Video
Investment in streetscape and infrastructure has a transformational effect on districts hurt by vacancy. Kannapolis revitalized its downtown in 2019, unveiling a transformed core that prioritizes the public realm, business investment, and proactive ways to incorporate new development. The redesign catalyzed activity and created new private development opportunities and partnerships, including the new baseball stadium that anchors downtown. West Avenue is downtown’s “signature street” and centerpiece of the project. The street had a substantial right-of-way that offered prime space for a linear park to stitch downtown with a generous public realm. As a result of the investment, many new businesses have opened in previously vacant storefronts, and new private developments are under way. Downtown now has regional pull and a vibrant public realm that can support business and quality of life. Kannapolis exemplifies the power of partnerships and infrastructure investment for revitalization.
Read MoreRegulatory compliance regarding Clean Water Act implementation varies on a state-by-state basis, but it doesn’t get much hotter than in the coastal states where much of the local economy depends on clean water resources. In the Sunshine State, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection is tasked with implementing the requirements of total maximum daily loads and Basin Management Action Plans with the desired outcome of reducing nutrients to improve and protect surface waters. Jurisdictions are determining the right amount for healthy waters and developing plans and projects to reach those goals—which are costly. Stormwater utilities that can generate sufficient revenues to meet the challenges placed upon them today relative to resilient drainage and water quality are still a comparatively new phenomenon. This presentation will focus on emerging trends in funding stormwater programs that address compliance with nutrient regulations and resiliency to showcase more accurate and advanced fee structures to ensure equity in cost recovery.
Read MoreSolid waste and recycling collection services are broad and vary from community to community. Local governments across the United States often contract with private haulers to provide all or part…
Read MoreWhile many agencies and municipalities acquire land for a single purpose, learn from our panelists ways to generate income from rights-of-way and easements and maximize benefits to the public Land…
Read MoreThere is a lot of interest in applying ice control materials directly to the pavement in liquid form. This session will explore in detail why liquids are being used in winter maintenance operations as well as brine making; storage of liquid materials; the systems needed to transfer liquids from storage to trucks; and the equipment needed on the trucks to store and deliver liquids from the trucks to the road. What allows them to be so effective? What are the benefits of using liquids and what are their limitations? Under what circumstances should you consider using liquids in your agency? How do we actually get, store, transfer, and apply liquids directly to the pavement? In this session, the speaker will discuss typical application rates, how those rates vary depending on type of storm and pursued strategies, and what you should expect in terms of outcomes when using liquids in these ways.
Read MoreWinter is notorious for being harsh and unpredictable. Solutions that can combine everyday devices like smartphones, tablets, and desktop computers with technology such as artificial intelligence and mapping are easy to implement for safely and effectively monitoring assets. Using visual asset data to create maps of geo-referenced and time-stamped images allows for strategic planning in snowfighting. With up-to-date digital references, activities like documenting sidewalk conditions, tracking snow removal resources, and preparing for post-season maintenance become much easier. This session will provide an introduction to using artificial intelligence to create visual asset data maps for maintenance, management, and planning.
Read MoreThe Excellence in Snow and Ice Control Award was established to promote excellence in the management and administration of public works snow and ice operations, and to promote best practices in snow and ice control removal while minimizing environmental impacts. This year, five public works agencies are being recognized for their innovative processes and operations. Join us to hear about their efforts in materials handling, equipment maintenance, use of winter maintenance technologies, community outreach and commitment to environmental stewardship.
Read MoreWe all deal with conflict in our lives and work, and most of us struggle with dysfunctional conflict. Would it surprise you to learn that many successful negotiators find conflict functional and a tool for creating collaboration? Having a better understanding of conflict management styles and tips to managing conflict can have a profound effect on your interpersonal relationships. Public land acquisition agents deal with landowners regularly who only wish to be left alone and begin almost every negotiation in a state of conflict. Learn from their experience during this session, adapted from the International Right of Way Association’s (IRWA) highly popular Conflict Management course, to help you deal with conflict in a productive manner and improve interactions with others.
Read MoreOur urban areas are growing, and our tree assets are competing for enough space and attention to thrive. This presentation will share information related to the intersection of trees, people, and technology. The speaker will share cutting-edge applications for technologies on machine learning, light detection and ranging (LiDAR), ground-penetrating radar, drones, and more related to the inventorying, maintenance, and planning for trees. He’ll also share ways to communicate and engage your community about your plans. As our cities deal with urban heat islands, flash floods, flash droughts, increased modernization, and other innovations, the urban forest becomes even more critical to the health and livelihood of residents. By embracing, understanding, and using technology, tree assets can be more efficiently managed and appreciated to provide increased benefits and services to the community.
Read MoreThe construction industry plays a major role in the nation’s efforts to protect streams, rivers, lakes, wetlands, and oceans. Municipal agencies must use their resources and authority to implement compliance programs to reduce non-stormwater discharges associated with construction projects. Stormwater pollution from construction sites is often underestimated yet can generate severe environmental impacts. According to the EPA, sediment pollution causes approximately $16 billion in environmental damage annually. The purpose of this educational session will be to guide attendees through the major steps municipal agencies need to take when responding to discharges from large-scale construction sites. When best management practices fail, stormwater theory and certification acronyms don’t impede the flow of hundreds of gallons of sediment-laden water into the storm drain system. A major construction site “blowout” is a stress test moment and can be a reality check for municipal agencies.
Read More