Geographic Information Systems has proven to be an indispensable tool for conducting City business. Initially, it was used for high level analysis of infrastructure, and for generating maps and displays illustrating various aspects of the City.
The following information (data layers) is available:
Property data - acreage, zoning, ownership, building square footage and year built
Sewer lines, sewer laterals, lift stations, and manhole covers as well as digital scans of all sewer as-built drawings
Water lines, water laterals, water valves, and curb stops as well as digital scans of all water as-built drawings
Electric lines, electric services, transformers, and poles as well as digital scans of all electric as-built drawings
Aerial photos for any property in the City of Lake Mills
Streets centerlines, street right-of-ways, storm sewers and street signs
Elevation data per USGS digital elevation model
The City acquired digital aerial ortho-photos in 2004, which are a principal component of the City's GIS. The City cooperated with Jefferson County to get digital ortho-photos with a six inch pixel resolution. The digital aerials are used to underlay the map layers and help greatly to understand the relationships between the digital map information and the actual built environment. A number of houses and buildings have been constructed since 2004, as well as numerous room additions, patio covers, etc., which are not represented by the aerial photos. Because the aerial photos are so important to the GIS, the City will again work closely with Jefferson County on ordering the next set of aerials.
The initial software acquisition (ArcView, ArcInfo and ArcIMS) was purchased in 2005 by the Utilities. Annual maintenance has been paid for by the Utilities in order to keep technical support and to receive periodic upgrades and technical fixes to existing software. However, as with all technology, GIS software is constantly evolving and changing, and ESRI has extensively redesigned their software (ArcGIS) to include more tools and more features. The City is upgrading to current software in order to keep up with latest advances in GIS technology. Staff is working with ESRI to identify the most cost effective way to keep the City's GIS software current.
The Council approved a GIS Coordinator in the 2010 Budget. City Staff decided to evaluate the option of contracting for the continued maintenance rather then hiring a new employee. After reviewing several option and contractors, staff recommends approving the contract with Strand for GIS services which is included in the packet.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
A Little Reading is Necessary
Wisconsin budget law requires the City to prepare an annual budget and hold a public hearing on it. The budget document should list anticipated revenues from all sources and the proposed appropriations for each department. The law also requires the budget to show, for comparative purposes, the actual revenues and expenditures for the preceding year and the estimated revenues and expenditures for the current year based on at least six months of actual experience. The budget document should also show any outstanding indebtedness as well as any anticipated surplus.
State budget law does not identify the content of the budget beyond that described above. Budgets for local governmental units may vary from a single page document consisting of summary listings of expenditures and revenues to a many-paged text providing detailed information on the proposed appropriation for each municipal agency. It is up to the local governing body and the citizens it represents to determine what information should be presented in the budget document.
The City of Lake Mills budget document is about 210 pages.
State budget law does not identify the content of the budget beyond that described above. Budgets for local governmental units may vary from a single page document consisting of summary listings of expenditures and revenues to a many-paged text providing detailed information on the proposed appropriation for each municipal agency. It is up to the local governing body and the citizens it represents to determine what information should be presented in the budget document.
The City of Lake Mills budget document is about 210 pages.
Friday, June 25, 2010
What's Your Story
I enjoyed reading the following characterization on this blog - http://www.criticalthinking.org/resources/k12/making-ct-intuitive.cfm. These personality types interact in government all the time. It makes for many dramatic stories within government. The question is who is paying attention to the stories.
Naive Nancy does not see much reason to think at all. She takes things as they come. She believes what she hears. She usually goes along with whatever her peers say. She intends no harm but also assumes that no one else is going to harm her. She is a ready victim for more sophisticated manipulators: adults or children. Naive Nancy will make a good student only insofar as thought is not required. She will literally, and thoughtlessly, do what she is told. She doesn’t question or try to understand her own motives. She will make mistakes because she doesn’t know how to listen closely and monitor what she hears for accuracy of interpretation.
Wherever mindless obedience succeeds, she will get by. What is more, much of the time her innocent “helplessness” will enable her to get others to do things for her. Rather than try to think her way through a difficulty, she is learning to say “I can’t do it!” after the first or second try. She is finding out that she can usually get by without much thinking. Her innocent likeability and perpetual “incompetence” is both her strength and her (ultimate) downfall. Her only real thinking skills are in the art of being helpless, in enticing others to do her thinking for her.
Selfish Sam contrasts well with Naive Nancy. Sam values thinking. And the more he does it, the more he values it. But only in a special sense. He thinks to gain advantage, to get what he wants, to successfully put his desires above the rights and needs of others. To put it briefly, Sam is discovering the power of con-artistry. Sam is discovering that you can best get what you want by focusing clearly on your own desires, figuring out what is standing in the way of your interests, and manipulating others into acting in your interest. Selfish Sam is becoming an egocentric problem solver. He defines his problems so as to center them around getting what he wants for himself. Sometimes this means figuring out how to get out of work. But unlike Nancy, Sam is learning the power of figuring things out for himself.
He is also learning how to impress both adults and kids by what he can do. Eventually Sam will come to appreciate the power there is in groups, the advantages one gains by becoming a leader and exercising control over others. He will use his thought to win others to his side, to defeat his “enemies” (whoever he doesn’t like), and extend his power and advantage over others. It isn’t that he doesn’t care at all about others, but rather that he cares only about those who serve him, those who are members of his group. Eventually, Sam could become an effective promoter of a vested interest, an excellent sales person, a politician, or a lawyer … any job that can “successfully” be performed without a well-developed sense of fairmindedness.
Fairminded Fran contrasts well with both Nancy and Sam. Like Sam, Fran is learning the power of thought. She is learning the value of figuring things out for herself. Unlike Nancy, she is not learning the art of “helplessness” because she is experiencing the pleasure and deep satisfaction that comes from successfully figuring things out for herself. She is discovering that she has a mind and can use it to solve problems, protect herself, do difficult jobs, learn complicated things, express herself well, and get along with others. But that is not all she’s learning. She is also learning that other people have minds, other people have desires and needs, other people have rights, and other people have a different way of looking at things. She is learning how to enter into the thinking of others, how to see things from other people’s point of view, how to learn from other people’s perspective. She is beginning to notice the need to protect herself from the “Sam’s” of the world. She is learning to test for herself what people say. She is learning to protect her interests without violating the rights of others.
Fran’s thinking is beginning to develop a richness that Sam’s will never develop (as long as he thinks selfishly), for she is learning how much one can learn from others. Eventually, Fran will gain many insights from the art of thinking within the perspective of others that she is developing. Fran’s early thinking is laying the foundation for later breadth of vision. Fran’s ability to think for herself in a skilled and fairminded way will enable her to pursue any career goal that she later takes on. She will be highly valued by those who value justice and fair play. But she will also be treated with suspicion by the “true believers”, by the people whose first allegiance is to a special group, to “our side”. Those given to group think will come to recognize that you can’t depend on Fran to always support the “right” side (our side). She sometimes agrees with the enemy, the opposition, the “other guys”.
The combinations in the politician/administrator roles of Nancy, Sam and Fran make for endless interactions. The key to this situation is to understand that lack of conflict in local governments doesn’t mean things are being done right. Citizens have an obligation to pay attention to the actions taken by their governments, regardless of the amount of conflict generated or lack thereof. I’m pretty sure that Politician Sam will hunt for and find Administrator Nancy to run a conflict free organization without any attention to justice or fair play.
Naive Nancy does not see much reason to think at all. She takes things as they come. She believes what she hears. She usually goes along with whatever her peers say. She intends no harm but also assumes that no one else is going to harm her. She is a ready victim for more sophisticated manipulators: adults or children. Naive Nancy will make a good student only insofar as thought is not required. She will literally, and thoughtlessly, do what she is told. She doesn’t question or try to understand her own motives. She will make mistakes because she doesn’t know how to listen closely and monitor what she hears for accuracy of interpretation.
