The Municipal - December 2023

The Premier Magazine For America’s Municipalities

December 2023

Municipal Management

INSIDE: Bucher Municipal Ditching the five-day workweek Bolingbrook, IL Permit No. 1939

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Contents

December 2023

|

VOL. 14 No. 9

|

www.themunicipal.com Shutterstock photo

18 17 F ocus on Municipal Management Focus on Municipal 26 18 Management: Cities explore

40 Public Safety: Midwest

nontraditional workweeks

City builds shipping container fire training facility

22 Focus on Municipal

44 Parks & Environmental

Management: Tips for keeping those boards and commissions filled

26 Focus on Municipal

40

Management: Princess City pivots toward livability

30 Focus on Municipal

Management: Fresno guides local youths to career success

34 Focus on Municipal

Services: Male mentorship program meets a need in Huntsville

46 Water & Energy: A team up brings hydro project to city businesses and residents

54 Parks & Environmental

Services: Bozeman takes a fresh approach to leaves

Management: Officials and residents gather in the coffeehouse

54

ON THE COVER Is your municipality struggling to find a sweeping solution that works for its needs? Bucher Municipal North America has been guiding municipalities to find effective solutions for their unique jurisdictions — even if it’s not with them. All along the way, Bucher has listened to municipalities and developed innovative sweeping solutions. Find out more on page 10.

December 2023

Municipal Management

www.themunicipal.com

4 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2023

DECEMBER 2023 | THE MUNICIPAL 5

Departments

Meet our Staff

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

8 Editor’s Note: Looking to the future while developing the present

10 From the Cover: Bucher Municipal North America, Inc.

12 On the Road Again: Martin Guitar Factory and Museum

36 Advertiser Directory 38 Personality Profile: Jennifer

Wichmann, deputy city manager, Arlington, Texas

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

marketing assistant TAELYNNE OUSLEY tousley@the-papers.com

50 Holiday: Candy Land Christmas draws crowds

56 Conference Calendar 57 Product Spotlights 62 News & Notes 64 Guest Column: Powerful benefits of visualizing municipal infrastructure

66 Top 10: A small city to call home 69 Advertiser Index

Contributing Writers Jennifer Barton, Beth Anne Brink-Cox, Lauren Caggiano, Nicholette Carlson, Denise Fedorow, Kevin Kilbane, Dani Messick, Staci Reafsnyder, Julie Young Guest Writer Shawn Barnett

from all of us at The Municipal

WWW.THEMUNICIPAL.COM PO Box 188 • 206 S. Main St., Milford, IN 46542 866-580-1138/Fax 800–886–3796 Editorial Ext. 2307; Advertising Ext. 2505, 2408

6 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2023

The Municipal does not knowingly accept false or misleading advertising or editorial content, nor does The Municipal or its staff assume responsibility should such advertising or editorial content appear in any publication. The Municipal reserves the right to determine the suitability of all materials submitted for publication and to edit all submitted materials for clarity and space. The Municipal has not independently tested any services or products advertised herein and has verified no claims made by its advertisers regarding those services or products. The Municipal makes no warranties or representations and assumes no liability for any claims regarding those services or products or claims made by advertisers regarding such products or services. Readers are advised to consult with the advertiser regarding any such claims and regarding the suitability of an advertiser’s products. No reproduction of The Municipal is allowed without express written permission. Copyright © 2023.

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Winter can be a challenging season, especially for those responsible for keeping our roads and streets clear of snow and ice.

Municipalities and private contractors often face the daunting task of battling the elements to ensure safe passage for all. To conquer challenging winter conditions, Evolution Edges has developed the Sabre Stealth VST Blade. The company has combined their groundbreaking armored carbide Sabre blade with an ingenious all-in-one rubberized mounting system that is simple to install and absorbs vibrations while plowing.

When the snow starts to fall, the Sabre Stealth VST blade shines. It plows through snow and ice with remarkable efficiency, ensuring that roads and streets remain safe and accessible. The innovative design, along with the Sabre_HD blade’s durability, allows operators to tackle winter’s challenges head-on.

The Heart of the Sabre Stealth VST Blade At the core of the Sabre Stealth VST blade lies the ultra-tough Sabre Heavy-Duty Armored Carbide Blade, a testament to Evolution Edges’ commitment to providing unmatched durability and strength. This blade has been rigorously tested and proven to withstand the most demanding plowing scenarios, making it a reliable choice for virtually any plowing scenario.

The Sabre_HD blade is encased in a high-quality rubber compound that is specifically engineered to excel in colder temperatures and endure the harshest municipal plowing conditions. Its design ensures that it remains effective, even in sub-zero temperatures, making it a dependable asset when you need it most.

Innovative Bolt Hole System One of the key innovations of the Sabre Stealth VST blade is its patented bolt hole system, which simplifies installation and maintenance. This system incorporates a built-in clamp bar and cleverly designed bushings that enable users to bolt on and torque the blade securely without the need for extra parts or adapters. This streamlined process ensures that plowing equipment is ready to face the challenges of winter quickly and efficiently.

What We Love About the Sabre Stealth VST Blade 1. Simple Installation: The Sabre Stealth VST blade comes in convenient 3’ and 4’ blade sections, making it easy to customize and install according to your specific needs. No extra parts or adapters are required, simplifying the installation process.

2. Vibration Suppression: The Sabre Stealth VST blade is designed to reduce vibrations by an impressive 50%. This significant reduction

ABOVE: Closeup of a Sabre Stealth VST blade currently in stock.

RIGHT: Field photo of Sabre Stealth VST blade on a State DOT truck.

not only enhances operator comfort but also minimizes wear and tear on your equipment. Less vibration means less driver fatigue and longer equipment life.

3. Extreme Durability: At the heart of the Sabre Stealth VST blade is the fully-armored Sabre_HD blade, which is engineered to provide extreme durability. With this blade as its core, you can trust that the Sabre Stealth VST blade is built to withstand even the toughest winter conditions.

4. Wear Indicators for Efficient Maintenance: Evolution Edges has incorporated wear indicators into the Sabre Stealth VST blade, assisting operators in accurately timing blade changes. This feature enhances efficiency and helps with maintenance planning, ensuring that you get the most out of your equipment while maintaining peak performance.

The Sabre Stealth VST blade by Evolution Edges is a game-changing solution for snow plowing. Its combination of cutting-edge technology, extreme durability, and innovative features makes it an essential asset for municipal plowing and private contractors alike. With simple installation, vibration reduction, and wear indicators, the Sabre Stealth VST blade enhances efficiency and keeps your equipment running smoothly. Don’t let winter weather get the best of you. Invest in the Sabre Stealth VST blade and experience a new level of snow plowing performance. M For more information, visit www.evolutionedges.com.

DECEMBER 2023 | THE MUNICIPAL 7

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Editor’s Note

Looking to the future while developing the present

Sarah Wright | Editor

A

s we face 2024, there’s a lot of uncertainty — but really, what new year doesn’t come with it? There are plenty of things to worry about in the coming year, from inflation to housing costs to even conflicts abroad that could escalate to global scales. However, we can only worry so much about the future without robbing from the present.

Winston Churchill perhaps said it best: “Let our advance worrying become advance thinking and planning.”

Cities must look to the future; however, they must also best serve their present citizens. In this municipal management themed issue, our writers spoke to a few cities doing just that. They are offering bridges to their residents, investing in the future in various ways and experimenting outside of the frame of “This is how we always did it.”

The biggest example of the latter is the push beyond Henry Ford’s 40-hour, five-day-a-week workweek, which has reigned supreme since he introduced the model in 1926. Writer Kevin Kilbane spoke to three cities that are adopting nontraditional workweeks. Beyond the impact on employees’ and their families’ lives, residents have also gained some added benefits. With the shift of hours, residents can now swing by city hall to complete any business they have after their own workdays. With Golden, Colo., it’s even brought savings by reducing the amount of overtime used.

City officials are also using Coffee with the Mayor programs to encourage greater engagement from residents. These meetings make

8 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2023

officials more accessible in a less-intimidating setting — aka the coffeehouse. Writer Beth Anne Brink-Cox shares a few cities’ experiences hosting these events and how they often connect residents with more than just the mayor.

Events like Coffee with the Mayor or citizens academies can become keys for keeping city boards and commissions filled — serving as funnels for residents to get more involved in city operations.

Writer Denise Fedorow shares the success stories of communities that have used such programs hand-in-hand with best practices to keep board and commission vacancies to a minimum.

Then on the West Coast, Jennifer Barton shares Fresno, Calif.’s, unique programs that are providing local youths — particularly those who have aged out of the foster system — the opportunity to develop job skills by working for the city. The Fresno Youth Jobs Corps Program has been a passion for Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer, and it is leaving a lasting impact on his community.

And really, that should be the hope of any city official — to leave their community better for their efforts.

As we enter December, I wish all our readers the happiest of holidays and a bright New Year’s!

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DECEMBER 2023 | THE MUNICIPAL 9

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From The Cover

A sweeping solution to clean any environment

By MATT STARNES | Product Marketing Manager, Bucher Municipal North America Inc. ABOVE: MaxPowa V65 and CityCat V20 (Photo provided by Bucher Municipal)

We like to listen and learn about your street sweeping program challenges. When you speak with me or any of our product specialists or sales representatives, our first question is, “What do you sweep 80% of the time?” Why is this our first question?

We want to understand what your sweeping application is to determine if we’re a good fit. If we are a good fit, and most of the time we do have a sweeping solution that fits, then we’ll move on to options, delivery times and the rest. Because if we’re not a good fit for your sweeper needs, there’s no need to talk price. We will refer you to a person or company we think is a good fit. We like to keep the process simple and transparent. It’s all about what you — or your municipality — needs. We’re confident we have a solution for your most difficult environmental cleaning conditions.

our all-electric mid-vac CityCat VR50e sweeper with a 7.5 yd³ hopper.

We also have an established electric version of our truck-mounted pure vacuum V65 sweeper, which we will launch soon in Canada and the U.S.

Your feedback built our confidence It really is all your fault. Your feedback on our sweeping solutions led to the refinement of all our sweepers over the years and continues to do so. As a result, we have sweepers for you in every size and technology.

We manufacture pure vacuum, mechanical and regenerative air street sweeper. We have truck-mounted, mid-vac and compact sweepers.

Pure vacuum Our industry-standard, pure vacuum sweeper is the MaxPowa V65, which is available in single- and twin-engine versions. The V65 has an 8.5 yd³ 9-gauge stainless steel constructed hopper with a 410-gallon water tank.

Our pure vacuum sweeper has “unhanded” sweeper gear components; an energy-efficient fan system; direct drive with fluid coupler; step-up gearbox transmission; and no belts to adjust. The V65 has a 12-foot sweep path with “straight inlet” vacuum. The sweeper is PM 10/2.5 certified. We also offer, as standard, a top-loading catch basin cleaner that rotates 270 degrees for complete work coverage. Bucher uses high-pressure water in the sweeping process, which gives us the advantage of first pass sweeping. The combination of sweeping brushes and high-pressure water

It’s electric The talk of the town for the last year is all-electric street sweepers for environmentally conscious municipalities and their communities. Bucher’s first all-electric sweeper in North America was the CityCat V20e (2.6³) compact sweeper. At this year’s PWX Show in San Diego, we debuted 10 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2023

Truck-mounted sweepers We make three types of truck-mounted sweepers: pure vacuum, mechanical and regenerative air. These chassis-mounted workhorses provide power, capacity and can be driven on highways.

CityCat V20e charging at sunset (Photo provided by Bucher Municipal)

MaxPowa E35m Mechanical Street Sweeper High Dump (Photo provided by Bucher Municipal) makes quick work of the dirtiest and toughest sweeping challenges. Pure vacuum services are best for street sweeping on flat or crowned roads.

Regenerative air Our regenerative air sweeper, the single-engine MaxPowa R65, features an energy-efficient fan system and direct heavy-duty coupled motor, all with no belts to adjust. The R65 has a 12-foot sweep path with aggressive “unhanded” 44-foot leading arm digger-type gutter brooms that provide the ability to sweep/scrub in front of a 93-inch pickup head. Regenerative air sweepers work best on flat surface ways, but lose performance on crowned roads.

Mechanical Our “Bulldozer of Street Sweepers,” the MaxPowa E35m single-engine mechanical sweeper won the Contractor’s Choice Silver award. The E35’s variable dump height 4.5 yd³ hopper reaches up to 12 feet 6 inches, so it can dump into on-ground dumpsters or dump truck beds. Municipalities and contractors use mechanical sweepers for concrete millings, chunks of asphalt, broken pavement, mud and a variety of construction and paving debris.

Peace of mind factory warranty Our truck-mounted sweepers come with our best in industry — two years or 2,000 hours — “No Hassle, All-Inclusive” full machine warranty. There is also a lifetime warranty on the debris hopper and water tank.

Compacts Our CityCat V20 and V20e utilize efficient pure-vacuum technology and are available in diesel and all-electric.

These compacts feature: • High maneuverability and articulated steering.

• A 2.6 yd³ usable volume debris hopper.

• A 9-foot sweeping width.

• A 112-gallon water volume.

• A two-year full machine warranty.

Best of all, there’s no CDL required to operate them.

Mid-vacs Our CityCat 5006 and VR50e also utilize efficient pure-vacuum technology and are available in diesel and all-electric.

