The Municipal - January 2023

Departments

publisher RON BAUMGARTNER rbaumgartner@the-papers.com

editor-in-chief DEB PATTERSON dpatterson@the-papers.com

editor

SARAH WRIGHT swright@the-papers.com

publication manager

CHRIS SMITH chris@themunicipal.com

senior account executive REES WOODCOCK rees@themunicipal.com

graphic designer

MARY LESTER mlester@the-papers.com

business manager

ANNETTE WEAVER aweaver@the-papers.com

director of marketing STEVE MEADOWS smeadows@the-papers.com

mail manager

KHOEUN KHOEUTH kkhoeuth@the-papers.com

products. No reproduction of The Municipal is allowed without express written permission. Copyright © 2023.

Meet our writers

(Nikki) Carlson

Discovering her love of writing at a young age, Nicholette Carlson attended Butler University in Indianapolis and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English-Writing. Although it took a while for her to find her way in the writing world, she eventually started her writing career at The Papers Inc., where she moved up the ranks, acting as copy editor of Senior Life newspaper and editor of Michiana House and Home magazine.

Looking to spend more time with her family, Carlson stepped down, but continued to explore her love of writing through her freelance work. After giving birth to her first child in August 2022, rounding out her entire family to eight, she continues to freelance while raising her six children and studying for her real estate license. Carlson lives in Elkhart, Ind., with her large family and many animals.

Nicholette

Refreshing operations in 2023

Sarah Wright | Editor

Everyone wants to start the new year on the right foot, usually with a heavy desire for self improvement. New Year’s resolutions exist for a reason, after all. For a lot of municipalities, such goals were likely already cemented during the budget process or while ironing out the latest strategic plan. However, operations can be a continual focus for improvement, no matter the time of year.

This could include exploring new methods, such as hybrid remote work in positions that allow it. The height of the COVID-19 pandemic saw many companies and some municipalities pivot to remote work where possible. Since then, there have been moves to return workers back to the office — at least, sometimes, on a hybrid basis. Tech giant Google, for instance, adopted a hybrid work model in which most staff can choose to work remotely two days a week.

Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research discovered 42% of U.S. workers are now working from home full time, accounting for more than two-thirds of economic activity. The study’s author, Nicholas Bloom, believes working from home is here to stay, with postpandemic operations being optimal with two days working from home.

Bloom writes, “So the best advice is plan to work from home about 1 to 3 days a week. It’ll ease the stress of commuting, allow for employees to use their at-home days for quiet, thoughtful work, and let them use their inoffice days for meetings and collaborations.”

Cities are also piloting hybrid remote work programs with select positions as a method of attracting and keeping qualified employees.

Writer Denise Fedorow spoke with the cities of Redding, Calif., and Philadelphia, Pa., about their current pilot programs.

Redding City Manager Barry Tippin noted of his city’s pilot program, “We want to be a competitive employer, have a workforce with higher morale and satisfied employees. We want to be an employer of choice.”

In Fedorow’s article, she shares how both pilot programs work and how city officials determine which positions and which workers qualify to work from home.

Maintaining a qualified workforce is a must for operations and maintenance, particularly as municipalities face aging water systems. Writer Nicholette Carlson is spotlighting the North Carolina Rural Water Association’s apprenticeship program, which is connecting municipalities with individuals interested in learning the ins and outs of water and wastewater operations. Meanwhile, writer Dani Messick is sharing the challenges faced by small communities when maintaining said systems.

Other topics include maintaining art murals, which have grown in popularity in many communities’ downtowns, and how communities are helping residents repair sidewalks with special funds.

Best wishes to all as we enter 2023 together!

On the Web

Read more about SIEPR’s “How working from home works out” study at https://siepr. stanford.edu/publications/policy-brief/how-working-home-works-out.

Five case studies in effective salt storage facilities

“Across the USA, we are trusted by municipalities, DOTs, and private firms for their salt, sand and equipment storage needs,” said Colin O’Brien, Greystone Construction Vice President and Principal.

“With every project, we share our best practices to ensure each customer receives an engineered, high-quality product with a layout that best fits their operational needs. Those best practices include engineering to meet local wind, snow, seismic and unbalanced snow loads; designing for capacity requirements and future expansion; using independent foundations and panels; reducing risk of corrosive damage from the salt with post-production hot-dipped galvanized steel and keeping salt away from building components with independent concrete wall panels with corrosion inhibitors; proper ventilation; and sufficient building clearance. These practices are proven to result in a building that is a return on investment for many years to come.”

Here five of Greystone’s recent public works customers share their insights and experience:

1.

City of Mendota Heights, Minn.

“Loading and unloading salt at our old storage facility was very inefficient with its limited access and a safety concern with its poor visibility. Our new building has changed our operational efficiency and safety dramatically,” said John Boland, public works superintendent for the city of Mendota Heights, Minn.

“The new storage shed is large enough to permit trucks to back in and dump salt inside the building and enables us to pull the plow trucks in for quick loading. The lighting, ventilation, visibility, and space the building gives us makes for a safe, efficient environment. This shed also helps us comply with our MS4 permit for storing, loading, and unloading salt.”

“If another jurisdiction is looking for a new salt storage building, I would recommend looking into one from Greystone the new building is everything we envisioned it to be. Greystone met with us on-site several times to determine proper size and location. When the city awarded Greystone the contract, Greystone gave us engineered drawings, a build date and duration. They worked seamlessly with us and our parking lot contractor to get the project completed without any delays. We were so pleased with every aspect of the project from initial planning meetings through completion.”

Shown is where the city of Mendota Heights previously stored rock salt and treated salt. The narrow door openings made the process of loading and unloading salt time-consuming and arduous with safety concerns due to low visibility. (Photo provided by Greystone Construction)

Five public works departments share their insight into working with fabric building expert Greystone Construction in the design and construction of safe, efficient and cost-effective salt storage facilities.

Article submitted by Greystone Construction

A 65-by-70-foot Britespan fabric building built by Greystone Construction for city of Mendota Heights Public Works Department in Minnesota.

All photos provided by Greystone Construction

2. City of Willoughby Hills, Ohio

“I would definitely recommend a fabric structure to any municipality. Compared to a wood or a concrete structure, the fabric structure is most cost effective and the warranty on the fabric cover is another reason,” said Mark Grubiss, road superintendent for the city of Willoughby Hills, Ohio.

“We told Greystone up front that we needed our building quickly. We completed the site work early with our own staff and city engineer, then the Greystone crew completed foundations in only two days. After the concrete was cured, the Greystone crew returned, and they installed the steel trusses and fabric cover in just two days. Our teams worked well together. We are very pleased.”

The city of Chisholm’s 53-by-64-foot building has a 1100 ton storage cacacity.

4. City of Chisholm, Minn.

“Road salt and sand is an investment, and we needed to protect it and prevent rain from diluting the product and making it less effective on our streets,” said Larry Folstad, public works supervisor. The city of Chisholm, Minn., partnered with Greystone Construction to source and install the Britespan-manufactured building using Sourcewell, a cooperative service purchasing program used by U.S. government entities.

“We would absolutely recommend a fabric building from Greystone Construction for salt and sand storage it is economical for the size and quick to install. Greystone is one of the best vendors I’ve worked with. The building crew, the truck drivers, everyone was top notch.”

One

3. Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (MNCPPC), Upper Marlboro, Md.

“We would definitely recommend the use of fabric structures and have purchased three Britespan buildings from Greystone - first to store deicing salt, second to house footing materials for our premier equestrian center, a third to store our engineered soil media. The quality of the materials used and construction methods have proven to be very safe under multiple conditions,” said Andy Phillips, division chief at MNCPPC, department of parks and recreation in Prince George’s County.

“We found these structures to be very cost effective, especially utilizing the Sourcewell Cooperative. Dollar for dollar, the quality of the investment exceeds the initial outlay of funds. Best bang for your buck!”

“Greystone’s commitment to quality workmanship and dedication to providing top-tier customer service make it a no-brainer to work with them. We look forward to future collaborations with Greystone.”

Greystone installed the city of Box Elder’s 52-by-70-foot Britespan manufactured building engineered for 105 mph wind loads.

5. City of Box Elder, S.D.

“We needed an engineered building that could withstand our windy conditions. We were looking for a quality product at a competitive price,” said Mike Gubka, superintendent of streets and parks. The city of Box Elder, S.D., worked with Greystone’s Fabric Building Division to design a building to meet local International Building Code (IBC) requirements, which included 105 mph wind loads.

“The fabric building option came in at a lower cost compared to a traditional salt shed while still meeting our goals. The building design allows for easy machinery operations within and around all sides of the structure. Greystone provided a great product with great service. Through all steps of the process, Greystone was great to work with and provided the best experience to our team.”

Greystone Construction is ready to assist you with your salt, sand and equipment storage needs. Call (888) 742-6837 for a free consultation and quote. Learn more at www.greystoneconstruction.com.

Greystone crew installs a 72-by-96-foot Britespan building on concrete pier foundations for the city of Willoughby Hills, Ohio.

of three fabric buildings that the Maryland-NCPPC has partnered on with Greystone to design and build.

Assateague Island, Md.

The world famous celebrities of Assateague Island, Md., should be worshiped from afar. In fact, it is illegal to do otherwise.

The strict no-contact rules have been put in place to protect both visitors and residents of the 37-mile-long barrier island, of which two-thirds are situated within the boundaries of Maryland; the southern third resides in Virginia, which neighbors Maryland to the south.

The seashore ecosystem hosts a robust plethora of wildlife in the air, on land and in the boundary waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Replete on the island are hundreds of species of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates, from migrating waterfowl to deer and elk to foxes and raccoons to frogs and snakes.

But the most popular and sought-after fauna are the wild horses that roam the island at will. Once numbering in the hundreds, the present herd hovers at around 80, largely due to a federal contraceptive darting program started in 1994, which has kept the population sustainable and has doubled the lifespan of the horses from 15 to 30-plus years.

No one quite knows how the horses arrived on the island, but several theories compete as the explanation.

Some assert the horses swam to the island after the Spanish galleon cargo ship transporting them sank off the coast circa 1750.

Others believe early colonial settlers brought the horses to the island to graze, thus avoiding paying taxes for the use of real estate on the mainland.

A distant third explanation is the horses owe their arrival to pirates who were initially drawn to the island but later left, abandoning the herd.

Assateague Island National Seashore was established by the federal government in 1965. Two-thirds of the 37-mile-long island lies in Maryland, where the seashore park is located. The southern third of the island is situated within Virginia. (Photo by John M. Chase/Shutterstock)

The Spanish galleon theory seems the most credible, as a Spanish shipwreck was discovered in 1997 just off Assateague Island and DNA testing indicates the modern population includes the most genetically congruent descendants of Spanish horses brought to the Americas in the early 1500s.

Assateague Island is jointly owned and managed by the National Park Service, Maryland State Parks and United States Fish and Wildlife Service and Department of Natural Resources. The Assateague Island National Seashore was established in 1965 to preserve the barrier island and surrounding waters and provide recreational opportunities.

Visitors are welcome to engage in various family activities, including sightseeing cruises, kayak tours, fishing, crabbing, hunting, bird watching, biking and hiking. The National Park Service allows off-road vehicles with an appropriate permit on certain parts of the island. The state park hosts 350 campsites. Camping is available year-round on the island, which enjoys a humid subtropical climate.