Wherever mindless obedience succeeds, she will get by. What is more, much of the time her innocent “helplessness” will enable her to get others to do things for her. Rather than try to think her way through a difficulty, she is learning to say “I can’t do it!” after the first or second try. She is finding out that she can usually get by without much thinking. Her innocent likeability and perpetual “incompetence” is both her strength and her (ultimate) downfall. Her only real thinking skills are in the art of being helpless, in enticing others to do her thinking for her.
Selfish Sam contrasts well with Naive Nancy. Sam values thinking. And the more he does it, the more he values it. But only in a special sense. He thinks to gain advantage, to get what he wants, to successfully put his desires above the rights and needs of others. To put it briefly, Sam is discovering the power of con-artistry. Sam is discovering that you can best get what you want by focusing clearly on your own desires, figuring out what is standing in the way of your interests, and manipulating others into acting in your interest. Selfish Sam is becoming an egocentric problem solver. He defines his problems so as to center them around getting what he wants for himself. Sometimes this means figuring out how to get out of work. But unlike Nancy, Sam is learning the power of figuring things out for himself.
He is also learning how to impress both adults and kids by what he can do. Eventually Sam will come to appreciate the power there is in groups, the advantages one gains by becoming a leader and exercising control over others. He will use his thought to win others to his side, to defeat his “enemies” (whoever he doesn’t like), and extend his power and advantage over others. It isn’t that he doesn’t care at all about others, but rather that he cares only about those who serve him, those who are members of his group. Eventually, Sam could become an effective promoter of a vested interest, an excellent sales person, a politician, or a lawyer … any job that can “successfully” be performed without a well-developed sense of fairmindedness.
Fairminded Fran contrasts well with both Nancy and Sam. Like Sam, Fran is learning the power of thought. She is learning the value of figuring things out for herself. Unlike Nancy, she is not learning the art of “helplessness” because she is experiencing the pleasure and deep satisfaction that comes from successfully figuring things out for herself. She is discovering that she has a mind and can use it to solve problems, protect herself, do difficult jobs, learn complicated things, express herself well, and get along with others. But that is not all she’s learning. She is also learning that other people have minds, other people have desires and needs, other people have rights, and other people have a different way of looking at things. She is learning how to enter into the thinking of others, how to see things from other people’s point of view, how to learn from other people’s perspective. She is beginning to notice the need to protect herself from the “Sam’s” of the world. She is learning to test for herself what people say. She is learning to protect her interests without violating the rights of others.
Fran’s thinking is beginning to develop a richness that Sam’s will never develop (as long as he thinks selfishly), for she is learning how much one can learn from others. Eventually, Fran will gain many insights from the art of thinking within the perspective of others that she is developing. Fran’s early thinking is laying the foundation for later breadth of vision. Fran’s ability to think for herself in a skilled and fairminded way will enable her to pursue any career goal that she later takes on. She will be highly valued by those who value justice and fair play. But she will also be treated with suspicion by the “true believers”, by the people whose first allegiance is to a special group, to “our side”. Those given to group think will come to recognize that you can’t depend on Fran to always support the “right” side (our side). She sometimes agrees with the enemy, the opposition, the “other guys”.
The combinations in the politician/administrator roles of Nancy, Sam and Fran make for endless interactions. The key to this situation is to understand that lack of conflict in local governments doesn’t mean things are being done right. Citizens have an obligation to pay attention to the actions taken by their governments, regardless of the amount of conflict generated or lack thereof. I’m pretty sure that Politician Sam will hunt for and find Administrator Nancy to run a conflict free organization without any attention to justice or fair play.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
RLF
The Lake Mills Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) provides low-cost financial assistance for new and established businesses in the City. The RLF is an accessible source of financing for projects that will create and retain private sector jobs, increase incomes, expand local tax base, and leverage bank financing.
The RLF seeks to minimize its financial participation in all projects. The RLF is not intended to compete with other public or private lenders. The RLF will collaborate with other lenders to provide the financial package necessary to help realize the project.
The RLF seeks to minimize its financial participation in all projects. The RLF is not intended to compete with other public or private lenders. The RLF will collaborate with other lenders to provide the financial package necessary to help realize the project.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Public Safety
The Public Safety area covers the Fire Department, Police Department, Ambulance Service and Building Inspection. The city has direct provision of police and fire services and contracts for ambulance services and building inspection. The city provides fire services to four surrounding townships by contract.
The activities of the Fire Department include:
- fire suppression
- fire prevention programs
- open burning control and rescue
- auto extraction
- first responder
- training
- communications
- fire station maintenance
- equipment maintenance
- code compliance
- investigations
The Police Department performs policing activities including:
- patrol
- investigations
- traffic accidents
- first responder
- school liaison
- community engagement
- training
Both engage in mutual aid.
Analysis
Lake Mills is the median in comparison to the other cities for police services and the costs appear to be lower in the larger cities on a per capita basis. We provide police coverage twenty-four hours, seven days a week. This is may not be the case for all the cities in this comparison.
Data from "MunicipalFacts" by Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance
Police Expenses Per Capita
Year 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
Municipality
Columbus $158.87 $167.20 $178.40 $201.86 $262.07
Edgerton $162.41 $170.12 $164.47 $172.00 $181.72
Lake Mills $136.31 $147.92 $151.76 $156.61 $157.70
Milton $113.51 $137.43 $129.07 $129.50 $129.35
Mount Horeb $103.61 $109.60 $115.31 $129.03 $145.86
The City contracts or has access to many of the specialized activities with other larger organizations to achieve the most efficient economies of scale available to a city of our size.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
This May Answer Some Questions
Local governments have two distinct activities. The first is "governance", which includes determining what to provide, how to provide it and how to finance it. Second is the actual production and delivery of services and the implementation and enforcement of regulations.
The cost of governance in Lake Mills is generally less than 5 percent of the local government budget. Of this the costs of council constitute about 1 percent, with the remainder devoted to a variety of participatory activities and policy making by administrative staff. The other 95 percent of local government spending is devoted to the production and delivery of services and the implementation and enforcement of regulations.
The cost of governance in Lake Mills is generally less than 5 percent of the local government budget. Of this the costs of council constitute about 1 percent, with the remainder devoted to a variety of participatory activities and policy making by administrative staff. The other 95 percent of local government spending is devoted to the production and delivery of services and the implementation and enforcement of regulations.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
The Little Brother
Municipal finance always needs to be viewed in the context of the overall state and local government relationship. That is because the two wings of government are closely tied in theory and practice. Municipalities are creatures of the state, it does not seem to matter how much home rule authority a city has in some states nor how vocal the intergovernmental squabbles. Not only that, sorting out which level of the government is supposed to do what is often not easy, nor is where one level of responsibility leaves off and the others starts up. For example, many local government expenditures are nothing more than pass through of activities mandated by and frequently financed in part by the states. Also, certain local taxes may be nothing more than local add-ons to state-collected revenues.
The City of Lake Mills’ second largest source of revenue is from the state. The economic factors influencing state politics and the nature of the state/city relationship always makes this a tentative revenue source. Many state aids originally replaced local revenues to allow for special exemptions or to install state mandated programs. Local policy makers need to understand the changing political landscape at the state level. The warning trend is designed to inform policy makers about over dependence on state revenues and encourage them to diversify their own revenues rather than become over reliant on the state. The state revenue sources that make up the city’s intergovernmental revenues are primarily sales, gas and income taxes. These revenue sources would generally be considered more elastic than property taxes, but because they are distributed by formula and the state caps the total amount distributed, they cannot be considered elastic to a Wisconsin municipality.
