The Premier Magazine For America’s Municipalities
March 2022
Fleet Service & Management
INSIDE: Scott County Fleet delivers what matters Fleets during a time of shortage Bolingbrook, IL Permit No. 1939
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Tulsa rewarded for best practices
Contents |
VOL. 12 No. 12
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www.themunicipal.com Shutterstock photos
March 2022
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17 F ocus on Fleet Service & Management Focus on Fleet Service & 40 Public Safety: Palo 26 18 Management: Shortages cause Alto works to unroll ambulance some fleet managers to rethink purchasing policies
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Focus on Fleet Service & Management: Clearwater adopts policy to switch municipal vehicles to alternative fuels
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Focus on Fleet Service & Management: Hyattsville welcomes its first all-electric refuse truck
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Parks & Environmental Services: City of Longview, Texas, gives Lear Park a huge amenity boost
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Technology: Bringing broadband to rural communities
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Streets, Highways & Bridges: PennDOT mixes up a new type of road
Focus on Fleet Service & Management: Fayetteville builds new wash for growing fleet
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Municipal Management: Syracuse, N.Y., youth given career exploration opportunities through summer youth program
Focus on Streets, Highways & Bridges: Most improved: Tulsa wins top fleet award
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subscription for community
Technology: Challenge to stoke traffic solutions in West Lafayette
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ON THE COVER Years ago, Scott County, Minn.’s, leadership team formalized a transformational policy for county employees: the implementation of automated vehicle sharing. This policy has saved the county money and improved services for both employees and citizens. Learn how Agile Fleet Inc. helped the county make the switch simple on page 10.
Fleet Service & Management
INSIDE: Scott County Fleet delivers what matters Fleets during a time of shortage
www.themunicipal.com
4 THE MUNICIPAL | MARCH 2022
Tulsa rewarded for best practices
MARCH 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 5
Departments
Meet our Staff publisher RON BAUMGARTNER rbaumgartner@the-papers.com
editor-in-chief DEB PATTERSON dpatterson@the-papers.com
8 Editor’s Note: Shortages require breaking with the norm
10 From the Cover: Scott County, Minn., fleet team delivers what matters and drives down costs to taxpayers
12 On The Road Again: Rock City, Lookout Mountain, Ga
editor SARAH WRIGHT swright@the-papers.com
14 What’s In A Name: Mustang and Jenks, Okla.
38 City Profile: Decatur, Ala., is a great publication manager CHRIS SMITH chris@themunicipal.com
senior account executive REES WOODCOCK rees@themunicipal.com
graphic designer MARY LESTER mlester@the-papers.com
business manager CARRIE GORALCZYK cgoralczyk@the-papers.com
place to live, work and visit
56 Conference Calendar 57 Product Spotlights 58 Company Profile: Time is running
out to cut carbon: Achieve net-zero with biodiesel today
62 News & Notes 66 Top 10: Most livable small cities in the U.S
69 director of marketing STEVE MEADOWS smeadows@the-papers.com
mail manager KHOEUN KHOEUTH kkhoeuth@the-papers.com
Advertiser Index
CORRECTION In the December 2021 article “Cities ramp up outdoor fitness offerings,” the Lansing, Mich., photo captions state they show the city’s FitLot. The outdoor fitness court shown is not the city’s FitLot. The Municipal apologizes for this error and any confusion it may have caused.
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6 THE MUNICIPAL | MARCH 2022
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 © 2022.
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Learn more at VMACAIR.com/dtm70h MARCH 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 7
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Editor’s Note
Shortages require breaking with the norm Sarah Wright | Editor
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common thread that tethers 2022 to 2021 is the continuation of supply and staff shortages. This fact has been hammered home for me when browsing for a decent used car, only to find that the makes and models I was interested in weren’t so far removed in pricing from brand-new counterparts. Then there came the tire delay, then the switch to different tires when the ordered ones wouldn’t ship. Most recently, there was the hunt for propane, where the third store was my lucky charm; of course, that search wasn’t helped by Indiana’s then-impending February snowmageddon. Cities, not unlike varying industries, have faced shortages and delays in almost every department. Perhaps the biggest is staffing, which has seen many changes in operations across departments — whether reducing garbage collections, reworking shifts, changing recruitment tactics, etc. Hand in hand with staffing shortages, a semi-conducter chips shortage has affected fleets, slowing vehicle orders and the outfitting of said vehicles. Writer Denise Fedorow highlights this challenge in her article, “Shortages cause some fleet managers to rethink purchasing policies.” She spoke with industry pros and municipal officials about shortages and how they are adapting. The reoccurring theme? Get your orders in as early as possible. As Tom Morgan, chief deputy sheriff of Union County, Ohio, told Fedorow: “We got a jump on it early, and it turned out surprisingly well.”
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In our other fleet articles this month, additional fleet managers note shortages and delays, further highlighting the universal nature of them. But even with these challenges, municipal fleets continue to push the needle forward on their emission goals while instituting best practices that are catching notice — such as Tulsa, Okla., which worked toward receiving the No. 1 Fleet Award from The 100 Best Fleets in the Americas for 2021. Writer Julie Young spotlights Tulsa’s efforts to reach that goal in addition to how the city’s fleet is mentoring the next generation of fleet professionals with its Learning with a Wrench program. Meanwhile, in Florida, writer Beth Anne Brink-Cox shares Clearwater’s green fleet policy, which aims to convert 100% of its municipal vehicles to alternative fuels by 2040. Additional topics include Hyattsville, Md., welcoming its first all-electric refuse truck — lovingly nicknamed Sparky — and Fayetteville, Ark.’s, brand-new fleet wash facility, which will not only save the city money but also improve the life span of fleet vehicles. As the omicron variant continues to spread, the challenges currently faced will remain, but two years in, the ability to adapt and move beyond the way we have always done things has kept cities moving forward — and will continue to. Stay well this March!
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From The Cover
Scott County, Minn., fleet team delivers what matters and drives down costs to taxpayers By Ed Smith | Agile Fleet, Inc.