They feature: • Hydrostatic four-wheel steering.

• A 9-foot 6-inches turning radius.

• A 7.3 yd³ usable volume debris hopper.

• A 235-gallon water tank.

• An 11-foot 5-inches sweeping width.

• A variable dump height up to 61 inches with a tipping angle of 51 inches.

• A two-year full machine warranty.

Like our compacts, no CDL required.

So, which sweeper is right for you?

Still have questions about which sweeper or sweepers are best for your street sweeper program? We offer an industry report — educational, not a sales document — to help you make the best-informed choice when purchasing a sweeper. The “5 Things You MUST Know BEFORE Buying a Street Sweeper” report is available for free on our website: www.buchermunicipal.com/us/en.

About Bucher Municipal North America Inc.: Cities and contractors turn to Bucher Municipal when they feel frustrated and stuck being pigeonholed into cleaning their streets with no other options while failing to meet stormwater compliance. We free cities from this trap of one size fits all by supplying and supporting a full product line to fit every sweeping challenge better than any other manufacturer on Earth.

Bucher gets you unstuck with first pass sweeping = Endless Sweeping Solutions.

Bucher Municipal North America, Inc. 105 Motorsports Road, Mooresville, NC 28115, 704-658-1333 www.buchermunicipal.com/us/en DECEMBER 2023 | THE MUNICIPAL 11

M

On The Road Again

Stringing along at the Martin Guitar Factory and Museum

By JULIE YOUNG | The Municipal

A person doesn’t need the shredding skills of Eric Clapton to enjoy a trip to the Martin Guitar Factory and Museum in Nazareth, Pa. Located on the northern edge of town at 510 Sycamore St., the factory is a place where history, culture and craftsmanship meet to create one of the sweetest sounds in music: a Martin guitar.

For millions of musicians across the globe, a Martin is not just a guitar.

It is a work of art and the instrument at the heart of some of the greatest songs ever written. Used by early superstars such as Jimmie Rogers and Gene Autry, and later by rock icons like Elvis Presley and John Lennon, the guitars are revered today by musicians such as Ed Sheeran and John Mayer. Martin guitars have been stringing the music industry along for nearly 200 years, making the factory a bucket list destination to see how they do it.

Quality and craftsmanship Founded by German immigrant Christian Frederick Martin in 1833, the Martin Guitar Company was originally located on the Lower West Side of New York City. It moved to its current location five years later.

Martin began by crafting the same Stauffer-style guitars he had learned to make as an apprentice in Vienna, which sported tuning pegs along one side of the guitar head. Eventually, he modified the model to include 12 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2023

ABOVE: The Martin Guitar Factory in Nazareth, Pa., produces 200 guitars each day with the help of artisans who make the instruments predominantly by hand. (Lehigh Valley, PA, via Wikimedia Commons, https://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by/2.0/deed.en)

a stationary neck and X-bracing, which gives the Martin guitar its distinctive sound and added strength. Martin’s guitars became so popular that he had to move his workshop from the family homestead and into a newly constructed factory in 1859.

Upon his death in 1873, his son, Christian Fredrick Jr., took the helm of the company. It weathered tumultuous economic times during his tenure. Sales of Martin guitars flourished during the Civil War but suffered during the Panic of 1873.

Frank Henry Martin took the lead after his father’s unexpected death in 1888 and expanded the company to include mandolin production.

He also invested in a college education for his two sons. The oldest, C.F. Martin III, was determined to leave the music business behind, but he relented and returned to Nazareth in 1916 after graduating from Princeton University to help manage the business with his father and brought ukuleles into the company’s product line.

Martin developed the X-bracing that not only gives the guitar its richer tonal qualities but also strengthened the instrument to support steel strings that added more volume to the acoustic sound. (Alex Harden via Wikimedia Commons; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en)

The Great Depression took a toll on the Martin Guitar Company. As it struggled to survive, the company developed two products that had a lasting effect on the business as a whole: the creation of a 14-fret neck and the dreadnought body design. The former would increase a guitar’s range and versatility, while the latter would offer musicians a more booming bass sound.

While it was not popular at first, the dreadnought ultimately became a fundamental design in the Martin line and has been copied by every major guitar maker worldwide.

C.F. Martin III took over the company when his father died in 1948. With his own son, Frank Herbert Martin, at his side, the two realized that the multistory, North Street plant was no longer adequate for their needs. In 1955, they built the current factory on Sycamore Street, which features a simple, one-story layout. The new facility also allowed the Martins to utilize some mechanical elements for cutting and sanding while retaining the handcrafted workmanship that the public had come to rely on.

As with generations before, the son succeeded his father at the company. It should come as no surprise that today, sixth generation owner C.F. “Chris” Martin IV is now leading the family firm into the future — by preserving the past.

Prior to their tour, guests are encouraged to look around the museum, which includes over 200 vintage guitars. On display are several particularly famous Martin guitars, like the 1939 Martin that Eric Clapton played during his 1992 “MTV: Unplugged” performance. Visitors

Martin Factory Tour gives you a glimpse into the company’s history as well as the famous people who have used Martin Guitars over the years, including Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley and Ed Sheeran. (Alex Harden via Wikimedia Commons; https://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by/2.0>)

Guitars in progress at the Martin Guitar Factory. Each one is predominately handmade by artisans who are committed to craftsmanship and quality. (Alex Harden via Wikimedia Commons; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)

can also see a toolbox resembling the one C.F. Martin used back in 1833.

After that it is a trip through the manufacturing floor, where Martin guitars come to life. While there is a tour guide navigating visitors across the factory floor, there are also

hands-free audio receivers and headphones distributed so none of the information gets missed.

Photos without flash are also permitted. The tour lasts about an hour and costs $5, which benefits the Martin Charitable Foundation. M DECEMBER 2023 | THE MUNICIPAL 13

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14 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2023

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16 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2023

15 to 20

Cape Girardeau, Mo., typically has 15 to 20 participants in its citizen academy. With its citizen academy, the city has helped fill vacancies on boards and commissions.

See how cities are keeping vacancies on boards and commissions to a minimum on page 22.

200 Nearly 200 of Sahuarita, Ariz.’s, employees work four, 10-hour days per week, getting every Friday off.

focus on

Municipal Management 84,300,000 This is the number of hits that come up when searching for “Coffee with the Mayor” via Google.

Learn how cities are connecting with residents via Coffee with the Mayor events on page 34.

Read about how cities are experimenting with alternative workweeks on page 18.

33

40th

As of September, 33 U.S. cities were participating in the National League of Cities’ Reengagement Network to support and reengage opportunity youth and young adults — young people ages 16 to 24 — who are neither in school nor working. Eight cities are expanding youth reengagement programs through OYYA’s Reengaging Opportunity in the South cohort.

Source: https://tylerpaper.com/news/national-night-out-intyler-strengthens-community-relations-with-law-enforcement/ article_8a04375a-6247-11ee-b8da-9be133cc75a6.html.

Find resources for supporting this demographic at https://www.nlc.org/initiative/nlcreengagement-network/.

The Tyler, Texas, police and fire departments hosted their 40th annual block party at the city courthouse in October. Even after four decades, the free event continues to be well attended by residents of all ages and has been successful in building trust and friendships between law enforcement officers and the community.

$7.4 million

$0

A state of California grant allowed the city of Fresno, Calif., to use $7.4 million over a two-year period in creating the Fresno Youth Jobs Corp Initiative and the Youth Ambassador Program.

Fare charged by public transportation systems in Kansas City, Kan.; Raleigh, N.C.; Richmond, Va.; and several other cities on certain public bus routes this year. These pilot programs to eliminate fares boosted ridership among low-income riders, but they do not address schedules, efficiency and emissions, which are obstacles to and concerns of other potential riders.

See how Fresno is giving youth an edge regarding employment on page 30.

Source: https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/08/business/free-buses-us-public-transit/ index.html, read more about how the pilot programs went.

DECEMBER 2023 | THE MUNICIPAL 17

M Focus on: Municipal Management

Cities explore nontraditional workweeks

By KEVIN KILBANE | The Municipal

Attracting and retaining quality employees sometimes requires a little creativity.

The town of Sahuarita, Ariz., a fast-growing community of nearly 40,000 people in the Tucson metropolitan area, faces stiff competition for job candidates, especially in the area of pay, Town Manager Shane Dille said. Knowing many younger workers prefer a flexible work schedule, the town embarked on a one-year test on Aug. 28 of having most of its nearly 200 employees work four, 10-hour days per week and get every Friday off.

“The pilot program concept is a good way to introduce a big change like this, leaving the 18 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2023

foot in the door for going back in case it doesn’t work,” Dille said.

More U.S. cities and towns are offering a four-day workweek or flexible work schedules to recruit and retain employees while maintaining a high level of service to their residents. In at least one case, the change has created budget savings, too.

Sahuarita’s Dille experienced four-day workweeks while employed previously in Queen Creek, Ariz., a community on the outskirts of Phoenix. “The fact is that it was very popular

ABOVE PHOTOS: As part of an effort to be more competitive in attracting job candidates, the town of Sahuarita, Ariz., launched a one-year test of shifting most employees to working four, 10-hour days per week, with Fridays off. The change means town hall is open earlier and later Mondays through Thursdays, but closed on Fridays. (Provided by the town of Sahuarita, Ariz.)

with employees to have a longer weekend,” he said.

He brought the idea with him when he became Sahuarita town manager in February 2022. Most Sahuarita employees previously worked 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, except for those in the police, public works, and parks and recreation departments.

“If we really want to be an employer of choice, we have to look for ways and opportunities to

compete. What that means for us is a change in our culture, how we view productivity. Old school would be that productivity means that you’ve got somebody in a seat plunking away on a keyboard. To really move into the 4/10 (four 10-hour days per week) arena and flexible work schedule options, you have to view productivity more as outcomes: Look at your number of permits issued in a day. Look for the number of lane miles maintained in a week.”

Most Sahuarita employees now work 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, which also affects their families, according to Dille. Town hall closes on Fridays. But town offices actually are more accessible now for many residents because they can stop in before or after their workday, as well as during lunch hours. The town’s enhanced website also allows residents to access many services online without going to town hall, he said.

In addition, Sahuarita increased flexibility for its employees, such as being able to work remotely.

“Sometimes that’s really helpful when you can attend a meeting virtually in the mornings or in the late afternoons and still be able to address your personal or family needs,” Dille said.

The parks and recreation department launched a pilot after-school program for town employees’ youngsters while those parents work later.

The project gives the parks department a better understanding of what it takes to provide that service to the entire community.

The biggest adjustment with the 4/10 schedule has been the longer workdays, according to Mark Felix, a town of Sahuarita management assistant.

“What I found out is that the mornings — coming in early — are absolutely very easy to do for me,” Felix said. “… The hard part is when five o’clock hits and your body automatically thinks it’s time to wrap up your day and go home. But you have to stay that extra hour. … But I tell you, that extra day that I get (off) on that Friday makes it all better.”

He uses his Fridays off to attend medical and dental appointments, visit friends or do chores around the house. “It gives me that extra day to just do whatever my life requires,” he added.

Employees who have young children face a bigger adjustment, he noted. Felix has seen no change in his productivity, however. “I’m able to get all my work done in the four days,” he said.

Greater flexibility Casey Jensen-Richardson, who manages the parks and recreation department office for the city of Los Altos, Calif., also appreciates the 4/10 work schedule she has used for about a year. Los Altos, which is northwest of San Jose, employs 192 people to serve 31,625 city residents.

Jensen-Richardson describes the flexibility to choose a 4/10 schedule as “a really nice morale booster.”

“I work Tuesday through Friday,” she said. “And I know then that I can schedule things for myself or for my four children on that Monday off.”

Staggered work schedules with other staff allow the parks office to stay open Monday through Friday, she said.

It took a couple of weeks to adjust to working a 10-hour day, she said.

She now tries to take a one-hour lunch break daily to split her workday into two manageable time blocks. “So, as far as productivity, I feel that having so much time here means I can focus on bigger projects in one chunk rather than splitting it into multiple days or multiple sittings,” she noted.

Los Altos added the 4/10 workweek to the Pick Your Own Schedule options it offered employees beginning in July 2022, City Manager Gabriel

City Manager Gabriel Engeland, standing, of the city of Los Altos, Calif., speaks with staff at a retreat event. The city has focused on enhancing employee quality of life and job flexibility, including offering employees the option of working four 10-hour days per week and receiving one day off. (Provided by the City of Los Altos, Calif., from Tony Contini Productions)

Santi Armenta, a maintenance lead worker with the parks division of the city of Los Altos, Calif., tests water equipment in a median.

Armenta is one of the city workers choosing the city’s Pick Your Own Schedule option of working four 10-hour days each week and receiving one day off. (Provided by the city of Los Altos, Calif.)

Engeland said. The goal was to provide employees with greater work flexibility and to expand city office hours and service to residents. City offices, which had been closed every other Friday, now serve residents five days a week and during lunchtime.

In addition to the 4/10 schedule, employees except police, who work their own schedule, can choose a traditional five-day, eight-hours-perday workweek or the 9/80 schedule, where they work eight nine-hour days, one eight-hour day and get a day off during a two-week period.

Each of those work schedules also allows employees to work remotely up to 50% of their time, Engeland said.