The City of Lake Mills’ second largest source of revenue is from the state. The economic factors influencing state politics and the nature of the state/city relationship always makes this a tentative revenue source. Many state aids originally replaced local revenues to allow for special exemptions or to install state mandated programs. Local policy makers need to understand the changing political landscape at the state level. The warning trend is designed to inform policy makers about over dependence on state revenues and encourage them to diversify their own revenues rather than become over reliant on the state. The state revenue sources that make up the city’s intergovernmental revenues are primarily sales, gas and income taxes. These revenue sources would generally be considered more elastic than property taxes, but because they are distributed by formula and the state caps the total amount distributed, they cannot be considered elastic to a Wisconsin municipality.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
General Purpose
The City of Lake Mills is a "general purpose government" because they provide a variety of public services, including police and fire protection, sanitation, transportation, and recreation. Municipalities provide these services within their borders to residents, businesses, and those vacationing there, doing business or simply passing through. Many municipalities must work harder to provide these services because they have smaller tax bases, larger dependent populations, less income and wealth, or because of their natural features (like harsh weather or sparse populations). They also differ according to the resources potentially at their command to meet service needs because of endowments of natural resources, economic activity and again the wealth and income of residents. Municipalities typically rely on a more diverse array of revenue sources than other local governments to fund these services.
A regular revenue analysis should be completed and reviewed by policy makers to determine if the revenue sources will continue to cover planned expenditures and inflation. Because Wisconsin municipalities’ revenue sources are limited by state statute in comparison to most states, the analysis should monitor changes in the sources and recommend methods for improving the sources. Revenues sources have been shifting in Wisconsin because of state legislative action and economic conditions. Policy makers should know who is providing the revenues for the local expenditures.
A regular revenue analysis should be completed and reviewed by policy makers to determine if the revenue sources will continue to cover planned expenditures and inflation. Because Wisconsin municipalities’ revenue sources are limited by state statute in comparison to most states, the analysis should monitor changes in the sources and recommend methods for improving the sources. Revenues sources have been shifting in Wisconsin because of state legislative action and economic conditions. Policy makers should know who is providing the revenues for the local expenditures.
Monday, June 14, 2010
City Audit 2009
Local government agencies are required by law to have an independent audit of their annual financial statements. The purpose of this audit is for the independent audit firm to express an opinion about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement and in conformance with generally accepted accounting principles and in compliance with the Government Accounting Standards Board statements. It is important to obtain an unqualified opinion for a clean audit for validation of the City’s financial management practices, to earn awards, and to receive an excellent bond rating.
At the end of each fiscal year the council is required to produce a full and complete examination of all the books and accounts of the city by competent certified public accountants licensed or certified under ch. 442 who shall report in full to the council. The summaries of the audit shall be presented to the Council and furnished to all newspapers and libraries of the city and to other persons who apply. The full report is in the Clerk-Treasurer’s Office and you are welcome to come in and review it if you wish.
At the end of each fiscal year the council is required to produce a full and complete examination of all the books and accounts of the city by competent certified public accountants licensed or certified under ch. 442 who shall report in full to the council. The summaries of the audit shall be presented to the Council and furnished to all newspapers and libraries of the city and to other persons who apply. The full report is in the Clerk-Treasurer’s Office and you are welcome to come in and review it if you wish.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Today's Opinion
A council member with many conflicts is a liability, just as a slow football player is. No matter what the member's other talents are, no matter that everyone feels on balance the official is a help to the Council.
Paraphrased from Robert Wechsler
Paraphrased from Robert Wechsler
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Artful Fence
The background is that the City received a letter from a resident regarding the safety of the fence at the spillway on Main Street. It was determined based on an easement that the City is responsible for the fencing around the spillway. The fencing along Main Street currently meets state requirements for safety with a six and a half inch gap from the sidewalk to the start of the fencing. This varies because the fencing has started to curl and there is no method for preventing the curling without additional materials. Replacement of the portion of the fence along Main Street with standard materials and the installation of a method to prevent the curling was estimated to cost around $850.
The Council directed staff to replace the fence with the caveat that the Council President would work with the Main Street Program to see if they would take on the replacement of the fence. The Council ultimately ended up approving a proposal from the Arts Alliance on a creative useful art project that was recently completed. The request is that the City accepts the fence/sculpture for donation to the City.
The Council made a donation similar to the cost that the City would have experienced if it had purchased the fencing materials ($850). The Council will act formally to accept the donation of the fence/sculpture during the meeting and present the city’s cash donation to the Arts Alliance at that time.
The Council directed staff to replace the fence with the caveat that the Council President would work with the Main Street Program to see if they would take on the replacement of the fence. The Council ultimately ended up approving a proposal from the Arts Alliance on a creative useful art project that was recently completed. The request is that the City accepts the fence/sculpture for donation to the City.
The Council made a donation similar to the cost that the City would have experienced if it had purchased the fencing materials ($850). The Council will act formally to accept the donation of the fence/sculpture during the meeting and present the city’s cash donation to the Arts Alliance at that time.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Financial Data
I use GREAT. GREAT is software package provided by UWEX that contains statewide databases for all counties and municipalities. The acronym GREAT stands for “graphing revenues, expenditures and taxes.” It is a tool to automatically map out revenue, expenditure, and property value and tax information. For the most part, the data is very summary and combines a number of government activities or revenue sources under one heading that limits the overall usefulness of the data. The information is still highly instructional and thought provoking. GREAT is available only through UW-Extension offices.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
I'm Stuck - Any Suggestions?
Oversize/Overweight Loads
It is a common sight these days to see oversized transport loads hauling parts all over the country. Moving components from factory floor to the project site or large construction equipment to a construction site is not easy. The U.S. economy is shifting to specialized products that often are shipped as oversize/overweight (OSOW) loads. The risk elements are extensive when because these loads tend to be highly-sensitive, technological and very valuable components that weigh several tons and extend well over 100 feet in length. In addition to the risk elements may require detailed planning and precise execution, the attention by everyday road travelers drawn to these massive move projects sometimes generates serious public safety issues caused by inevitable traffic delays.
Truck transportation plays a vital role in Wisconsin’s economy. The State allows oversize/weight (OSOW) trucks to operate on the highways generally when the load is non-divisible; there are exceptions to this requirement. The permits allows shipping that increase Wisconsin's economic competitiveness; however, the elements of local traffic need to be evaluated based on the challenges from increasing truck loads sizes on city streets, including fact-based traffic safety assessment to determine the current design of the infrastructure; and realistic estimation of load effects due to OSOW vehicles traveling on the infrastructure.
The City Council needs to understand oversize/overweight information if it desires to work with the state to accommodate increasing OSOW vehicles while preventing excessive damage to the highways and unsafe conditions in the city.
In order to provide for all the vehicles and loads that qualify for permits, Wisconsin has two major types of permits: (1) Overweight permits and (2) Oversize permits. These permits have two subtypes: (a) single trip and (b) multiple trips. Those vehicles and loads that exceed both the legal weight and size will require both an overweight permit and an oversize permit before they may be moved.
What Is an Overweight/Oversize Load?
“Overweight Loads" for the typical tractor trailer refers to loads that exceed maximum gross vehicle weights on all axles of 80,000 lbs. Overweight permits for a vehicle and indivisible load may exceed legal maximum single axle weight, tandem axle weight, axle group weight, and vehicle gross weight. If the load is divisible, the legal maximum single axle weight, tandem axle weight, and axle group weight may not be exceeded.
“Oversize Loads" refers to the loads that are wider than eight feet six inches (8’6”), taller than thirteen feet six inches (13’6”) and over one hundred feet (100’) long. Oversize permits are for a vehicle and indivisible load that exceeds legal maximum width, length, height, or projecting load.
ESTABLISHING CONTEXT
The first thing that needs to be done is identify what problem needs to be solved. That means we need to know what specifically was observe that triggered this concern. The primary trigger was an accident that involved an oversize load that occurred on Main Street in early April. The accident involved a Merrill Iron Works truck hauling a load that exceeded height dimensions. The load caught a tree branch and pulled it down, the branch hooked a power pole guy-wire and moved the pole slightly. The power service to a home that hung across the street was lowered enough that a cement truck moving the opposite direction of the Merrill Iron Works truck pulled the service off the home. The homeowner complained about OSOW loads using Highway “89”.
There were approximately thirty two OSOW loads that moved through Lake Mills in April of this year. There could be several hundred OSOW loads moving through Lake Mills in 2010 as there has been for several years now. These OSOW loads are going to be oversize, overweight or some combination thereof. Each of these loads will have different permit requirements based on their load classification.
