department of public works
About Public Works
The Public Works Department consists of five fulltime employees, including a full-time water/wastewater operator to safely operate both systems. The department is responsible for treating and distributing clean water, receiving and treating wastewater, street and sidewalk construction and repair, parks maintenance, building maintenance, and various other tasks that arise throughout the day.
The department also strives to use shared services as much as possible using labor and equipment from adjacent municipalities and the school district. We also share salt storage and a vehicle/equipment fueling facility with the Town of Franklinville.
Streets and Maintenance
The Department of Public Works is responsible for maintaining 7 miles of streets in the Village of Franklinville. DPW crews routinely plow and repair streets, clean and repair/replace street signs and manage the Village streets to protect the public and maintain an efficient transportation infrastructure for the Village’s residents and businesses.
Buildings and Grounds
The Village owns 7 buildings plus numerous other structures along with over 140 acres of property, some without public access, in various locations. The Public Works Department provides maintenance and repair to these properties by mowing and trimming as needed, repairing the structures as needed, and various other general maintenance tasks as needed. The employees of the department strive to keep all of the Village’s properties in the best shape possible.
Brush and Leaf Pickup
Each year the Village DPW picks up brush for residential properties on the last Thursday of each month. DPW employees will pick up brush, branches and bushes only. They must be placed parallel at the curbside, but not in the road. Only brush, branches and bushes will be picked up at this time. Leaves, yard clippings and garden waste will not be collected. The program begins in April and goes through October.
Each Fall the Village DPW picks up leaves at the curbside. Leaves must be raked to the edge of the road but not in the road. Any leaves that the vacuum cannot reach will be left and can be raked out for the next round of service. The program begins in October when there are sufficient amounts of leaves to fill the truck and ends at the first snow event. An annual announcement will be made regarding when the leaf pick up will begin and end.
Sidewalk Repair/Replacement
It is the responsibility of each homeowner to properly maintain and repair any public sidewalk that adjoins their property. Village Law section § 93.045 states the cost of construction is shared 50/50 between the property owner and the Village. This rate is set annually per the Villages adopted schedule of rates and fees. You can either do the work yourself or hire a contractor. The sidewalk must be constructed according to Village specifications and the reimbursement will not exceed the per square foot price set in the schedule of rates and fees.
How to apply - All property within the Village of Franklinville is eligible for the program excluding government owned property. To apply the property owner should contact the Village Clerk’s Office and ask to be put on the sidewalk list. The office is open Monday through Friday 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The sidewalk list is a "running list" and will be prioritized based on the level of safety concern.
Snow Removal
Department of Public Works employees strive to keep Village streets clear of snow and ice, often putting in many hours per day to keep our streets open and passable during inclement weather. At the first signs of slippery conditions, DPW personnel are dispatched to improve conditions. The type of service and amount of salt used will depend on present and future weather conditions including precipitation, temperature and cloud cover.
Per Village law section § 71.03 there shall be no parking on Village streets between 12:00am and 7:00am from November 1st to April 1st. Per Village law section § 71.15 there shall be no parking on Village streets during snow events or any other public emergency. We also request that you do not shovel, plow or blow snow into, onto or across the street.
Per Village law section § 93.062 it is unlawful to deposit snow in or on any Village street or sidewalk. We understand that during significant snow events it can be difficult to confine snow piles to small areas, but every effort should be made to clean up or remove snow piles that spill into Village streets and sidewalks. It is also against the law to blow snow into or onto Village streets and sidewalks using a snowblower or snow thrower. These actions create hazardous conditions.
Street Paving
The DPW's goal is to keep streets in the best condition possible in the most cost-effective manner given the limited budget and ever-increasing materials cost. Typically, we replace or resurface selected streets every two years. This schedule may change due to other projects or repairs elsewhere in the Village. They are selected by determining their overall condition, date of last paving, and amount of traffic. We also do surface maintenance using crack filling and/or slurry seal, which extends the life of the existing surface, and prevents premature failure and the development of potholes.
Potholes are a constant problem especially on older pavement. We do our best to patch potholes as quickly as possible. In the colder months, this is a never-ending job especially in early spring. Cold patching a pothole will only last as long as the pothole stays dry. Once water infiltrates the pavement and traffic drives over it, the temporary patch will come apart. The best remedy for potholes is hot mix asphalt, but this only becomes available in mid to late April when the asphalt plants reopen.
Street Sweeping
The DPW crew sweeps all Village streets as soon as weather permits in the spring, and then as needed, focusing on curb streets with storm drains throughout the summer and fall.
Trees
The Village is responsible for all trees on Village owned property and shares the responsibility with property owners within the street right-of-way. If you feel there is a problem with a tree in these areas, please submit the contact form so we can inspect the tree and take the appropriate action.
Actions taken include trimming, which doesn't cost the adjacent property owner anything, and removal. If the Village's consulting forester and tree professional determines the tree is a safety hazard and needs to be removed, the village will make the necessary arrangements and the adjacent property owner will be responsible for half the removal cost (per §94.41). If the property owner chooses to hire a contractor on their own, the village will pay up to half of the cost, not to exceed what the village's contractor would charge.
Street Lights
All streets and public areas within the Village of Franklinville are lit for the safety of the public. The streetlights within the Village are owned by National Grid and have high-efficiency LED bulbs. If you notice a problem with a streetlight, please submit a contact form and your concern will be reviewed and addressed accordingly.
Traffic Control
Traffic control signs within the Village right-of-way are maintained by the DPW. It is our responsibility to maintain the street name signs at every intersection and to replace signs as necessary to maintain their readability, and to repair any damage. The streetlight in the center of town is owned and maintained by New York State Department of Transportation. If you notice a problem with any street signage or the traffic light, please submit a contact form.