“Delivering what matters” is not just a slogan at Scott County, Minn. It’s a citizen-focused approach to delivering services that leaves you wondering, “Why can’t all government be like this?” Troy Beam, fleet and facilities manager, and the team at Scott County are doing remarkable things to manage their fleet and deliver what matters. The results are: 1. Lower fleet costs. 2. Easier access to fleet vehicles for county drivers. 3. An innovative program to provide handicap-accessible vehicles to county residents. In just the past five years, the county, spanning roughly 365 square miles and having 150,000 residents, has saved over $1,000,000 for its taxpayers by implementing innovative changes for its fleet. It’s a remarkable success story enabled by solid leadership, easy-toimplement vehicle sharing technology, and the effective use of fleet metrics to drive change. Strong leadership, simple policy, big results Years ago, Scott County’s leadership team formalized a transformational policy for county employees. It seems almost too simple. Thirty words that were memorialized in the county’s fleet policy set in motion changes that ultimately saved the county money and improved services for both employees and citizens. Those 30 words are: “Officials and employees shall always use a county motor pool vehicle and/or ride sharing — when available and determined to be most cost effective — in the performance of their assigned roles.” The impact since implementing automated vehicle sharing in 2013 to reduce costs has been nothing short of remarkable. 10 THE MUNICIPAL | MARCH 2022
Utilization data, available for each type of vehicle at each location, helps the fleet team determine their real need for fleet vehicles. (Graph provided) A seasoned fleet veteran at Agile Fleet Inc., Ron Katz said that Scott County’s approach is simple yet effective. “Motor pools (aka ‘shared vehicles’) make sense. Historically, it has been common for government employees or departments to get their own assigned vehicles, but that is inefficient due to the low utilization rates of those assigned vehicles. The often-used practice of establishing standard minimum
Scott County leveraged its vehicle reservation system to allow work-from-home staff in rural areas to pick up county-owned vehicles at their local library. Secure key boxes, like the ones shown above, provide 24/7 access to motor pool vehicles throughout the county. (Photos provided) monthly distance-traveled thresholds to justify assigned vehicles is nearly always ineffective because distance-traveled varies so much by job function and external factors. By focusing on what really matters, the most cost-effective way to provide a vehicle for each trip, Scott County has gotten down to what matters.” Shared vehicles are typically 35% more cost-effective than reimbursing staff for the use of a personal vehicle or using an outside vehicle rental agency. And, depending upon the job functions involved, shared vehicles can save 80% or more over under-utilized assigned vehicles. Cost-saving vehicle sharing technology Reliable, easy-to-use technology for providing 24/7 access to motor pool vehicles is the key to widespread adoption of vehicle sharing across Scott County. Using the FleetCom- “Vehicle sharing is here to stay. mander vehicle I honestly don’t know if doing sharing technology, business the old way will ever employees reserve come back.” vehicles in advance - Troy Beam or walk up to a selfservice kiosk to access a vehicle at any time. Picking up and returning keys at a self-service kiosk is easy. The experience is very similar to getting a boarding pass from an airport kiosk, yet doesn’t require the driver to remember a confirmation code or a secret PIN. Drivers use their employee badge or standard network login to access the kiosk. Security features ensure keys are handed out to authorized drivers at authorized times. Scott County’s fleet staff particularly likes the technology. Fleet staff can monitor activity at all the county’s vehicle sharing kiosks from their centralized offices or even work-from-home locations. Notably, they can provide support virtually and continuously monitor utilization using dashboards to ensure enough vehicles are located at the county’s vehicle sharing locations. Staff members proactively move vehicles from site to site if trends in utilization metrics indicate a need.
“We have moved five vehicles from departments into the general motor pool for better usage by more employees. We also downsized in 2020 and sold five vehicles for about $6,000 each.” - Aaron Kotilla, Fleet Supervisor
Big fleet changes as a result of the global pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic has changed how fleet services are delivered at Scott County. Many job functions have changed. Tax assessors, inspectors, social services and other workers work online from home rather than in-person. There is only an occasional need for a vehicle. In Scott County’s case, those work-from-home locations are in rural areas far away from their traditional city office location and the fleet vehicles. So how did the county address the need to provide vehicles to staff working from rural home offices and determine who still needed access to vehicles? You guessed it — they moved the fleet vehicles closer to the employees! In the midst of the pandemic, Beam’s fleet team listened to the needs of county employees. They realized there were concentrated areas of county employees in rural areas. And, conveniently, there were also county-owned public libraries in these areas. So, the fleet services department, in a joint effort with Transit (using grant funding), leveraged its existing FleetCommander vehicle sharing technology and implemented additional self-service kiosks at these library locations. Vehicles were reallocated from the central motor pool locations to the rural locations at the libraries. The result is that employees in rural areas only need to go as far as the local library now to access a county vehicle. No fleet staff is required at the libraries as the solution is all self-service. Transit expanded the capabilities to allow authorized county residents to access handicap-accessible vehicles from the rural library location. The solution is an easy way to serve the needs of handicap residents in rural areas. Those needs were previously difficult to provide in a responsive, cost-effective way. Cashing in on the county’s efficiencies Efficiencies introduced by vehicle sharing are welcomed by employees and are paying off in a big way for the county. The need for a vehicle for emergency vaccine response was easily accommodated via the shared pools of vehicles. And, by maximizing utilization of vehicles it already owned, the county has reduced the number of vehicles. This is great news at a time when resale values on used vehicles are at an all-time high. And, by providing access to the lower cost shared vehicles in lieu of paying employees to use their own vehicle, the county has reduced an estimated $250,000 annually in reimbursements for use of personal vehicles. For more information, visit www.agilefleet.com. MARCH 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 11
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On The Road Again
Rock City, Lookout Mountain, Ga. By RAY BALOGH | The Municipal
It’s not for the faint of heart, but if the reviews are to be believed, it’s well worth the trip.
It is reportedly possible to see seven states from the outcropping known as Lovers Leap. (Photo by Frank Romeo/Shutterstock.com)
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Shutterstock.com
More than 90% of the thousands of online reviews give Rock City on Lookout Mountain, Ga., an enthusiastic thumbs-up. The tourist attraction’s centerpiece is Rock City Gardens, a 4,100-foot walking trail that showcases natural rock formations, caves and rock tunnels, lush gardens featuring more than 400 floral species, a 140-foot man-made waterfall, a 180-foot suspended bridge and an outcropping known as Lover’s Leap, from which one can allegedly see, from 1,700 feet above sea level, portions of seven states — or least could before air pollution encroached on the area. Located 6 miles from downtown Chattanooga, Tenn., one elevated vantage point allows a bird’s-eye vista of the city, especially stunning when its night lights pierce the emerging darkness. According to its vision statement at www.seerockcity.com, the attraction is “created by God and enhanced by man,” yielding a “unique geological and botanical wonder” that has caught the world’s attention. Rock City hosts more than half a million visitors from around the globe each year. Native Americans first occupied Lookout Mountain, and perhaps the first white men to visit the settlement were two missionaries who arrived in 1823. They noted the beauty of the area in their diaries, and by the time of the Civil War, “the Rock City” was becoming well known to the citizens of this nation. Throughout the latter half of the 1800s, the area was often frequented by hikers and geologists, but otherwise received few visitors. That all changed in 1924, when entrepreneur Garnet Carter founded a 700-acre residential community, which he named Fairyland after his wife Frieda’s penchant for European folklore. For the inhabitants’ and visitors’ recreation, Carter designed and built the nation’s first miniature
Rock City was originally launched as a residential community in 1924 but has achieved far more significance as a tourist destination for more than half a million visitors a year. (Photo courtesy of Rock City Inc.)
golf course, which he would later franchise around the United States as Tom Thumb Golf. Frieda busied herself with marking off a walking trail that meandered between and around the mountain’s giant rock formations and lining the path with wildflowers, German gnome statues and fairytale characters. Rock City officially opened as a public attraction on May 21, 1932, but, according to www.seerockcity.com, “It got off to a slow start because advertising in those days was difficult, especially since Carter’s mountaintop attraction was not located in a place that people would just happen to be passing by and take notice.” Ever the enterprising promoter, Carter conceived of a brilliant advertising scheme, a la Burma Shave signs and Wall Drug billboards. In 1935 he commissioned a young sign painter named Clark Byers to travel around the country looking for barns facing the major highways. He offered the landowners a free freshly painted barn in return for permission to paint “See Rock City” on the building. Byers worked on the project for the next 34 years, painting the iconic black-and-white “See Rock City” signs on more than 900 barns in 19 states spanning from Michigan to Texas. The signs and word of mouth drew a continual influx of visitors and Rock City, now administrated by Rock City Inc., has never looked back. Over the years, the attraction, now under third-generation ownership, has added features to further enhance the tourist experience. • In 2006 Rock City began hosting daily educational shows featuring birds of prey. Now shows are held Thursday through Sunday from Memorial Day to Labor Day weekend. The owners also installed a 25-foot kid’s climbing wall, open from April through October. • During March Rock City hosts Shamrock City, an Irish festival including Celtic music, Irish jig lessons, food and games. On St. Patrick’s Day, the water in the man-made waterfall is dyed green. • Every autumn Rock City crafts a corn maze in the valley below the gardens and also hosts Rocktoberfest to celebrate German heritage. Festivities include live German music, polka lessons and German food and beer.
