OKEECHOBEE — During the August 4 meeting, Public Works Director Willie Hall gave the Okeechobee City Council an update on what the Public Works Department has been doing since January. Completing more than 250 work orders, he said they have improved streets, sidewalks, drainage systems, city facilities and public safety. In addition, they have supported major community events and continued providing responsive, high-quality service to residents.

Moving forward, the department remains committed to maintaining and improving city infrastructure while delivering service to the community, said Hall.

Utilizing a slideshow, Hall was able to show the council photos of some of their work. “We put thermal crosswalks down for the public. Potholes, that’s never-ending in this city. We have been doing a lot of tree trimming as well.”

He explained his department tries to do things like tree trimming in the summer when the school buses are not running.

Since December, they have resurfaced 13,000 linear feet and hope to continue this every year until all city roads look good. In addition, he said they have placed rumble strips on Northwest Ninth Street to slow traffic down. He explained there have been several accidents in that area.

Since January, the department has repaired between 96 and 100 cubic yards of sidewalk. This job is ongoing and depends on the public letting them know when there is an area that needs to be repaired, he said. “Unless we just have a guy riding around all day looking for sidewalks, it's kind of hard to monitor that. We do the best we can, and when we get those calls, we try to attack them pretty quick.”

They also installed handicap rails in some areas on Park Street, including in front of Jersey Mike’s.

Hall said the department helps with community events such as the Speckled Perch Festival, the Battle of Okeechobee, Touch-a-Truck, Junior Leadership Camp and more. “That’s something that my guys enjoy doing, you know. They love it. They love talking to the kids and helping out.”

For the rest of 2-26, Hall said they plan to continue improving street and sidewalks. “We’re going to strengthen our drainage infrastructure, enhance public safety, support community events and continue delivering responsive customer service and preserving city assets through proactive maintenance.”

Hall was quick to credit his crew saying, “I give kudos to my guys, a great group of guys. For the amount of guys that we have to do the work that we do, I feel that we do it pretty good, pretty efficient. We try to take good care of our people.”

Mayor Dowling Watford expressed appreciation for the job done by Hall and his department. “We appreciate all you guys do, because we know how hot it is, how the conditions you guys work under, the heat and everything else. And I would just like to say how responsive you have been to every request that I’ve presented to you. I think it helps the citizens. They probably see you more than they do us, or they see what you do more than they see us.”