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Officers and other personnel with the Golden Police Department in Golden, Colo., are pilot testing a new 4/32 work schedule, where officers work four, eight-hour days per week but get paid for working 40 hours. The department can draw on the eight hours of

extra paid time if the officer has to work more than eight hours on a shift, reducing overtime pay expenses. Officers can use the extra paid time for personal needs. (Provided by the city of Golden, Colo.)

The 9/80 remains the most popular schedule, he said, in part because some employees’ commutes would add even more time to the beginning and end of a 10-hour day.

Los Altos hasn’t worried whether the Pick Your Own Schedule options save the city money. Engeland noted, “We just wanted it to be a better way to operate.

“What we have found is that focusing on that quality of life and that flexibility, our employees are more productive or more efficient in the tasks we do,” he said. “But most importantly, our employees rate Los Altos much higher as a place that they either feel satisfied or that they are happy to work for.”

“This was so revealing that I told the city manager I was cutting $200,000 out of my overtime budget for 2024,” said Harvey, who has budgeted $330,000 annually for police overtime pay.

The department has less overtime pay under the 4/32 work schedule because, if officers have to work longer than eight hours, Harvey can draw on some of the eight hours of gifted time between the 32 hours they workweekly and the 40 hours for which they get paid.

If they don’t have to work longer than their normal eight hours, they can use the gifted paid time to recharge, focus on their families or health, or do things they enjoy, he said.

When an officer left to join another law enforcement agency, Harvey said he had two applicants within a few hours of posting the job opening.

Both applicants cited the 4/32 work schedule as one reason they applied.

The new work schedule has eliminated the shift overlap that took place previously when police officers worked four, 10-hour days per week, Harvey said. Sick leave hours have declined, and the number of case reports, arrests, field interviews, traffic enforcement and other productivity measures all have stayed comparable to past levels. Community engagement with the public has increased, though that could result partly from a request that officers be more intentional about calling in self-initiated field activity and contacts with the public, he added.

Weekly employee surveys provide feedback so the police department can fine-tune the 4/32 work schedule, Harvey said. As of mid-October, about 95% of employees who completed the surveys said they liked the 4/32 work schedule, he added.

There have been a few challenges. Because officers’ shifts no longer overlap, it has eroded some of the camaraderie that developed from officers working together during overlapping shift hours, Harvey said. He also used to arrive at the office in the morning before the overnight shift went off duty. Now they complete their shift before he normally arrives, so he goes in extra early some mornings so officers can talk with him.

In addition, he and other staff have to keep meetings shorter because officers work a shorter eight-hour day now.

“So those have been some of the things you can look at and say, ‘We’re still learning how to really work through some of that stuff,’” he said.

Golden, Colo.

Saving money also wasn’t the goal in Golden, Colo., but it may be an extra benefit of the new 4/32 work schedule being tested by the Golden Police Department.

Beginning July 10, Golden Police began working four, eight-hour days per week (32 hours) while getting paid for 40 hours of work. City officials chose the police department for the pilot program because it has flexibility in work schedules, various types of staff positions, a multigenerational staff and already tracks numerous productivity metrics. The department has 53 sworn officers and 20 non-sworn personnel, Police Chief Joe Harvey said.

The police 4/32 pilot program, which runs through the end of the year, will help city officials decide if they want to move other city departments to a four-day workweek, the city announcement said.

Officials hope a four-day week improves employee retention, engagement and well-being; increases efficiency in city operations; and creates a better community in the city of more than 20,000 people just west of Denver.

Harvey already sees positive results.

The approximately $18,770 the police department spent on overtime pay from July 10 through September is similar to what it paid in overtime each month during the previous year, he said.

20 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2023

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M Focus on: Municipal Management

Shutterstock photo

Tips for keeping those boards and commissions filled

By DENISE FEDOROW | The Municipal

No matter how big or how small your city is, it likely has a couple of boards or commissions with resident volunteers in charge of making decisions or recommendations. Some municipalities have no problem filling vacancies when they occur, but others do, so The Municipal reached out to find some ideas of what to do to keep those seats filled.

Lynn Tipton, director of Florida League of Cities University, explained that in Florida there are mandatory boards like land planning (aka planning and zoning), permanent boards like parks and recreation and ad hoc boards that may be necessary for a short period of time like six months for a specific project, for example.

Tipton said one best practice the league recommends and some of its members have enacted is having an application process. She said you might have a willing, passionate volunteer, but they don’t live within the city limits.

“You won’t know that without an application.

We love that they’re eager, but if they’re not qualified, it won’t help,” she said.

The applications help put the right volunteers on the board that will be the best fit for them and the city while also informing city officials about how long they’ve lived in the city 22 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2023

and what other boards and committees they have served on or currently serve on. Tipton suggested starting with a basic application, and then it can be expanded to look at areas of expertise and interest.

“Some do interviews — especially for ad hoc committees where expertise and ability or historical perspective is important,” she said.

By historical perspective, she meant residents who’ve lived in the city a long time and were there the last time a building project took place or was considered and dismissed, for example.

Also important to the success of filling vacancies is “a full review of the expectations — that’s where a lot of committees live and die,” she said.

Without that review of expectations, some committee members “go in expecting X and

instead get Y — it’s not what they expected, and they have a horrible experience and quit.”

She said it’s up to the chair of the committee, city staff or the mayor to go over those expectations, the length of time they’re expected to serve and their involvement with city staff — what they can and cannot help with and which staff they should reach out to.

Tipton said having a clear agenda for meetings is important for the success of these boards and committees and called it a “combination of art and science.” The chair should keep the group on track and not overload the agenda, even if someone on the committee tries to add items.

“People don’t want to sit through horrible meetings; they’ll quit. If you start to think, ‘I’d rather be at the dentist,’ it’s not a good sign,” she said with a laugh.

In today’s digital era, Tipton recommended that boards and committees be given a webpage on the city’s website. This page would feature meeting dates, a list of board members, the group’s purpose and objectives and meeting minutes.

“It’s going to fall to city staff to keep them up to date. There’s nothing worse than going online and seeing that the most up-to-date minutes are from 2021. Make sure what you’re putting out there is timely and accurate,” she advised.

Tipton admitted that filling vacancies on permanent boards can be tougher, and sometimes, it’s because no one leaves. The league advises setting term limits and having people stagger getting off the boards, so not all the experienced people leave at the same time.

Three-year terms are optimal, according to Tipton.

“Of those cities who’ve really had success, they’ve asked those board members who are leaving to find their replacement,” she said, adding, “‘Find someone who cares as much you do’ is a good thing to tell them.”

While filling seats can be challenging, it can be equally difficult to ensure members attend meetings. Tipton said, “If they’re blowing off meetings, it might fall to the person who appointed them to have that conversation.”

Putting an attendance requirement in is totally okay, and that gives one the option to say, “You’ve missed a lot of meetings, and if you miss one more, we have the option to replace you.” Or if the vision of the board or committee has changed to say, “If you don’t share the vision anymore, it may be time to cycle off.” Those attendance expectations should be covered at the beginning of the term.

Tipton said some cities set term limits but offer the option to extend the term if the person is really valuable, “or plug them in somewhere else if you have a real gem.”

When a person’s term is up, they should “get two minutes in front of the council for a pat on the back, a thank-you and a certificate acknowledging their service.”

One reason cities might struggle to fill seats is because they’re relying on their own circle of acquaintances, and they need to cast a wider net. A mayor or chair can give a command to the council to cast a wider net — to come up with three names of people from their districts who are not currently serving on a board or commission. They might go to homeowner’s associations and determine who are the leaders or look for other leaders in the community.

It’s vital to get information out so people understand that the committees exist and what they do. It might spur interest. She also suggested being flexible with meeting times.

City of Cape Girardeau Mayor Stacy Kinder, first row and second from the right, poses with city council members. (Photo provided by city of Cape Girardeau) Members of Cape Girardeau, Mo.’s, 2023 Citizen Academy tour the public works facility, accompanied by the shop cat “Bobby.”

Each week they tour a different city department to learn how it operates.

(Photo by city of Cape Girardeau)

“In Florida, we have a lot of retirees who can meet during the day and would prefer a daytime meeting,” she explained.

Municipalities can also hold a Volunteer Day Open House where all the boards and committees are present — it’s a chance to thank them but also for the public to learn about their existence and who serves on them. Serving a simple punch and cookies is adequate.

Tipton also suggested that if a city is really struggling to fill boards, a solution might be to combine a couple of them. She also advised to take advantage of the networking available through municipal associations and other associations for clerks and mayors.

“The value in networking is gold — it can save you months of researching,” she said.

Meredith Houck, communications manager for the Municipal Association of South Carolina,

said, “Our municipalities have reported success through local government 101/citizen academies as well as group engagement by connecting with neighborhood groups and business groups, etc., and the elected officials making the ask for participation.”

She cited the city of Florence, S.C., as an example of increasing participation as a result of its City University.

Cape Girardeau, Mo. — Success story According to Cape Girardeau Mayor Stacy Kinder, several years ago the city was struggling to fill vacancies on boards and commissions, but they’ve since enacted several changes that have turned things around.

Kinder said when she joined the council in 2018, “there was pretty low participation — even on the council.”

DECEMBER 2023 | THE MUNICIPAL 23

continued from page 23

It was a much talked about topic, and city officials really looked into it and explored doing a few things right away.

“We are seeing the fruits of that now,” she said.

Many of the initiatives officials put into place are things that Tipton recommended, like applications and term limits.

“Our staff created a citizen’s academy that runs two times a year — it’s an eight-week course that meets once a week and generally has 15 to 20 participants in each session,” Kinder said.

Kinder shared that her public information officer, Nicolette Brennan, coordinates that program.

Brennan shared that at each week’s session, participants visit a city department, meet the staff and learn how the department works. This includes what the department does and how it’s funded.

“We also delve into issues,” Brennan said. “One big issue for us — and I’m sure for others — is streets. How do we prioritize them and where do we get the funding?”

Brennan said 20 people per session is usual and includes “a mix of the general public, retirees, members of the media and our own employees.” She added, “We do spend time, too, encouraging them to apply for boards.”

She shared some people wouldn’t run for council but may be interested in serving on another board, or some want to be more handson physically and would help with cleaning up a park or a neighborhood.

“We talk about all the different ways everyone can be a leader,” Brennan said.

Mayor Kinder said the citizen’s academies have “generated good interest — these people often apply to get on committees.” She added, “Several years ago, we took a deep dive, looking at the different wards and who were part of committees and realized several wards were underrepresented, so we set about trying to rectify that — by getting the word out and having council members in those areas encourage residents to apply.”

Another change the city made was setting term limits. Kinder said, “Some occupied seats for 20 years, and quite frankly, that contributed to not a lot of openings and (kept) awareness among the general public down. The flip side of that is having very well-seasoned and learned people.”

Regardless, most of the city’s boards and commissions have enacted six- to eight-year term limits.

24 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2023

Pictured is a bird’s-eye view of the city of Cape Girardeau, Mo. The city has had a big turnaround in board and committee participation since enacting several new policies. (Photo provided by city of Cape Girardeau)

“If the president of the United States can’t serve more than eight years …” Kinder started, noting with that in mind, she thought Cape Girardeau’s term limits were reasonable.

When asked if there was any pushback from those long-serving volunteers, she admitted there was some.

“Sure — but it was coming from a real interest and passion on their part,” she said. “Some people genuinely want to be of service, but we’re a city with a population of over 40,000, so there are lots of different ways to get involved.”

Open applications/record keeping Determining how to get the word out falls mainly on PIO Brennan, who said the city uses a mix of traditional and digital methods. Council members also spread the word. They post upcoming vacancies in the municipal building and online.

“Often that information is picked up by our media partners,” Brennan said.

It’s important to communicate the basic facts, according to Brennan. What is the opportunity? How does the city make it accessible and available to apply. Brennan said the city communicates what board openings are coming up, when they need to apply by and where to find applications and what the group does. She said some boards require living within the city limits, and city officials have limited residents to serving on one board or commission at a time.

Cape Girardeau also asks applicants for their top choice and what other boards they might be interested in. Some people have a general interest in serving while others only want to serve in specific roles.

The city uses Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn; additionally, it sends email newsletters.

“We do interviews with a spotlight on board members, giving the public a chance to hear what they do and who’s involved.”

She said the city always accepts applications, and it keeps the applications for a year. “It’s so important to bring all kinds of people and get different opinions and strengths — that’s how you get the best decisions. If you’re pleased with your governance and you’re just cruising along, you don’t think about it, so we bring it to their attention. People want to serve if given the opportunity,” she said.

Mayor Kinder said city clerk Gayle Conrad and her staff maintain the records and applications. They track which members are eligible to run again, which committees have openings and the number of meetings missed by members.

They have a requirement that committee members can’t miss more than three meetings in a year. Requiring attendance and participation helps the city ensure that it still has the best people in spots.

She advises others to think about some of the things they’ve done because they’ve certainly seen success.

“We’re at the point now where people feel crushed because we have a bunch of applicants now,” Kinder said.

From Florida, Tipton concluded, “It’s from these boards and commissions where you grow your future council — they already know more than the average bear and that’s wonderful!”