There are no permanent residents on the island, and thus no shops, restaurants or other businesses. Visitors can, however, travel a mere 1/4 mile north of the island to the resort town Ocean City, Md., famous for its 3-mile boardwalk, eateries and other recreational offerings.

Visitors have many opportunities to view the wild horses, such as sightseeing tours, kayak ventures and along hiking and biking trails. Because 95% of the horses live away from the island’s roads,

spotting them by car is not the most promising approach. In fact, stopping or parking along the roadways is prohibited. Another warning to drivers: the horses’ eyes do not reflect light at night, making them all but invisible after dark, so extreme caution is imperative.

Contrary to one common misconception, the wild horses of Assateague have not evolved their digestive systems to be able to live on the Atlantic’s salt water. The horses, in fact, subsist on the fresh water of the numerous ponds and marshes throughout the island, and feed on saltmarsh cordgrass, dune grasses, bayberry twigs, rosehips and persimmons.

The National Park Service’s website, nps.gov, devotes pages to no-nonsense warnings and strict rules and regulations for visitors seeking to capture a memorable experience with the equestrian wonders.

The rules have been mandated for the health of both the visitors and the horses. “Despite their good intentions, some visitors love park animals to death,” reads the website, blithely incorporating a somewhat macabre pun. “As wildlife become used to humans and lose their natural fear, the animals become aggressive and may be destroyed. Although they may appear harmless and even curious about you, horses do injure visitors every year. That’s partly why approaching, harassing or feeding any kind of wildlife, no matter how small or familiar, is illegal in all national parks.”

The site dictates visitors stay at least 40 feet (“or about one bus length away”) from the horses. “Stay safe and never assume you are the one that can get away with a close encounter.”

It is even illegal to call, click, whistle or make noises of any kind to attract wildlife. “Animals deserve to enjoy the park without disruption just as you do.”

Park rangers are not hesitant to issue citations to visitors who touch or feed any wildlife. Other rules of engagement include:

• If wildlife approaches, back away and maintain your safe distance.

• Store your food in your car or in a sealed container.

• If taking photos, use a camera with a zoom lens to maintain safe distancing.

• Avoid noise and quick movements, which can threaten wildlife.

For more information, visit nps.gov, assateagueisland.com or dnr.maryland.gov.

The wild horses of Assateague sometimes invade human-occupied space at the campgrounds. Visitors are advised to back away and maintain a safe distance whenever one of the horses approaches. (Photo by J. W. Cohen/Shutterstock)

The wild horses of Assateague have likely inhabited the island since 1570, when a Spanish galleon transporting them shipwrecked near the island. (Photo by Wendy Farrington)

A visitor to the island maintains a safe distance to observe the wild horses of Assateague enjoying the seashore. Visitors are cautioned to stay at least 40 feet from the animals and may receive a citation from a federal park ranger for failure to do so. (Photo by Vicky Faye Aquino/Shutterstock)

12 out of 850

Roughly this many city employees’ positions may be eligible for Redding, Calif.’s, pilot hybrid remote work program.

Learn how municipalities are exploring remote work on page 18.

1:1

Through the North Carolina Rural Water Association’s apprenticeship program, an apprentice receives their own individual mentor with a strict 1:1 ratio to provide the best training in such a rigorous program

Read about this program on page 22.

$5,000

The Elyria, Ohio, City Council Utilities, Safety and Environmental Committee voted unanimously to create a program that would provide interestfree, five-year loans (up to $5,000) to qualified homeowners so that they can make necessary sidewalk repairs.

Learn how cities are stepping up to help residents with sidewalk repairs on page 30.

88%

According to a November Park Pulse Poll conducted by the National Recreation and Parks Association, 88% of U.S. adults want their local parks to provide adaptive and inclusive recreation programming so persons of all abilities can participate.

Source: https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2022/index.

php#/p/18.

focus on:

Maintenance & Operations

$120 million

Amount of federal funds earmarked to rebuild and fortify Grand Isle, La. The coastal city has suffered extensive destruc tion from hurricanes and windstorms, but for years the awaited federal funds have failed to materialize.

Source: https://www.lma.org/LMA/LMA_Marketplace/Louisiana_Municipal_Review/ LMA/LMA_Marketplace/Louisiana_Municipal_Review.aspx?hkey=d21d6427-ac5c-428a8677-21fcd7c8782b.

40

A homeless village in Georgetown, Del., opened in November. The 64-square-foot rapid-shelter units were built through a partnership between the town and two nonprofit organizations and will go a long way toward mitigating the city and state’s growing homelessness problem

Source: https://www.capegazette.com/article/ georgetown-homeless-village-becomes-reality/247837.

87%

In a report published last year, the vast majority of local municipal officials said they had noticed changes in the levels of harassment, threats and violence experienced by their office during their tenures.

Source: https://www.nlc.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/On-the-Frontlines-ofTodays-Cities-1.pdf.

Cities explore remote work post-COVID

By DENISE FEDOROW | The Municipal

During the height of COVID-19, many of us learned we could continue working from our homes — even late-night TV hosts — with today’s technology. Zoom calls and meetings with the constant reminder “you’re on mute” became daily or weekly occurrences for many of us.

Now that the worst of COVID is behind us, many employers including municipalities are discovering their employees would like to continue to work from home. The Municipal spoke to two cities that have implemented remote work programs for their employees.

Redding, Calif., had a hybrid remote work program approved by its city council late last summer. City Manager Barry Tippin explained the driving force behind the city taking this action.

“With the workforce of today, the expectations of employees are that employers offer more flexibility and opportunities for more

of a life/work balance,” he said. “As a natural result, the workplace needs to look at more opportunities for workplace flexibility the private sector is doing it; the government is generally a little slower. We want to be a competitive employer, have a workforce with higher morale and satisfied employees. We want to be an employer of choice.”

Tippin said he thinks the workplace was naturally heading in this direction but COVID accelerated the demand from the employee’s perspective and sped up the city’s development of a policy probably by five to 10 years.

“Without the pandemic, we wouldn’t have accelerated our technology and pressed our

ABOVE: Residents of Redding, Calif., gather outdoors for a past state of the city address delivered by Mayor Kristen Schrede. Mayor Schreder’s theme for 2022 was “HOPE moves us forward!” (Photo provided by city of Redding, Calif.)

information technicians to find the sources to enable our employees to work remotely. It forced us to find solutions to those problems, and we found out we could get quite a lot accomplished through video conferencing,” he said.

Redding’s policy listed what it considered the benefits of remote work, including the ability to function during an emergency when the regular worksite is inaccessible; efficient use of city resources, such as office space; recruitment and retention of highly qualified employees; greater flexibility for employees and departments; improved employee morale and job satisfaction; reduced employee absenteeism; decreased

energy consumption air pollution, traffic and parking congestion; among others.

The policy also lists eligibility by position and employee and states that the “department director and city manager/designee has the absolute discretion to determine whether a position/employee is eligible to work remotely,” utilizing criteria listed in the policy.

Position eligibility includes when job duties are independent in nature and the remote work will not negatively affect the workload of others; are primarily knowledgebased; do not require frequent interactions at the worksite with supervisors, colleagues and the public; and lend themselves to measurable deliverables.

Individual employees may be eligible for remote work when they are dependable and responsible; have the ability to work independently; have demonstrated motivation and a consistently high rate of productivity; effective communication with supervisors, coworkers and customers; a high level of skill and knowledge of the job; and have the ability to prioritize work effectively with good organizational and time management skills.

Other considerations include but are not limited to the employee’s ability to create a functional, reliable and secure remote workplace and the ability to measure the employee’s work performance from a location separate from the regular worksite.

Tippin said city officials felt it was important to have both position and employee eligibility “because you could have two people in the same position and one is suitable and the other isn’t, just because of the nature of their personalities or how they function. One is not better than the other, just different,” he said.

The policy states the city manager or department director may deny, end or modify a hybrid agreement at any time with written notice, and an employee also has the right to end the agreement or request a change.

According to the policy, “A remote worker must perform work during scheduled remote work hours. Employees may not engage in activities while working remotely that would not be permitted at the regular work site, such as child, elder or other dependent care. Remote workers may take care of personal business during standard break periods, as they would at the regular work site. Following approval, remote workers are required

to comply with the terms of their Hybrid Remote Work Program Agreement and must be accessible and readily available via telephone, video-conferencing and email just as they are when working at the main work site.”

Tippin was asked how they’d monitor what an employee was doing, and he said mainly by trusting the honesty of the employee, but the city could request the employee hop on a video-conferencing site like Teams, and there shouldn’t be kids in the room. He said there’s also ways to measure productivity and ensure the employee is performing as expected.

“We’re also cognizant of the fact that just because an employee is at the office, it doesn’t mean they’re not goofing off. We want to make sure we’re not barring a good tool to retain and recruit employees (and we’re not saying) just because they’re across town we trust them less than an employee who is in the building but on another floor,” he said.

The policy also lists equipment and supply requirements, stating that either city equipment or personal equipment may be used, but no city information should be stored on personal equipment.

The city manager said officials decided to make this a pilot program, and that’s what the city council approved.

“They approved the pilot program and policy and gave me the authority to amend the policy in minor ways working with the employee’s union, and we’ll bring it back to them in the late spring or summer,” he said. “We wanted to make sure, because if I was pressed today, I’d say we didn’t have the ability to do fully remote so I wanted to play it out and make that determination (on fully remote work) later.”

Tippin said the city already had a couple of employees working fully remotely. He said one is an employee who was moving out of the city and wanted to continue working for the city. That employee is an analyst so they prepare financial and federal reports and work independently anyway with supervisor oversight. The other fully remote employee is a management assistant in the city manager’s office who works on contracts, program development, etc.

“Both are working very well,” he said.

He envisions any future remote workers would be on a hybrid program, requiring they’d be in the office for a couple of days a week.

This artistic sign guides people to downtown Redding. The city employs 850 employees and has approved a remote work policy for eligible positions. (Photo provided by city of Redding, Calif.)

Bikers ride across the historic Diestelhorst Bridge near downtown Redding, Calif. Constructed in 1915, the bridge has a bike lane so residents and visitors can bike, walk, run or skateboard over one of the picturesque sections of the Sacramento River Trail. (Photo provided city of Redding, Calif.)

“Long term, I could see the possibility for more fully remote work for some positions information technology and programming but even with fully remote, we’d likely require them to be in the office once a quarter for a few days,” he said.

Tippin added that, generally speaking, directors and supervisors feel the need to have them put time in the office. “It’s difficult to make human connections. My experience is over Zoom you don’t have those same human connections.”

When asked which positions he envisions would work well for remote work and wouldn’t, he responded, “We’re a full-service city, so we still need a permit counter person. People come in all the time, but hybrid could work, especially as we have more electronic submittals. There’ll always be a need to have people here. The same with the utility customer service people come in to pay their utility bills all the time.”

Obviously police, fire and maintenance positions would never be remote. The best positions for remote work, according to Tippin, are engineers, planners, analysts and accountants.

“When you get down to it, only a handful of positions would work to be fully remote maybe a dozen out of our 850 fulltime employees,” he said.

Philadelphia, Pa.

On the other side of the country from Redding, the city of Philadelphia approved a remote work policy for its employees in June 2021.

