POST FALLS — Public Works Maintenance Manager Ross Junkin informed city officials last week that a new hire had found a higher-paying job elsewhere, leaving two open mechanic positions for the department and only one mechanic to shoulder the load. 

“We're down to one fleet mechanic for the entire fleet of 400 vehicles and equipment, so we’re struggling a little bit there,” Junkin said. 

The lone mechanic declined to give his name to The Press.

The streets division mechanic manages all of the city's vehicles, except for the Post Falls Police Department, which has its own mechanic, Post Falls Public Works Director John Beacham noted. 

"We do outsource vehicles and equipment as necessary," Beacham said. "The situation isn’t ideal, but we have been making do with help from outside vendors and prioritizing work when necessary."

Over the course of last winter, there were four plowable storms, and crews applied 63,000 gallons of anti-icer and 300 tons of road salt. 

“We have 700 tons stockpiled. It seems like a lot, but when you see it stacked up there, that’s for the entire city,” Junkin said. 

Post Falls Highway District also purchases some rock salt annually for portions of county roads in the vicinity.  

There are five deicer units and five sanders in circulation, and eight city loaders with gated plows in the fleet.

Post Falls has 20 plow operators on standby, split between day and night shifts. 

“Our equipment consists of 10 dump trucks outfitted with plows as well as sanders that go into those and deicers that go into the back,” Junkin said. 

Five years ago, the dump trucks by the division were from 2003. Over the last few years, the streets division has focused on acquiring new equipment and vehicles made in 2020.  

“We've gotten to a point where we feel comfortable with everything we’ve got,” Junkin said. 

A key improvement in this year’s snow operations plan is moving from four to five residential plow zones to improve service during significant winter weather events. 

City staff will track how efficient the additional zone is at responding to snow events. Junkin noted that if they lose any plowing staff, Post Falls may have to revert to four zones. 

“My guys took a lot of time planning out these new zones and planning the different routes because everything changed and now all the operators have to learn new routes,” Junkin said.  

Mayor Ron Jacobson noted that the city has made significant progress since considering a snow-gate system years ago, which seemed too difficult to implement. 

“That's all for the betterment of our residents,” Jacobson said.  

Artwork on the city's snowplows, painted by elementary school students in 2024, remains intact because there weren’t many plowable events last winter, so staff will continue to display their designs as they clear roadways.

For questions about Post Falls snow operations, email Rhonda at 208-773-1722 or email [email protected].