Inside one cavern on Lookout Mountain is this black light responsive diorama of Mother Goose characters. (Photo courtesy of Rock City Inc.)
The 140-foot waterfall next to Lovers Leap is man-made, and its water is dyed green every St. Patrick’s Day. (Photo by Sean Pavone/Shutterstock.com)
• Christmas lights and displays are set up every November and December during the “Enchanted Garden of Lights,” which features booths of food and gifts, carolers and seasonal shows such as a lighted telling of the Nativity. Online kudos is legion and varied, as exemplified by an October 2021 review by Ordinarygirl: “Absolutely loved this place. I could live there and never get tired of it. The name ‘Rock City’ does not do it justice. It’s a marriage of breathtaking natural beauty and lovely manmade landscaping. It was beautifully decorated for fall. The walk is easy for most and suitable for all ages. The staff was very pleasant and helpful. The grounds and buildings were well maintained. A memorable, delightful experience.” Rock City is located at 1400 Patten Road, Lookout Mountain, Ga., and its current daily hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit www.seerockcity.com or call (706) 820-2531 or (800) 854-0675. MARCH 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 13
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What’s In A Name
Mustang and Jenks, Okla. By Ray Balogh | The Municipal Many cities plod statistically along with a mild but steady accretion of residents from decade to decade. Some municipalities, however, experience a remarkable surge of population growth at least once in their history. Mustang and Jenks, Okla., are notable examples of the latter phenomenon.
Antique shops, boutiques and restaurants line the downtown streets of Jenks, Okla., prompting a former state first lady to christen the town the “Antique Capital of Oklahoma.” (Photo by 4kclips/Shutterstock.com)
Mustang, Okla., started slowly, taking six years to become an official municipality after its post office was established, but made up for lost time by surging more than 50-fold, from 198 residents in 1960 to 10,434, in only three decades. (Photo by RaksyBH/Shutterstock.com) MUSTANG The post office for Mustang (presumably named after a nearby creek) was established in 1895, but it took six more years to develop an official municipality; when in November 1901, Charles G. Jones, the former mayor of adjoining Oklahoma City, filed the plat for the community. The decision to form a town was determined in part by Mustang’s fortuitous placement on the line of the Oklahoma City and Western Railroad built in 1901-02, but its subsequent explosion in population growth was almost entirely attributable to the proximity of Oklahoma City. During the first half of the 20th century, agriculture dominated local commerce, with area soils yielding crops of wheat, oats, corn, cotton, sweet potatoes, watermelons, cantaloupes, peaches and other fruits. Dairy and beef farming gained a marked foothold into the 1940s, but the town’s population growth was not spurred by any of those industries. Beginning in the 1960s, Mustang emerged as a bedroom community for factory workers in Oklahoma City, resulting in a staggering expansion in the town’s population base over a relatively short period of time. Factory workers from Oklahoma’s new Dayton Tire plant, the FAA Aeronautical Center and Western Electric’s production facility escaped the cacophony of big city life and flocked to Mustang’s serene confines. Mustang boasted only 198 residents in 1960, but by the end of that decade the population exploded nearly 13-fold to 2,637. By 1980 the total stood at 7,496, a near tripling of the 1970 count. 1990’s census of 10,434 represented another 40% increase, and the city has averaged more than 30% growth per decade to its present population of 24,773. 14 THE MUNICIPAL | MARCH 2022
Though most of the fruit orchards have been leveled to make way for subdivision development, Mustang has maintained its “country charm,” according to its website, www.cityofmustang.org. “We still honor cowgirls and cowpokes at our annual Western Days Celebration,” which is held the first full weekend following Labor Day. JENKS Jenks, a suburb of Tulsa, experienced two population surges, its first and largest during the 1910s. At the start of the decade, the town had 290 residents; by 1920, that number more than quintupled to 1,508. Second was the doubling of the population between 1970 and 1980, from 2,685 to 5,876. Since 1960, Jenks has seen an average 60% decade-by-decade growth and boasts a current census of 25,949. Jenks was officially platted July 15, 1905, as a community site alongside the Arkansas River by the Midland Valley Railroad, and was named after William Henry Jenks, the railroad’s owner and director. Also that year, oil was discovered in Glenpool, 7 miles to the southwest. That enticed an influx of laborers and fortune seekers into Jenks, where a number of tank farms had been constructed to accommodate oil production. The population wavered somewhat through the 1920s to 1940s because of several instances of severe flooding from the Arkansas River. One flood submerged every building in town except the threestory schoolhouse. Another factor was the waning production of the oil wells. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers resolved the flooding issue by completing a levee in 1948 and the city started to rebound. Kimberly-Clark built a manufacturing facility in Jenks in the 1980s and remains a major employer today. The downtown area rebranded itself with a plethora of antique stores, boutiques and other shops and the establishment of the Antiques and Arts District, earning Jenks the appellation of “Antique Capital of Oklahoma.” Riverfront development revolves around the state’s only freestanding aquarium, which opened May 28, 2003, and remains a significant tourist draw. The city’s annual Art of Main festival in October typically attracts 12,000 attendees. For more information, visit www.jenks.com.
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$500,000
The approximate cost of Hyattsville, Md.’s, first electric refuse truck.
Read about Hyattsville’s Sparky on page 26.
38%
Focus on:
Fleet Service & Management 100 Spokane, Wash., has a fleet of 1,700 vehicles and on average purchases 100 vehicles a year.
In Clearwater, Fla., vehicular traffic is responsible for 38% of citywide emissions. The city aims to convert 100% of its municipal vehicles to alternative fuels by 2040. Read more about Clearwater’s green fleet policy on page 22. Find how fleets are facing pandemic-related shortages on page 18.
$900 to $1,200
The amount of money Fayetteville would spend each month to wash fleet vehicles at a third-party vendor. The city has since built a new fleet wash facility. Read about this project on page 30.
30 Pittsburgh, Pa.’s, new charging depot includes 15 dual-hose chargers, which can fully charge a vehicle in six to eight hours. This site will be capable of charging 30 electric vehicles simultaneously. Source: https://triblive.com/local/pittsburgh-unveils-large-electric-vehiclecharging-depot-for-city-fleet/
350 Tulsa, Okla., technicians have earned over 350 certifications and have traveled over 100,000 miles for training before the COVID-19 pandemic kept the team close to home.