Joy Huertas, MA, deputy communication director in the mayor’s office, responded by email stating, “Many employees have been reporting to their offices since June 2020 in some form. The employees who’ve been working on-site either full time or hybrid represent about 97% of the workforce.

“However, as a response to changing expectations around remote work, the city implemented a remote work policy effective June 11, 2021, that allows departments to approve work from home for up to three days per week for their employees. We expect the departments will continue to use this policy where appropriate.”

According to the opening statement of the policy, “The city of Philadelphia’s workforce provides essential services to over 1.5

Philadelphia City Hall towers over the city and residents in the downtown area. The building is the largest municipal building in the United States with 700 rooms. The building’s square design surrounds an interior courtyard and the building’s tower features large clocks on all four sides and an observation deck below the base of the 37-foot bronze statue of William Penn that tops the tower. Reportedly, it was the world’s tallest habitable building upon its completion in 1894. (Photo provided by Albert Lee, city of Philadelphia, Pa.)

million city residents, including protecting resident’s lives, providing residents with educational opportunities, and improving resident’s health. Although providing those services often requires an on-site presence, the city remains committed to enhancing the work-life balance of its employees and offering flexible working environments when possible.”

The policy states the primary goal is to “enhance workplace flexibility while ensuring that city employees continue to deliver highquality work product that meets the need of city government and city residents.”

Although they are not titling it a “hybrid” policy, it does state remote work would be permitted for a maximum of three days a week unless the appointing authority has received authorization to exceed the maximum from appropriate cabinet members. In emergency declarations, for example, employees may be authorized to work virtually for extended periods of time.

Employees are offered two arrangements either a set schedule (8 a.m. to 4 p.m. or 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., for example) or core hours.

Under the set schedule agreement, employees will be expected to adhere to that schedule and provide services, either internally or externally, during a set period and would not be expected to work outside of that schedule.

Under the core hours agreement, specific hours would be designated by the appointing authority when the employee is expected to be working, for example, from 10 a.m. to noon and 2-4 p.m., and then the employees are permitted to flex the remainder of their workday. Core hours’ virtual work should be used when employees are expected to be available to work collaboratively or answer questions, but also have self-directed tasks that may be completed without direct interaction or supervision. Employees are still expected to complete the minimum work hours required, whether that is 7.5 hours or 8 hours a day or 75 hours biweekly.

Some of Philadelphia’s general guidelines include those who work remotely regularly should have an ergonomic workplace free from distractions, and the home office may be approved by a departmental safety officer. Virtual work must be conducted using city-owned devices laptops, phones and when necessary one set of peripherals (keyboard, mouse, etc.) will be provided to employees working virtually. Employees must adhere to safety measures and must use both multi-factor authentication and virtual private network client, both provisioned by the Office of Innovation and Technology to strictly manage access to their city email and network credentials in order to preserve and protect city data and technology operations vulnerable to compromise. Personal electronic devices are not allowed to be used to conduct city business.

The policy also states employees will not be reimbursed for expenses related to home internet service or office supplies. Employees should obtain office supplies on-site.

Employees are expected to obtain care for dependents so they can work effectively. This requirement may be relaxed during exigent circumstances like illness or school closing, where no alternative is available.

The policy has a section listing the responsibilities for appointing authorities, supervisors and employees. Like Redding’s policy, Philadelphia’s sample work agreement states it is a pilot policy. In Philadelphia’s case, the agreement lasts for six months and then will be reviewed to determine if it will continue.

Tippin offered these suggestions to other municipalities looking to enact remote work policies. He said it starts with communicating with staff to discuss where the city is headed

Tulips bloom along the base of Philadelphia’s city hall, designed in the Second Emperor architectural style. Philadelphia has enacted a hybrid remote work policy for some of the city’s employees. (Photo proved by Albert Lee, city of Philadelphia, Pa.)

and what the expectations are and communicating with leadership and the city council the intent and reason officials are moving in this direction and what the benefits are to the city.

“Ultimately, the community has to accept it as a municipality needs to be open and pragmatic and deliberate in messaging,” he said.

Secondly, he advised, “(Decide) in advance what is important to your organization and put that down in the policy”

For example, it was important to Philadelphia to make that distinction between job

positions and people for the reasons previously stated.

“Be diligent and identify those things with your leadership team,” he advised.

Making sure the technology and the Wi-Fi are available in the city and the place where the employee will be working from is critical.

“Lastly, I think it’s really important that you make it a test or pilot program,” Tippin said. “I think the worst thing I could do was jump fully in with a permanent policy and then have to unwind it. Everyone understands this is a pilot and it could go away.”

NCRWA apprenticeship program seeks to replenish retirees in the wastewater field

By NICHOLETTE CARLSON | The Municipal

Five or six years ago, the National Rural Water Association realized that approximately 50% of its wastewater employees would be retiring in just a few years.

With this knowledge, the North Carolina Rural Water Association began developing and putting together standards and curriculum for an apprenticeship program, adding to the national level standards while focusing on the more specific needs of the state. It was at this point Carolyn Bynum, North Carolina Rural Water Association workforce development coordinator, started in her position to assist the executive director in polishing up the standards and curriculum to meet the needs of the North Carolina wastewater systems.

These standards and curriculum were submitted to the state registration agency to be registered, and they were approved in September 2020. This allowed the NCRWA to place its first apprentice in the program in November 2020, its second apprentice in December 2020 and its third apprentice in February 2021. This third apprentice will be the program’s first completed apprenticeship soon, with just a few hours to go before completion.

The first year of the apprenticeship program, Bynum reached out to various towns via career fairs, schools, mailings and visiting military bases. The goal is also to bring more diversity into the field, not just the primarily male Caucasian population who typically hold wastewater jobs, to show anyone can work in the field. The program can also assist veterans in connecting with a new career path. They can even be given credit for any prior experience they may have received during their military service.

Cities will also reach out to Bynum, searching for an apprentice through the NCRWA program. She will then recruit for that position specifically within that area to best meet the city’s needs. The city of

ABOVE: North Carolina Rural Water Association is cultivating the next generation of water and wastewater professionals with an apprenticeship that offers one-on-one training. (Shutterstock.com)

Clayton approached her regarding its needs in the wastewater plant. Meanwhile, the city of Lexington was reaching a critical need when it heard about the program and reached out. It now has five apprentices.

In order to be accepted into the program, potential apprentices must go through a rigorous application process. Each potential apprentice must be at least 18 years of age, have a valid driver’s license and pass a drug screening and background check. The candidate then interviews with Bynum to check their desire for longevity in the wastewater career path. If all other requirements are passed, the candidate then must take a basic skills assessment. As Bynum mentioned, “Most people don’t realize wastewater is so math and science focused.” She must know the candidate’s strengths in order to place them in the appropriate instruction. After all this, the candidate may finally be accepted.

After acceptance, the apprentice then chooses which career path preference they wish to follow water systems or wastewater operations systems specialist. Bynum then works to match each apprentice with a city workforce searching for an apprentice on that path. Each apprentice must also decide if they are willing to relocate at their own expense. Currently, those willing to relocate can be placed more quickly in positions.

A city must also go through a process in order to accept an apprentice into its workforce, including getting the apprentice approved by the city council. The city must also meet the standards of the NCRWA, implementing an employer agreement and wage scale to ensure each apprentice is paid better than the living wage.

Once the apprentice is accepted and placed in a position with a city, they begin their on-the-job training, learning everything they need to know to run the plant one day. This includes monitoring electronic systems to ensure functionality of the plant, maintenance on pumps, water sampling and adjusting water flow. (Photo provided by the North Carolina Rural Water Association)

After realizing that wastewater plants would lose approximately 50% of their workforce to retirement in the next few years, the North Carolina Rural Water Association began working on standards and a curriculum for an apprenticeship program. The program was approved, and the first apprentices placed at the end of 2020. (Photo provided by the North Carolina Rural Water Association)

Once matched with a city, the apprentice receives their own individual mentor with a strict 1:1 ratio to provide the best training in such a rigorous program. The level of engagement each apprentice has with the systems and mentor has been “smooth sailing” thus far, as described by Bynum. Apprentices also have a tracking system to record their on-the-job training each day. These apprentices are trained on how to operate the plant and must become adept at monitoring the required electronic systems to ensure the plant is functioning. They also learn how to perform maintenance on pumps, do water sampling and adjust levels of flow.

Each apprentice must complete 4,000 hours of on-the-job training, including class certifications and passing the exams. Only one certification exam can be taken at a time. Therefore, this process takes approximately two years. There are 288 or more hours of technical instruction. Between Bynum and the mentor, these apprentices are “constantly being reminded to ensure all processes are being followed according to guidelines,” she assured. “The mentor is an expert and plays a critical role and goes in and reviews entries to verify if they are correct.”

Then, if the apprentice is new to the industry and is putting in documentation of a process and misses a step, the mentor can catch the mistake quickly and correct it. Apprentices also go through teamwork, leadership and workforce development classes.

The importance of water and wastewater operators, Bynum believed, is not fully understood. She stressed it is a demanding job and they are essential operators who act as the frontline defense against infectious diseases in the water. These apprentices train to bring a common product to cities and residents that is often overlooked and taken for granted.

Currently, there is a wait list of apprentices, so Bynum is working to locate cities and systems in their area to place each of them.

Bynum recommends cities do not wait until they have already reached a critical situation. “Don’t wait until someone retires to access apprenticeship,” she urged. “You want those who will retire to train the apprentice.”

Once an apprentice is accepted into the program, he or she must complete 4,000 hours of on-the-job training, including class certifications and exams, like this backflow class. There are also 288 or more hours of technical instruction. (Photo provided by the North Carolina Rural Water Association)

As Carolyn Bynum, NCRWA workforce coordinator, works with cities to fill their apprenticeship needs, another goal is to bring more diversity to the workforce. She also reaches out to veterans via career fairs and even recruits around specific areas when an apprentice is requested from a city. (Photo provided by the North Carolina Rural Water Association)

Art brings Salem, Ore.’s, streets and buildings alive

By BETH ANNE BRINK-COX | The Municipal

Murals have been a “thing” since the days of cave painting. The earliest known one was discovered, still pristine, in the Chauvet cave in France and determined to be 45,500 years old. Used to express feelings, share messages, mark occasions and really for any number of reasons, cave paintings may well have been an early form of “Kilroy was here.”

Murals today have many different meanings and reasons for existing; some are political, while others are purely a celebration of the arts. Some small towns have beautiful murals on the walls of their old buildings, replicating the shops and services that once stood there, a celebration of history and a way to keep the sweet small-town feeling alive even though the businesses have moved away. Others have a theme in mind, celebrating milestones like bicentennials. The Harriet Tubman mural in Cambridge, Md., is such a powerful piece of work, with her outstretched hand and its promise of freedom.

Since a mural is considered a sign, it falls under the city’s sign ordinances. And this isn’t a factory, complete with assembly lines: the arrangement for each creation, the acquisition, installation and upkeep are all unique to each public piece of art. The city

of Salem, Ore., has art everywhere, and there are many ways to look at it; one particularly fun way to see the art collection is through the online Public Art Scavenger Hunt. This virtual adventure tests participants’ knowledge of eight outdoor artworks and also provides a bird’s-eye view of the city. The Salem Public Art Collection is managed by the Salem Public Art Commission, and there are pieces placed throughout the city.