DECEMBER 2023 | THE MUNICIPAL 25

M Focus on: Municipal Management

Princess City pivots toward livability

The cable-stayed bridge over the St. Joseph River in Mishawaka, Ind., is a symbolic structure associated with Mishawaka’s Riverwalk. (Shutterstock.com)

26 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2023

By JANET G. PATTERSON | The Municipal

From heavy manufacturing to parks and housing, Mishawaka, Ind., has pivoted in a way that saved the life of the northern Indiana city.

Looking back 30 years, Mayor Dave Wood described the community meeting he attended with his grandfather. “We were all worried about the largest employer in the city pulling out, and Mayor Bob proposed a very risky idea.”

The major employer was Uniroyal, the mayor was Robert Beutter, and the risky idea was a “sidewalk next to the river.”

That sidewalk next to the St. Joseph River is now the Mishawaka Riverwalk, and the 50 odd buildings that were Uniroyal are now upscale apartments, park land and retail spaces that have been developed over the last decades, while city officials always keep their eyes on the vision.

Founded in 1833, Mishawaka built itself on bog iron deposits discovered nearby a few years before. Legend says the area was named for the daughter of nearby Shawnee Chief Elkhart, hence the nickname “The Princess City.” However, others say the city’s name evolved from the Potawatomi term M’Shehwahkeek, which meant “swift flowing water” or “heavy timbered rapids.”

Whatever the origin of the name, the city of 51,000 now thrives on what was once Potawatomi territory.

The bog iron deposits soon became pig iron at the city’s St. Joseph Iron Company. Other types of manufacturing followed, including a blast furnace and machine shop, sawmill, flour mill, and keelboat and steamboat builders. Add to that the Mishawaka Woolen Mill and Ball Band Rubber, which later became Uniroyal, and Mishawaka had become a manufacturing center with factories populating the downtown area.

But by the late 20th century, manufacturing was waning in northern Indiana. With the decline had withered the jobs of the majority of residents of Mishawaka and the surrounding area.

“It had become a wasteland with abandoned buildings and a river that was used to generate power and dump industrial waste. Mishawaka could have just folded and shut down,” Wood said.

But, at that meeting Wood and his grandfather, a long-time Uniroyal employee, attended to hear about what was to become of the property and the more than 10,000 out-of-work residents. That night, Mayor Beutter cast a vision for the downtown area. It would not be an overnight fix, but if it worked, it would carry the city into a new era when people would move to Mishawaka because it was a good, safe, clean and attractive place to live.

“It took vision,” Wood said. Not only would there be park land and a riverwalk, there would be architecturally pleasing housing and mixeduse development. “The vision suggested that this might draw people not just to live there, but to shop and to come to downtown for events and festivals.”

First, the area became an $11 million, multi-year EPA superfund cleanup site.

The promenade at Beutter Park is built on top of the factory walls of the former Uniroyal rubber plant. (Photo provided by city of Mishawaka)

The cable-stayed bridge over the St. Joseph River at night. (Photo provided by city of Mishawaka)

DECEMBER 2023 | THE MUNICIPAL 27

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By the early 21st century, Mishawaka was ready to implement the vision. In 2003, it invested $3.5 million in creating the sidewalk along the river and the crown jewel of its park system, Beutter Park, which was named for the long-time mayor. The parks will eventually connect the north and south banks of the river without pedestrians having to cross traffic.

The first phase of a 232-unit apartment complex, The Mill at Ironworks Plaza, situated at Beutter Park, was developed and managed

by Flaherty and Collins Properties of Indianapolis. It opened for residential rentals in 2019. The city’s contribution to the project was a new community event center, ice skating rink and outdoor biergarten.

The Avalon is another of the new residential buildings in the downtown area that will open soon. In addition to retail and office space, it offers a little more than 100 mostly studio apartments with a rooftop patio.

Wood said this first phase of development has already attracted new residents to Mishawaka, noting that 80% have moved from outside the city and 30% from outside Indiana. “We’ve experienced a The centerpiece of the Riverwalk is located in the area of the 6% population growth.”

Uniroyal brownfield site. (Photo provided by city of Mishawaka) He credits the city’s proximity to Chicago and southern Michigan for some of the appeal, as well as a reasonable cost of living.

“People want to choose where they live before where they work.

They want amenities. They want to have friends. They want nice places to shop.”

Another visionary move the city took in the 1970s was to create a shopping mall on the north side of the city. That has opened the doors to an ever-expanding retail market that is one of the best in the state of Indiana, Wood noted.

Added to substantial retail operations, Wood said the city has diversified its economic base with numerous smaller manufacturing businesses and several regional healthcare providers.

Recently, the city broke ground on the second phase of The Mill at Ironworks Plaza: the construction of 227 studio, one- and twobedroom apartments. A parking garage, pet spa, fitness center, bike storage and rentable private offices and coworking spaces will be among the amenities. There will also be retail space and dining added to Sun King Brewery, Social Cantina and Mishawaka Public House, as well as the downtown restaurant mainstay Doc Pierce’s.

In addition to a parking garage for the residential units, there will be free, three-hour parking for those coming to the riverfront for events.

Wood said one key to the success of the Riverwalk project has been staying true to the original vision, pivoting only when necessary. “If you look at what we have and the original site plan, they are very The Kamm Island Footbridge leads to a favorite fishing spot in the Mishawaka park system. (Photo provided by city of Mishawaka) similar,” he noted He added that financing the project has been part of its success.

In addition to taking advantage of Tax Increment Financing, the city implemented a local stimulus bond issue to take advantage of favor- has been involved in Mishawaka’s planning since he moved there able interest rates. “Typically, we’ve paid cash for each phase.” in 2004.

Wood, who has been mayor for 13 years, credited his two predeWood credits Prince with the completion of the final gem in the cessors with having “good vision.” He said between the leadership of necklace of parks along the Riverwalk. The city recently dedicated Mishawaka’s administration, the advice of trusted consultants and “Marvin’s Garden” the newly developed trailhead with its metal input from the community, Mishawaka has had been able to imple- sculpture depicting the iconic scene from the movie “Hoosiers” that ment the plan created three decades ago. recalled the 1954 Indiana state basketball championship. The sculpAnother key to the continuity of vision has been the city’s executive ture shows Coach Marvin Wood measuring the height of the basket director of planning and community development, Ken Prince. He in Hinkel Fieldhouse to show his players that it was exactly the same as the height of the basket in their Milan High School gym.

28 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2023

DECEMBER 2023 | THE MUNICIPAL 29

M Focus on: Municipal Management

Fresno guides local youths to career success Shutterstock.com

By JENNIFER BARTON | The Municipal

Smack-dab in the center of California lies the city of Fresno, population 500,000-plus. Just a short two- to three-hour drive from national parks and cities like Sacramento and San Francisco, the lush area produces more cheese than Wisconsin, an abundance of grapes, citrus fruits and other produce. It might sound like paradise, but even paradise has its share of people in need. Some of those vulnerable people are the young, those transitioning from childhood into the responsibilities of adulthood.

In April 2022, the city of Fresno established programs to give underserved youths a jump start toward a better future. A grant from the state of California allowed the city to utilize $7.4 million over a two-year period in the program’s creation. Susan Chudy, who oversees this program, explained its two parts: One Fresno Youth Jobs Corp Initiative, the original initiative, and the Youth Ambassador Program, an offspring of it. The aim is helping young men and women who may be at greatest risk of ending up on the streets or facing the justice system to thrive through a career path and planning.

30 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2023

Chudy stated that Fresno’s mayor, Jerry Dyer, advocated for the program’s creation. In his years as a police officer and former police chief, Dyer had seen the need for a program that put young people on the right path rather than waiting until they might step outside the law to try and correct that path.

“He gets teary about it because it’s one thing to incarcerate someone and hope they do better; it’s another thing to try to catch it beforehand,” Chudy said, stating that Dyer sees the program as his legacy.

One Fresno Youth Jobs Corps Program began on April 1, 2022, with 110 planned positions. She reported that the number

increased to 200 young people currently employed directly by the city. These young men and women tend to be foster children, have a relative in the criminal justice system or face mental health issues. There are various job descriptions and departments that job seekers can apply for, with administrative ones the most sought-after.

Additionally, the Youth Ambassador Program launched last year and has 20 participants who work with the downtown Fresno partners to beautify the city. At concerts and festive events, these ambassadors help “create a warm downtown feeling,” according to Chudy. They represent the city by answering questions and providing recommendations to any citizens or visitors who might approach them. And starting in November, when the city institutes its new trolley system, ambassadors will begin working along those routes as well.

Providing participants with the resources they need to arrive at the job site prepared for the day’s work is crucial to the program’s success.

“The grant also has this beautiful layer of wraparound services,” Chudy continued.

Around a million dollars of it goes toward breaking down barriers to work by providing things like transportation services — bus passes or mileage pay — so that workers can get to their workplaces, childcare services for those with young children and proper attire like business clothing, uniforms or cold-weather gear for those who work outside. Chudy learned that one participant kept missing days of work because he was “couch hopping” and looking for the next night’s lodging after aging out of the foster system.

“I looked at this through the lens of ‘What would the mayor say if he knew about this?’” she said. She approached the state to amend their application to include emergency housing, a need that had been overlooked even at the state level. “We want them to feel like they have all the tools that they need to get In April 2022, the city of Fresno established programs to give underserved youths opportunities to develop skills and break in to the job market. (Photo courtesy of Susan Chudy) the job done.”

The program is not a long-term solution to meet the needs of the youths involved.

Instead, it offers job experience they can list on their resumes and a springboard into a future career. Part of this comes in the form of career coaching classes and career mapping classes — Chudy’s favorite class to teach, in which participants envision where they see their careers going in the future. While the city cannot automatically appoint these workers to departmental positions, it can help them map out pathways toward the ones they are interested in so that when jobs open, these young people are ready to apply for them.

Sometimes a worker is not a good fit for a city job, but the temporary job at least gives them the opportunity to learn from their mistakes and grow as jobholders. “We’ve seen enormous success and many times … all of them just need a position that has dignity and one that they can have hope.”

Beyond providing job placements, Fresno ensures participating youth have access to Monthly gatherings also endeavor to boost transportation to get to work, child care resources and proper business or work attire. The the future success of these young people. city has also added emergency housing. (Photo courtesy of Susan Chudy) Once per month, everyone on shift meets in the city council chambers for fellowship and to hear a financial talk. Chudy calls it “dinnertable conversations,” where those who might there is a great deal of work to do — she even city, she was a program manager at a group not have positive influences in their lives or supervises a couple of the program’s ben- home. In her role with the youth job corps, whose parents might not even know these eficiaries to aid in her work — she calls it a she continues working with more than 20 financial facts can learn in a safe and loving “dream job” and is “excited to see where it young adults who had been in foster care f environment. goes” in the future. or years.

Chudy began working for the city on the Foster children in particular hold a special She cited one particular success story, a same day that the program started. While place in her heart. Prior to her work with the young woman who came looking for a DECEMBER 2023 | THE MUNICIPAL 31

continued from page 31

job and disclosed that she wanted to become a paramedic one day. While the city did not have any jobs in that field, Chudy was able to connect her with the fire department, where she was immersed in a similar job situation. The young lady is thriving in that environment.

“I’m getting teared up because this was a foster youth, and I know her story and where she was and where she is today and where she’s going. She brings so much to the table. … Her work ethic is one where she appreciates and holds onto the opportunity she’s been given.”

Without the grant, this program would not be possible in the city of Fresno. In the year and a half since One Fresno Youth Jobs Corps was instituted, Chudy has been part of changing the mindset in many city offices. She stressed it takes time for a program like this to get going as well as to demonstrate to others that these young people can be an asset to the city. To do this, she instituted what she called “supervisor huddles,” taking time to talk with

Through One Fresno Youth Jobs Corps Program, the city has directly employed 200 young people. (Photo courtesy of Susan Chudy)

higher-level city employees involved in interviewing and hiring candidates and coaching them on the challenges these youths face in the job-seeking process.

For many of these young, underserved people, the future looks bright in Fresno.

Chudy concluded, “It’ll be interesting in five years — 10 years — to see where they are now.”

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M Focus on: Municipal Management

Officials and residents gather in the coffeehouse

By BETH ANNE BRINK-COX | The Municipal

Coffee has become far more than just a hot drink. It’s a lifestyle, an icebreaker, a safe first date in a public place and so much more. It has also become something else, a fast-moving trend called Coffee with the Mayor, which is making waves in towns large and small. A simple search for the term “Coffee with the Mayor” brought up 84,300,000 hits. Why is it so popular? What exactly does it involve? How did it start?

Kim Harrison is the mayor of Weston, W.Va., and she said, “It was a suggestion from one of our citizens to host a regular ‘Coffee with the Mayor’ as a way to inform the public about city services, get comments and suggestions about services. It seemed like a good way to open communication.”

Public officials have to listen to people, because their actions are affecting them, Mayor Kim Harrison, of Weston, and constituents need to feel W.Va., enjoys meeting with her heard. She further explained, constituents, while listening to “That’s the only way to be truly them and answering their quessuccessful.” tions. She enjoys brainstorming And it has been successwith them, as well, for commuful right from the start. Each nity events. ((Photo provided by month has a different agenda, Weston, W.Va.) and anyone attending can bring up questions or issues.

