Department of Public Works Profile In developing the Elevate Ventures “Investments for Indiana” Program, Elevate staff looked to Gary Gilot, the Director of the Public Works for the City of South Bend. Recently named the “Public Works Leader of the Year” by the national American City & County magazine, Gary attracted the national spotlight after implementing several practices that emphasized the use of cost-effective technology innovation. A few of his team’s accomplishments include: > Forming a partnership with the University of Notre Dame using high-performance computers to heat the Conservatory greenhouse at a local park > Managing combined sewer overflows through CSOnet and addressing a significant environmental challenge through low-cost innovative technology, rather than high-cost conventional infrastructure > Using easy, low-cost techniques – like using salt brine to maintain winter roads and creating an in-house concrete crew for city construction on road work – to keep costs down for the city Gary Gilot, much like the “Investments for Indiana” Program, emphasizes the need for creative economic thinking for high-efficiency,
low-cost solutions. Gilot’s actions represent all of the tenets of the program’s philosophy, from the need for a smart economy to a concentration on transportation, environment and governance. When asked what kind of value he saw in implementing the “Investments for Indiana” Program, Gilot responded that, “We all must do more with less. We need to actively look for better answers. Local government needs innovation and entrepreneurial calculated risktaking. We are looking for ways to reallocate resources and find better technical solutions with lower life cycle costs...The intrinsic rewards and satisfaction of being part of a high-functioning city government, that can operate like a business and collaborate with universities, helps attract and retain change agents and bring out the talent and self-motivation of our entire engaged team. This formula will work for other cities and through similar minded cities networking we can accelerate the pace of change and adoption of new ideas and approaches in the state and the nation.” Gilot is a licensed professional engineer in Indiana. He has a bachelor of science degree in civil and environmental engineering from Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York, and a masters degree in business administration from Indiana University at South Bend.
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