Trevor Smith, public information officer for the city of Salem, spoke at length about this specific style of art project. “There’s a difference between murals painted on the side of a building and street art. First thing to consider is that the side of any building is going to be affected by the city sign codes. People have to adhere to certain codes and sizes and dimensions, and there are art council rules as well as others. The mural has to be kept

ABOVE: A sunflower motif showing off the diversity of a northeast Salem neighborhood is the latest splash of color to grace Salem’s streets. Notice the beautiful faces in the heart of the sunflower. (Photo provided by the city of Salem)

up, kept in good condition. A lot depends on the paints used, on the skills and experience of the artists and so on. We have to be able to take photos for promotional use, and they have to look good.”

Speaking of street murals, Smith said, “While it’s true that in some areas and cities this type of mural may be political, here they are more about pride in our local artists and showing off what they can do and what we want you to see and feel about our city.”

Salem’s downtown murals feature designs such as the “Mirror Maze” by Damien Gilley and Blaine Fontana’s work, “Waldo Stewards,” which honors the smallest redwood park in the world, known as Waldo Park. The design for the latter mural encompasses Salem’s own pileated woodpeckers and pine cones.

Smith further explained in the city’s quest to bring beauty and art to the neighborhoods, three murals are already painted, “and there are five more waiting for the weather to get sunny enough to add them. We don’t want to

replace them; we want to keep adding more. We have to have permits from the public works department because, really, we own the streets. There has to be 60% approval from the surrounding neighbors, and the neighborhood associations are responsible for the upkeep. We’ll make recommendations as to what kind of paint should be used, what kind of top coat to seal things like that. And they have to be kept nice. Eye appeal, you know!”

Though the murals are always sealed with ultraviolet protectants, the sunlight fades the colors quickly, and, of course, the street pieces have the added stress of traffic.

As for graffiti and other defacement, Smith noted, “Vandalism is always an issue, but it’s not huge. Not massive. It happens. We’re a city. We can deal with it.”

It’s largely up to the business to maintain the appearance. Though he noted, “There could be funding initiatives in the public works to do that. But mostly public works are more about permits and following rules, wanting to be certain that everything is consistent and appropriate. I mean, it’s true of your own house, even; you can’t just paint your house purple with green polka dots you have to have permission to do that. So the question ultimately comes down to: Is it worthy of artistic expressions?”

The original artist can stay involved as long as they want to or as long as they can. They can do the renovations and touch-ups as needed, because it’s their design and their work.

“We have had pieces not necessarily an entire mural taken off the sides of buildings that will be torn down. We store them so they can eventually be put back up somewhere or put on a new building. We work in partnership with the artists; we don’t just take ownership. These things are largely contracted by property team efforts,” explained Smith. “We want more art within the city, and we are hoping that businesses and other civic-minded people will share their talents and passions. We aren’t just slapping things on the sides of other people’s property. The community at large graces us.”

Painted

The Grant Neighborhood Street Mural, located on Cottage Street, is the first street mural painted in Grant Neighborhood. It was designed by local muralist Erika Baker. The rendition of cherry blossoms honors Salem’s history as Cherry City. (Photo provided by Grant Neighborhood Association)

by Blaine Fontana, “Waldo Stewards” covers a stairwell on Commercial Street. Covered with woodpeckers and other vibrant design, it stands several stories tall, making it impossible to miss. (Photo provided by the city of Salem)

Artist Damien Gilley, created this stunning piece, hoping to open up ideas in the viewers about future forms of structure, contemporary visual interaction and the promotion of unique abstract interpretations. (Photo provided by the city of Salem)

A different season is reflected in this street mural, depicting the beautiful evergreens and warm colors of the hillsides in Oregon. (Photo provided by the city of Salem)

Walk this way: Cities step up to help homeowners with sidewalk repairs

By JULIE YOUNG | The Municipal

Here is a long view of the sidewalk problems Elyria has. Uneven, cracked and crumbling sidewalks are not only an eyesore, but quite dangerous. Unfortunately, some citizens are confused about their responsibility to maintain them. (Photo provided by the city of Elyria, Ohio)

Cracked, crumbling and uneven sidewalks are not only a neighborhood eyesore — they are also a safety hazard. However, when a repair is required, property owners are often surprised to learn that they are responsible for the public pathways that are adjacent to their property. While this can vary depending on location or how a neighborhood homeowner association’s bylaws are crafted, the path to resolution rarely runs smooth. To help property owners shore up their sidewalks, some cities are stepping up to create programs that ensure the work gets done.

This photo provides a measurement of how uneven the city of Elyria, Ohio’s, sidewalks are. To address the problem, the city stepped up to help citizens make necessary repairs. (Photo provided by the city of Elyria, Ohio)

BEFORE AND AFTER: This cracked walkway is not only an eyesore, but it is also a safety hazard. In order to shore up these sidewalks, the city of Milford, Del., has created a sidewalk program to help residents fix unsightly and unsafe pathways. Also, pictured is the same sidewalk after its repair. (Photo provided by Milford, Del.)

Years of neglect have left some sidewalks in Elyria, Ohio, nearly nonexistent such as this one that has been affected by grass, tree branches and time. (Photo provided by the city of Elyria, Ohio)

Enforcing old ordinances

Like most communities around the country, the city of Milford, Del., has an ordinance requiring property owners to maintain their sidewalks. However, no one bothered to enforce that ordinance until July 2018, when Milford launched its Sidewalk Repair Program and sent out a group of university students to assess the city pathways and determine walkability.

The backlash was immediate. As letters went out demanding property owners make the necessary repairs or allow the city to complete the work (and bill them later), residents expressed outrage that an antiquated code could suddenly break their budget. Fortunately, the city founders created a provision for that as well.

“Property owners who meet the low-income criteria may apply for financial assistance provided the city funding is available for the cost of sidewalk repair or replacement,” it reads.

While the repair work has been ongoing with Mitten Construction handling the initial program in August, the Milford city council recently awarded the Jacques Concrete Company a $380,760 contract to complete the remaining work throughout all four wards in areas that had not been covered in the first round.

According to city engineer James Puddicombe, a good portion of the money from the initial round of sidewalk work was paid back to the city, which allowed them to roll the funds over to subsequent phases. The funding combines $104,591 from the available sidewalk funds, along with $276,170 in realty transfer taxes. He expects that $289,000 of the current contract will be reimbursed to the city by property owners.

“The bids went out around June 19, 2022, and the bid opening occurred on July 22, 2022. The project calls for 180 days from start to completion though inclement weather may delay the start date,” said Milford City Manager Mark Whitfield.

Residents seeking a sidewalk discount may fill out an application and return it to the city’s customer service office along with supporting documentation.

Navigating the need

In August, the Elyria, Ohio, City Council Utilities, Safety and Environmental Committee voted unanimously to create a program that would provide interest-free, five-year loans (up to $5,000) to qualified homeowners so that they can make necessary sidewalk repairs. This is a voluntary program with priority given to residents who have received a notice of violation resulting from a complaint.

According to city engineer Kathryn McKillips, through this program, property owners continue to be responsible for the condition and maintenance of their sidewalks, but the program offers an affordable way to pay for it.

“Every year, we receive complaints from residents regarding bad sidewalks,” she said. “In some cases, the property owner of the bad sidewalk knows it needs to be replaced, but either doesn’t know how to go about getting the work completed or doesn’t have the funds needed to pay for the work all at once.”

To qualify for assistance, a property owner needs to agree to have the cost of the work placed on their tax duplicate as a special assessment. The program is open to all residential owner-occupied properties.

McKillips said the city council has agreed to provide $50,000 for the first year and, depending on the interest from the public, additional funds will be requested in future years. The goal is to have the repayments through special assessments fund the program for years to come.

“Because the program is so new, we have a list of seven property owners wanting to participate,” McKillips said. “(We’ll know how successful the program is) once we get the work completed and get feedback from the participants. We’ll know a lot more once we get through one round of requests.”

Other municipal sidewalk programs

Often residents are confused about who pays for sidewalk repair in front of their homes and don’t have the money in their budgets to fix them, but some cities, such as Milford, Del., are stepping up to make the process a little more affordable. (Photo provided by Milford, Del.)

• Carmel, Ind., offers a Sidewalk Repair Grant Fund offers a 50% reimbursement (up to $3,000) for the repair/replacement of sidewalks and the removal of trees on their property affecting the sidewalk. Property owners must occupy the homes on said property, solicit three competitive quotes and include them with their grant application package. The program began in 2020 with a $50,000 budget, and, according to the city council, it is another way to partner with homeowners to keep the community’s residential infrastructure in top shape.

• Lake Geneva, Wis., offers a sidewalk cost-share program that reimburses residents up to $1.75 per square foot for replacing/ repairing their (damaged) sidewalks. However, in August, the city officials announced that they are considering a 50/50 split of the repair/replacement work to encourage more residents to get the work done. At the present time, few take advantage of the existing program citing the effort it takes to apply for the program is not commensurate with what they would receive in return.

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Rural communities keep the water flowing

By DANI MESSICK | The Municipal

“Most if not all small communities struggle with providing drinking water and sanitary services at an affordable price to its citizens,” explained Chief Executive Officer of the Idaho Rural Water Association Shelley Roberts. “The primary impacts include aging infrastructure (much of which was paid for and installed by the federal government several decades ago) that is beginning to deteriorate. In addition, Idaho has seen a tremendous amount of growth in a very short period of time, which requires new infrastructure investment besides rehabilitating or replacing its aged infrastructure. The cost of infrastructure is great compared to the number of residents to spread the cost over. For example, a $10 million water treatment plant costs 25,000 residents much less per household than a community of 500. It is important to provide life-sustaining services at an affordable rate. Much of the funds that have come through the recent federal investments will help, but frankly, the need for investment far exceeds the funds available.”

With a small group of staff and limited resources, Kimberly officials prefer preventative maintenance over fixing large problems as they arrive.

“Staffing is always a challenge keeping staff, of course,” Reed said.

Roberts explained that the aging workforce also creates difficulty for those in the field.

“Educating our youth about an excellent career choice of drinking water and wastewater operators is a priority but in the meantime creates a challenge for our communities as we are seeing seasoned operators retire at an extremely high rate throughout the state,” Roberts said.

Another significant challenge is keeping pace with changing regulations, Roberts went on to explain.

“As our environment changes and the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) responds with regulations to help maintain the quality of life we have enjoyed in Idaho, so does the cost of complying with those regulations,” she said.

“The cost of materials and budgets, of course, is an issue,” Reed added. “Costs go up, inflation goes up and we don’t have as much to work with anymore. It’s harder to get grants now because money is going other places.”

According to the National Rural Water Association, 53,000 community water systems in the United States serve more than 300 million Americans. They add that an estimated 14,748 publicly owned treatment works provide wastewater collection, treatment and disposal services to more than 238 million Americans. Many of the systems are in small towns or cities just like Kimberly.

“Whether potable water for drinking and sanitation or wastewater treatment for environmental release or recycling, water services are the lifeblood of any community. Water services are reliable, so it is easy to not give them a second thought,” NRWA said in an article, but these systems require regular maintenance to stay on the right track.

In November, the city of Kimberly was amid regular maintenance scheduling when Reed spoke to the Municipal magazine.

“It’s a very small system,” he explained of Kimberly’s. “We do not treat water. We have very clean groundwater.”

