St. Paul rehiring laid off workers to fill potholes

The city of St. Paul is boosting its pothole repair budget.

The city will hire back 21 laid off seasonal public works employees early this year to attack the problem, Mayor Chris Coleman said Monday.

"This harsh winter and extended freeze-thaw cycle has left potholes everywhere, often reopening holes that we've already filled," Coleman said. "Our public works crews are working day in and day out to fill them again."

The extra manpower will mean a 35 percent increase in the number of workers dedicated to filling potholes, the city's public works director said. It will cost the city about $80,000 over the next two weeks.

The city of Minneapolis is considering an even larger pothole budget boost. Its public works department has proposed tapping $1 million in contingency funds to accelerate the repair process.