The Public Works Department’s mission is to support and enhance a high quality of life for the City's residents, businesses and visitors by providing well planned, environmentally sensitive, cost effective infrastructure and services to promote public health, personal safety, transportation, economic growth and civic vitality. The department is committed to the planning and implementation of the policies, goals, and objectives as established by the City Planning Commission and the City Council. It is our inherent duty to preserve and protect the City's major investment in its infrastructure so that we may realize the maximum possible benefit of its intended purpose. Our mission is accomplished through the prudent use of resources, technology, innovations, teamwork and coordination with other service providers in the City.

What we do:

The Public Works Department is responsible for a diverse range of services for the public from the construction and maintenance of water, sewer, storm and roads; implementation and oversight of capital improvement projects, permitted work within the public right-of-way; traffic engineering and maintenance; managing the city's fleet of vehicles and equipment; and environmental protection efforts. The department is also responsible for maintaining many city properties and all of the city parks.

As we prepare for another winter, we would like to remind our citizens that many students walk to school in areas where bus transportation is not provided. Keeping sidewalks clear of snow helps to promote public safety by giving pedestrians, including school children, a safe place to walk, keeping them out of the street following a snowfall. It is the property owner’s responsibility to remove snow on sidewalks in front of their property, per city ordinance 11.16.050.

Please help us make snow plowing as safe and efficient as possible by keeping your vehicles parked off the streets and, in your driveway, if possible. The same holds true for garbage cans, basketball hoops and debris. Please do not blow or push snow or yard debris onto the streets as it blocks the street drains. Keeping your yard waste picked up and out of the streets will be helpful in allowing the gutters to drain properly when the snow is melting. We appreciate your help with minimizing flooding issues.

In the event of a major snowstorm, the Police Department will contact Public Works when two inches (2”) of snow has accumulated on the streets and when there are dangerous areas due to icy roads that may need salt.

Crew will plow the streets according to priority:

1-Arterials

2- School bus Routes

3- Residential

After clearing the major streets, they will then start to clear as many of the residential streets as possible. Sometimes the snow falls faster than they can clear, so the crew will have to go back to the arterial streets to get them clear before they’ve finished with the residential streets. Arterial streets have priority over residential streets as they must be kept clear for emergency vehicles and other traffic to get through safely.

The City of Othello always appreciates your cooperation in making this winter season safer for everyone!❄

Please contact the Public Works Department at 509-488-6997 for any questions.