Instead, wastewater for the city is treated by the city of Twin Falls. Whereas Kimberly has a population of about 5,000, Twin Falls boasts over 50,000 and is only a few miles away.

Kimberly flushes hydrants yearly, checking flow rates and actuating valves. The system is, for the most part, C900 plastic, steel and old asbestos-cement transite pipe.

“The older stuff, of course, probably three times a year, we get breaks,” Reed explained, adding that it’s usually the transite pipe, and when that happens, a collar generally stops the leak.

“It’s a pretty simple system,” Reed said. “It’s looped for the most part.”

The wells are maintained in-house by the city.

When there are emergencies, the city has a plan for notifying residents of boil orders.

How does a small city handle routine water system maintenance? City Engineer and Public Works Director for the city of Kimberly Brian Reed said his city is always working on something.

Small communities across the U.S. are faced with the challenge of providing affordable drinking water and sanitary services for their citizens. With aging systems, it is often a fine line. (kckate16/Shutterstock.com)

“When we do boil orders, generally it’s a break or a repair of some kind,” he explained.

Generally, Kimberly uses a door knocker to inform residents in enclosed areas, but if it’s citywide, it’ll use the radio and TV news to keep residents informed.

“In other cases where we can’t isolate a small area, we do a whole town type order, and we try to identify the area that is most likely to be contaminated,” Reed explained. “Our residents appreciate the door knocker option, but really if you get more than 60 or 70 folks, it’s not feasible to do that.”

To prevent problems, maintenance is essential. “It’s like every other smaller city. We have infrastructure we have to maintain.”

There’s a maintenance schedule to be adhered to. Workers check bowls, actuate valves, pressurized lines and booster systems, among other things, and do general maintenance on one of their seven wells each year, which are derived from the Snake River Plain Aquifer. They maintain smart meters every 10 years.

“There’s certain things that everybody should be doing, but it doesn’t all get done as often as you want,” Reed said.

For the most part, the public works projects Kimberly is working on are general maintenance, but, Reed added, this year the city will be doing work on a second well in the spring. It had a larger project planned, but it was halted.

“We do have one project we had to scrap last year because of the budget,” he said. “We only had $100,000 for it and the bids came in at $150,000 roughly. Honestly, they didn’t have time to do it, anyway.”

Picture of the West: Moab, Utah

By LAUREN CAGGIANO | The Municipal

The town of Moab, Utah, has no shortage of stunning vistas that attract thousands of tourists a year. Its winning combination of small-resort-town hospitality, beautiful scenery and proximity to the Colorado River has made it one of the most sought-after destinations in the American Southwest in recent years.

City Manager Carly Castle feels it’s a privilege to help shape this southeastern Utah town’s future. She works with a six-member city council that includes the mayor, because the city has a council-manager form of government.

It’s helpful to understand Moab’s past to understand its present. The main industries have changed over time: For instance, according to Castle, it started as a coal mining town and then eventually started to extract uranium.

“As these things go, there was a uranium bust in the later part of the 20th century. The town really got very sleepy and experienced a big depression, because there was no industry down here,” she said. “Then tourism became the predominant industry, and it’s our predominant industry today. There is some mining that continues, but it’s mostly a tourism-based economy.”

To that end, Castle said visitors come to take in the breathtaking views of Arches and Canyonlands national parks. Tourism to Arches and Canyonlands provided a combined $294 million in economic benefits and supported 3,509 local jobs in 2017, according to a report from the National Parks Service. That same report shows that 1.5 million visitors to Arches spent $182 million in communities near the park.

City Manager Carly Castle believes her resort community of Moab, Utah, is full of potential. (Photo provided by city of Moab)

Public art reflects the community’s tourism assets and natural beauty. (Photo provided by city of Moab)

Castle said the spring and fall seasons are the most popular for tourism, but some visit in the summer, too. And although the national parks are a major draw, Moab’s appeal doesn’t end here.

“What’s great about Moab is we have world-class, outdoor recreation for many sports and activities,” said Castle. “We have great whitewater rafting and rock climbing and we’ve got some of the best mountain biking in the world. Moab boasts world-class trails for hiking and backpacking, canyoneering base jumping and really popular offroading opportunities.”

Located several hours from Salt Lake City, Moab is a community that’s had to stand on its own when it comes to marketing itself as a tourism destination. Though small 5,300 residents it’s mighty.

“We’ve had a pretty steady population for many, many years, but what has increased substantially is the visitor population or part-time resident population,” she said. “We don’t have hard data about the exact number of visits that we get, but we estimate between 3 (million) to 5 million people visit Moab every year. During the high season that translates to between 20,000 to 40,000 people in town at a time.”

Being a resort town does present challenges, however. For instance, it can be hard to balance maintaining the community’s serene nature while continuing to invite visitors who might participate in loud activities like riding all-terrain vehicles. At the same time, Castle cited affordable housing for locals as one pressing concern.

“We have a high demand for overnight accommodations and for second homes, and that makes home prices go through the roof and squeeze our market,” she said. “So, we hear from local businesses and residents continuously that they are having a hard time finding housing. A lot of our time is spent trying to provide incentives and

regulations to see if we can produce more housing that’s available for the local workforce in particular.”

Another looming issue operating in the background is more existential.

We have challenges managing water in a very dry place,” she said. “And like all communities in the West, we’re grappling with the impacts of climate change. We have to be good stewards about what that will do to our water resources.”

Speaking of resources, Castle said that in the long term the city might need to think about other ways to drive revenue. The pandemicfueled shutdown really underlined how fragile its economy can be at times.

“As a government, we really rely on sales tax. I think it opened our eyes to the fact that we should pursue some diversification in our economy,” she said.

Of course, such conversations don’t happen in a vacuum. Castle shared how she and the council members are engaging the community to write the next few chapters in Moab’s history.

“We just completed a community visioning and Strategic Action Plan, which was a large-scale conversation with this community about what we want our preferred future to look like and what we want our identity to be as we develop new policies and programs,” she said. “And I think there’s an opportunity for a lot more local involvement in decision making and an ability or an opportunity for us to set our own destiny rather than just be pulled along with whatever the tourism industry is doing.”

The Red Rock Arts Festival is a four-day multimedia, participatory arts festival inviting creative connectedness and activating public spaces in Moab. (Photo by Alec Boykin)

The 2022 Red Rock Arts Festival’s Plein Air Competition in Moab, Utah, consisted of one competition over five days. (Photo by Gwenn Ambrose)

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Awareness efforts address e-bike popularity

By KEVIN KILBANE | The Municipal

Electric bikes, or e-bikes, allow people to enjoy the outdoors even if they can’t pedal up large hills or cycle long distances. The motorized bikes’ popularity also creates new challenges for municipal law enforcement agencies.

Most problems involve riders traveling at unsafe speeds or using e-bikes that reach speeds faster than are allowed on trails or bike paths.

Marquette, Mich., has dealt with both issues, especially on trails used by multiple types of users such as cyclists, walkers and dog walkers, said Chief Ryan Grim of the Marquette Police Department. Located on the shores of Lake Superior in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, the community has miles of scenic bike paths that attract large numbers of cyclists, including locals and visitors from out of town.

Complaints about speeding e-bike riders have grown more common the past couple of years, Grim said. Marquette’s

pathways also allow only Class 1 e-bikes, and police have received some reports of riders using Class 2 and Class 3 e-bikes on them.

Class 1 e-bikes provide motorized assistance when the rider is pedaling, but only until the rider reaches 20 mph. Class 2 e-bikes offer pedal assistance up to 20 mph but also allow the rider to use a throttle that powers the bike without the rider pedaling. Class 3 e-bikes provide motorized assistance only while the rider pedals, but the motor continues assistance until the bike reaches 28 mph.

Marquette police have had success reducing e-bike and other problems through use of a bike patrol.

“A lot of times, just being out there, my officers are kind of visible and more of a presence,” Grim noted, noting bike patrol officers

can go places police cruisers can’t travel. The officers, who have ridden e-bikes since 2017, don’t write a lot of tickets for bicycle or e-bike violations. “It’s more of an educational tool,” he added.

The department tries to make out-of-town visitors aware of local cycling regulations through the department’s Facebook page and bike patrol.

“We have a pretty good-size following on our Facebook page,” Grim said. “We hope that people see messages there. Then we also have the (bike) patrol. … A lot of times people from out of town will stop us and talk to us because they’re not used to seeing police on e-bikes. It’s one of the ways we can get out into the public and be a little more interactive.”

Marquette doesn’t have speed limits on its bike paths, but the community is looking at possible options.

For now, “basically, we just remind people to ride at a safe and prudent speed and not necessarily a miles-per-hour limit,” Grim said.

In the town of Greenwich, Conn., the police department posted an announcement on its Facebook page this past August urging parents to review safety rules with children following an increase in the number of youngsters operating e-bikes, motor-driven cycles and electric foot scooters on town roads. The announcement reminded parents that Connecticut law prevents children ages 15 and younger from riding Class 3 e-bikes on a public road.

Corporal James Britton of the Marquette Police Department in Marquette, Mich., holds one of the e-bikes the department’s bike patrol officers use to maintain a presence on the city’s streets and bike paths. Getting bike patrol officers out in the community has been effective in ensuring people ride at safe speeds and use only the allowed Class 1 e-bikes on bike paths, police Chief Ryan Grim said.

(Photo provided by Marquette Police Department)

Children ages 15 and younger also must wear helmets while riding Class 1 or Class 2 e-bikes.

During a phone interview, Greenwich First Selectman Fred Camillo offered this advice to other communities regarding e-bikes: “I think they are terrific as far as the environment goes, and there is an exercise component to them. But because of the increased speeds that they’re able to do, just make sure that there are some regulations in place and that there’s enough education for the people out there to know that, with the convenience that they bring to everybody’s lives, there’s also added responsibility.”

Other communities regulate both e-bike riders’ speed and the class of e-bike they can ride in certain areas.

The city of Hot Springs, Ark., for example, limits e-bike use in parks and on trails to Class 1 e-bikes and to top speeds of 20 mph. Ordinances in Park City, Utah, outlaw use of e-bikes on singletrack trails and natural-surface trails less than 5 feet wide. The city allows Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes on multiuse trails and softsurface trails more than 5 feet wide, but riders must limit their speed to 15 mph on multiuse trails. Class 3 e-bikes can be ridden only on roadways.

In Hermosa Beach, Calif., city regulations restrict riders on e-bikes, scooters and skateboards from traveling faster than 8 mph on The Strand, a popular pathway along the beachfront. E-bike riders also can’t use motorized assistance on The Strand and must walk their bikes through a congested section of the pathway.

To ensure safety, the Hermosa Beach Police Department has set up operations to catch and issue citations to e-bike riders and others who violate the safety regulations. Hermosa Beach Police also have worked closely with the local school district and other partners on a public awareness campaign to educate students about e-bike rules and safety.

With e-bike use likely to continue growing in the future, regulations and public education will remain important tools municipalities can use to ensure safety for e-bike riders and people around them.

Marquette is the largest city in the Michigan Upper Peninsula and offers a number of parks and recreational facilities. (Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock.com)

Milton, Fla., gives Lucille Johnson Park a much-needed makeover

By NICHOLETTE CARLSON | The Municipal

The Milton, Fla., Parks and Recreation Department keeps a fiveyear plan of projects the department would like to see started in that time frame. The department surveys each of the city’s parks to make lists of improvements that need to be done to keep up with the high standards the residents of Milton expect. Recently, Lucille Johnson Park received a makeover in terms of upgrades and improvements.