The Public Works Department consists of five fulltime employees, including a full-time water/wastewater operator to safely operate both systems. The department is responsible for treating and distributing clean water, receiving and treating wastewater, street and sidewalk construction and repair, parks maintenance, building maintenance, and various other tasks that arise throughout the day.
The department also strives to use shared services as much as possible using labor and equipment from adjacent municipalities and the school district. We also share salt storage and a vehicle/equipment fueling facility with the Town of Franklinville.
Streets and Maintenance
The Department of Public Works is responsible for maintaining 7 miles of streets in the Village of Franklinville. DPW crews routinely plow and repair streets, clean and repair/replace street signs and manage the Village streets to protect the public and maintain an efficient transportation infrastructure for the Village’s residents and businesses.
Buildings and Grounds
The Village owns 7 buildings plus numerous other structures along with over 140 acres of property, some without public access, in various locations. The Public Works Department provides maintenance and repair to these properties by mowing and trimming as needed, repairing the structures as needed, and various other general maintenance tasks as needed. The employees of the department strive to keep all of the Village’s properties in the best shape possible.
Brush and Leaf Pickup
Each year the Village DPW picks up brush for residential properties on the last Thursday of each month. DPW employees will pick up brush, branches and bushes only. They must be placed parallel at the curbside, but not in the road. Only brush, branches and bushes will be picked up at this time. Leaves, yard clippings and garden waste will not be collected. The program begins in April and goes through October.
Each Fall the Village DPW picks up leaves at the curbside. Leaves must be raked to the edge of the road but not in the road. Any leaves that the vacuum cannot reach will be left and can be raked out for the next round of service. The program begins in October when there are sufficient amounts of leaves to fill the truck and ends at the first snow event. An annual announcement will be made regarding when the leaf pick up will begin and end.
Sidewalk Repair/Replacement
It is the responsibility of each homeowner to properly maintain and repair any public sidewalk that adjoins their property. Village Law section § 93.045 states the cost of construction is shared 50/50 between the property owner and the Village. This rate is set annually per the Villages adopted schedule of rates and fees. You can either do the work yourself or hire a contractor. The sidewalk must be constructed according to Village specifications and the reimbursement will not exceed the per square foot price set in the schedule of rates and fees.
How to apply - All property within the Village of Franklinville is eligible for the program excluding government owned property. To apply the property owner should contact the Village Clerk’s Office and ask to be put on the sidewalk list. The office is open Monday through Friday 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The sidewalk list is a "running list" and will be prioritized based on the level of safety concern.
Snow Removal
Department of Public Works employees strive to keep Village streets clear of snow and ice, often putting in many hours per day to keep our streets open and passable during inclement weather. At the first signs of slippery conditions, DPW personnel are dispatched to improve conditions. The type of service and amount of salt used will depend on present and future weather conditions including precipitation, temperature and cloud cover.
Per Village law section § 71.03 there shall be no parking on Village streets between 12:00am and 7:00am from November 1st to April 1st. Per Village law section § 71.15 there shall be no parking on Village streets during snow events or any other public emergency. We also request that you do not shovel, plow or blow snow into, onto or across the street.
Per Village law section § 93.062 it is unlawful to deposit snow in or on any Village street or sidewalk. We understand that during significant snow events it can be difficult to confine snow piles to small areas, but every effort should be made to clean up or remove snow piles that spill into Village streets and sidewalks. It is also against the law to blow snow into or onto Village streets and sidewalks using a snowblower or snow thrower. These actions create hazardous conditions.
Street Paving
The DPW's goal is to keep streets in the best condition possible in the most cost-effective manner given the limited budget and ever-increasing materials cost. Typically, we replace or resurface selected streets every two years. This schedule may change due to other projects or repairs elsewhere in the Village. They are selected by determining their overall condition, date of last paving, and amount of traffic. We also do surface maintenance using crack filling and/or slurry seal, which extends the life of the existing surface, and prevents premature failure and the development of potholes.
Potholes are a constant problem especially on older pavement. We do our best to patch potholes as quickly as possible. In the colder months, this is a never-ending job especially in early spring. Cold patching a pothole will only last as long as the pothole stays dry. Once water infiltrates the pavement and traffic drives over it, the temporary patch will come apart. The best remedy for potholes is hot mix asphalt, but this only becomes available in mid to late April when the asphalt plants reopen.
Street Sweeping
The DPW crew sweeps all Village streets as soon as weather permits in the spring, and then as needed, focusing on curb streets with storm drains throughout the summer and fall.
Trees
The Village is responsible for all trees on Village owned property and shares the responsibility with property owners within the street right-of-way. If you feel there is a problem with a tree in these areas, please submit the contact form so we can inspect the tree and take the appropriate action.
Actions taken include trimming, which doesn't cost the adjacent property owner anything, and removal. If the Village's consulting forester and tree professional determines the tree is a safety hazard and needs to be removed, the village will make the necessary arrangements and the adjacent property owner will be responsible for half the removal cost (per §94.41). If the property owner chooses to hire a contractor on their own, the village will pay up to half of the cost, not to exceed what the village's contractor would charge.
Street Lights
All streets and public areas within the Village of Franklinville are lit for the safety of the public. The streetlights within the Village are owned by National Grid and have high-efficiency LED bulbs. If you notice a problem with a streetlight, please submit a contact form and your concern will be reviewed and addressed accordingly.
Traffic Control
Traffic control signs within the Village right-of-way are maintained by the DPW. It is our responsibility to maintain the street name signs at every intersection and to replace signs as necessary to maintain their readability, and to repair any damage. The streetlight in the center of town is owned and maintained by New York State Department of Transportation. If you notice a problem with any street signage or the traffic light, please submit a contact form.