Learn about Tulsa’s fleet operations on page 32.
860,000 gallons Orlando, Fla.’s, city vehicles burn this many gallons of gasoline each year, but its fleet is seeking to reduce this to near-zero by converting vehicles to green energy. The city’s goal is to have all 3,000 of its vehicles running on alternative fuels by 2030. Source: https://www.clickorlando.com/news/ local/2021/12/10/orlando-spending-millions-toconvert-vehicle-fleet-to-green-energy/
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Shortages cause some fleet managers to rethink purchasing policies
By DENISE FEDOROW | The Municipal
The seemingly never-ending COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc in all areas — including fleet management — as shortages have made procuring new vehicles a longer and more challenging process. One of the biggest reasons for the vehicle shortage is due to the shortages of semiconductor chips. According to an article in Tech Monitor — “Here’s what we know about the global chip shortage” by Matthew Gooding, July 2021 — the shortage was precipitated by an increase in demand for electronics as businesses and consumers began buying new laptops and servers in order to work and attend school virtually. That article stated sales grew 6.5% in 2020 and by July 2021 had grown 26% higher than 2020. A principal analyst at a tech research company reportedly said it was the worst shortage he’s seen in his 30-year career. Most chip manufacturing is done by two companies in Taiwan and a drought — the worst it’s seen in 50 years — was affecting the process as water is necessary for chip manufacturing. Reportedly, automotive companies also scaled back production at the start of the pandemic thinking it would cause economic devastation, and Gooding’s article stated this 18 THE MUNICIPAL | MARCH 2022
pushed them to the end of the line for chips when they ramped up production again. Adding to it all is the labor shortage, supply chain issues and demand growing from those receiving stimulus funds to purchase new cars. Randy Fuss, director of government accounts for Doosan Bobcat and Bobcat Company in North America, said, “Manufacturing, in general — whether vehicle or equipment — is struggling with supply chain constraints due to very high demand as the economy tries to pull through and get past the pandemic.” He noted, “The challenge is demand, which is increasing significantly, and the supply can’t keep up — labor shortages and outside of that the offshore issues with the ports is (contributing). The combination of all that makes this the perfect storm.” Fuss added, aside from the microchips, “Everyone is competing for raw
ABOVE: Pictured are just a few vehicles present in the Union County, Ohio, Sheriff’s Office fleet. (Photo provided by Union County Sheriff’s Office)
materials — steel, wiring, electrical components and other materials.” Impact to cities and towns Fuss said the shortage has impacted cities and town’s budget cycles. “Cities and towns have planned for specific budgets and received quotes; in the manufacturing industries, prices have gone up. This has caused them to have to go through the approval process again with the increased prices.” The lengthy process of getting council approval has also made it more challenging. Tom Morgan, chief deputy sheriff of Union County, Ohio, said he started talking to the company his department had purchased its cruisers from in August and September 2021 about the orders for 2022 — asking them about the delivery times and what hurdles they might have to go through. “Many of our equipment purchase orders have a disclaimer on them to expect delays of 120 to 180 days,” Morgan said. “That’s pretty typical now for equipment purchases.”
Randy Fuss currently serves as director of government accounts for Doosan Bobcat and Bobcat Company in North America. Fuss has over 15 years of experience serving government customers with products, contract solutions and procurement strategies to solve government challenges. (Photo provided by Doosan Bobcat)
Morgan said the county commissioners approved purchasing the 2022 vehicles in 2021, and with a purchase order system, the county wouldn’t be billed until this year. But he said the problem extends farther than the vehicle itself to all the equipment that needs to be installed — consoles, cages, data terminals, etc. — are all affected by the supply chain issues. He reported that he’d recently heard the police cruisers he ordered in October would arrive at the end of January. “We may get the cars in at the end of the month, but to get all the equipment needed and (have it all) installed pushes it back even farther than we’d like,” he said. The department experienced the same thing in 2021 — the cars it hoped to have in use by July or August didn’t get on the road until December because of installation delays. However, getting the approval to purchase the six Ford Interceptor SUVs ahead of time definitely helped. “We got a jump on it early, and it turned out surprisingly well,” Morgan said. The city of Spokane, Wash., also received approval to purchase vehicles ahead of time. Fleet Services Director Rick Giddings said, “The process was taking four weeks, and often
This is a Tesla Model Y recently purchased for the Spokane Police Department. The vehicle fits in with the city’s clean fuel goals. (Photo provided by Spokane, Wash.)
Pictured is the city of Spokane, Wash.’s, compressed natural gas site for solid waste collection. (Photo provided by Spokane, Wash.)
by the time we got the quote on the vehicle and got approval, the vehicle was gone in some cases.” Fleet services received prior approval last year to purchase vehicles for this year. Giddings noted the 2022 budget wasn’t approved until recently, and by the time his department was ready to order last fall, the ordering bank was closed. It was able to get some vehicles, however. Giddings said that approval was for a limited time — until the end of 2021 — so he’ll have to redo the process this year. Giddings explained the process, stating his department compiles a list of the vehicles it needs, inventories available vehicles and comes up with a target vehicle and an alternate.
“What complicates things for us is the city’s clean fuel goals that demands any replacement vehicles be clean fuel or electric,” he said. So fleet services focuses on purchasing vehicles that meet the needs of the city’s various departments but are also clean — that fact, along with total cost of ownership, “narrows the options for us.” Giddings said fleet services have a priority purchasing plan where it shows the council its first, second and third choices. If the department can’t find a vehicle that meets all its needs, it leases until one becomes available. Multiple factors have created the problem, but COVID was the start. Giddings shared he was told by one of Spokane’s manufacturing MARCH 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 19
continued from page 19
Spokane has a fleet of approximately 1,700 vehicles, according to its fleet services manager. Pictured is one of its CNG refuse trucks. (Photo provided by Spokane, Wash.)
