator / floor drain. There are also concerns surrounding the new building’s height that needs to be addressed.
- The Upper Bench sewer extension has a preliminary estimated cost of $2,000,000. Final design will be completed when grant funding becomes available.
- Public works purchased a 2014 F550 truck from Skaha Ford in Penticton. The truck is currently having crane, plow and dumping flatdeck components installed, and should be delivered to the village by the end of the month.
- Victory Hall washroom accessibility upgrade will be undertaken, pending receipt of federal government grant funding.
- Memorial and Pine Park washroom replacements will be undertaken this spring. The projects will be re-tendered by the end of this month.
- Final report on the dike inspection is due in February. No major concerns were found regarding the dike.
- A plan to reduce the number of light heads on the village’s street lights is in the works. The plan would amount to a considerable capital cost saving as no rewiring would be necessary.