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Following an impactful presentation at the 2012 APWA Congress from the City of Milwaukee, the speaker returned to his department to develop their own Building and Facility Capital Program. This program, which started in 2018, has funded $24 million in projects for Prince William County. Furthermore, the elected body of the County saved it from being unfunded during recent budget reductions related to the pandemic because it has been so successful. This presentation will highlight the strategies employed to develop the program and how the speaker’s department has successfully managed it.
Read MoreCollecting and managing accurate asset data is difficult, and many agencies operate with incomplete data that limit functions such as preventative maintenance, service, capital improvement planning, and more. New advancements in software, street-level imagery, light detection and ranging (LiDAR), and artificial intelligence enable a scalable approach to quickly digitize environments and collect complete asset inventories that improve operational efficiencies. This session highlights recent case studies from several jurisdictions, including a deep dive into recent advancements in operations for the City of Berkeley. From defining challenges to implementing solutions and the impact on staff, hear from the consultant and agency manager how such initiatives improve agency readiness and resiliency through enhanced access to critical information, better situational awareness, and more productive telework capabilities.
Read MoreAs municipalities and suburbs grow, the available natural undisturbed land becomes much more valuable and, therefore, protected through unified development ordinances (UDO) or tree conservation areas (TCA). Urban forestry becomes a real consideration. Registered foresters and certified arborists are just the experts to find solutions and execute action plans to manage the effect of development on natural areas and advise on best practices for the future. Some tree experts have embraced new technologies to better map the existing landscape and seamlessly communicate and visualize their solutions to all involved. Tree inventories, champion tree assessments, natural buffers, basal area calculations, deformation, and hazardous tree assessments are all part of what foresters and arborists specialize in when it comes to urban development. The ArcGIS Collector app and associated geographic information system (GIS) data management software can help spatially define areas that need inventory while navigating difficult sites.
Read MorePresented by the Emerging Leaders Academy 2021-2022 Class: Studying Agency response to pandemic related shortages and analyzing methods for recovery.
Read MoreGiven the complexity of field conditions, some aspects of liquid performance may seem to be a “black box,” and at times it can be difficult to know how to best use them based upon field experience alone. This challenge is increased by the fact that we use liquids in a variety of ways, from anti-icing to pre-wetting to direct liquid application (DLA) deicing, and liquids perform differently depending on the application. This presentation will show how we can apply the basic science of liquid deicers to complement our field-based knowledge to better select the right liquid and rate for different conditions and application types. Topics will include how liquids perform differently in anti-icing, pre-wetting, and DLA; the important liquid properties for these different types of application; how we can utilize freezing point curves as powerful tools to predict liquid performance; and how we can apply the basic science to guide the use and expectations of brine additives and blends.
Read MoreA panel discussion focused on a current hot topic, exploring workforce innovations in public works. Panelists will delve into what they have been doing to address current workforce challenges, including…
Read MoreStormwater management has become more challenging, as we face higher intensity, longer duration rain events at greater frequency. We need to bring different thinking and solutions to the challenges that climate change…
Read MoreThe presentation will give a brief history of Charlotte's first African-American park, the purpose for the renovation project, determination and analysis of existing conditions, and how and why the design…
Read MoreThe City of Waconia, Minnesota, is an expanding west metro community within the seven-county region of Minneapolis and Saint Paul. Waconia has used stormwater for irrigation of multiple green spaces in order to reduce and meet stormwater requirements. Stormwater reuse has grown exponentially with new and programmed system expansions. Staff have been monitoring phosphorus, total solid reductions and chloride levels specifically to understand their impacts, which may ultimately impact turf and landscape plantings by use of the stormwater for irrigation.
The State of Minnesota recently adopted a Statewide Chloride Management Plan and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has implemented several minimum control measures into their Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) requirements for winter maintenance.
Accurate equipment calibration is a cornerstone best management practice for winter maintenance operations. Yet, many agencies do not recognize or understand its value. Attend the first session in this two-part series for a first-hand account to understanding the “What” and the “Why” of calibration. Part 2 in the series will discuss the “How.”
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