vendors that they usually allocated 300 manufacturing spaces, and this year they only allocated 70 spaces. “The demand keeps piling up, and the supply is not getting any better. A lot of factors went into this,” he said. “It was a comedy of errors that led to this shortage.” Giddings said it’s taking 60 to 90 days now at least to get a police cruiser, and the timeframe for heavy equipment is much worse. Like Morgan said, by the time Spokane receives the chassis, that’s only half of the vehicle. It could be a year to a year and a half before customization is completed. Spokane has a fleet of 1,700 vehicles, and in order to maintain the fleet, he estimates his department probably purchases on average 100 vehicles a year. He said it also tries to find used vehicles that meet its needs. Giddings said Spokane uses state contracts whenever possible, and he visits WA.gov website to find vehicles. He believes doing so speeds up the process. Spokane’s fleet services likes to buy local, but it’s not always possible. Still, Giddings noted the city encourages local dealers to participate in the pre-competitive state contracts. “But a lot (of local dealers) choose not to because it is a complicated process. We always prefer to buy local if possible, but it does double the length of time,” he said. Changes and solutions All three men agreed a change to the fleet purchasing practices will probably be long term. Morgan said when he drives by any dealerships in his area, there are “no new cars there.” According to him, production currently leans toward special orders rather than extra inventory sitting on lots. “In order to be able to get the type of vehicle you need to accomplish what you need to do to continue serving the community, you’ll need to get your order in,” Morgan said. Fuss of Doosan Bobcat said communication is key. Now more than ever, it’s vital for municipalities to communicate with vendors about what their needs are going to be. “Doosan Bobcat’s leadership has done a superb job of managing delays and ensuring all of our customer types — including 20 THE MUNICIPAL | MARCH 2022
In Ohio, Union County Sheriff’s Office has proactively ordered more vehicles similar to these for the department. (Photo provided by Union County Sheriff’s Office)
government — are being thought of,” he said. “First and foremost, realize that industry is your partner in this. (Cities) have to communicate now more than ever, sharing intentions with their budgets and what they want to buy and when, so industry can provide solutions. Communication is very important between government and industry.” Giddings said, “I think this is the way we are going to be purchasing vehicles for quite a while — we’ll have to identify needs way ahead of time.” Dan Giese, assistant vice president Enterprise Fleet Management, said they expect a little relief this year. “According to Wards Automotive, we do expect to see some improvement in availability in 2022, but it will still be less than pre-pandemic averages. In light of these challenges, now more than ever it’s important that municipality fleets are proactive when planning out their vehicle needs to ensure those needs are met, and also be open to exploring alternative options that are available. In addition, being disciplined and having a preventative maintenance plan and schedule in place are critical as this will help keep higher mileage vehicles safe and up and running longer while waiting for new vehicles.” Giese said despite the challenges, Enterprise is working hard to work closely with manufacturing partners and customers to meet their needs. Giddings advises other cities and towns to “identify needs early — like a year ahead and start the process as quickly as possible.” He stated, “Think outside the box — maybe a used vehicle would work or a slightly smaller or larger vehicle that you might not have considered in the past but may meet your needs — so be flexible.” Fuss said, “Everyone’s short-handed — government offices and industry — so this traditional bid process in a lot of scenarios is somewhat antiquated.” He suggested municipalities consider Sourcewell or other cooperative purchasing companies to speed up the process and to understand what they can do with government accounting like encumbering funds and issuing purchase orders today with the knowledge there will be delays.
M Focus on: Fleet Service & Management
Clearwater police in a SUV patrol Clearwater Beach. The city aims to switch all of its fleet to alternative fuels. (Shutterstock.com)
Clearwater adopts policy to switch municipal vehicles to alternative fuels By BETH ANNE BRINK-COX | The Municipal
What do you think of when you hear discussions about sustainability? Recycling? Alternate forms of power? Going vegan? More cycling and walking and less driving? With spring approaching and another Earth Day next month, you can’t help but think of better ways to take care of the planet and its occupants, present and future. Where do you begin? In Clearwater, Fla., vehicular traffic is responsible for 38% of citywide emissions. Not comfortable with that statistic, the city of Clearwater decided in August 2021 to adopt a policy aimed at converting 100% of municipal vehicles to alternative fuels by 2040, known as the Green Fleet Policy. Sheridan Boyle is Clearwater’s first sustainability coordinator, hired in 2019. When asked what was involved in the planning of the GFP, she replied, “We relied heavily on nonprofit partners such as the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy and the Electrification Coalition to increase 22 THE MUNICIPAL | MARCH 2022
our knowledge of green fleet planning and gain access to policies from other municipalities. The city also examined the success that the cities of Orlando, Winter Park and Largo have had with incorporating hybrid and electric vehicles into their fleets. A fleet policy from the city of Charlotte, N.C., was used as a model policy for Clearwater’s green fleet policy.” Boyle added, “The desire to shift to a green fleet came about from city staff finding alignment in their goals and pushing forward in creating a policy. The city’s fleet manager has known the industry’s transition to hybrid and electric vehicles was only a matter of time. He looked forward
The city of Clearwater, Fla., decided in August 2021 to adopt a policy aimed at converting 100% of municipal vehicles to alternative fuels by 2040. (Shutterstock.com)
to embracing the new technologies and the maintenance benefits both types of vehicles would bring to his staff. After completing a communitywide greenhouse gas inventory, the city’s sustainability coordinator knew that fuel for transportation is a leading source of emissions in Clearwater, and it has only increased in recent years. Transitioning the city’s fleet to low-carbon fuels would be essential to reducing the city’s personal carbon footprint while enabling the city to serve as a model for residents and businesses. City management also identified Clearwater’s fleet transition as an important task to remain competitive with neighboring municipalities. After discussing the mutual benefits, a green fleet policy was created to solidify the city’s intention. The green fleet policy directed the city to form a committee to assist departments with planning for this transition.” Much discussion is needed when beginning — defining the situation, brainstorming for methods to implement change, prioritizing the plan, budgeting and more; the staff was eager to begin. Boyle explained, “In order to demonstrate our commitment to the public and establish a goal to journey towards, the city wanted to create a target year to complete its fleet transition. After discussion among staff, we decided to focus solely on our light-duty vehicles (which we define as anything smaller than a three-fourths of a ton truck) due to the lack of availability of alternatively fueled heavy-duty vehicles at this time. “By cross-examining the city’s greenhouse gas emission reduction goals and what would be practical based on the city’s vehicle replacement rate, a goal was created to transition 100% of our light-duty vehicles to alternative fuels by 2040. To help us meet that end goal, a second target was created that commits the city to purchase only alternative-fueled light-duty vehicles by 2028. Both commitments were then included in the green fleet policy.” Such a large undertaking requires the experience and opinions of other departments, as well, and Boyle was prepared for their contributions. “In
addition to making sure both our sustainability and fleet division guided the transition, we also needed guidance from both our finance department and city departments that work primarily in the field, requiring them to have dependable and sometimes operationally-specific vehicles. It was critical to hear the concerns and requirements of those later departments to determine if hybrid or electric-hybrid vehicles would best suit the needs of that department until more fully electric vehicles are available on the market. “We are currently adding several hybrid vehicles to our police department each year. Hybrids are a great tool to help meet our emission reduction goals for specific departments that require a continuity of service at all time — while we eagerly await more technological development and options from the electric vehicle industry to meet the needs of those departments. “That being said, charging stations are essential to have in order to incorporate electric vehicles into a fleet. Identifying the locations that our vehicles stay overnight assists the planning for charging station hubs. We are currently working with a vendor to include multiple level two charging stations in garages that house many of our fleet vehicles.” As with so many other areas and businesses, the pandemic slowed many aspects of the GFP down. Boyle said, “We have definitely felt the impact of the changes that have occurred with supply and delivery. Thankfully, our fleet manager anticipated delays from the pandemic and brought our new vehicle request to our city council for approval earlier than usual. However, even with ordering early, we have still experienced a delay in receiving vehicles and parts. We speculate that some of this delay is due to the microchip shortage that hit the industry hard in 2021. Thankfully, we are starting to receive some of the vehicles that have been delayed. However, we expect vehicle procurement in 2022 will be affected as well.”