Most oversize/overweight shipments need special permits to legally transport the shipment on roadways. Prior to a truck driver loading an oversize/overweight shipment those special permits must be ordered from the Department of Transportation (DOT). When an over-dimensional/overweight shipment is in transit, the driver must abide by the rules and regulations enforced by the DOT. Truck drivers must have their Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations book in their trucks, at all times. Truck drivers are limited to the hours in a day they are allowed to drive, truck drivers must stop at each scale house/station so paperwork can be verified, load can be inspected, and weight can be checked. Truck drivers are only allowed to transport the oversize/overweight shipment on the route approved by the DOT. The majority of Federal/State holidays will prevent a truck driver from transporting the oversize/overweight shipment as well. These shipments are generally traveling through multiple states and each state has different variances with legal dimensions and weights.
DOT requires the hauler to obtain an oversize/overweight permit before traveling on their highways, to assure that the load will not travel through any unsafe construction zones, which may have reduced lane widths, cross any bridges that were not made to handle over 80,000 pounds, or hit any overpasses if they are overheight.
Wisconsin issues single trip OSOW permits that are valid for up to 14 days. Wisconsin issues multiple trip OSOW permits that may be purchased for three to twelve months of operation, unless noted otherwise.
Wisconsin state‐issued single trip permits are valid on Interstate, US, and state roads. Single trip permits for local roads (except for single trip mobile home permits) are obtained via the local highway maintenance authorities. Single trip mobile home permits are state‐issued and are valid on Interstate, US, state roads, and local roads.
Wisconsin non‐divisible load multiple trip permits are state‐issued and are valid on Interstate, US, and State highways and local roads. Wisconsin divisible load multiple trip permits may be issued by the state or local authority based on the authorizing statute.
A permit may require:
Insurance requirements
Carriers are required to have proper amounts of liability insurance and must obtain an oversize/overweight permit before operating.
Lighting requirements
An oversize vehicle, or a vehicle with an oversize load operating during the hours of darkness, shall be equipped with the following additional lamps.
A: for a vehicle with a load which extends beyond the width of the vehicle
At the outermost extremity of the foremost edge of the projecting load, an amber lamp visible from the front and side
At the outermost extremity of the rearmost edge of the projecting load, a red lamp visible from the rear and side
Any portion of an overwidth load extending beyond the width of the foremost or rearmost edge of the vehicle of load shall be marked with an amber lamp visible from the front, both sides, and rear
If the overwidth portion of a load measures 3 feet or less from the front to rear, that portion shall be marked with a amber lamp visible from the front, both sides and rear, except that if the overwidth projection is located at or near the rear it shall be marked by a red lamp visible from the front, both sides, and rear
B: for a vehicle with a load which extends more than 4 feet beyond the rear of the vehicle
On each side of the projecting load, one red lamp visible from the side, located so as to indicate maximum overhang
On the rear of the projecting load, 2 red lamps, visible from the rear, one at each side; and 2 red reflectors visible from the rear, one at each side, located so as to indicate maximum width
C: All required lamps shall be illuminated whenever a vehicle is operated during the hours of darkness
D: All lamps shall be visible at a distance of 500 feet
Flag requirements
Each flag shall be solid red or orange in color, and not less than 18 inches square
Flags shall be securely fastened by at least one corner or securely mounted on a staff
When a vehicle, load, or vehicle and load is overwidth, a flag shall be fastened at each front and rear corner of the load. In addition, if any part of the load is more than 4 inches wider than the width of load or vehicle at the front or rear, than a flag shall be placed at the widest point of the load
When a vehicle, load, or vehicle and load is overlength, a single flag shall be fastened at the extreme rear of the load if the overlength or projecting portion is 2 feet wide or less
When a vehicle, load, or vehicle and load is overlength 2 flags shall be fastened at the rear of the load to indicate maximum width if the overlength or projecting portion is wider than 2 feet
Sign requirements
When a vehicle, load, or vehicle and load is more than 10 feet wide or is overlength, 2 warning signs shall be displayed. One sign shall be fastened at the front of the power unit and the other at either the rear of the towed unit or at the rear of the load.
Each sign shall state, in black letters on a yellow background “OVERSIZE LOAD” and may not be less than 7 feet long and 18 inches high. The letters of the sign may not be less than 10 inches high with a brush stroke of not less than 1.4 inches.
The sign message may not be displayed when the vehicle is not operating under a permit.
Warning lamps
When required by a permit, warning lamps shall be operated as follows:
All amber flashing or revolving warning lamps shall have a reflector at least 6 inches in diameter and shall be bright enough to be clearly visible and attention-attracting at a distance of 500 feet under all conditions when the load is on the highway, except when visibility is obstructed by a hillcrest, a curve, or an object such as another vehicle
All warning lamps shall flash at a rate of 30 to 90 times per minute
Strobe lamps may be used in lieu of flashing or revolving lamps
Warning lamps may not be operated when a vehicle is not operating under a permit
Hazard markers
When required by the conditions of a permit, black and white or black and yellow diagonally striped reflectorized hazard markers, not less than 12 inches wide by 36 inches high, shall be fastened to, or in front of and behind the load, so as to be fully visible to traffic approaching from both the front and rear of the vehicle
All hazard markers shall be located at right angles to the centerline of the vehicle so as to indicate the widest part of the load on each side of the vehicle
OPERATING TIMES
Vehicles that are overweight only, unless specified otherwise in the permit, may operate 24 hours a day, including weekends and holidays.
If load size does not exceed 12'00" wide, 13'06" high or 100'00" long, the vehicle may not be operated:
Between 4:00 p.m and 11:00 p.m. on Sunday
Between 4:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m on Friday
Between the 4th Friday in May and Labor Day between 4:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m.
On any holiday* or when Independence Day falls on Sunday
On the following Monday between 4:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m.
On the day before any holiday*, except that this restriction does not apply to Independence Day when it falls on a Sunday.
If size is greater than 12'00" wide, 13'06" high or 100'00" long, the vehicle may not be operated:
During the hours of darkness
After 4:00 p.m. on Friday between the 4th Friday in May and Labor Day
During the period beginning at 12:00 noon on Saturday and continuing until sunrise the following Monday
During the period beginning at 12:00 noon on the day preceding every holiday* and continuing until sunrise the day following every holiday*.
*Holidays with restricted travel times are New Years Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas
There are more rules, but for our purposes, we now have information on the problem and the current conditions for obtaining permits. We may need to do more information gathering to find the actual cause of our local problem if we expect to make a higher quality decision about what action to take that will help us develop the optimum corrective action. Sometimes discovering the immediate cause of a problem doesn’t give us all the information we need.
Therefore, we need to verify the cause before proceeding. It is one thing to ask what caused something and it is another to actually know the answer! It is not enough to give an answer that seems right. It is crucial that each link in the causal chain is the verified, true cause. False links will lead to ineffective corrective actions at best and disasters at worst. There are some questions that should be asked – are the trees appropriately trim for an OSOW route? Does the condition of the pavement contribute to OSOW load problems? Can the street be better designed to handle OSOW loads? Are vehicles parking appropriately on the street? Are traffic counts during certain times of the day contributing to the problem?
The reason oversize loads are allowed to travel on Wisconsin roads is because they play an important role in the state's economy. Tolerating conflicts are necessary if we plan on maintaining a healthy economy and maintaining safe and well maintained streets. To minimize disruptions and ensure the safety of our street users and allow trucks to maneuver routes safely, the state policy sets out special operating conditions. The City of Lake Mills currently has not sought any special permits for OSOW loads. The State has handled all the permits by using their rules which provides a uniform system for issuing OSOW permits to regulate vehicles used on the state highways which when loaded exceed the limitations on length width, height, and weight.
ALTERNATIVES
Alternative 1 – No change. The City continues as it currently does allowing the State to be the only permit issuing entity.
