With the Feb. 15 Presidents’ Day Holiday, the City of Oakdale City Council meeting was moved to Tuesday, Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. – after The Leader’s press time.

The council, however, was scheduled to discuss a proposal to award a street sweeping contract to Gilton Solid Waste Management of Oakdale in the amount of $66,650.

The schedule consists of sweeping residential streets once per month with the downtown, industrial and commercial streets swept twice per month. This contract also includes sweeping 11 city parking lots and the Oakdale Municipal Airport once every quarter on an as needed basis.

According to Public Services Director Thom Clark, last year’s contract totaled $52,579. The $14,070 increase is attributed to $5,000 for additional sweeping services for city maintained parking lots and runway/taxiway sweeping at the airport. Additionally, the scope of work, such as hand-sweeping or vacuuming all visible debris around “pork chop” style islands that extend out to the roadway and any other area not handled by the mechanical sweeper may have had an impact on cost of service.

The city also requested that all sweepers have a GPS that will enable city officials to view via computer internet where the sweepers are at all times.

According to the public works department, street sweeping provides two primary benefits to the city. The most noticeable benefit is the collection and removal of visible debris that collects in the gutters. This debris can block storm water facilities, causing flooding during heavy rains. An equally important, but less visible benefit, is the removal of metal particles and other hazardous waste products left by passing vehicles. Although they are virtually invisible, these particles can be extremely harmful to fish and other wildlife if they reach creeks, rivers, the Delta, beaches and bays.

Sweeping service also serves as one of the city’s Best Management Practices (BMP) to control and improve water quality as required by the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board.