MARCH 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 23
continued from page 23
And, as expected, costs and upkeep/maintenance had to be considered. Boyle assured, “We will be replacing vehicles as needed. So much of the funding for these new vehicles will already be allocated. Furthermore, in recent years, we have seen the price of alternatively fueled vehicles become more and more comparable to that of internal combustion vehicles. “However, we are also investigating more creative purchasing mechanisms such as leasing — a practice we have seen a few Florida municipalities have success with. Leasing electric vehicles through specific third-party vendors can allow a municipality to pass along the price reduction that comes from the federal EV tax credit — something a municipality cannot benefit from by purchasing these vehicles outright. In some of the cases we have seen, A technician works on a traditional car. Clearwater aims for all its vehicles to use alternaparticipating in a lease-to-own agreement of tive fuels by 2040. (Photo provided by Clearwater, Fla.) EVs can enable the acquisition of two to three vehicles for the price of one. We hope this difference will enable the city to use the additional funds to purchase more electric vehicle charging stations.” Though the 100% goal is set for 2040, Boyle explained, “While planning is essential to meeting our end goal, we also recognize the need to remain flexible. The electric vehicle industry is rapidly developing — with more types of vehicles and greater battery capacity every year. Because of this, it has been difficult to plan too far into the future without knowing what vehicles will be available, what their battery capacity will look like and how quickly they may be able to charge. As a result, we will be developing specific plans for the immediate five years and looser, guiding plans thereafter. We will need to be constantly aware of the latest developments in electric vehicles and their charging stations throughout the next decade. Boyle continued, “Incorporating alternatively fueled vehicles into a fleet is just one method of reducing the greenhouse gas emis- Clearwater, Fla.’s, police department currently has 14 hybrids in use, with another 13 to sions associated with transportation and there be delivered this year. (Photo provided by Clearwater, Fla.) are additional practices organizations can implement to make an impact.” In addition to directing departments to acquire alternative-fueled “The policy also directs departments to submit an annual report to vehicles and electric vehicle charging stations, Clearwater’s green fleet include aspects such as the gallons of petroleum-based fuels they have policy prioritizes vehicle sharing among departments as well as the right- reduced during the current year as opposed to the last,” Boyle said. Electric vehicles are by no means the only way to reduce environmensizing of vehicles. Rightsizing refers to a fleet management practice that ensures vehicles are utilized by the right employees, at the right times, in tal impact, although they are certainly a very important method. It’s to be the right locations, for the right amount of time based on the job tasks hoped that wherever an individual or city begins in their determination associated with use of the vehicles. In simpler terms, the fleet refrains to live more sustainably than in years, even decades, past, one step will from using a fuel-intensive vehicle when a more efficient vehicle could lead to another and then to another — a snowball effect — even though snow is hardly likely in Clearwater. perform the same function.
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M Focus on: Fleet Service & Management
Hyattsville welcomes its first all-electric refuse truck
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By DANI MESSICK | The Municipal
Make way gas guzzlers! There’s a new fleet vehicle that city governments are lining up to employ. The city of Hyattsville, Md., is one of many cities that have recently implemented electric-powered refuse trucks to combat its carbon footprint, welcoming its first in 2021. One of the city council members even named it Sparky. She’s tiny and quiet and quite expensive, but Hyattsville Director of the Department of Public Works Lesley Riddle said she’s worth it. “Often for small municipalities, it’s a tough decision financially,” she said. Lucky for her, Hyattsville is one of the larger cities in the state, with approximately 20,000 residents. The truck cost the city nearly $500,000, and improved electrical infrastructure to support it and future vehicles amounted to about $100,000, but Riddle believes it’ll pay for itself in the long run when compared to gas or diesel. “If you think about it, the upfront cost is all of your investment,” she explained. “The maintenance on an electric vehicle is much lower than it is on a gas or diesel vehicle. You’re getting the return over the years.” Savings in gas and maintenance make up for the cost, she said, and the return on investment for the environment is a trade-off Riddle, who holds a master’s in environmental science, couldn’t ignore. “We have to start thinking about our built environment and our natural environment as cohesively as they are,” she said. “It’s important to the city and industrial management. We’ve got to change. We have to start doing things that are far more sustainable than has been done in the past.” The East Coast has seen a lot of sustainability action in recent years. Electric vehicles are popping up all over the New England states, and New York has some of the most progressive protocols in the country, but Sparky is the first of her kind in Maryland. “In urban centers, there’s a real shift to change and lessen our carbon footprint and in my mind, it’s remarkable because we’re so generated by gas and diesel equipment.” A grant from the Maryland Energy Administration supported Hyattsville’s refuse truck. Prince George’s County, where Hyattsville is located, has one of the most aggressive climate change initiatives in the state, Riddle said. Hyattsville’s sustainability plan has been in place for half a decade, including everything from stormwater mitigation and sustainable bus shelters. “Collectively, the city has done so much to begin to alter the way we look at things.” Residents, too, are encouraged to do what they can to create a sustainable environment, whether it’s simple things like recycling
TOP LEFT: Sparky is the first electric refuse truck in Maryland. (Photo provided) BOTTOM LEFT:: Hyattsville’s new electric refuse truck, while expensive, will save the city thousands of dollars in gasoline, while also helping it to lower its carbon footprint. (Photo provided)
Jacki Taylor poses next to the graphic designs she was commissioned to create for Sparky, the city of Hyattsville’s electric refuse truck. (Photo provided)
and composting or more expensive things like investing in all-new electric-powered vehicles. “Everybody says, ‘Oh well, it’s just a little bit,’ but a little bit is better than nothing. If everybody does a little bit, it’s a whole lot.” The electric refuse truck comes with loads of other benefits beyond its environmental perks — like being able to get to alleys while not causing a disturbance. “The cool thing is it’s quiet,” Riddle said. Riddle also offered advice for municipalities interested in starting their own eco-friendly fleet: namely, do your research. This includes knowing the company and the upfront costs. It’s equally important to gather insights from the community and city workers about their desires. “Always make sure you’re getting buy-in from staff and residents,” she said. “Most of the time, what you’re going to hear is, ‘I want good service.’” Community meetings are a good way to reach out. “We have to start looking at the places where we can make a difference,” Riddle said. “Noise pollution, air pollution, kids suffering more and more from asthma as well as adults — it all starts by looking at the things we can do with the city to make a difference. It has to happen a whole lot faster than not, and that’s the reality of it.” Overall, Sparky has been well received, with residents being excited about her deployment. “It’s cool and exciting that we have this,” Riddle said. “We’re super excited to have this vehicle and have other people get to see this and talk to us about it.” MARCH 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 27
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MARCH 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 29
M Focus on: Fleet Service & Management
Fayetteville builds new wash for growing fleet By JUDE STRIEBY | The Municipal
One doesn’t often give town work vehicles a second glance, but they’d be noticed for the wrong reason if they were dirty or unkempt. Keeping the vehicles of a town’s fleet clean is one of the tasks in the background of maintaining equipment used in managing a municipality. Often, it’s just a smaller portion of a town budget, but after a certain level of city growth, it can become far more expensive than is viable if there is no designated wash system in place.
ABOVE: Fayetteville, Ark., started construction of its new fleet wash in the spring of 2020, and it concluded in the spring of 2021. (Photo provided by Fayetteville, Ark.) LEFT: Workers complete one of the bays. The new wash frees up needed workspace for Fayetteville’s growing fleet. (Photo provided by Fayetteville, Ark.)