“It usually lasts an hour to an hour and a half. I will start out by presenting the topic, and the police, sanitation department and others will have staff available to talk about anything and everything. If there is a need, then citizens can ask questions. For instance, one meeting was about the facade grant program. Thirty people asked questions.

The city council put up $25,000 and the residents could apply for a grant, and the max grant was 50%. With those monies, the city realized $96,000 and will roll out again in 2024,” Harrison said.

In March, Coffee with the Mayor discussed the codification of ordinances, a riverfront park project and other issues in the city of Weston.

Officials also talk about and plan fun times.

“We had a meeting (on Sept. 1) and had 30 people there,” explained Harrison. “We wanted to see if our city would go overboard decorating for Halloween; well, they’ve done just that! In particular, you could see a couple of characters like ‘Moss Man’ and a werewolf. And there was 34 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2023

a selfie station that looked like a jack-o’-lantern, which made for fun photo shoots. We had a Halloweentown contest, prizes and all.”

In Tehachapi, Calif., Key Budge serves as the community engagement specialist for the city of about 10,000 residents. “We are a mountain community, and we get looked at as a leader among the surrounding unincorpo- Mayor Robin LeJeune from Daphne, rated communities. We want Ala., speaks clearly and listens to make sure we are going in even better during his Coffee with the right direction. We started the Mayor sessions. This has these coffees five or six years been a key to their success. (Photo ago. I had served as an LA provided by Daphne, Ala.) County deputy sheriff for 25 years, and I also came to town with a communications background. One of the things I noticed was a slight disconnect with the community and the government as well.

These were very diverse neighborhoods. And we’d recognized ‘Coffee with Cops’ as a way of humanizing yourself with the public. So we put them in a comfortable setting — not Starbucks, but a nice little local shop a couple of hours in the morning. Why not help local small businesses, too? It wasn’t only the mayor and other elected officials, but also public works people who attended. We could give people a direct response rather than coming to a meeting and standing at a podium.”

Not everyone enjoys being part of a big meeting, and some of them won’t speak up in such a setting.

Budge, too, agrees that you’ve got to listen to what genuine concerns are for people in the community. “These coffee meetings mean that people get real answers right away. I’ve heard people say they had been passing along the wrong information, but we corrected the script. It’s about reading the entire press release. We’ve built a level of trust.”

Kamenz Kafe in Tehachapi, Calif., is a busy place for people to meet with Mayor Michael Davies. (Photo provided by Tehachapi, Calif.)

An eye-catching flyer from a few months back reminds people to come share the coffee and conversation with other Weston, W.Va., residents and local officials. (Photo provided by Weston, W.Va.)

Tehachapi’s Coffee with the Mayor occurs at Kamenz Kafe on the third Thursday of each month. “Just in the last week or two, a mom brought her daughter to meet the mayor (Michael Davies) for her civics class. It was an opportunity for the student to learn, not to be intimidated, and at the end, the Mayor wrote an excuse note for the girl’s absence! Now that’s approachable.”

And in Daphne, Ala., Mayor Robin LeJeune enjoys these coffee meetings with his constituents, too. “I’m not sure if it got started before I got there or not — I guess it could have. I’ve been the mayor for three years. I wanted to reach out and let people have access to me — let them know about different projects, let the police come if they want, rather than town hall or city meetings or phone calls. We’re a small town and we wanted a casual setting, coffee and doughnuts.

Let me talk a bit and then they could do the same — whether citizens or elected! We all want to be heard.”

LeJeune continued, “We’ve done a lot to invest in the senior center, and we hold the meetings there, and there were people who didn’t know that ‘Hey, we have a senior center!’ We were doing them at 8 a.m. We weren’t getting many people attending, and the seniors were saying it was too early. So we moved it to 9 a.m., and we are also looking at some kind of afternoon/evening version for people who might want to come, but can’t come in the morning. This has worked well and got a lot of great feedback. People get to hear ideas. But I wasn’t expecting the seniors to want to sleep a little later!”

As the old saying goes, “All politics is local,” and LeJeune takes that seriously, too. “I actually preach to government classes and leadership groups, high school kids and college kids; I tell them, if you want to make change without having lots of money and influence, local government is where you have the best chance. Put in some time and effort, and you can really make a real change. One of the prime examples is pickleball. Years ago, we had a small group come to us for pickleball,wanting pickleball — add pickleball! We kept saying no.

What’s pickleball? Well, they came back and came back and asked again and again, and we finally said, ‘We give up.’ We figured that we could fit six pickleball courts on two tennis courts, and if it doesn’t work, we told them we’ll take it back. And now we have 12.”

LeJeune said, “We’ve gotten bigger as time goes by. I had cancer last year, so we stepped back a bit, but I got to ring that bell and now we’re back better than before. Our chief of police also does ‘Coffee with a Cop,’ and that’s really been great for the community, too. It gets people involved that are very passionate about things. We have been fortunate that with tremendous growth, we can meet people who are new to the area, and we talk to them so they learn more about the city. Staff takes notes during the meetings, and we talk those over afterward.

“We’re one of the top growing areas; we are second in our state. Our biggest issue has been about that growth. Combating stormwater issues, (constructing) a state-of-the-art animal shelter, road repaving, just always working to keep up with the growth. We’ve been great at getting grants, and that was definitely a goal. I mean, we can’t lock the door and say, ‘Hey, no more — we’re done!’ We have a 20-year plan.”

LeJeune thought for a moment and added, “Anyone who’s wanting to do something like this, you have to have a good working relationship with city council members. If you have competing visions, it will hold you back tremendously. If we’re all on the same page — same vision — it just makes it all work so much better for everyone. We’re always looking for ways to engage the public, get their participation.

But because it’s government, a lot of people are hesitant to come into the building or make a phone call. This will let them get to know the employees and departments. Oftentimes, when elected officials get voted in, the best ideas and maybe the only ideas that get listened to are theirs, and you need to take everyone into consideration. It needs to start at the top, with good city management. If they don’t buy it, it’s not going to work. Grass-roots levels add to other things, and that makes a huge difference.”

DECEMBER 2023 | THE MUNICIPAL 35

M The Municipal

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Personality Profile

‘Rising leader’ in Arlington, Texas, honored with award

By JULIE YOUNG | The Municipal

For Jennifer Wichmann, the best thing about being the deputy city manager in Arlington, Texas, is that every day is different.

ABOVE: Arlington, Texas, Deputy City Manager Jennifer Wichmann, second from left, mugs with members of the city’s police force.

Wichmann said she goes on a lot of rideouts with the officers to get a sense of their daily tasks. (Photos provided by city of Arlington)

“I don’t like being bored, and I have never been bored here,” she said in an Oct. 3 phone interview. “Just yesterday, a plane landed on one of our roads — not the kind of thing you expect to happen on a Monday afternoon. But unusual situations crop up.”

The single-engine Cessna 172 made an emergency landing on Timberlake Drive after the pilot reported engine failure and decided to put the craft down in the safest place that he could. He narrowly missed traffic, a building and businesses in the process, but there were no serious injuries to either the pilot or his passenger.

While most of her days are not filled with that level of drama, Wichmann said there is a great variety of things she gets to do.

She might be on a rideout with the police department, visiting the animal services building or accompanying a building inspector who is checking on code compliance, allowing her to see how these departments work on a practical level and what they need from city leadership.

“It gives me a sense of how things work so I can understand what each department is looking for and what the needs are so that I can help them do their jobs,” she said.

Changing directions Born just outside of Boston, Mass., Wichmann graduated from Rutgers University with a degree in English and political science. She took a job in Texas and promptly enrolled in a graduate program at the University of Texas at Arlington. Her initial plan was to become a social worker, but after doing some research into the field, Wichmann realized that casework wasn’t for her.

She turned to Janie McGuigan, who had experience in the nonprofit sector. McGuigan suggested Wichmann might be better suited to going into public administration.

“Janie said that was the degree that city managers typically received. Luckily, the University of Texas had a dual degree program

LEFT: During a recent groundbreaking ceremony, Wichmann examines plans for a housing project. Because of her dedication as a public servant, she recently received the Linda Keithley Award for Women in in Public Management.

38 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2023

in public administration and social work. I got in just under the wire and was able to transfer some of my credits,” she said.

As a graduate student, Wichmann secured an internship with Texas State Sen. Roy West, which transitioned into a full-time job after she received her degrees. She said she liked working with Sen. West and learned a lot as a legislative aide, but by 2003, she was ready to take her skillset elsewhere.

She became the assistant to the Arlington mayor for three years and then served as a budget analyst, administration services manager, assistant director for management resources and director of management resources before landing her present position in 2018.

“I knew if I got my foot in the door, I would be able to take on more things,” she said. “Serving in all of those departments was a great way to get to know the rhythm of the city and prepare me for my current role.”

Award-winning success In her role as the deputy city manager, Wichmann is the proudest of having helped implement the Arlington Unity Council, a group established in the wake of the George Floyd murder to bring greater equity to the city. She has also led the organization-wide implementation of the Unity Council report — a 60-page document that serves as the city’s road map towards achieving equity.

“We had a terrific chair on that committee in Jason Shelton, and we even won a 2021 Cultural Diversity Award from the National League of Cities, which we are very proud of,” she said. “It was an eye-opening and special experience. I learned so much and it was a pleasure to be part of it.”

In June, Wichmann’s 20-year career with the city was honored when she received the Linda Keithley Award for Women in Public Management from the North Central Texas Council of Governments.

Jay Warren, director of communication and legislative affairs for the city, nominated his colleague and hailed her as a “rising leader within the organization. Her results-oriented, quiet leadership style has enabled Jennifer to consistently manage complex projects to bring meaningful change to our community.”

“I was super touched to be honored,” Wichmann said. “I was also very surprised. Normally I am very aware, but they managed to surprise me. They were super sneaky about it.”

Naturally, there are also challenges to the deputy manager job.

Wichmann said there remains a general lack of faith in government and in a lot of ways, it is deserved. She feels community leaders need to do everything they can to be transparent and accountable with the public and give them the information they need in the way they need to receive it.

“We can unintentionally screw things up for residents. We need to be sensitive to their needs,” she said.

When she isn’t serving the people of Arlington, Wichmann can be found spending time with her spouse, managing a “poorly behaved” corgi-mix dog, enjoying time with her nieces and nephews, and visiting her 88-year-old dad back East. But her thoughts are never far from the job she loves.

“I work with really smart people in a fast-paced environment, and it’s been a wonderful experience. It has been easy to spend two decades here,” she said. M

Wichmann never shies away from a worksite. As deputy city manager for the city of Arlington, she can be found on rideouts with the police, accompanying a building inspector or visiting any number of municipal worksites to get a sense of what various employees do. She said these visits help her answer questions and understand the needs of the people she works with and for.

Arlington Deputy City Manager Jennifer Wichmann speaks with the group of people who work with her at city hall. She said they are not only talented, but they have also helped keep her working for the city of Arlington for the past 20 years.

DECEMBER 2023 | THE MUNICIPAL 39

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Public Safety

Midwest City builds shipping container fire training facility

By NICHOLETTE CARLSON | The Municipal

Shipping containers are designed to be stacked on boats and trains. A couple of decades ago it was also noted the material and structure of the containers also made them ideal for police and fire training.

ABOVE PHOTOS: A combination of 16 20-foot and 40-foot containers were used to create a floor plan of 3,500 total square feet.

The top of the structure is as tall as a six-story building. (Photos provided by Midwest City Fire Department)

40 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2023

Employing new or used shipping containers for fire training applications cuts down on costs compared to training center buildings since the containers are replaceable and can be placed just about anywhere on a typical concrete pad. Therefore, designing and implementing a shipping container training facility is cheaper and simpler than designing a training facility with a traditional architectural design.

Such was the thinking when the Midwest City, Okla., Fire Department completed a new shipping container training facility to be shared with the local police department.

Midwest City Fire Department Trainee Chief Brian Brush has been involved in training for many years. Before building the container facility, he did some research.

“I toured many facilities. Bigger cities and departments can afford large training centers, but for smaller cities, the best use of money is these shipping containers,” he concluded. “Some of the older designs use used shipping containers and had the look. Our building, and

many of the newer ones, are brand-new, fresh containers painted with windows and doors. It has a modern shipping container look to it and is all one color.”

Prior to the shipping container idea, the department did not have an actual training facility. Firefighters used local, vacant or donated buildings and parks to train: They only had a classroom and meeting room. The proposed new training facility would give the district a central location to train and also help keeps trucks in service during training.

Discussion started in 2017 for a combined police and fire training center. Fire Chief Bert Norton stated that, just like any other city project, the department had to begin by figuring out what it wanted and laying the idea out with drawings and specifications — and then placing it out to bid. He and a group, including Brush, went to Arkansas and Missouri to look at different facilities and structures to determine what the department really wanted. “We figured out after looking at them that this is the way we wanted to go, with a shipping container building,” Norton said.

The department started with a rough estimate of costs and mock drawings. Using the facilities they had seen as guides, they ultimately decided to take some features away and add others. They evaluated what the departments needed out of the building, how many containers would be required and how to accommodate both police and fire trainings.

After the cost estimate was completed, they sat down with the city council and presented the project. It was decided that municipal bonds would be used to finance the build.

Once the department put the project out to bid, received the bids and identified their preference, it had to be taken back to the city council to accept and approve the yearlong contract for a 3-acre development to set up for the facility.