Alternative 2 – Adopt a policy that requires the oversize/overweight (OSOW) loads which exceeds statutory weight and/or dimension limits, even if another permit (e.g. State permit) has already been issued. By granting this permit, the applicant is given permission to transport an oversize/overweight load on the designated route under the restrictions set forth on the permit document.
Alternative 3 – Adopt a policy that designates Highway 89 as a class “B” highway within the City’s jurisdiction. Weight limitations on class “B” highways are 60% of class “A” highway weight limitations.
Alternative 4 – Adopt a policy that requires the street trees be regularly cut to a standard that would reduce conflicts with overheight loads. Adopt a policy that requires all house services on the truck route be placed underground. Adopt a policy that restricts parking on Main Street.
Alternative #5. Council develops their own procedure or utilizes combination of proposed alternatives.
Project the Outcomes
Alternative #1. No change. The City has allowed the State to be the only permit required for oversize/overweight (OSOW) loads within the City’s jurisdiction. There has been very little citizen complaint over the last twenty years with OSOW loads
The State requires oversize or overweight vehicles obtain a state permit from the Department of Transportation before they can travel legally on Wisconsin highways. To issue this permit, the Department must evaluate the proposed route for potential hazards such as roads that are too narrow, bridges without adequate vertical clearance, areas that are congested, and roadbeds that are unstable during spring thaw. The Department must also ensure that heavy loads can travel safely without damaging the state’s bridges.
Wisconsin has the toughest OSOW requirements in the Midwest, but the lowest fines and some of the lowest levels of enforcement.
Alternative #2. Adopt a policy that requires the oversize/overweight (OSOW) loads which exceeds statutory weight and/or dimension limits, even if another permit (e.g. State permit) has already been issued.
An OSOW trip permit would be required for any load transported on any street within the City limits of Lake Mills which exceeds statutory oversize/overweight limits, even if another permit (e.g. State permit) has already been issued. By requiring this permit, applicants are given permission to transport an oversize/overweight load on the designated route under the restrictions set forth on the permit document.
One of the most important decisions is which individual or department will function as a OSOW permit office and the related communication linkages between the selected permit agency, WisDOT and the officers in the field who enforce size, weight, and permit laws. These agencies and officers will need to compare permits to the vehicles and loads for which the permits are issued. The following Information is typically needed to issue an OSOW permit.
Vehicle type,
Vehicle make,
Number of axles,
License number or VIN,
State of registration,
Empty and loaded weight of both the towing and towed vehicles,
Load description,
Number of such articles,
Total weight of vehicle and load,
Width, height, length of load towing vehicle,
Towed vehicle and combined vehicle and load,
The number of tires and gross load of each axle,
Axle spacings,
Total gross weight of vehicles and load,
Highways to be used,
Origin and destination of both the loaded trip and return trip,
Requested date of movement,
Number of hours the load will be on the road,
Name and address of the owner of the power unit,
Name and address of the insurance company, the policy number and expiration date.
Most local permits are reviewed by the engineering department. The simpler the permit requirements – the easier the local review process will be. The State has already covered the substantial set of safety and infrastructure protection issues through their permit. There appears to be only two issues that might justify a local permit. The first is a traffic flow analysis which may justify time restrictions over the State’s requirements. The second is the opportunity to add local enforcement to the State permit requirements.
A traffic flow analysis might justify a local permit that adds some time restrictions to the State permit. Potential time restrictions might be 6:00 am to 9:00 am and 3:00 pm to 6:00pm. State reports acknowledge that a lack of enforcement and low penalties encourage violation of the permit requirements. A permit notification requirement would provide the local police department with the information to be able to enforce the permit requirements within our jurisdiction.
Alternative #3. Adopt a policy that designates Highway 89 as class “B” highway within our jurisdiction. Weight limitations on class “B” highways are 60% of class “A” highway weight limitations. This policy would effectively eliminate OSOW loads in the City. We would probably end up in a political fight at the State level to adopt this policy.
Alternative #4. Adopt policies that would reduce conflicts, such as, the street trees be regularly cut to a standard that would reduce conflicts with overheight loads, require all house electric services on the truck route be placed underground, enforcement of distance from the curb parking restriction on Main Street, ask DOT to move the S. Main Street reconstruction timeline up.
This approach acknowledges the benefits of being able to transport these loads and respects the State’s permitting process. The actions are to reduce conflicts between local actions and State goals.
Alternative #5. Council develops their own procedure or utilizes combination of proposed alternatives.
CONSEQUENCES
Whether a particular program is good or bad, efficient or inefficient, depends upon how well it achieves policy objectives. The decision to regulate must address issues of administration, due process, transparency, and information asymmetries. Any new program must reconcile independence with accountability, but the design of regulatory processes requires a careful balance between certainty (rigidity) and flexibility. The former promotes predictability in decision-making and supports keeping commitments. The latter (the exercise of discretion) can facilitate adaptation to changing conditions.
Truck size and weight regulations are important in determining infrastructure construction and maintenance requirements and the cost of freight transportation. All states regulate the sizes and weights of trucks operating on the public roads Federal and state Truck size and weight regulations define the weight and dimensional envelope into which the truck fleet must fit, and this influences the characteristics of the national truck fleet. While federal law regulates truck size and weight, the states use a varied combination of weight limits.
There can be little doubt that wealth generation through economic growth and the issue of permitting of OSOW loads is connected. Bo Delong of the Delong Companies has discussed the impact that OSOW load handling had on his business. The company, in its fourth generation of DeLong family ownership, has 250 employees, including about 110 employees at its headquarters and grain elevator in Clinton, Wisconsin. DeLong estimated that there was an economic savings of $400 per container if the containers could be loaded to ocean line weights and transported from the elevators. At approximately 100,000 containers per year, this would mean $40,000,000 returned to the producers.
Thus, a good performance-based system must be both robust and simple enough to be practical and accommodate growth. A practical system is one that can be easily implemented and enforced. Implementation will require information linkages that are simple and effective. Practicality also can be defined in terms of ease of enforcement.
The structure and implementation of OSOW permitting in the City of Lake Mills would likely be similar to the State in requiring vehicles weighing more than 80,000 pounds or over certain width and height dimensions to have a permit to operate on the local highway system under nondivisible-load permits.
The permit policy would be an expansion of the municipality’s operation obligations, the requirement to review and issue OSOW permits, without the corresponding normative staffing and funding would emerged as an acute and specific problem. The Council will have to determine how to manage service delivery and include the autonomy to determine tariffs and user fees; to determine the mix and level of services; and to design efficient delivery methods.
A permit fee for this type of program is set up to primarily recover the cost of administering the regulatory permit program. The fee associated with this permit is a regulatory fee and is imposed as a result of a need to regulate activities for the collective good, typically for public health, safety, or other protective purposes. Fees purchase a privilege or authorization that applies only to those individuals who want to engage in an activity deemed to have a significant impact on the health and well-being of the community as a whole.
CONCLUSION
The Council’s selection of an alternative will determine the program design, implementation process and fund commitment. The selection of an alternative will have varying results on the OSOW truck traffic through the city and each will depend on the level of fund commitment to the program.
Permit fees are usually set up to primarily recover the cost of administering the permit program. The fee associated with this permit is a regulatory fee and is imposed as a result of a need to regulate activities for the collective good, typically for public health, safety, or other protective purposes. Fees purchase a privilege or authorization that applies only to those individuals who want to engage in an activity deemed to have a significant impact on the health and well-being of the community as a whole.
I would recommend the minimal amount of intervention and design a program that requires a permit notifying the Police Department of time the load will move through the City and a copy of the State permit. The Police Department could than view the load as it moves through the city and determine if they want to inspect to determine if it meets state requirements. This will require specialized training to do the inspections and may require additional equipment.
