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The pandemic was difficult for everyone, fleet operations included. This program consists of an in-depth conversation discussing the challenges fleet operations faced from the effects of the pandemic. We’ll share…
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 MoreFacilities and grounds have unique attributes that require thoughtful consideration as asset management programs are set up. Required information that agencies need to advise capital projects can vary greatly between…
Read MoreDue to climate change, cities are experiencing significant challenges due to unpredictable weather events that may impact lives in the community. A winter emergency situation in Western Canada typically arises when there is a single or multiple snow events with excessive snow, generally over 25 cm with blizzard-like conditions. These conditions cause drifting snow and poor visibility for an extended period of time. Winter events can also cause icy pavement conditions impacting normal driving and walking conditions for extended periods. Such emergency situations generally require the city to utilize their resources to full capacity in order to allow an early recovery to the pre-emergency state with new-normal conditions. The City of Regina, Saskatchewan has created a Winter Emergency Response Plan to help winter crews handle extreme conditions on account of excessive snow and ice.
Read MoreFort Collins, Colorado with over 70 inches of snowfall annually is one of only five Platinum biking communities in the United States, with intentions on being the first Diamond biking community! For Fort Collins to lead a revolution in bicycle transportation, snow and ice removal have to clean and clear these new biking facilities to allow for year-round use. This presentation highlights the challenges in maintaining and addressing the needs of a northern, high-elevation community with over 400 miles of on-road bike lanes and a robust low-stress biking network on secondary streets with special crossings at the arterial intersections. To address this challenge, new equipment and new thinking are needed to move past the car-centric snowplowing solutions of the past.
Read MoreHave you ever attended a meeting and walked away asking, “What did they just talk about?” We all dread a boring lecture and people reading off PowerPoint slides, right? Knowing your audience and how to engage with them when delivering a presentation is key when you want to get your message across. Learn from the Houston Public Works Public Engagement Team for Capital Projects on how to deliver the 4 Ps! A presentation should be powerful and persuasive for the information to be understood. This session will help participants identify their audience and create a presentation that is unforgettable.
Read MoreNew regulations require utilities to create and maintain service line inventories. Incomplete, inaccurate, and unreliable historical records make it challenging to use service line inventories to inform planning, support decisions, and communicate risk to the public. Best practices in statistics and data science can be used to develop more accurate inventories, create realistic budgets, inform capital planning, and manage lead service line (LSL) replacement programs. We partnered with the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators (ASDWA) to outline important considerations for state regulators and utility leadership when using statistical and predictive methods for LSL inventory and replacement. Water systems can use these principles to plan strategically, make data-driven decisions, set budgets and requests for funds, build capacity in some skill areas, communicate with the public and build trust, and, most importantly, continue to protect the health of all individuals in the system.
Read MoreOver the past several years, we have seen more utility paint marks zig-zagging across the developed landscape. What does it take to put those paint marks down and then get those marks on a map? In many cases, that paint indicates work in progress of an engineering design project. Subsurface utility engineering (SUE) experts designate the underground utilities with standard APWA colors, with surveyors coming behind them to locate and map the paint marks. The process typically involves a survey crew walking across the painted landscape and surveying each mark with a global positioning system (GPS) or total station equipment. This tedious process requires surveyors to work around congested areas or near roadway traffic. Through using high-resolution drone imagery, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) drone pilots document sites through orthomosaics and dense colorized point clouds generated from software such as Pix4D and Agisoft. These software solutions and resulting datasets provide accurate visualizations to create the digital twin of the paint mark designations.
Read MoreWe all have struggled with the recruitment and retention of quality employees over the past couple of years. Pre-pandemic, rumbles of baby boomer retirements and truck driver shortages were starting to make an impact. In 2021, many were caught in the “Great Resignation” wave. Losing long-term employees at a time when demand for reliable and qualified employees is at its highest brings workforce challenges. Doing more with less or waiting on Human Resources are no longer palatable options. We have a problem. It is not simply a human resources problem. It is our problem; as a community, we are the best qualified to find solutions. Join this session as we dare to ask the questions of who and how can we solve the workforce shortage problem today and into the future. This will be a very interactive session where we will build off the experience, ideas, and pilot programs of each other.
Read MoreWe all know leadership styles vary based on an individual’s background and personality. This session will consider how generational differences also impact leadership styles—all through a female lens. The panelists will explore how the female perspective has changed over the past four decades and how those perspectives are helping to shape the public works industry. They will share personal stories on the industry’s landscape when they entered the workforce, and the challenges and positive experiences they encountered that helped form their careers. The session will provide insight on the differences between an advocate, sponsor, and mentor—and the importance of each one. Attendees will be challenged to consider how they can become one and how they can find one. The session will challenge how participants think about diversity and how to attract a more diverse workforce. The panelists will also share strategies on how to create a more inclusive environment.
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