After the bid and municipal bonds were awarded, a proposal was sent out to citizens regarding the site that had been chosen. Unfortunately, residents rallied against the chosen site, causing a delay while the department searched for another location. Another meeting had to be held to increase the bond amount once the new location was chosen.

One helpful aspect of the design process, according to Brush, was that he was in direct contact with all of the key players. Because he knows firsthand how training works and how fire spreads within buildings, he was able to help design the facility to best meet the department’s training needs.

“Some of it was my experience and my training having been in different facilities and speaking with other training officers,” he explained.

“The biggest thing is making sure it represents our community.”

One side of the training tower replicates an apartment building, which is common in Midwest City. “It’s important to make sure we are training in a facility and with a floorplan that represents what is actually in our community. The first story is like a single-family residence and the second story represents access to an apartment building.”

The facility has a floorplan of 3,500 total square feet. A total of 16 shipping containers in a combination of 20-foot and 40-foot containers were used. The top of the structure is equivalent to a six-story building.

Specific rules and parameters were followed in order to achieve an Insurance Services Office Class 1 insurance rating, such as placing it

Fire Chief Bert Norton, Trainee Chief Brian Brush and a member of the police department investigated different training centers and decided to build a shipping container facility. The structure was constructed, painted and fabricated in Houston, Texas, delivered to Midwest City, Okla., and assembled within a week. (Photo provided by Midwest City Fire Department)

on so many acres, attaining a certain height and including live fire rooms on the first and second floors.

During the design phase, Brush said, it was important to take these must-haves along with the things they wanted to add and ensure all the mandates worked well together.

Throughout the structure there are numbered doors to teach different fire scenarios within houses, apartments or other types of structures. There is an area on top where firefighters can practice cutting holes in the roof, and a standpipe is situated inside in order to get water inside the building.

One of the most valuable aspects of the design, according to Brush, is that the structure allows for rooms with live fire. These specific rooms have reinforced steel, insulation and ventilation openings to ensure the heat dissipates properly.

“The ability to do a live fire in structures is the most valuable experience to have,” he said. “There are many things we’ve done without that we’re now able to do. It’s a really exciting opportunity.”

DECEMBER 2023 | THE MUNICIPAL 41

continued from page 41

The shipping container structure was built, painted and fabricated completely in Houston, Texas, by Lonestar Tactical Buildings. It was delivered to the city in May and assembled within a week. The entire project was completed in August, with the facility opening for training in early September.

“It’s going to have some huge advantages to us because we spend a lot of time in classes and sending people to classes,” Norton emphasized back in October. “And the way the container is structured and designed, it is laid out in a realistic aspect that will benefit the firemen.

“We are now able to do our own live fire in our own facility and design our own training. We had an idea of what we thought this could do for us, but now we’ve been in it a couple times and it’s exceeding expectations. And every time we use it, we learn more and continue to learn new ways to utilize the structure.”

RIGHT: One of the design specifications most appreciated by the Midwest City fire and police departments is that the structure resembles buildings in the community they serve — one side resembles a commonly found apartment building in the community. Trainee Chief Brian Brush assisted in designing the training facility, which was helpful since he is familiar with the layout of local buildings and has extensive knowledge of how fires work.

(Photo provided by the Midwest City Fire Department)

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DECEMBER 2023 | THE MUNICIPAL 43

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Parks & Environmental Services

Male mentorship program meets a need in Huntsville

By NICHOLETTE CARLSON | The Municipal

When Dorianne Johnson moved back to Huntsville, Ala., and took over as the Huntsville Parks and Recreation superintendent of community services in December 2021, she spent her first few months out in the parks talking with youth in the community.

When she was hired, Johnson, who had previously served as an athletic director, was asked about her initial plans for the department.

She immediately mentioned a male mentorship program. Approximately three months later she met with her new team and began to implement the idea.

While discussing and evaluating various programming possibilities, the need for male mentorship resurfaced again and again, particularly with the two team members who grew up in the area and who were familiar with the needs in the community.

44 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2023

ABOVE: Activities for the young men in the male mentorship program include going to Topgolf, hockey games, soccer games, martial arts, rock climbing and construction projects. The mentors must be 19 years of age and pass a significant background check. This year there are 10 mentors and 50 participants. (Photo provided by Huntsville Parks and Recreation Department)

It was agreed that area youth needed mentoring in a more nontraditional way, such as in group activities. The program, it was decided, would serve young men ages 7-17 with the goal of engaging and inspiring them in a variety of activities that encouraged them to learn and inspired them to focus on their education.

As planning continued, the boys got to know each other through various events like trips to Topgolf, hockey games, soccer games and other various sports games. Athletes and professors were also brought in to speak to and interact with them.

Putting positive male role models in front of the boys, Johnson knew, would have a major impact. Many of Johnson’s male staff members also volunteer as mentors in the program. Criteria for the mentors is that they be 19 years of age or older and pass a stringent background check. She mentioned she has had many college students apply.

The first year of the program was August 2022 through May 2023.

The group met once a month: Registration was held online for boys throughout the entire city of Huntsville. It is promoted through the city’s marketing department and there is no cost to parents. Activities range between two and three hours each and tend to take place on Thursdays or Saturdays.

Registration for the 2023-24 mentorship program, which took place in August, was full within a week and accrued a waitlist. It began in October and will meet twice a month through May 2024. The program kicked off with a parent engagement orientation meeting at Topgolf.

The ability to meet twice a month this year is due to the city receiving a grant that assists the parks and recreation department with costs. There are a total of 10 mentors this year, with 50 boys participating in the program.

One requirement of the grant is that the male mentorship program provide resources to help the young men, so Christian counseling, speech therapy, Boy Scouts and nutrition training flesh out the programming. The department also provides resources for parents to help children that are designed to combat the threat of opioid abuse as well as spread awareness. The health coordinator emphasizes that this need is prevalent throughout the county.

In order to promote a focus on education, the male mentorship program hands out medals twice a year for academic excellence, which means average grades of C or better.

Johnson mentioned that every two months she and her team decide on a theme. This year’s first theme project was a do-it-yourself construction project in which boys received tool belts, safety gloves and toolboxes that they got to take home afterward. There were also martial arts classes to help the boys to focus on self-control and becoming more self-assured, and an etiquette dinner was added to teach self-advancement and career coaching. There are will be three parent engagement programs this year as well.

“Next year we will take a mentee group of six kids that will give ideas for activities for the next year,” Johnson stated.

One parent said her son had never really left her side and was very shy, but she had heard about the program, and after attending, her son came home very excited to continue with it. He is now more focused on grades and is entering the talent show at school.

“I would say just get started. Sit down and reach out to other cities and find out what they’re doing and get started,” Johnson reflected.

“One of the reasons we were awarded the grant is because we already had a program in place. First, decide if there’s a need. Second, decide what it would take to meet that need. Third, plan and get started.

“One thing about mentorship programming is, you don’t need a ton of money to do it. Be creative. They need to have a good time and see good leaders in front of them. And, if mentors are donating their time, it needs to be organized. Keep it simple. Don’t make it hard for them,” she emphasized.

One of Johnson’s greatest resources is her personnel. “It’s fun work when you’re passionate about it,” she said.

After beginning her role as the Huntsville, Ala., Parks and Recreation superintendent of community services, Dorianne Johnson had the goal of starting a male mentorship program. After talking with her staff, she realized that a nontraditional method of mentoring would work best, including group activities for young men, ages 7-17, in the community. (Photo provided by Huntsville Parks and Recreation Department)

While the male mentorship program in Huntsville, Ala., doesn’t specifically focus on education, it does encourage young men to excel academically. It has counseling, speech therapy, nutrition training and resources to combat opioid abuse, and encourages the young men to focus on school by handing out medals twice a year for academic excellence. (Photo provided by Huntsville Parks and Recreation Department) DECEMBER 2023 | THE MUNICIPAL 45

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Water & Energy

The Warrensburg Hydro Facility sits on the Schroon River. (Photo provided by Emmett Smith, at Northern Power and Light)

A team up brings hydro project to city businesses and residents

Erik Bergman and Dave Schneible check out the interior of the Warrensburg Hydro Facility. (Photo provided by Emmett Smith, at Northern Power and Light) 46 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2023

By STACI REAFSNYDER | The Municipal

Collaboration between the city of Glens Falls, N.Y., Boralex and Northern Power and Light is bringing residents of the city a clean energy option, as well as savings on their monthly energy bills. The Glens Falls Community Hydro Project, completed this past summer, brings renewable, locally sourced power to residents and businesses in the area.

According to Dr. Jeffrey Flagg, economic development director for the city of Glens Falls, Northern Power and Light approached the city in 2022 for the project.

“This is a way for the city of Glens Falls, and to some extent the municipality, but also the city at large to support local green energy assets, while lowering our carbon footprint,” Flagg said.

The project, now in operation, designed Glens Falls as the “anchor customer” for the region. This, in-turn, also gives residents and businesses the opportunity to enroll in reduced energy costs.

“One of the important things about hydropower, as opposed to solar and wind, is that it’s not so intermittent,” Flagg said. “Hydropower, although it fluctuates based on the seasons, runs all the time. It’s the only real baseload energy.”

According to a press release from Northern Power and Light, the Glens Falls Community Hydro Project sources electricity from the Warrensburg Hydro Facility. The facility is located on the Schroon River and operated by Boralex.

Boralex is a renewable energy developer, as well as owner and operator; they have sites not just in the United States but also in Canada and Europe. Boralex operates six hydro facilities and 10 solar projects in New York State alone.

The city of Glens Falls will consume approximately 30% of the projects output power for city hall, streetlights, the water treatment facility and other municipal entities, the press release states.

“Essentially, the way it works (with hydro), the city is getting a 5% discount on our utility bill,” Flagg said. It will reduce the overhead of the operations of the city.

Several Glens Falls businesses have enrolled in the program.

Northern Power and Light estimates approximately 300 more customers could be added to the program.

“Under Northern Power and Light’s model, each customer signs up for a ‘share’ of the facility’s output based on the electricity needs,” the press release states.

This is known as Community Distributed Generation. When it comes to CDG, customers experience either no change in costs or can see modest savings.

According to Flagg, CDG has existed for several years now, specifically in solar. It is a program where an individual or a business can — rather than build solar power themselves — subscribe to a solar farm in the region and get credits from the power that’s being generated.

Advocates for Glens Falls Community Hydro Project pose in front of a banner about the effort. (Photo provided by Emmett Smith, at Northern Power and Light)

Erik Bergman and Dave Schneible tour the Warrensburg Hydro Facility. (Photo provided by Emmett Smith, at Northern Power and Light)

“What we are basically doing is extending that into small-scale hydropower assets,” Flagg said. “The dam cannot be more than 5 megawatts large.”

According to Flagg, a few years ago the state was anxious to see older, out-of-date, privately owned facilities remain viable, resulting in hydropower projects.

Through collaboration with the city of Glens Falls’ Community Development Program, low-income project participants may be eligible for an exclusive 25% discount, the press release states.

The way Glens Falls set up the program is that both residents and small businesses can enroll. However, business will not receive a credit but can claim the free energy at no cost to themselves.

“Low- and moderate-income residents can get a 25% discount (on their energy bill),” Flagg said.

Tapping into hydropower furthers Glens Falls’ overall sustainability efforts, which have included developing microgrids for public safety and public health, embarking on a LED streetlight conversion project, crafting a Clean Fleets policy and more. M DECEMBER 2023 | THE MUNICIPAL 47

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Holiday

Candy Land Christmas draws crowds

By BETH ANNE BRINK-COX | The Municipal

“Candy Land” refers to the board game many people played as children. But in Johnson City, Tenn., Candy Land Christmas signals a magical time when local businesses purchase and decorate Christmas trees for the delight of everyone who sees them.

The trees are available for local businesses and nonprofit organizations, as well as residents, to buy. When decorated, the trees are placed in King Commons and Founders Park, which are seasonally and appropriately called Cupcake Commons and Gumdrop Forest.

This year, decorating began Nov. 21 and finished Nov. 25. Then, at 6 p.m. Nov. 25, the community gathered for a grand lighting ceremony and the magic bloomed for all to enjoy.

“We purchase the trees each year from a tree farm in Mountain City, Tenn. — which is 30-45 minutes away from downtown Johnson City,” said special events manager Lindsey Jones. “They deliver the trees the week prior to Thanksgiving each season. Due to the number of trees needed, we try to order them around June or July.”

Each tree is $200, although 30 were reserved for nonprofits at the lower cost of $150. They were sold on a first-come, first-served basis.

The trees stay through Epiphany, encompassing all the holiday season. From the November start date until then, thousands of people — visitors and residents alike — walk through the display. No

50 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2023

ABOVE: It’s no exaggeration to say that thousands of people walk through this Christmas display. A second look reveals hundreds more people behind the first wave in the front. (Photo provided by city of Johnson City, JT McSpadden)

two trees look alike, as each is uniquely designed by different patrons, whether a group or a resident.

Visitors vote for their favorite tree, showing community support for its appeal and the patron’s creativity. The tree that wins grants the patron a free tree to decorate the following year.

As many cities had to do during the pandemic, Candy Land Christmas was a creative way to offer an event that could be done safely and appeal to as many people as possible.