It is a common sight these days to see oversized transport loads hauling parts all over the country. Moving components from factory floor to the project site or large construction equipment to a construction site is not easy. The U.S. economy is shifting to specialized products that often are shipped as oversize/overweight (OSOW) loads. The risk elements are extensive when because these loads tend to be highly-sensitive, technological and very valuable components that weigh several tons and extend well over 100 feet in length. In addition to the risk elements may require detailed planning and precise execution, the attention by everyday road travelers drawn to these massive move projects sometimes generates serious public safety issues caused by inevitable traffic delays.
Truck transportation plays a vital role in Wisconsin’s economy. The State allows oversize/weight (OSOW) trucks to operate on the highways generally when the load is non-divisible; there are exceptions to this requirement. The permits allows shipping that increase Wisconsin's economic competitiveness; however, the elements of local traffic need to be evaluated based on the challenges from increasing truck loads sizes on city streets, including fact-based traffic safety assessment to determine the current design of the infrastructure; and realistic estimation of load effects due to OSOW vehicles traveling on the infrastructure.
The City Council needs to understand oversize/overweight information if it desires to work with the state to accommodate increasing OSOW vehicles while preventing excessive damage to the highways and unsafe conditions in the city.
In order to provide for all the vehicles and loads that qualify for permits, Wisconsin has two major types of permits: (1) Overweight permits and (2) Oversize permits. These permits have two subtypes: (a) single trip and (b) multiple trips. Those vehicles and loads that exceed both the legal weight and size will require both an overweight permit and an oversize permit before they may be moved.
What Is an Overweight/Oversize Load?
“Overweight Loads" for the typical tractor trailer refers to loads that exceed maximum gross vehicle weights on all axles of 80,000 lbs. Overweight permits for a vehicle and indivisible load may exceed legal maximum single axle weight, tandem axle weight, axle group weight, and vehicle gross weight. If the load is divisible, the legal maximum single axle weight, tandem axle weight, and axle group weight may not be exceeded.
“Oversize Loads" refers to the loads that are wider than eight feet six inches (8’6”), taller than thirteen feet six inches (13’6”) and over one hundred feet (100’) long. Oversize permits are for a vehicle and indivisible load that exceeds legal maximum width, length, height, or projecting load.
ESTABLISHING CONTEXT
The first thing that needs to be done is identify what problem needs to be solved. That means we need to know what specifically was observe that triggered this concern. The primary trigger was an accident that involved an oversize load that occurred on Main Street in early April. The accident involved a Merrill Iron Works truck hauling a load that exceeded height dimensions. The load caught a tree branch and pulled it down, the branch hooked a power pole guy-wire and moved the pole slightly. The power service to a home that hung across the street was lowered enough that a cement truck moving the opposite direction of the Merrill Iron Works truck pulled the service off the home. The homeowner complained about OSOW loads using Highway “89”.
There were approximately thirty two OSOW loads that moved through Lake Mills in April of this year. There could be several hundred OSOW loads moving through Lake Mills in 2010 as there has been for several years now. These OSOW loads are going to be oversize, overweight or some combination thereof. Each of these loads will have different permit requirements based on their load classification.
Most oversize/overweight shipments need special permits to legally transport the shipment on roadways. Prior to a truck driver loading an oversize/overweight shipment those special permits must be ordered from the Department of Transportation (DOT). When an over-dimensional/overweight shipment is in transit, the driver must abide by the rules and regulations enforced by the DOT. Truck drivers must have their Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations book in their trucks, at all times. Truck drivers are limited to the hours in a day they are allowed to drive, truck drivers must stop at each scale house/station so paperwork can be verified, load can be inspected, and weight can be checked. Truck drivers are only allowed to transport the oversize/overweight shipment on the route approved by the DOT. The majority of Federal/State holidays will prevent a truck driver from transporting the oversize/overweight shipment as well. These shipments are generally traveling through multiple states and each state has different variances with legal dimensions and weights.
DOT requires the hauler to obtain an oversize/overweight permit before traveling on their highways, to assure that the load will not travel through any unsafe construction zones, which may have reduced lane widths, cross any bridges that were not made to handle over 80,000 pounds, or hit any overpasses if they are overheight.
Wisconsin issues single trip OSOW permits that are valid for up to 14 days. Wisconsin issues multiple trip OSOW permits that may be purchased for three to twelve months of operation, unless noted otherwise.
Wisconsin state‐issued single trip permits are valid on Interstate, US, and state roads. Single trip permits for local roads (except for single trip mobile home permits) are obtained via the local highway maintenance authorities. Single trip mobile home permits are state‐issued and are valid on Interstate, US, state roads, and local roads.
Wisconsin non‐divisible load multiple trip permits are state‐issued and are valid on Interstate, US, and State highways and local roads. Wisconsin divisible load multiple trip permits may be issued by the state or local authority based on the authorizing statute.
A permit may require:
Insurance requirements
Carriers are required to have proper amounts of liability insurance and must obtain an oversize/overweight permit before operating.
Lighting requirements
An oversize vehicle, or a vehicle with an oversize load operating during the hours of darkness, shall be equipped with the following additional lamps.
A: for a vehicle with a load which extends beyond the width of the vehicle
At the outermost extremity of the foremost edge of the projecting load, an amber lamp visible from the front and side
At the outermost extremity of the rearmost edge of the projecting load, a red lamp visible from the rear and side
Any portion of an overwidth load extending beyond the width of the foremost or rearmost edge of the vehicle of load shall be marked with an amber lamp visible from the front, both sides, and rear
If the overwidth portion of a load measures 3 feet or less from the front to rear, that portion shall be marked with a amber lamp visible from the front, both sides and rear, except that if the overwidth projection is located at or near the rear it shall be marked by a red lamp visible from the front, both sides, and rear
B: for a vehicle with a load which extends more than 4 feet beyond the rear of the vehicle
On each side of the projecting load, one red lamp visible from the side, located so as to indicate maximum overhang
On the rear of the projecting load, 2 red lamps, visible from the rear, one at each side; and 2 red reflectors visible from the rear, one at each side, located so as to indicate maximum width
C: All required lamps shall be illuminated whenever a vehicle is operated during the hours of darkness
D: All lamps shall be visible at a distance of 500 feet
Flag requirements
Each flag shall be solid red or orange in color, and not less than 18 inches square
Flags shall be securely fastened by at least one corner or securely mounted on a staff
When a vehicle, load, or vehicle and load is overwidth, a flag shall be fastened at each front and rear corner of the load. In addition, if any part of the load is more than 4 inches wider than the width of load or vehicle at the front or rear, than a flag shall be placed at the widest point of the load
When a vehicle, load, or vehicle and load is overlength, a single flag shall be fastened at the extreme rear of the load if the overlength or projecting portion is 2 feet wide or less
When a vehicle, load, or vehicle and load is overlength 2 flags shall be fastened at the rear of the load to indicate maximum width if the overlength or projecting portion is wider than 2 feet
Sign requirements
When a vehicle, load, or vehicle and load is more than 10 feet wide or is overlength, 2 warning signs shall be displayed. One sign shall be fastened at the front of the power unit and the other at either the rear of the towed unit or at the rear of the load.
Each sign shall state, in black letters on a yellow background “OVERSIZE LOAD” and may not be less than 7 feet long and 18 inches high. The letters of the sign may not be less than 10 inches high with a brush stroke of not less than 1.4 inches.
The sign message may not be displayed when the vehicle is not operating under a permit.
Warning lamps
When required by a permit, warning lamps shall be operated as follows:
All amber flashing or revolving warning lamps shall have a reflector at least 6 inches in diameter and shall be bright enough to be clearly visible and attention-attracting at a distance of 500 feet under all conditions when the load is on the highway, except when visibility is obstructed by a hillcrest, a curve, or an object such as another vehicle
All warning lamps shall flash at a rate of 30 to 90 times per minute
Strobe lamps may be used in lieu of flashing or revolving lamps
Warning lamps may not be operated when a vehicle is not operating under a permit
Hazard markers
When required by the conditions of a permit, black and white or black and yellow diagonally striped reflectorized hazard markers, not less than 12 inches wide by 36 inches high, shall be fastened to, or in front of and behind the load, so as to be fully visible to traffic approaching from both the front and rear of the vehicle
All hazard markers shall be located at right angles to the centerline of the vehicle so as to indicate the widest part of the load on each side of the vehicle
OPERATING TIMES
Vehicles that are overweight only, unless specified otherwise in the permit, may operate 24 hours a day, including weekends and holidays.
