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While lots of leadership articles emphasize the benefits of having people with different skill sets, perspectives, and levels of experience on the team, in practice these differences can cause many day-to-day challenges. Individuals can butt heads about priorities and how to approach the work, or simply struggled to see eye-to-eye. Assessment tools can help teams name and discuss their differences in ways that can bring insight rather than frustration. This session will discuss several well-known assessment tools and their value in opening the lines of communication and pull individuals together into productive, engaged teams.
Read MoreRevenue and projections by state departments of transportation point to a real struggle in coming years to provide needed levels of funding for both state and local levels. A paradigm shift is looming. Join in this discussion of an alternative that could address our transportation funding shortages. Discover what studies in the states of Washington, Oregon, and California are showing about Road Usage Fees (RUF).
Read MoreThe American Public Works Association (APWA), in association with the Eisenhower Institute at Gettysburg College (EI), is pleased to introduce the 2017 Jennings Randolph International Fellow, Evan Pratt, who participated in this unique international study and professional exchange opportunity to promote collaboration and the sharing of public works best practices. This presentation will highlight findings from his study tour researching asset management and infrastructure funding practices in Australia and New Zealand.
Read MoreThose of us in the public eye are often faced with the issues of credibility, trust, and the never-ending tough questions from citizens, city council, staff, and management. In this session, we’ll talk about establishing credibility, defining trust, diffusing difficult situations, and social media strategies. Young professionals and seasoned leaders will enjoy this conversation.
Read MoreThe APWA Kansas City Metro Chapter’s Sustainable Infrastructure Committee is hosting this forum of experienced Envision project managers who will share their best practices and useful tips for using the Envision® rating system for infrastructure projects. They will talk about internal practices they have developed after implementing Envision® projects, ways to improve participation in projects and increase efficiencies in planning, and what practices help reduce project costs and hours. Come prepared with your own Envision® stories and with your questions about how this system could be used for your projects.
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On January 22, 2016 a three-day snow storm, known as Snowzilla, dumped a historic 28 inches of snow on the nation?s capital. The D.C. Snow Team cleaned snow and ice from 1100 roadway miles, 241 bridges and 75 miles of the national highway system. The District’s roads were cleared within 48 hours, allowing government agencies and school systems to reopen. During their after-action review, the D.C. Snow Team identified several improvement areas including increasing fleet readiness, specialized staff training, an upgrade of the AVL system, and some organizational restructuring. D.C.’s Winter Maintenance Plan is an evolving document, adapting to changes in the city and identifying opportunities for improvement. They will share the improvements made in 2017 and 2018 snow seasons.
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Warmer climate regions may have one or two small snow and ice events annually and then every few years, one snow event measuring 4 inches or more. But public works professionals in those areas still need to be prepared to provide safe roadways. The City of Greenville, South Carolina, combines some practical and some unorthodox approaches to achieve effective response to snow and ice events, including using their work management program. Check out their processes to see if some would work for your agency.
Read MoreRegardless of the type or quantity of vehicles or equipment your agency needs, the most important part of the procurement decision-making process is making the right selection for the agency's needs. Not only can the wrong choices negatively impact the agency's service delivery, but they can also waste taxpayer dollars. This session will provide an overview of APWA's Spec Writing 101 publication that provides an overview of how to conduct a legal and ethical procurement process for vehicles, equipment, and services to meet your agency's operational needs.
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Don’t miss this introduction to the use of liquids in winter maintenance. From the southern states to the northern-most provinces, liquids are part of the public works arsenal for fighting snow and ice. This presentation will provide the basics: what are winter maintenance liquids? When and where should liquids be used? How are liquids made?
Read MoreUnmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are having positive effect on the design and maintenance of public facilities and infrastructure. UAVs (drones) combined with 3-D technology are being used to upgrade surveying and construction drawing development. The City of Peculiar, Missouri, used drone and 3-D photography to enhance the surveying for the new 28,000-foot sewer interceptor design and installation. Costs were lowered approximately 30% from traditional surveying techniques.
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