“A Christmas Tree Celebration started in 2020 on a smaller scale, and it was organized by a local nonprofit that organizes the district’s annual Christmas Parade,” Jones said. “The idea was thought of between its board members and our previous public works director as a temporary event that would promote Christmas cheer without a large gathering during the COVID-19 pandemic. That event consisted of 60 real Christmas trees placed in Founders Park, in downtown Johnson City.”

It took off from there.

“The first year of placing Christmas trees for display in downtown Johnson City was received so well, the thought of it not coming back just couldn’t happen. As the next holiday season rolled around, the nonprofit decided to go back to the traditional Christmas Parade rather than the tree display. But after many conversations at city hall, we decided to not only bring the Christmas tree display back but to more than double the size and brand it as an annual signature event that would spread throughout our downtown district.”

“In 2021, Candy Land Christmas featured 160 10- to 12-foot trees in Founders Park and King Commons,” she continued. “Both of these greenspaces were located in our walkable downtown district, connected by what we call ‘Candy Cane Lane.’”

Photos from previous years showcase the creativity shown by the community members who decorated them.

“One year, the Girl Scout Troop decorated their tree to look like a fire. They placed sticks underneath it, had orange lights, and placed artificial ‘flames’ at the top. Another year, Wise Property Solutions went all out with the Candy Land theme and hand made nearly all their ornaments to mimic large candy pieces,” enthused Jones.

There isn’t a competition for someone to complete their tree first, “but we do have a deadline to decorate, which kicks off our event with a grand tree lighting ceremony and opens up voting for Best Tree,” she continued. “The Best Tree award is chosen by people’s choice voting, which is unlimited and online-only.

Last year, more than 40,000 votes were received.

“There are always many opinions on how to handle voting, and how to limit voting. But we personally love to see how much dedication voters have for their favorite trees!”

Businesses participate in Candy Land Christmas to be a part of the community, according to Jones. “Although there are many advertisement perks throughout the month.

Candy Land Christmas has been recognized nationwide as one of the top 10 Christmas displays in America — which we saw drastically increase our foot traffic. Thousands of people visit each year and stop to see each tree and the businesses that decorate them. We also have developed an interactive map that

A special magic surrounds visitors as they browse the trees with their many lights. And it might take several walkthroughs before visitors can cast their votes for the best tree.

(Photo provided by city of Johnson City, JT McSpadden)

In the “Candy Land” board game, gingerbread men figure prominently. In Johnson City’s Founders Park, they figure just as prominently, to the delight of this attending girl. (Photo provided by city of Johnson City, JT McSpadden)

DECEMBER 2023 | THE MUNICIPAL 51

continued from page 51

will have each tree featured by the business that decorated it and a direct link to their website,” she explained.

In 2022, “smart poles” were added throughout both parks that broadcast Christmas music from about 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day.

“We also have carolers and school chorus groups participate as well.

Downtown Johnson City is fortunate to have over 30 local food and beverage establishments, so we don’t have a need for mobile food vendors for this event.”

Since starting the event in 2020, Johnson City has seen several surrounding communities start similar tree displays in their district.

“We have loved being a vision and an example for other communities. The best piece of advice is to order your trees well in advance and to make sure you have the crew to securely and properly install them.

Our public works department is all-hands-on-deck for several weeks to bring Candy Land Christmas to life. It takes a lot of detailed organization and city leaders who are willing to put in the time and effort. Those conversations are big ones, and they help make any event successful.”

Jones added a final thought for any city considering such a feature for their holidays.

“Candy Land Christmas is funded in many ways: by title sponsors and tree sponsors, as well as our public works department covering costs of infrastructure and labor. It might also be something a committee of volunteers could help to oversee and do a lot of the hands-on work to begin with.” M

Family traditions, such as multigenerational photos, are a beautiful and meaningful way to create a special memory. (Photo provided by city of Johnson City, JT McSpadden)

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Parks & Environmental Services

Bozeman takes a fresh approach to leaves

By LAUREN CAGGIANO | The Municipal

Fall across the country can be a picturesque time of year due to the beauty of the changing tree canopy. However, falling leaves can also mean a lot of work for city and town street departments. The town of Bozeman, Mont., has found a creative approach to managing leaf collection in the form of baling.

Bozeman Streets Division Superintendent John Van Delinder said the method is unconventional but effective in terms of cost savings and sustainability.

“Every fall around this time, we’ve got a pretty good, healthy urban forest,” he said during a late-October interview. “So all the leaves start falling off this time of year. We allow the people in our core area of our town to rake their leaves from their yards … out into the street.”

The urban forest provides many economic, environmental and social benefits and is an essential part of a city’s infrastructure. Urban trees also increase property values, reduce crime, provide wildlife habitat and strengthen a community’s sense of place. However, more deciduous trees mean more leaves and more work for the already strained city crews.

Van Delinder said his crew’s current approach reflects three years of innovation. Initially, his department was trying to find a way to collect organic waste more efficiently. When leaves enter storm

54 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2023

ABOVE: With a healthy urban canopy, Bozeman, Mont., has copious amounts of deciduous leaves to cleanup each year.

To more efficiently manage the task, the community’s streets division has been baling them. (Photo provided by the city of Bozeman)

drains, they can create a bottleneck. If a clog freezes during the winter months, there’s a risk of damage to the gutters.

However, Bozeman residents can rest a little easier knowing that street crews are on the front lines of preserving infrastructure.

“About three years ago, we started thinking (about how to streamline) operations and make fewer trips up to our compost pile here in town where we take our leaves on a truck,” he said. “Being an agricultural community, we know about baling straw, so we came up with that idea. We pick up probably 250 to 300 bales, and they weigh about a ton a piece.”

The collection’s scope is not modest and can take longer depending on the weather conditions. If the leaves aren’t too wet, Van Delinder said the whole collection process can take nearly a month to accommodate the needs of the community of about 50,000.

Overall, the public sentiment has been positive, and he attributes that to the city’s public engagement efforts.

Leaf baling has saved the city of Bozeman on time and fuel with less trips to its compost pile. (Photo provided by the city of Bozeman)

“We feel our residents always wonder what we’re doing next,” he said.

“We’ve tried different things. Sometimes they work — sometimes they don’t. For instance, we’ve tried traffic calming, to encourage people to slow down.”

That approach did work. The idea is to help residents safely navigate their neighborhoods as crews do their job. The city also posts the leaf collection schedule in advance so residents can plan accordingly and understand the guidelines governing subdivisions. The department also allows residents to bring leaves to its site on select Saturdays in the fall, to accommodate people who need the flexibility.

At the same time, Van Delinder said his department is also concerned with being good stewards of taxpayer funds. For example, this approach has curbed their carbon footprint. Fewer trips to the compost pile mean less carbon footprint and less expended diesel fuel. Van Delinder estimates the department has enjoyed about a 20% savings in diesel fuel. Labor costs are lower, too, he noted.

On the note of conservation, Van Delinder said they give some bales to local farmers for use in their operations. Baled leaves make excellent bedding for livestock, among other things. Green Bay, Wis.’s, Department of Public Works has adopted a similar approach, investing in a baler and tractors for leaf collection each fall.

“It’s a pretty good product, because it hasn’t been sitting out there long,” Van Delinder said. “It doesn’t have petroleum or anything from the streets. We pick it up pretty quickly.”

Van Delinder said other cities and towns can learn from their success, though it’s not always the right fit for every jurisdiction. He said it’s also important to be strategic. Department vehicles need to have enough horsepower to run a baler, for one. There’s also a pragmatic consideration you cannot afford to discount.

“It has to be dry leaves,” he said. “If you’re in an area that has wet leaves or rainy (weather), it’s probably not going to work.” M

One key to successfully baling leaves is that they are completely dry during the process. (Photo provided by the city of Bozeman)

Bozeman picks up anywhere from 250 to 300 bales, and they weigh about a ton a piece. (Photo provided by the city of Bozeman)

DECEMBER 2023 | THE MUNICIPAL 55

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Conference Calendar 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.

DECEMBER Dec. 5-7 International Association of Fire Chiefs Technology Summit Irving Convention Center, Irving, Texas. https://www.iafc.org/events Dec. 5-7 NGWA 75 Years celebrating Groundwater Week 2023 Hotel Sapphire Club, Las Vegas, Nev. https://groundwaterweek.com/ Dec. 5-8 Florida Parking & Transportation Association Annual Conference The Luminary Hotel, Fort Myers, Fla. https://www.flapta.org/annualconference

J A N UA R Y 202 4 Jan. 8-12 Florida Fire Conference Orange County Convention Center — West Concourse, Orlando, Fla. https://flfirecon.com/ Jan 10-12 ELTS Conference Executive Leadership Training Seminar Seaside Civic & Convention Center, Seaside, Ore. https://oracp.memberclicks. net/ Jan. 17-19 ACMA Winter Conference Washington, D.C. https://www.usmayors.org/ meetings/

J A N UA R Y 202 4 Jan. 22-25 World of Concrete Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nev. https://www.worldofconcrete. com/en/events.html

Jan. 30-Feb. 2 WPRA Annual Conference & Trade Show La Crosse, Wis. https://www.wpraweb.org/ annual-conference

Jan. 23-25 PowerGen International Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans, La. https://www.powergen.com/ event-info/

Jan. 30-Feb. 2 Mississippi Fire Chiefs Mid-Winter Conference Ridgeland, Miss. http://www.msfirechiefs.org/

Jan. 24-25 City Action Days Olympia, Wash. https://wacities.org/eventseducation/conferences Jan. 24-26 ACMA Winter Conference Sedona, Ariz. https://azmanagement.org/ events Jan. 28-30 NAPO’s 35th Annual Police, Fire, EMS & Municipal Employee Pension & Benefits Seminar Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas, Nev. https://www.napo.org/events/ upcoming-events/ Jan. 29-Feb. 1 CADCA 34th Annual National Leadership Forum Gaylord National, National Harbor, Md. https://www.cadca.org/ events/34th-annual-nationalleadership-forum Jan. 30-Feb. 1 TFCA Winter Conference Doubletree Hotel, Jackson, Tenn. https://www.tnfirechiefs.com/ conferences

56 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2023

F E B R UA R Y Feb. 4-7 Ohio Parks Recreation Association Conference & Trade Show Kalahari Convention Center, Sandusky, Ohio https://opraonline. org/2023/02/08/2024-opraconference-trade-show/ Feb. 5-7 NYWEA 96th Annual Meeting Technical Conference Marriott Marquis, New York City, N.Y. https://www.nywea.org/ SitePages/Education-Outreach/ Events-Conferences.aspx Feb. 10-13 NACo Legislative Conference Washington, D.C. https://www.naco.org/events/ conferences Feb. 20-22 ILRWA Annual Conference Keller Convention Center, Effingham, Ill. https://www.ilrwa.org/Training/ Conference.html Feb. 21-23 Operations & Maintenance and Safety Conference 2024 San Diego, Calif. https://cleanpower.org/events/

F E B R UA R Y Feb. 27-29 IPMI Leadership Summit 2024 One Ocean Resort & Spa, Atlantic Beach, Fla. https://login.parking-mobility. org/events/leadershipsummit-2024

MARCH March 11-13 Siting & Permitting Conference Minneapolis, Minn. https://cleanpower.org/events/ March 11-13 Utah Recreation & Parks Association Annual Conference St. George, Utah https://urpa.org/annualconference.html March 13-14 Healthy Worksite Summit Lynnwood, Wash. https://wacities.org/eventseducation/conferences March 17-20 FIERO PPE Symposium Greenville, S.C. https://www.fieroonline.org/ symposia-and-workshops March 18-21 Pennsylvania Rural Water Association Annual Conference Penn Stater Conference Center & Hotel, State College, Pa. https://www.prwa.com/ conference March 20-22 MRWS 44th Technical Conference & Expo Heritage Inn, Great Falls, Mont. https://mrws.org/conferences/

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DECEMBER 2023 | THE MUNICIPAL 59

Conference: January 24-26 Expo Hall: January 25-27 Indiana Convention Center THE PIPELINE TO MORE INNOVATION IS HERE Welcome to the Water & Wastewater Equipment, Treatment & Transport (WWETT) Show! The largest, most immersive showcase of the latest innovations within the wastewater industry. Every year, we bring together industry experts, cutting-edge technologies, and game-changing services all under one roof.

Join us for close to 90 expert-led courses, live show demonstrations, hundreds of interactive booths, engaging networking opportunities, and celebrate with thousands of your industry peers!

Prepare to be blown away as you explore the sprawling exhibition floor, where leading companies unveil their groundbreaking equipment, state-of-the-art machinery, and revolutionary solutions.

Witness live demonstrations that will leave you in awe as powerful machines tackle the toughest wastewater challenges with ease, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.

But the excitement doesn’t stop there! Engage in thrilling discussions with industry experts and thought leaders who are at the forefront of driving change in wastewater management. Uncover insights, exchange ideas, and discover the future of the industry through captivating presentations, panel discussions, and educational sessions.

Networking takes on a whole new dimension at the WWETT Show. Connect with like-minded professionals, forge new alliances, and tap into a vibrant community of wastewater enthusiasts from around the globe. Share stories, challenges, and successes while building relationships that will propel your career and business to new heights.

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60 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2023

WWETT 2024 SHOW FEATURES The WWETT Show is the only event in the world where the entire industry converges to foster new relationships, solidify current partnerships, and close massive deals/contracts. Here, you’ll also find a huge accredited educational program, multiple networking opportunities, and an expo floor overflowing with booths operated by world-class suppliers!