If load size does not exceed 12'00" wide, 13'06" high or 100'00" long, the vehicle may not be operated:
Between 4:00 p.m and 11:00 p.m. on Sunday
Between 4:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m on Friday
Between the 4th Friday in May and Labor Day between 4:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m.
On any holiday* or when Independence Day falls on Sunday
On the following Monday between 4:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m.
On the day before any holiday*, except that this restriction does not apply to Independence Day when it falls on a Sunday.
If size is greater than 12'00" wide, 13'06" high or 100'00" long, the vehicle may not be operated:
During the hours of darkness
After 4:00 p.m. on Friday between the 4th Friday in May and Labor Day
During the period beginning at 12:00 noon on Saturday and continuing until sunrise the following Monday
During the period beginning at 12:00 noon on the day preceding every holiday* and continuing until sunrise the day following every holiday*.
*Holidays with restricted travel times are New Years Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas
There are more rules, but for our purposes, we now have information on the problem and the current conditions for obtaining permits. We may need to do more information gathering to find the actual cause of our local problem if we expect to make a higher quality decision about what action to take that will help us develop the optimum corrective action. Sometimes discovering the immediate cause of a problem doesn’t give us all the information we need.
Therefore, we need to verify the cause before proceeding. It is one thing to ask what caused something and it is another to actually know the answer! It is not enough to give an answer that seems right. It is crucial that each link in the causal chain is the verified, true cause. False links will lead to ineffective corrective actions at best and disasters at worst. There are some questions that should be asked – are the trees appropriately trim for an OSOW route? Does the condition of the pavement contribute to OSOW load problems? Can the street be better designed to handle OSOW loads? Are vehicles parking appropriately on the street? Are traffic counts during certain times of the day contributing to the problem?
The reason oversize loads are allowed to travel on Wisconsin roads is because they play an important role in the state's economy. Tolerating conflicts are necessary if we plan on maintaining a healthy economy and maintaining safe and well maintained streets. To minimize disruptions and ensure the safety of our street users and allow trucks to maneuver routes safely, the state policy sets out special operating conditions. The City of Lake Mills currently has not sought any special permits for OSOW loads. The State has handled all the permits by using their rules which provides a uniform system for issuing OSOW permits to regulate vehicles used on the state highways which when loaded exceed the limitations on length width, height, and weight.
ALTERNATIVES
Alternative 1 – No change. The City continues as it currently does allowing the State to be the only permit issuing entity.
Alternative 2 – Adopt a policy that requires the oversize/overweight (OSOW) loads which exceeds statutory weight and/or dimension limits, even if another permit (e.g. State permit) has already been issued. By granting this permit, the applicant is given permission to transport an oversize/overweight load on the designated route under the restrictions set forth on the permit document.
Alternative 3 – Adopt a policy that designates Highway 89 as a class “B” highway within the City’s jurisdiction. Weight limitations on class “B” highways are 60% of class “A” highway weight limitations.
Alternative 4 – Adopt a policy that requires the street trees be regularly cut to a standard that would reduce conflicts with overheight loads. Adopt a policy that requires all house services on the truck route be placed underground. Adopt a policy that restricts parking on Main Street.
Alternative #5. Council develops their own procedure or utilizes combination of proposed alternatives.
Project the Outcomes
Alternative #1. No change. The City has allowed the State to be the only permit required for oversize/overweight (OSOW) loads within the City’s jurisdiction. There has been very little citizen complaint over the last twenty years with OSOW loads
The State requires oversize or overweight vehicles obtain a state permit from the Department of Transportation before they can travel legally on Wisconsin highways. To issue this permit, the Department must evaluate the proposed route for potential hazards such as roads that are too narrow, bridges without adequate vertical clearance, areas that are congested, and roadbeds that are unstable during spring thaw. The Department must also ensure that heavy loads can travel safely without damaging the state’s bridges.
Wisconsin has the toughest OSOW requirements in the Midwest, but the lowest fines and some of the lowest levels of enforcement.
Alternative #2. Adopt a policy that requires the oversize/overweight (OSOW) loads which exceeds statutory weight and/or dimension limits, even if another permit (e.g. State permit) has already been issued.
An OSOW trip permit would be required for any load transported on any street within the City limits of Lake Mills which exceeds statutory oversize/overweight limits, even if another permit (e.g. State permit) has already been issued. By requiring this permit, applicants are given permission to transport an oversize/overweight load on the designated route under the restrictions set forth on the permit document.
One of the most important decisions is which individual or department will function as a OSOW permit office and the related communication linkages between the selected permit agency, WisDOT and the officers in the field who enforce size, weight, and permit laws. These agencies and officers will need to compare permits to the vehicles and loads for which the permits are issued. The following Information is typically needed to issue an OSOW permit.
Vehicle type,
Vehicle make,
Number of axles,
License number or VIN,
State of registration,
Empty and loaded weight of both the towing and towed vehicles,
Load description,
Number of such articles,
Total weight of vehicle and load,
Width, height, length of load towing vehicle,
Towed vehicle and combined vehicle and load,
The number of tires and gross load of each axle,
Axle spacings,
Total gross weight of vehicles and load,
Highways to be used,
Origin and destination of both the loaded trip and return trip,
Requested date of movement,
Number of hours the load will be on the road,
Name and address of the owner of the power unit,
Name and address of the insurance company, the policy number and expiration date.
Most local permits are reviewed by the engineering department. The simpler the permit requirements – the easier the local review process will be. The State has already covered the substantial set of safety and infrastructure protection issues through their permit. There appears to be only two issues that might justify a local permit. The first is a traffic flow analysis which may justify time restrictions over the State’s requirements. The second is the opportunity to add local enforcement to the State permit requirements.
A traffic flow analysis might justify a local permit that adds some time restrictions to the State permit. Potential time restrictions might be 6:00 am to 9:00 am and 3:00 pm to 6:00pm. State reports acknowledge that a lack of enforcement and low penalties encourage violation of the permit requirements. A permit notification requirement would provide the local police department with the information to be able to enforce the permit requirements within our jurisdiction.
Alternative #3. Adopt a policy that designates Highway 89 as class “B” highway within our jurisdiction. Weight limitations on class “B” highways are 60% of class “A” highway weight limitations. This policy would effectively eliminate OSOW loads in the City. We would probably end up in a political fight at the State level to adopt this policy.
Alternative #4. Adopt policies that would reduce conflicts, such as, the street trees be regularly cut to a standard that would reduce conflicts with overheight loads, require all house electric services on the truck route be placed underground, enforcement of distance from the curb parking restriction on Main Street, ask DOT to move the S. Main Street reconstruction timeline up.
This approach acknowledges the benefits of being able to transport these loads and respects the State’s permitting process. The actions are to reduce conflicts between local actions and State goals.
Alternative #5. Council develops their own procedure or utilizes combination of proposed alternatives.
CONSEQUENCES
Whether a particular program is good or bad, efficient or inefficient, depends upon how well it achieves policy objectives. The decision to regulate must address issues of administration, due process, transparency, and information asymmetries. Any new program must reconcile independence with accountability, but the design of regulatory processes requires a careful balance between certainty (rigidity) and flexibility. The former promotes predictability in decision-making and supports keeping commitments. The latter (the exercise of discretion) can facilitate adaptation to changing conditions.
Truck size and weight regulations are important in determining infrastructure construction and maintenance requirements and the cost of freight transportation. All states regulate the sizes and weights of trucks operating on the public roads Federal and state Truck size and weight regulations define the weight and dimensional envelope into which the truck fleet must fit, and this influences the characteristics of the national truck fleet. While federal law regulates truck size and weight, the states use a varied combination of weight limits.