The department presents the five-year plan to the city council, which is in charge of approving it. The specific projects are then started as grants for the projects are received.

The city noticed the department had recently taken on larger projects like upgrading Carpenter’s Park and Russell Harber Landing. When the time came to choose the next big project, they wanted it to be a neighborhood park. City council members

decided to give attention to Lucille Johnson Park.

Lucille Johnson Park stood out as in need of some significant upgrades. According to Jay Conrad, Milton’s interim public information officer, “To put it bluntly, the park was in really bad shape. The basketball courts were cracked due to tree roots growing up underneath them and the hoops were made of rusted metal that had been painted over. The playground equipment was sun bleached

ABOVE: In order to fund the Lucille Johnson Park upgrade project, the Milton Parks and Recreation Department received a total of $180,000 with only some modifications to the time frame necessary due to COVID-19.

(Photo provided by city of Milton, Fla.)

and heavily worn from use and the wood mulch was pretty much always damp and musty due to the humidity and regular rain.”

The old shade structure was rusted, and the picnic tables were somewhat rotted. In terms of lighting, the park really only had a couple of streetlamp style lights that were put up on telephone poles.

The department received a great deal of support from the community regarding the decision to focus last year on Lucille Johnson Park, particularly from nearby residents who frequent it.

“The upgrades have replaced everything,” Conrad described. “Both basketball courts

As the Milton, Fla., Parks and Recreation Department was choosing which project to begin next in its five-year plan, the city council recommended a neighborhood park, and Lucille Johnson Park was at the top of the list. In need of some significant upgrades, both the adult and youth basketball courts were in need of help with cracks and rusted hoops. (Photo provided by city of Milton, Fla.)

have been replaced with fresh concrete slabs and modern hoops. The playground equipment has been replaced with newer, safer pieces and the wood mulch was changed out for ground rubber mulch. The restroom complex got a complete overhaul. The new shade structure is larger and allows more natural lighting to light up the picnic area. We also installed several large lights to keep the park usable after dark.”

In order to fund the project, the Milton Parks and Recreation Department received $100,000 from the Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program. An additional $50,000 was funded through the Local Option Sales Tax. The final $30,000 came from the city’s general revenue. The total price tag for Lucille Johnson Park was approximately $180,000.

After funding was received, the upgrades to the project were completed in two phases. The first phase addressed the existing restrooms and irrigation in the park. The youth basketball court was replaced, and the pavilion was upgraded. Sidewalks were added as well as some limited fencing around the park.

In Phase 2, the park’s lights, adult basketball court and playground equipment were replaced. Three new picnic areas were added. Sod was laid around the basketball courts, and the fencing around the park that was started in Phase 1 was also completed.

While the project was underway, the city ran into a few obstacles –many due to COVID-19. Since businesses had to operate at reduced capacity during the pandemic due to either limits in the supply chain or employee health issues, the city found it difficult to contract with companies that were able to do the work required for the upgrades and meet the necessary time frame. This meant it ended up having to modify the time frame for completion of the upgrades. While it

The restrooms at Lucille Johnson Park could be described as less than inviting prior to their upgrades. The entire upgrade project was split into two phases, with restrooms being completed in phase one. The entire upgrade project is now complete. (Photo provided by city of Milton, Fla.)

was unable to complete the Lucille Johnson Park project as quickly as planned, it was able to still meet the deadline outlined in the grant from the Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program.

Response from the community regarding the updates has been exceedingly positive, with residents expressing their delight on the park department’s social media posts as well as at city council meetings.

Park improvements do not always need to be grand changes to be significant, however. Small upgrades, changes and replacements or repairs can have just as great of an impact on the residents of the community who visit the park on a regular basis.

Upgraded basketball courts, restrooms, playground equipment, shade structures over the picnic areas and sidewalks around the park were just a few items on the checklist of the Lucille Johnson Park project. (Photo provided by city of Milton, Fla.)

South Carolina confronts diabetes head-on

By BETH ANNE BRINK-COX | The Municipal

According to the National Institutes of Health, 23.6 million people — 7.8% of the United States population — have diabetes. The NIH also determined 17.9 million people have been diagnosed, while 5.7 million have not and might not be until they become ill.

Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S. In the last 20 years, the number of adults diagnosed with diabetes has more than doubled.

South Carolina is taking a hard look at what can be done about the numbers after seeing their own state statistics. More than 500,000 adults in South Carolina have been diagnosed with diabetes, including 16% of Black adults and 11% of white adults. Another 120,000 people have diabetes but are unaware, and 1.4 million have prediabetes. In all, that’s over half the population of the state.

At this point in time, diabetes cannot be cured, although that is always the hope. But it can be managed and with some lifestyle changes can even be reversed or postponed.

How might that happen? There’s a foundation called Diabetes Free South Carolina that is educating residents in the Palmetto State on management and treatment programs for diabetes. Imagine having at hand a pool of talented community health workers who form a surgical quality collaborative featuring prevention of wound infections, rapid recovery, pain control and low risk of returning to the hospital. There are also dental clinics and maternal diabetes management programs as well as women’s health initiatives, which empower young women who have diabetes and also those at risk for developing it to learn to manage their disease rather than being controlled by it. There are school wellness programs and Kids in Parks, a program that encourages hiking and other physical activities for young patients.

The foundation is partnering with South Carolina cities by providing grants also given to foundations and universities to assist them in helping their communities. This can mean getting more kids outside to play, or it can mean offering screening for women at high risk. Rural health services have greatly benefited from the portion of the grants that enable their workers to minister to low-income women.

Gestational diabetes is more common than ever, and Diabetes Free South Carolina offers a program that helps women manage maternal diabetes and deliver healthy babies. (Photo provided by Diabetes Free South Carolina)

“The older you get, the more likely you are to have problems with blood sugar,” said Timothy Lyons, M.D., an endocrinologist and medical director of Diabetes Free South Carolina.

While it cannot be changed overnight, Lyons said there were three ways to reduce risk: maintaining normal body weight, following a healthy diet and getting enough exercise. However, he acknowledged that many people don’t have easy access to healthy food, and exercise can be difficult for reasons from unsafe neighborhoods to bad knees.

Another method of reducing the risk of diabetes is a relatively new one: culinary medicine, as defined by Courtney Watson, director of community partnerships at FoodShare South Carolina.

“It’s a flashy new term. We are really engaging nursing students, future doctors, physicians’ assistants, really anyone around the medical environment,” Watson said. “We need to talk about sugars, not just hand someone a pamphlet. It can be overwhelming, learning how to eat, and if you’re experiencing difficulty getting the best kinds of food for the diabetic condition, that just makes it harder; frightening, even. It all works better when you approach it intentionally.”

FSSC’s mission is to provide healthy food for all, and DSFC is helping it expand its efforts to ensure access to fresh produce.

Other terms that have come into regular use regarding good nutrition are food desert and food oasis, and they’re pretty much self-defining. The first one means that a person has limited access to affordable and nutritious food, depending more on dollar stores and convenience

FoodShare South Carolina works with juvenile patients to fight diabetes with boxes of fresh food. Free boxes are provided to the kids to try to see if they like it. The fresh fruits and vegetables inside are purchased at stores, so when the recipients open it, they find that everything is bright, fresh and appealing. (Photo provided by FoodShare South Carolina)

stores, and the second one means that he or she has greater access to supermarkets and vegetable markets or stands.

But it’s not quite that simple. There may be plenty of access to food, but no way to get there or not enough money to pay for healthier choices. Seniors find themselves particularly vulnerable, since sometimes walking isn’t the option it once was.

Without healthy food, the health risks increase. Adults who can’t get healthy foods are up to three times more likely to have diabetes than those who can.

More than 600,000 South Carolinians struggle with hunger; more than 178,000 of those are children.

Watson, when asked about the timeline of the diabetes epidemic, said, “I think the community is always quick to respond, even before an issue gets addressed at a public health level. There are lived, shared experiences: people who live there are used to ‘checking sugars,’ and if they see that others have been diagnosed, well, they look out for one another.”

She added, “There’s a significant movement toward healthy living, making it a whole concept and getting other organizations involved. Wholespire is, among many other services, the physical agent for state food needs, making sure that communities get the resources, finances and programming that are made available and making access to fresh vegetables more easily obtained.

“We also have a program called Healthy Bucks here, which allows Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients to purchase extra fruits and vegetables. If they buy at least $5 with the SNAP EBT cards at participating farmers markets, they ‘earn’ $15 in Healthy Bucks tokens, to purchase additional fresh fruit and vegetables. That’s a win-win in any book, and of course, they too offer far more than this single benefit.”

One frequently proposed solution is to bring a grocery store to a town that no longer has one. The trend is actually the reverse, however, with stores leaving for more populated areas, and there are zoning and community development issues as well.

Watson said FoodShare’s method of working with juvenile patients can be more complicated, so the program has worked up a special

Fresh food boxes for FoodShare South Carolina are filled with a mixture of fresh fruits and vegetables that are essential to managing a healthy diet for diabetics. (Photo provided by FoodShare South Carolina)

Diabetes is very much a generational disease. But things can change if the entire family is on board with diet, exercise and other aspects of managing it. (Photo provided by Diabetes Free South Carolina)

relationship with outpatient hospitals and referrals to our Fresh Food boxes. Fresh Food provides a couple of free boxes for the kids to try to see if they like it.

“It’s easier to work with the whole family than just the kid, a kind of we’re all in this together way of thinking, get the whole family to follow the diet whenever possible.”

FoodShare used to offer cooking classes, but the kitchen that volunteers used was sold during the COVID-19 pandemic. They are still setting up a new kitchen.

“When we’ve got that, we’ll resume offering classes to teach good, healthy cooking. Low cost but still diabetic appropriate, which isn’t always easy to do.”

Proactive is the keyword. The pairing of education and prevention alongside a shift in mindset is helping residents view food more along the line of medicine. It can be done, as South Carolina is proving as it looks to lower its diabetes statistics.

To list your upcoming conference or seminar in The Municipal at no charge, call (800) 733-4111, ext. 2307, or email the information to swright@the-papers.com.