EXPO HALL

Explore a thriving expo hall housing over 250,000 sqft. of products from 500+ suppliers and manufacturers hailing from 20+ industries, network with your peers, and complete your continuing education hours at the wastewater and environmental services event of the year.

EDUCATION PROGRAM

Enjoy close to 90 sessions spanning three days, covering a wide variety of industry and professional topics, and all are included with a full education package. With our accredited program, you can earn valuable continuing education credits (CEUs) and stay up-to-date on the latest in the industry.

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DECEMBER 2023 | THE MUNICIPAL 61

News & Notes Work Truck Week 2024 schedule released, registration open FARMINGTON HILLS, MICH. — NTEA — The Work Truck Association has released the full Work Truck Week 2024schedule and opened registration and housing for North America’s largest work truck event.

It runs March 5-8, 2024, at Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis.

Register at worktruckweek.com/register.

Work Truck Week is More Than a Trade Show, providing commercial vehicle industry professionals with unmatched opportunities to explore the latest trucks, equipment and trends; learn new ideas and solutions that can impact their operations; and connect with the people and companies they need to thrive.

It encompasses The Work Truck Show, Green Truck Summit, NTEA Annual Meeting, Work Truck Week Ride & Drive, educational sessions, and more.

“This year, we’re emphasizing the many ways Work Truck Week increasingly gives you more: more equipment, more connections and more answers,” says Steve Carey, NTEA president & CEO. “From an exhibit hall packed with innovative new vehicles, equipment and technology to an educational conference second to none, Work Truck Week is where the business of commercial vehicles gets done.”

More vehicles and equipment The massive Work Truck Show exhibit hall showcases commercial vehicles, equipment and other products — many revealed during Work Truck Week — from 500 companies. It’s open March 6–8. In addition to the main exhibit hall, New Exhibitor Pavilion is a dedicated display space for showcasing first-time exhibitors March 6-7.

Attendees can experience commercial vehicles with the latest advanced technology and propulsion systems during Work Truck Week Ride & Drive March 6-7.

More insights and solutions Green Truck Summit, NTEA’s full-day advanced vehicle and fuel technology conference on March 5, provides information and resources in support of the commercial vehicle industry’s drive toward greater sustainability, productivity and efficiency.

It offers intensive sessions led by industry experts, government representatives, fleets, and commercial vehicle and equipment manufacturers on clean energy trends and operational insights on the path to zero emissions.

More education and training The 2024 educational program March 5-7 includes a range of in-depth Special Sessions and shorter Breakout Sessions focused on ideas and strategies to help improve efficiency, implement best practices and enhance operational growth. The exclusive commercial vehicle Chassis Update Sessions return with 12 commercial vehicle OEMs and three EV manufacturers sharing vehicle changes and upfitting solutions. In response to the industry’s ongoing challenges with employee recruitment and retention, Work Truck Week offers an expanded series of Workforce Development Sessions, which are free and available to all WTW24 registrants.

62 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2023

More connections and opportunities In addition to the many informal opportunities to connect with colleagues throughout Work Truck Week, there also are several official events on the agenda.

The industry’s first major gathering of the year is Opening Reception at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 5. Generation Next, an industry professional development group, hosts a Leadership Workshop & Networking Reception on March 6. On March 7, Jerome “The Bus” Bettis and Emmitt Smith, two of the National Football League’s greatest running backs, team up as keynote speakers at NTEA Annual Meeting. This popular event includes breakfast and updates on NTEA resources and initiatives.

Get all the event details, register and book hotel rooms at worktruckweek.com or contact NTEA (info@ntea.com or 800441-6832) for more information.

VMAC Tosses The Boss: Company President Tod Gilbert Dives Off Bridge For Local Charity NANAIMO, B.C. — Tod Gilbert, VMAC’s President, made a daring leap to free-fall 150 feet over the Nanaimo River, bungy jumping to support the Nanaimo Brain Injury Society’s Toss The Boss fundraiser.

Thirty-six business leaders took the plunge to raise over $55,000 for programs supporting brain injury survivors, their families, and caregivers.

“When VMAC’s coworkers asked if they could toss me off a bridge, I wasn’t sure what to think,” admitted Tod Gilbert, VMAC’s President.

“But once they explained it was a fundraising event in support of the Nanaimo Brain Injury Society (NBIS), I knew I couldn’t resist the opportunity to bungy jump for a worthy cause.”

“The funds raised through Toss The Boss enable us to better meet the increasing need for critical services for brain injury survivors and their families, especially in areas like mental health, housing support and advocacy,” emphasized Kix Citton, Executive Director of the NBIS. “VMAC is dedicated to prioritizing the health, wellbeing, and safety of all coworkers,” explained Arleigh MacNeill, VMAC’s Safety Coordinator. “Our safety values align with the NBIS’ mission to create healthy, safe, and inclusive communities for all, making the NBIS a great fit for VMAC’s corporate sponsorship program.”

“Our coworkers were really motivated to see me jump off a bridge,” said Gilbert with a laugh. “Team VMAC had to raise a minimum of $1,000 to secure my spot to jump, and we more than doubled that, raising $2,127. We have great comradery at VMAC; our team ensured my safety, outfitting me with a bubble wrap suit, a cardboard helmet, and the necessary safety signage. Having the team’s support as I took the leap felt great.” M

News releases regarding personnel changes, other non-product-related 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.

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Guest Column

Powerful benefits of visualizing municipal infrastructure Shawn Barnett | Guest columnist EVP Surveying and Geospatial Technology, England-Thims & Miller Inc.

W

hen it comes to municipal infrastructure improvements, it is not unusual for public works departments to be under pressure to prioritize those projects most visible to the public and city councils. Leaders want residents to clearly see how their tax dollars are being spent, so rebuilding a sidewalk along a busy thoroughfare might take precedent over a more critical sewer critical repair located deep below the surface.

In a digital world, however, every physical asset of a city is visible with just a click on a screen. Supported by carefully gleaned data, projects can be identified and prioritized based on need and return on investment. And the public will clearly see how every dollar is being spent and how it is improving the community.

Geospatial technology is a visualization and planning tool that can provide a real-time picture of a city or county’s physical infrastructure — from parking spaces and street signs to electrical grids and water mains.

Besides marking each asset’s physical location, essential data such as age, condition and maintenance and repair history can be easily accessed by the city and the asset departmental owner — who owns it and has responsibility for it. Separate systems — water, utility, transportation, traffic, etc. — can be integrated to facilitate the coordination of multiple projects in a geographic area to minimize disruptions and maximize efficiency.

Also built into these geospatial systems are the very attributes upon which public agencies are judged — efficiency, productivity and accountability.

Making the move to digital The days have mostly passed when senior leaders would resist technology, understandably fearing that it would infringe upon the legacy system organized in a file cabinet and indexed in their mind. While it is not at all unusual for a public works department to still rely heavily on a paper-based document, this is usually less a preference and more trepidation in taking on the daunting task of digitizing their operations. Equally daunting, it is presumed, is the thought of approaching the budget office or city council for the necessary financial outlay to fund such an undertaking.

64 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2023

Both concerns can be addressed by taking a more incremental approach to digital development and integration. Because geospatial solutions are scalable and can easily be built-out over time, a municipality can employ an affordable strategy by focusing on its most pressing problem first. For example, a community faced with a combined sewer overflow consent decree can begin with a platform that will allow it to integrate hydraulic model data into a geospatial map of its sewer system to monitor rain events and identify problem areas. Once improvements have been made and that issue addressed, other municipal systems and assets can be added as budget and workforce become available.

Working smarter One of the most significant advancements in technology in the past quarter century is the ability to economically store large volumes of data. Extracting value from that data is not as commodified. In order to make informed decisions, the right data must be collected and analyzed to achieve meaningful results that reflect real-life conditions and suggest optimal solutions.

Developing geospatial models, even at the most comprehensive level possible, will not, however, provide an immediate fix to maximize efficiencies of a public works department. Real-world workflows and chains of command need to be streamlined. Silos of information need to be consolidated to reap the benefits of data and remove redundancies.

Although software alone cannot do this, project teams provide this type of organizational input. It is particularly beneficial to collaborate with a project team with a background in both local public agencies and the types of civil engineering and municipal planning needed to execute capital improvement projects.

Once a geospatial system is in place and operations are aligned more holistically, an agency can begin to digitally map out their fiveyear capital improvement plan. Rather than starting with a list of projects, each project can be visualized geographically with all the relevant data readily accessible.

This is particularly beneficial in sequencing projects one after another or combining several efforts into a single focus. A routine manhole replacement that might be three years out can be sequenced to coincide with a larger intersection improvement project scheduled in year one if both fall within the same site limits.

This will lower construction costs and eliminate the need to create separate Maintenance of Traffic Plans for two different projects. These savings then might be directed toward less critical projects in the immediate area, such as streetscape enhancements.

In addition to facilitating a higher level of planning, a comprehensive digital solution will provide a centralized hub for every aspect of a project. Work orders, invoices, correspondence and all other documentation related to a project will be accessible from the map view

A 3D rendition of a city block in the heart of the city of Jacksonville’s downtown. (Rendered in Esri’s City Engine)

of the software. Progress can be tracked from concept and budgeting through construction and closeout.

Once everything is completed in the real world, a digital as-built will be delivered along with all the associated data. There will be no more paper records turning yellow in a file cabinet and essential institutional knowledge will not walk out the door when a key employee retires. Everything is recorded and will be instantly retrievable for generations to come.

The future is today While a fear of technology may no longer be a major issue for public works departments, organizations that remain operating in an analog world are now facing an alternate problem. Young people entering the workforce grew up in a digital age. Many aspects of their lives involve their smartphones, and they expect to carry out many of their work duties that way as well.

Even workers who perform physical labor want to leverage technology to do their jobs more efficiently. Adapting to this new approach to work enhances the competitive advantage of a municipality.

The future of civil infrastructure — in major metropolitans, suburban cities and rural towns — will include the development of digital twins, full 3D representations of a community’s entire physical environment. CIP development will be aided by high-level predictive modeling and precision forecasting. The integration of AI is already transforming the industry and will continue to do so in ways not yet imagined. Ultimately, this will all allow public works departments to

Here is a digital asset model of a downtown district created in Esri and rendered in OpenGov’s Cartegraph Asset Management software. do much more with every tax dollar invested, while improving the quality of life for the entire community.

The transformation into a digital world will not happen overnight.

But it is a journey that every municipality aims to embark upon today by introducing geospatial modeling into their operations. The first steps can be taken slowly and will not require a significant investment of either budget or human resources. The key is developing technology designed especially for local agencies that will deliver a best-built environment to the community they serve so as to maximize the powerful benefits of visualizing municipal infrastructure.

Shawn Barnett is EVP Surveying and Geospatial Technology with England-Thims & Miller Inc. He can be reached at BarnettS@ etminc.com.

DECEMBER 2023 | THE MUNICIPAL 65

TOP 10 A small city to call home One-third of Americans prefer to live in smaller cities, where the commutes are shorter and there is a little more breathing room than in big cities. Such benefits reportedly outweigh considerations like fewer dining options and shorter business hours.

Earlier this year, the website WalletHub scored hundreds of small and mid-size urban communities across the country. “The Best Small Cities in America,” according to the survey it conducted, are popular for their economic health, education, health, quality of life and safety.

In addition, a primary conclusion reached by the survey was that one of the best perks of living in a city with a relatively small population is affordability.

It cited the Economic Policy Institute, which noted, “the cost of living for a two-parent, two-child family in Hanford, California, for instance, would be $6,517 per month, compared with more than double at $13,252 for the same family in San Francisco.”

Twenty cities scored in the 99th percentile of WalletHub’s survey algorithm. Of those, the 10 most livable small-to-midsize cities were:

1. Carmel, Ind. 2. Lexington, Mass.

3. Brentwood, Tenn.

4. Westfield, Ind. 5. Fishers, Ind. 6. Fair Lawn, N.J. 7. Milton, Mass.

8. Melrose, Mass.

9. Saratoga Springs, N.Y. 10. Brookfield, Wis. 66 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2023

Source: wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-small-cities-to-live-in/16581

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Advertiser Index A

I

Aebi Schmidt Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

ICC Community Development Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Air Technical Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 All Access Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

L

Alumitank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Landmark Studio & Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BACK

American Shoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Land Pride . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

ANP Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Legacy Building Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Applied Concepts, Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

M B Bedlock Safety Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Microcranes, Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

BendPak Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

N

Bonnell Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

National Construction Rentals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Bucher Municipal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover, 10-11 Buyers Products Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

C Clearspan Fabric Structures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Curb Roller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

E Ebac Industrial Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Elgin Sweeper Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Everblades Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Evolution Edges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

F Fluid Control Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

G

National Pump Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 NTEA Work Truck Week . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

S Stan Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Strongwell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Switch-N-Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

U UCoat It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

V Vactor Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 VizCon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Greystone Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

W

GVM Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Waytek Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

H

Wisconsin Surplus Auction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Henderson Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

WWETT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60-61

This index is provided courtesy of the publisher, who assumes no liability for errors or omissions.

DECEMBER 2023 | THE MUNICIPAL 69

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DECEMBER 2023 | THE MUNICIPAL 71