There can be little doubt that wealth generation through economic growth and the issue of permitting of OSOW loads is connected. Bo Delong of the Delong Companies has discussed the impact that OSOW load handling had on his business. The company, in its fourth generation of DeLong family ownership, has 250 employees, including about 110 employees at its headquarters and grain elevator in Clinton, Wisconsin. DeLong estimated that there was an economic savings of $400 per container if the containers could be loaded to ocean line weights and transported from the elevators. At approximately 100,000 containers per year, this would mean $40,000,000 returned to the producers.
Thus, a good performance-based system must be both robust and simple enough to be practical and accommodate growth. A practical system is one that can be easily implemented and enforced. Implementation will require information linkages that are simple and effective. Practicality also can be defined in terms of ease of enforcement.
The structure and implementation of OSOW permitting in the City of Lake Mills would likely be similar to the State in requiring vehicles weighing more than 80,000 pounds or over certain width and height dimensions to have a permit to operate on the local highway system under nondivisible-load permits.
The permit policy would be an expansion of the municipality’s operation obligations, the requirement to review and issue OSOW permits, without the corresponding normative staffing and funding would emerged as an acute and specific problem. The Council will have to determine how to manage service delivery and include the autonomy to determine tariffs and user fees; to determine the mix and level of services; and to design efficient delivery methods.
A permit fee for this type of program is set up to primarily recover the cost of administering the regulatory permit program. The fee associated with this permit is a regulatory fee and is imposed as a result of a need to regulate activities for the collective good, typically for public health, safety, or other protective purposes. Fees purchase a privilege or authorization that applies only to those individuals who want to engage in an activity deemed to have a significant impact on the health and well-being of the community as a whole.
CONCLUSION
The Council’s selection of an alternative will determine the program design, implementation process and fund commitment. The selection of an alternative will have varying results on the OSOW truck traffic through the city and each will depend on the level of fund commitment to the program.
Permit fees are usually set up to primarily recover the cost of administering the permit program. The fee associated with this permit is a regulatory fee and is imposed as a result of a need to regulate activities for the collective good, typically for public health, safety, or other protective purposes. Fees purchase a privilege or authorization that applies only to those individuals who want to engage in an activity deemed to have a significant impact on the health and well-being of the community as a whole.
I would recommend the minimal amount of intervention and design a program that requires a permit notifying the Police Department of time the load will move through the City and a copy of the State permit. The Police Department could than view the load as it moves through the city and determine if they want to inspect to determine if it meets state requirements. This will require specialized training to do the inspections and may require additional equipment.
Monday, June 7, 2010
TIDBITS
The Luann cartoon from the Sunday paper ruined all my planning discussions. I'm going to become a fatalist.
My insurance adjuster told me that the American legal system isn't about justice - just money. Man, I feel better already.
Can you feel good about creative people when you don't have a creative bone in your body?
My insurance adjuster told me that the American legal system isn't about justice - just money. Man, I feel better already.
Can you feel good about creative people when you don't have a creative bone in your body?
Friday, June 4, 2010
Decision Please
Every problem that I have — no matter how simple they may be — comes with a long list of assumptions that I’ve attached to them. I know that some of these assumptions may be inaccurate and will cause my problem statement to be inadequate or even misguided.
Many of my problems are a chain of events in which one problem leads to another, which leads to another. I have to force myself to work hard at tracking the root cause to get a more complete picture of how the problem I want to solve came into being. When I have a solid understanding of the root cause, (the entire chain of events), I can substantially reduce the inaccuracies of my problem statement and decide on the most appropriate plan of action.
My first step in getting rid of bad assumptions is to write a list and expose as many assumptions as I can — especially those that may seem the most obvious or in Einstein’s case ‘untouchable’.
Einstein was constantly writing things down because it allowed him to focus on the entire chain of events. It allowed him to go further and test all the assumptions he was making for validity: exposing the ways in which each problem might not be valid and the related consequences. This seemly simple process can reveal many of those bad assumptions that are self-imposed — allowing me to drop them from the problem statement.
Every day there are countless choices that I make without much thought. I tend to apply rules and copy solutions from my or others past experience rather than solve every problem encountered on a daily basis. I would have difficulty surviving if I had to apply problem solving techniques to every decision I faced. Malcolm Gladwell[1] refers to this decision making process as “Blink”. "Blink" happens very rapidly within "the locked room" of our unconscious; we need to take this ability seriously as it leads to important insights; it can also betray us because quick judgment is highly influenced by the environment and predispositions. This locked room is where we store our assumptions, some we accurately use and some needed to be challenged because they aren’t valid for the situation.
The key is to seek the balance between having to make a decision immediately and having the time to analyze the problem. General Powell's advice is don't take action if you have only enough information to give you less than a 40 percent chance of being right, but don't wait until you have enough facts to be 100 percent sure, because by then it is almost always too late. Procrastination in the name of reducing risk actually increases risk.
I have to work at strengthening and managing my decision making processes by paying attention and making corrections.
[1] Gladwell, Malcolm. Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking. : Little, Brown and Company, January 11, 2005.
Many of my problems are a chain of events in which one problem leads to another, which leads to another. I have to force myself to work hard at tracking the root cause to get a more complete picture of how the problem I want to solve came into being. When I have a solid understanding of the root cause, (the entire chain of events), I can substantially reduce the inaccuracies of my problem statement and decide on the most appropriate plan of action.
My first step in getting rid of bad assumptions is to write a list and expose as many assumptions as I can — especially those that may seem the most obvious or in Einstein’s case ‘untouchable’.
Einstein was constantly writing things down because it allowed him to focus on the entire chain of events. It allowed him to go further and test all the assumptions he was making for validity: exposing the ways in which each problem might not be valid and the related consequences. This seemly simple process can reveal many of those bad assumptions that are self-imposed — allowing me to drop them from the problem statement.
Every day there are countless choices that I make without much thought. I tend to apply rules and copy solutions from my or others past experience rather than solve every problem encountered on a daily basis. I would have difficulty surviving if I had to apply problem solving techniques to every decision I faced. Malcolm Gladwell[1] refers to this decision making process as “Blink”. "Blink" happens very rapidly within "the locked room" of our unconscious; we need to take this ability seriously as it leads to important insights; it can also betray us because quick judgment is highly influenced by the environment and predispositions. This locked room is where we store our assumptions, some we accurately use and some needed to be challenged because they aren’t valid for the situation.
The key is to seek the balance between having to make a decision immediately and having the time to analyze the problem. General Powell's advice is don't take action if you have only enough information to give you less than a 40 percent chance of being right, but don't wait until you have enough facts to be 100 percent sure, because by then it is almost always too late. Procrastination in the name of reducing risk actually increases risk.
I have to work at strengthening and managing my decision making processes by paying attention and making corrections.
[1] Gladwell, Malcolm. Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking. : Little, Brown and Company, January 11, 2005.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Compliance Maintenance Annual Report
The DNR requires the City review the CMAR report annually. The DNR has evaluated the performance of the Wastewater Treatment plant and the sanitary sewer system and tried to determine maintenance requirements. The DNR then produces the CMAR and requires the City Council to review the report and consider approving all the required actions within the report by resolution. If the Council passes the resolution it commits to any actions requested of them in the report.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Construction Projects
The methods for information are changing and it effects the way the city announces project timelines. The question is how many people are going to take advantage of the opportunities. We have projects announced in the newspaper, which is also online, we publish the minutes from the meeting with details on timeline and cost, agendas are posted online, each meeting is on cable tv at least five time (Public Works Board, City Council), the meetings are available on the internet, and people complain about not being notified.
The exact start date is always a hit and miss issue because of contractor scheduling. The recent project, the contractor had problems with insurance. Any type of notice setting a start date is going to be hit or miss.
I assume eventually we'll buy mobile signs like on the interstate.
The exact start date is always a hit and miss issue because of contractor scheduling. The recent project, the contractor had problems with insurance. Any type of notice setting a start date is going to be hit or miss.
I assume eventually we'll buy mobile signs like on the interstate.
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