JANUARY

Jan. 5 IPM Symposium

Virtual & Recorded Event https://sites.google.com/ landscapeontario.com/ congress2023/feature-events/ ipm-symposium?authuser=0

Jan. 7-10 FPCA Mid-Winter Training Conference & Expo

Rosen Plaza Hotel, Orlando, Fla. https://fpca.com/mid-winterconference/

Jan. 9-10 Fire Apparatus, Spec., Maintenance & Fleet Management Conference

Gilbert Public Training Facility, Gilbert, Ariz. https://www.fdsoa.org/

Jan. 10-12 SDARWS Annual Technical Conference

Ramkota Hotel & Conference Center, Pierre, S.D. https://www.sdarws.com/atc. html

Jan. 10-12 Landscape Ontario 50 Years Congress & Trade Show Conference

Toronto Congress Centre, Toronto, Canada https://sites.google.com/ landscapeontario.com/ congress2023/home

Jan. 10-12 Northern Green 2023

Minneapolis Convention Center, Minneapolis, Minn. https://northerngreen.org/

Jan 11-13 ELTS Conference Executive Leadership Training Seminar

Seaside Civic & Convention Center, Seaside, Ore. https://oracp.memberclicks.net

Jan. 11-13 Arkansas Municipal League Hybrid Winter Conference

Statehouse Convention Center, Little Rock, Ark. https://www.arml.org/

Jan. 16-19 World of Concrete

Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nev. https://www.worldofconcrete. com/en/attendee.html

Jan. 16-20 HDAW/Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week ‘23 Grapevine, Texas https://www.hdaw.org/

Jan. 17-18 FDSOA Main Conference Health & Safety Tradewinds Island Grand, St. Pete Beach, Fla. https://www.fdsoa.org/

Jan. 17-19 World of Concrete Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nev. https://www.worldofconcrete. com/en/attendee.html

Jan. 17-20 Fire-Rescue East 2023

Ocean Center Daytona Beach, Daytona Beach, Fla. https://www.ffca.org/

Jan. 17-21 U.S. Conference of Mayors 91st Winter Meeting Washington, D.C. https://www.usmayors.org/theconference

Jan. 19-20 Michigan Wastewater Administrators Conference

Bavarian In Lodge, Frankenmuth, Mich. https://www.viethconsulting. com/Calendar/moreinfo. php?eventid=72851

Jan. 20-21 MMA Annual Meeting & Trade Show Boston, Mass. https://www.mma.org/annualmeeting/register/

Jan. 25-27 ACMA Winter Conference

Hilton Sedona Resort at Bell Rock, Sedona, Ariz. https://azmanagement.org/ events

Jan. 25-27 Alabama City County Management Assn Winter Conference

Embassy Suites, Birmingham/ Hoover, Ala. https://www.accma-online.org/

Jan. 25-27 ACMA 2023 Winter Conference

Hilton Sedona Resort at Bell Rock, Sedona, Ariz. https://azmanagement.org/ events/

Jan. 26-28 IAPD/IPRA Soaring To New Heights Conference Hyatt Regency, Chicago, Ill. https://cdn.ymaws.com/www. ilparks.org/

Jan. 27-31 American Correctional Association Winter Conference

Marriott World Center, Orlando, Fla. https://user-3imepyw.cld. bz/2023-ACA-OrlandoExhibitor-Prospectus-2023Winter-Conference

Jan. 29-31 NAPO’s 34th Annual Police, Fire, EMS & Municipal Pension & Benefits Seminar Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas, Nev. https://www.napo.org/events/ upcoming-events/

Jan 29-31 Alabama Recreation & Parks Association State Conference

Orange Beach, Ala. https://www.arpaonline.org/ events/

Jan. 29-Feb. 1 Ohio Parks Recreation Association Conference & Trade Show

Kalahari Convention Center, Sandusky, Ohio https://opraonline. org/2022/02/14/2023-opraconference-trade-show/

Jan. 30-Feb. 2 CADCA 33rd Annual National Leadership Forum

Gaylord National, National Harbor, Md. https://www.cadca.org/ forum2023

Jan. 30-Feb. 2 NWRA Annual Conference

Nugget Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nev. https://www.nvwra.org/2023ac-week

Jan. 31-Feb. 2 TFCA Winter Conference

Double Tree Hotel, Jackson, Tenn. https://www.tnfirechiefs.com/ conferences

Feb. 6-8 95th Annual Meeting Technical Conference & Exhibition

New York City Marriott Marquis, New York, N.Y. https://www.nywea.org/

Feb. 14-16 Energy Storage North America

Long Beach, Calif. https://www.intersolar.us/

ASHBURN, VA — The National Recreation and Park Association, the nation’s leading advocate for parks and recreation, in partnership with Merrell, the world’s leading outdoor footwear brand, is proud to announce the first-ever Changing Nature of Work Award winner. This annual award recognizes an individual or team that has responded to natural disasters with a spirit of teamwork, community and perseverance to clean up, rebuild their park for usable enjoyment, and to support and advance resilience and well-being for their community.

The 2022 Changing Nature of Work Award has been presented to Michael P. Cimprich, an arborist for the city of Marion, Iowa.

In August 2020, the city of Marion, along with many other communities across the Midwest, experienced heavy thunderstorms and hurricane force winds up to 140 mph as part of the devastating “Central Severe Weather-Derecho.” Known as the “costliest thunderstorm event in U.S. history,” according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the derecho caused widespread power outages and damages to homes, trees, businesses and powerlines. More than 40% of public trees were lost and many others on private property also were destroyed.

Once the storm subsided, Cimprich and his team worked to cut a path for emergency personnel and quickly began working on cleaning up the debris. Over the course of a few months, more than 1.2 million cubic yards of tree debris had been cleared, thanks to the work of Cimprich and his team.

Cimprich was crucial in leading the coordination effort between the city, contractors and other members of the community. Since the event, he has replanted more than 1,500 trees and secured more than $110,000 in grant funds to help support the effort. Cimprich has been a fundamental part of the response, cleanup, replanting and reforestation effort within the city of Marion and demonstrates how essential park and recreation professionals are.

In his nomination, Marion Parks and Recreation Director Seth Staashelm noted, “It has been said, ‘If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life,’ and Mike Cimprich is living proof of this. His passion for the outdoors and commitment to leaving Marion in a better place than he found it is unmatched. He embodies Merrell’s purpose to share the power of being outside with everyone.”

This is the first award presented by Merrell in partnership with NRPA and will highlight the essential role of local park and recreation professionals and contribute to NRPA’s workforce development goal of stewarding the next generation of diverse local park and recreation professionals.

“We are so excited to celebrate the excellent work that Mike Cimprich has provided for the community in a time of crisis,” said Kristine Stratton NRPA president and CEO. “We are proud to honor that work with the Changing Nature of Work Award and are grateful to Michael for being a community hero, proving that park and recreation professionals are essential.”

“We are honored to have the opportunity to celebrate Mike Cimprich as a community leader, hero and outstanding professional,” said Elizabeth Czachorski, brand marketing manager at Merrell. “Merrell exists to share the simple power of the outdoors with

everyone and awarding Mike with our first Changing Nature of Work Award is a great opportunity for us to recognize the work being done in communities across the country.”

Cimprich will be sponsored by Merrell for one year and receive $2,500 in gear. He also will receive a cash prize of $10,000 to support a project in the City of Marion and has indicated he intends to use the funds to support ongoing replanting efforts.

NTEA

supports U.S. Senate catalytic converter anti-theft legislation

FARMINGTON HILLS, MICH. — NTEA – The Association for the Work Truck Industry announced support for legislation to combat the rise in catalytic converter theft. The Preventing Auto Recycling Theft (PART) Act (Senate Bill 5024) — introduced by U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) — is designed to help law enforcement more effectively trace stolen converters and address these thefts.

A companion bill (H.R. 6394) was introduced by U.S. Representative James Baird (R-IN) in the House of Representatives earlier this year.

“Theft of catalytic converters and other precious metals is widespread in our country and is costly to victims of such theft,” said Steve Carey, NTEA president and CEO. “This legislation is a step in the right direction in addressing this problem. NTEA applauds the efforts of Sen. Klobuchar and Sen. Wyden, as well as Rep. Baird, and encourages industry companies to support this important effort by contacting their legislators.”

NTEA joins the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) and the American Truck Dealers (ATD) in endorsing S. 5024.

In a press release, Sen. Klobuchar notes that catalytic converters are used to reduce the potency of toxic emissions from an internal combustion engine and required for vehicle compliance with the Clean Air Act. According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, catalytic converter thefts rose by over 325% from 2019 to 2020. Replacing these parts imposes significant financial costs to vehicle owners, and can even result in a total loss to the vehicle. The PART Act would:

• Require new vehicles to have a vehicle identification number (VIN) stamped onto the converter to allow law enforcement officers to link stolen parts to the vehicle from which they originate;

• Create a grant program through which entities can stamp VIN numbers onto catalytic converters of existing vehicles;

• Improve recordkeeping standards for purchasers of used catalytic converters; and

• Establish enforceability of laws around catalytic converter theft by codifying these crimes as a criminal offense. For additional details, visit ntea.com/partact.

News releases regarding personnel changes, other non-productrelated company changes, association news and awards are printed as space allows. Priority will be given to advertisers and affiliates. Releases not printed in the magazine can be found online at www.themunicipal.com. Call (800) 733–4111, ext. 2307, or email swright@the-papers.com.

NRPA recognizes a park and recreation professional going above and beyond to serve their community

Ergonomic Safety Ladders Prevent Accidents and Increase Productivity

Municipalities across the United States have been receiving praise from both mechanics and management for their decision to bring LockNClimb ergonomic safety ladders into the maintenance shop. Mechanics like them because their work is faster, safer, easier and they work in more comfort to reach service points than by any other method. Management likes them because they help prevent accidents and injuries which means more productivity higher morale, faster vehicle maintenance turn-around and lower costs. Using these ladders is a win-win-win for the mechanics, management and the municipality. Features include:

• Rated as 300-lb. 1-A Special Purpose Ladders. • Meet OSHA and ANSI specifications.

• 6061-grade aluminum patented support frames.

• Commercial grade wheels for easy rolling.

• Yellow safety handrails on both sides.

• Protective rubber padding on railbacks and treads.

• Rubber drop bumpers on sides of ladders.

• Slip-resistant extra wide comfort treads.

• Replaceable brass and rubber feet.

• Less than .1% repair rate after 3 years.

• 100% made in the U.S.A.

LockNClimb has designed ladder systems to serve the needs of work vehicle maintenance personnel in most all segments of the trucking industry including redi-mix, utility, solid waste, and dump trucks in addition to passenger buses. Web links to videos showing LockNClimb ladders in use are included in the descriptions below the photos. For more information and to save by buying direct from the manufacturer call (620) 577-2577 or visit www.truckingladders.com.

https://vimeo.com/422945982

www.truckingladders.com (620) 577-2577

“Ladders

The LNCEXTTRKFIBER is the ladder of choice to reach high service points on dump trucks, class 8 trailers, solid waste and redi-mix trucks video: https://vimeo.com/656212576

LockNClimb

including school buses. https://vimeo.com/441633959

https://vimeo.com/504214206

The LockNClimb platform ladder slides easily around 42-inch or 44-inch tires on many types of work trucks. Video:

ladderstands provide ergonomically safe methods for mechanics to reach service points on all types of vehicles

The 9LNCRFRTRKPLT is a stable platform ladder for high service access to refrigeration units and other points on vehicles like solid waste trucks:

designed by mechanics, for use by mechanics.”

How to smooth the road to electric work trucks

Christopher Lyon | Guest columnist Director of fleet relations, Green Truck Association

gases as required by federal and state regulations; to help achieve corporate environmental sustainability goals; and, in many cases, to enable quiet operation on urban streets and during overnight operations.

There are good reasons for many fleets to switch to electric power. But converting a fleet of work trucks to run on electricity is no flip of a switch. To start with, producing a work truck is far from simple. These vehicles are often constructed in multiple stages and by multiple manufacturers. Converting from powering them with internal combustion engines to electric drive systems piles on the complexity.