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Fayetteville’s new wash reduces the amount of money being spent on water; additionally, its small vehicle wash will recycle the water used. (Photo provided by Fayetteville, Ark.)
“We were washing the large fleet vehicles inside our shop area, which was not ideal,” said Sara Combs, the fleet superintendent of Fayetteville, Ark., and the current president of the Arkansas Public Fleet Professionals Association. “The water system was dated and developed leaks, which meant we were paying for repairs to the wash system, plus paying a higher water bill because of wasted water leaking out, and all of it was damaging the building.” She further explained, “Eventually, for the smaller vehicles, we used a local carwash, which had given us a discount. But they began to slowly take the discount away, and using that outside vendor was getting far too costly. We were spending between $900 to $1,200 a month just on that vendor.” The Fayetteville fleet is not small in size. In 2021, it ranked No. 75 out 100 fleets nationwide to receive the 100 Best Fleets award from NAFA Fleet Management Association. Part of the need for such a fleet, and therefore, an expanded wash system, was the explosive population growth northwest Arkansas experienced in the last decade. Fayetteville is the town you’ve never heard of, but it is part of a region that influences every single state across the U.S. and even touches the global economy: 26 miles away, in Bentonville, Ark., Sam Walton opened the very first Walmart store. By 1967, that number had grown from one to 24 stores, and since that time, the company has grown to a whopping 11,847 stores worldwide. This makes Bentonville home to the headquarters of the largest retailer in the world, as well as one of the fifth largest corporations in the world by sales. “We’ve had a booming population here, and that is part of the reason our fleet continues to grow,” stated Combs. “Not only are we 30 minutes from the home of Walmart, but J. B. Hunt, one of the largest freight transportation providers in North America, has its headquarters 15 minutes from us. Tyson Foods, the world’s second-largest processor and marketer of chicken, beef and pork, is 20 minutes from us.” “Plus,” she continued, “Walmart requires every one of its vendors to have an office here. So we are inundated; we’ve had a huge influx of people, especially in the last decade. I think we’re in the top 10 fastestgrowing areas of the country. And that’s all well and good, except we keep getting loads and loads of more citizens. So, our fleet has consistently needed more vehicles to keep up with the growing workload.” After a year of research, in April 2019, Combs pitched the construction of a fleet wash to city leaders when it became clear that keeping the vehicles clean was at bottleneck cost.
A catwalk allows workers to clean off the tops of fleet vehicles. (Photo provided by Fayetteville, Ark.)
“The city of Fayetteville takes great pride in its fleet, which serves every city department, such as public works, recycling and trash, water and sewer, as well as police and fire,” she said. “We tried to make sure to encompass everything with the new wash, which was designed by DEMX Architecture and in which we used Whiting Systems Inc. for all wash equipment. We are now able to accommodate our average-size vehicles and have an automatic wash for the heavier trucks. Then we also have a manual area that has a kind of a catwalk so that you can wash the tops of your vehicles as well.” Construction started in the spring of 2020, and the wash was finished in the spring of 2021, a fairly decent construction time during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Combs stated COVID didn’t have much of an impact on the construction, other than the delay of supplies being delivered. “The main thing was we allowed our contractors to have their own requirements and rules,” she said. “The city followed CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) guidelines; we had meetings that were open air. But honestly, I think bad weather delayed the construction more than anything, though.” Combs noted moving the truck wash out of the shop area has opened necessary space for a workspace expansion, which is needed to maintain growth. “Hopefully, we can start the expansion project this year; we’re running out of space here.” As far as the monetary impact of the new wash, Combs is optimistic. “I haven’t run the numbers yet, since it hasn’t been in operation for a year, but the cost of the vendor and the cost of the numerous repairs to the old wash have disappeared,” she said. “What we were spending on water has gone down as well since we’re no longer having to pay for the extra water we lost to leaks. Plus, we recycle the water used in the smaller vehicle wash.” Overall, the construction of the fleet wash fulfilled Fayetteville’s need for fleet improvements to both budget and workload in the face of a growth rate very few regions experience. “It was definitely fulfilling to have it completed, for sure,” Combs said. “I grew up here, and the changes I’ve seen are just exponential, but I’m very satisfied with our ability to keep ahead of that change.”
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M Focus on: Fleet Service & Management
Shutterstock.com
Most improved: Tulsa wins top fleet award By JULIE YOUNG | The Municipal
After its second-place finish in 2020, the city of Tulsa’s equipment management division has won the No. 1 Fleet Award from The 100 Best Fleets in the Americas for 2021. “It’s very exciting,” said Brian Franklin, administration manager for the city’s asset management department, which handles fleet management and maintenance, parking meter repair and installation, parking enforcement and parking garage oversight and more. “We’ve been working really hard, and that effort has paid off.” Franklin said the city began applying for the Best Fleets in the Americas award 10 to 12 years ago when then-mayor Dewey F. Bartlett Jr. hired an outside auditor to evaluate the fleet division and outline those areas in which it could improve. The first year’s results were disappointing but illuminating.
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“I think we came in at number 50 or 75, but every year we’ve used the feedback we have received to make improvements, and this year, we took the top spot.” Room to grow The 100 Best Fleets in the Americas program recognizes peak-performing fleet operations. It identifies and encourages the ever-increasing levels of performance, improvement and innovation in the public fleet industry. Tim C. Johnson, founder of The 100 Best Fleets in the Americas organization, said Tulsa’s Equipment Management team is a “best-in-class
organization applying innovative thinking to real-world results.” Franklin said Tulsa’s fleet operation competed in several categories, including accountability, use of technology and information, collaboration, creativity, celebration, evidence of a high trust culture, performance recognition, efficient turnaround, competitive pricing, staff development and resource stewardship. He said staff attended conferences and learned what other communities were doing so that they could determine what practices are best for their own division. By examining its operations management and identifying those areas that needed improvements, Tulsa optimized its fleet availability by creating a more efficient shop so that departments can get their vehicles back out on the road. It has updated its diagnostic equipment so vehicles can be fixed correctly the first time they are brought into the shop, and it has also incorporated GPS units that help drivers plan more efficient routes. “Our overarching goal is to get our vehicles into the shop quickly, get them fixed right the first time for less money, get them back out on the road and help our team feel good about the work they are doing.” That requires making a significant investment in the team, and Tulsa has not been shy in putting its money where its mouth is. Tulsa not only offers pay increases for professional certifications but also creates an opportunity for internal training and development. Since creating this program, Tulsa technicians have earned over 350 certifications and have traveled over 100,000 miles for training before the COVID-19 pandemic kept the team close to home. In addition, they create T-shirts that celebrate various milestones, rotate shop safety captains to give everyone the chance to serve in a leadership position, and they recognize the Technician of the Month, who is presented with a WWE-style belt at a celebratory lunch. “Food is always a big deal for our employees,” Franklin said. “Each month, the previous winner hands it off to the next winner, and at the end of the year, they participate in a SmackDown type of event to compete for the Technician of the Year. The winner gets to take the belt home for keeps.” Mentoring the next generation Tulsa was also lauded for its Learning with a Wrench program, a high school internship
Tulsa Equipment Management Division staff members were honored with the No. 1 Fleet Award from The 100 Best Fleets in the Americas for 2021. (Photo provided by Tulsa, Okla.)