Yet, whether due to the pursuit of improved cost, productivity, regulatory or sustainability outcomes, or some combination thereof, the work truck industry’s interest in electric vehicle fleets is gaining traction fast. Most of these vehicles will be battery-electric vehicles, meaning they are powered solely by batteries installed within the vehicle’s frames that provide all the “juice” needed to drive the powertrain. Some EVs may be hybrids, equipped with both electric drives and (typically) gasoline engines for light-duty work, such as pickups.

While EVs may not be suitable for every work truck application, those that work from central depots, such as refuse collection and utility service vehicles, are excellent candidates for going electric. What’s more, this green technology continues to advance as additional options for electric trucks become available and the batteries that make their wheels turn become more efficient.

Why switch?

Electric power appeals to many fleet operators for several compelling reasons. These include the potential for EVs to deliver a lower total cost of vehicle ownership, thanks to reduced fuel spend and lower maintenance costs; to eliminate tailpipe emissions of greenhouse

Because they are purpose-built for defined missions, work trucks are complex vehicles that require considerable engineering and overall effort by fleets and their suppliers to put them on the road. On the other hand, these job-specific trucks are likely to deliver a much longer life cycle than mass-produced vehicles.

The specific reasons why a particular fleet would consider shifting to lower emissions vehicles indeed, the bar now is as low as zero emissions should be clearly defined and weighed prior to starting any EV conversion. Among the key considerations are:

• Lowering operating and life cycle costs

• Supporting energy independence

• Reducing energy costs

• Improving the fleet’s public image

As bright as the electric future appears, shifting a single truck or an entire fleet to electric power takes a lot of planning. That starts with attaining leadership buy-in. From there, consider the electric ecosystem that will surround and support these work trucks. That’s why the next step is for the fleet to form cooperative partnerships with vehicle builders and their EV component suppliers, battery manufacturers, electric utilities and providers of on-site charging infrastructure.

Back to basics

When communicating with these partners, be sure to define the fleet’s drive cycle and duty cycle for each type of truck to be converted. These are the two pillars to define a work truck’s mission and help scope out how to accomplish that mission. Avoid the common pitfall of confusing the two.

The drive cycle defines how a vehicle is used, while the duty cycle defines how much a vehicle is used. These measurements are mutually inclusive, and both define how vehicles are utilized. They are

it

equally important, especially when designing EVs and the infrastructure to support them.

However, they are vastly different. In simple terms, the drive cycle measures physical points, such as vehicle speed, starts and stops, idle time and power take-off (PTO) power export. On the other hand, the duty cycle measures the length of average operating time, operating cycles per period, total distance driven and percentage of loaded vs. empty operation. Both measurements are crucial when considering all aspects of electrifying the fleet.

Engaging with suppliers

Most vocational trucks are built in multiple stages by multiple manufacturers. While some fleets work with a single source, such as a fleet management company, that may provide a turnkey solution, others will interact with several partners, perhaps the chassis supplier, an auxiliary equipment supplier and an upfitter.

While industry standardization keeps evolving, technology also continues to advance. Taking time on the front end to evaluate all options, from the capabilities of the electric drive system under consideration to how the truck batteries will be charged, can ensure that the final spec’d unit serves its intended purpose. Following a methodical procedure and engaging the right people at the right time is critical.

With almost every vehicle change, there are hidden and unanticipated costs and other challenges that creep up and can derail or significantly delay a vehicle spec’ing campaign. Don’t overlook costs and prices beyond the power unit when planning. These could involve facility upgrades, technician training or operational requirements based on vehicle limits (range, towing, etc.). You may find that vehicle design is the easy part. Designing and installing charging and maintenance infrastructure can get complicated.

Charging ahead

Many fleets, especially in the work truck sector, cannot rely on public infrastructure, either for fueling or charging. Therefore, it’s critical to talk to the utility company about the supply of power available and how/if it can support the vehicles.

Next, develop a long-term plan for infrastructure. Just as making mid-build change orders on trucks, or modifying them after delivery is expensive, planning for infrastructure will be much more cost-effective. Charging infrastructure can be a very expensive afterthought. It’s essential to plan not just for current needs, but for tomorrow’s, as well. This involves consultations, designing, permitting, constructing, managing, and finally, activating. Having the right partners lined up and communicating with them effectively is of utmost importance.

Diving deeper into charging with a utility and charging suppliers will reveal that most fleets will need two types of charging solutions. Depending on duty cycles, plan to install enough “overnight” or slow-charging stations so vehicles returned to their depot can be charged up steadily over a period of hours to be ready for their next shift, typically each morning. To supplement this, a fleet may install a smaller number of “opportunity” or quick-charging stations that can rapidly “top off” the charge of a vehicle on duty to extend its range as needed. Light-duty fleets may also have drivers charge their vehicles overnight at their homes. This means they’ll need a plan for installing chargers at their employees’ homes and a reliable driver reimbursement system.

Bear in mind that ultimately, it’s the fleet’s continuing responsibility to ensure that charging stations are installed to meet building and fire codes and are operated safely by trained personnel. In addition, work with charging suppliers so that charging data will be collected and processed properly to better inform management on the performance of EVs and their chargers.

Measuring success

While EVs are a proven green solution, this shouldn’t obscure the fact there is no single technology that is the only answer to cutting greenhouse gases and fuel costs. For a given fleet, the best option might include other advanced fuels and technologies, such as natural gas and propane engines or, further off, fuel cell power. And that’s not to mention advances that may occur in conventional diesel- or gasoline-fueled powertrains.

In the end, vehicles need to perform specific tasks to meet organizational goals. By defining those, each fleet can establish its own measurement of success. While these goals can differ by fleet, whether they’re financial, environmental or regulatory, success means getting the commercial vehicle’s job done effectively and efficiently.

EV resources at Work Truck Week 2023

Wherever you are on the electrification journey, you can learn more during Work Truck Week 2023, from the full-day Green Truck

It’s critical to talk to the local utility company about the supply of power available and how/if

can support the vehicles. (Roschetzky Photography/Shutterstock.com)

Summit on March 7 to concurrent educational sessions throughout the week. Here is just a sampling of sessions to consider:

• Powering the Future: Challenges and Opportunities in Vehicle Battery Technology

• The Electric Balancing Act: Bottom-up Approach to Forecasting

EV Adoption Rates

• Electric Foundations: How to Leverage Grants and Programs

• Safety Considerations for Upfitting on Electric Vehicles

• Battery-Electric Vehicles (BEVs): Upfitting Considerations and Challenges

Plus, see the newest commercial vehicles, powertrains, equipment and components from leading manufacturers in The Work Truck Show exhibit hall and experience the latest technology at Work Truck Week Ride & Drive.

Work Truck Week, North America’s largest work truck event, is fast approaching. Held at Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana, it runs March 7-10, 2023. For more information and to register, visit worktruckweek.com.

Electric vehicles appeal to many fleets because of their lower total cost of vehicle ownership and elimination of tailpipe emissions of greenhouse gases, among other benefits. Pictured are electric municipal cars in Jersey City, N.J. (Mariusz Lopusiewicz/Shutterstock.com)

Christopher Lyon started his career with the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, where he was ultimately responsible for all vehicle and equipment purchasing for the district’s diverse fleet. He promoted the alternative fuel movement through active involvement with the Chicago Area Clean Cities and the Illinois Partners for Clean Air. In 2015, he joined NTEA as director of fleet relations and Green Truck Association (GTA) fleet liaison. In this role, he connects distributors/manufacturers and end-user fleets while staying abreast of current issues impacting the fleet community. He also serves on the executive board of the Chicago Area Clean Cities Coalition.

Utah cities draw name inspiration from ancient sources

By RAY BALOGH | The Municipal

Utahns are generally unassuming, straightforward folks, but when it comes to their naming the state’s towns and villages — often more than once — they can be a profoundly head-scratching lot.

Kanab The picturesque town of Kanab is nicknamed Little Hollywood because of the number of movies and TV series filmed there, particularly classic Westerns. Movie credits include “How the West Was Won,” “The Outlaw Josey Wales,” “She Wore a Yellow Ribbon,” “Fort Apache” and “Duel at Diablo.” Television shows: “Gunsmoke,” “Wagon Train,” “Have Gun - Will Travel,” “The Lone Ranger,” “Death Valley Days” and “F Troop” also filmed there.

Paragonah is a Paiute word for “red water,” but the locals spurned its original self-explanatory name of Red Creek and called it Paragoonah, and later with the current alternative spelling.

Not surprisingly, given Utah’s history, three significant etymological sources for place names are the Bible, the Book of Mormon and Native American languages.

They don’t make the pronunciations easy, either. Residents can immediately discern the uninitiated by how they phonetically pronounce their municipality’s name.

The pronunciation of Tooele, one of the state’s first settlements, founded in 1853, for example, is nearly impossible to guess correctly: too-ILL-uh. The town was originally named the more phonetically compatible Tuilla, and why the townspeople chose to render the spelling from simple to befuddling is anyone’s guess, though many other cities have undergone similar changes.

Another case in point is the migration of originally dubbed Tabby, in honor of Ute tribal leader Tava’s nickname, to Tabbyville and finally to Tabiona.

The northeastern Utah town of Duchesne (not “doo-CHEZ-nee” but “doo-SHANE”) started out as Dora, named for an early settler’s daughter, and then became Theodore after President Roosevelt before it was officially incorporated in 1913 as Duchesne.

Other pronunciations are simply bewildering, such as Mantua (“MAN-uh-way”).

Other location names with Native American derivations include Koosharem (meaning a type of clover growing locally), Panguitch (“lake and fish”), Parowan (“evil water”), Kamas (a local edible plant), Kanab (“place of willows”), possibly La Verkin (“beautiful valley”) and towns named after tribal chiefs Kanosh, Toquer and chieftain’s son Santaquin.

The Bible lends origin to several town names: Moab, a dry, mountainous area east of Jerusalem; Enoch, a patriarch mentioned in Genesis; Ephraim, the second son of Joseph; Ophir, where King Solomon stashed his hoard of gold; and Salem, the royal city of King Melchizedek, traditionally identified with Jerusalem.

The Book of Mormon inspired place names as well: prophets Lehi, Moroni, Nephi; and locations Manti, Deseret and Bountiful.

Two adjoining towns were named as the result of blatant, albeit philanthropic, bribery. A wealthy couple, Thomas and Amelia Bicknell, offered to build a 1,000-book library in any town changing its name to Bicknell. Thurber and Grayson, Utah, vied for the honor — and the largesse. After some negotiation, Mr. and Mrs. Bicknell each donated 500 books to the library shared by the tandem towns. Thurber became known as Bicknell and Grayson adopted Mrs. Bicknell’s maiden name of Blanding.

Some etymologies are a bit more pedestrian. Amalga was named for the Amalgamated Sugar Company and Eggnog takes its name from the popular Yuletide quaff.

Mexican Hat The small village of Mexican Hat in southeastern Utah owes its name to the nearby 60-foot-by-12-foot rock formation north of town. (Photo by Ingo70)

(Photo by Que Images)

As the New Year is ushered in and the old year is shown the door, The Municipal is giving a tip of the hat to the concept of hard-earned success and the historical value of some of the oldest cities in the U.S.

Since their founding in 1565-1622, America’s 10 oldest cities have represented the freedom from persecution that became the cornerstone of American democracy. The website ThoughtCo.com compiled a list of those cities, noting that the birth of each took place at the hands of European explorers even though the occupied lands had been settled long before that by indigenous people.

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