Over time, Tulsa has increased its shop’s efficiency to ensure vehicles get back on the road quicker. It has also updated its diagnostic equipment so vehicles can be fixed correctly the first time they are brought into the shop. (Photo provided by Tulsa, Okla.)
program that was developed in partnership with the Union Public School system. The Learning with a Wrench program gives juniors and seniors, who have an interest in learning auto mechanics, the basic job skills that can help them on their path to prosperity. Since its inception seven years ago, 100 students have taken part in the program, and there is usually a waiting list to participate. “Some kids don’t know what kind of career path they want to go into, but by participating in the Learning with a Wrench program, they get the knowledge and experience of
working in a vehicle maintenance facility while we build a stronger workforce,” Franklin said. “We pay them to work in our shop, and in some cases, we recruit them right out of high school. Others go on to tech schools and find jobs at dealerships that offer huge new hire bonuses.” Johnson said the Learning with a Wrench program is a win-win for all involved. “Their dedicated apprentice program is a service not only to young people in Tulsa but also to the state and America because they are emulated across North America.” MARCH 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 33
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Tulsa’s fleet is one of only two that has won the No. 1 Fleet award as well as the No. 1 Leading Fleet in North America for 2018. Equipment Maintenance Manager Mike Wallace said after taking the 2018 title, the team set their sights on the 100 Best Fleets Award, and he is pleased that the team reached the momentous achievement. “We’re making history together as a team,” he said.
Tulsa, Okla., began applying for the Best Fleets in the Americas award 10 to 12 years ago, coming away ranked as number 50 or 75. Using feedback and education, Tulsa Equipment Management Division claimed the No. 1 slot for 2021. (Photo provided by Tulsa, Okla.)
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City Profile
Decatur, Ala., is a great place to live, work and visit By JULIE YOUNG | The Municipal
(Above photo provided by Decatur Morgan County Tourism)
Located along the Tennessee River and nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian mountain range, Decatur, Ala., is an ecologically diverse “River City” that 60,000 residents call home. Besides being only a stone’s throw from the city of Huntsville, Decatur is also centrally located to Nashville, Memphis and Atlanta, while being a convenient distance from other major metropolitan hubs of the southeast. A growing community As one of the 10 largest cities in the state, Decatur is known for both its rich history and record-breaking development. In fact, Decatur has evolved into something of a “rocket city” thanks to the out-ofthis-world strides made by the local industry. “Decatur’s business climate is as progressive as it is diverse,” said Emily Stewart, communications specialist for the city of Decatur. “United Launch Alliance and RUAG Space, both call the area home, and just recently, (the latter) launched the first fully U.S.-made (payload) fairing into space.” With the entirety of north Alabama developing thanks to the region’s $1 billion FBI expansion and the relocation of the United States Space Force, Decatur has experienced significant residential
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growth. Since 2019, Decatur has added over 600 new lots and experienced a 13% increase in housing demand. In response to this influx of young professionals and families settling in the area, Decatur works hard to offer something for everyone. Decatur residents enjoy the amenities of a large city with all the comforts of a close-knit community. In addition to a nationally recognized school system known for its award-winning robotics team, the city has expanded its public arts scene to go along with its thriving performing arts enclave and other cultural offerings. It also offers a wide range of outdoor recreational opportunities at the Wheeler Wildlife Refuge — a 35,000-acre site that was founded by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1938. Stewart said throughout the year, Decatur offers several special events that bring residents together and attract visitors from all over
the nation. For the hobby ornithologist, the Wheeler Wildlife Refuge hosts the annual Festival of the Cranes each January to commemorate the annual migration of Sandhill and Whooping Cranes to north Alabama. “With numbers topping over 20,000 at peak season, nature photographers and bird enthusiasts flock to Decatur in order to witness the magnificent migratory patterns of the wading birds,” Stewart said. On Memorial Day weekend, the 750-acre Point Mallard Park offers the Alabama Jubilee Hot Air Balloon Classic — a breathtaking event unlike any other in which aeronauts from across the country gather to illuminate the summer sky. Point Mallard Water Park, which overlooks the tranquil waters of the Tennessee River, is another popular summer destination and everyone loves commemorating Independence Day at the city’s Spirit of America Festival — one of the largest free Fourth of July celebrations in the state. However, no one is expected to wait for a major holiday in order to celebrate in Decatur. “Third Friday in Downtown Decatur provides a perfect block party atmosphere with local restaurants, curated shopping and entertainment all within walking distance,” Stewart said. Planning for the future Decatur is renowned for its preservation of the past while working for the needs of the present and planning for the future. The municipality has begun the revitalization of its Sixth Avenue corridor, which will include underground utilities, traffic flow median reduction and state-of-the-art wayfinding signage for visitors and guests. The Decatur City Council has approved the plans for the development, and Volkert Engineering is currently working on the construction, design and implementation phase of the project. This revitalization effort will be complemented by the creation of a downtown commons project, which will feature a regionally recognized sports and recreation complex and mixed-use development and improvements to the city’s riverfront areas. Decatur is also participating in the Tennessee RiverLine’s River Town project, a voluntary, three-stage program comprising achievable benchmarks that cultivates collaboration, innovation and reciprocal support. “Through the Tennessee River Town program, Decatur will conduct ecological events that focus on the preservation of the Tennessee River, while providing unique experiences for our residents to act as environmental stewards for our portion of the river,” Stewart said. Decatur is a grand city on a charming scale with a rich history and a dynamic future for business owners, visitors and residents alike!
Decatur offers a host of outdoor recreational opportunities, including canoeing. (Photo provided by Decatur Morgan County Tourism)
Musicians play at Decatur’s Founders Park Amphitheater. (Photo provided by Decatur Morgan County Tourism)
Decatur, Ala. Nickname: The River City County: Morgan County Population: 54,478 (2019) Major employers: General Electric, 3M, Wayne Farms, United Launch Alliance, Nucor, and Daikin Median Income: $47,574 (family)
Decatur’s Point Mallard Park hosts the Alabama Jubilee Hot Air Balloon Classic on Memorial Day weekend. (Photo provided by Decatur Morgan County Tourism) MARCH 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 39
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Public Safety
Palo Alto works to unroll ambulance subscription for community
Palo Alto Fire Department is fully stocked and staffed, ready to answer any emergency call. These ambulances will be part of the upcoming subscription program. (Photo provided by Palo Alto Fire Department)
By BETH ANNE BRINK-COX | The Municipal
Palo Alto, Calif., is working to implement a new program you have likely never heard of, and when it all falls into place, it’s hoped that the success will make you wonder how you ever lived without it. Many people, some of whom you might know, maybe even yourself, have needed ambulance rides. But the cost can be so prohibitive that sometimes those calls aren’t made, and that can have devastating results to one who is injured or ill, or to the elderly or disabled who need assistance quickly. To those who are sworn to serve, this is not a decision they want to see made, and they won’t settle for less than their best efforts to care for their community any way they can. So what is the solution? On Sept. 21, 2021, part of the business discussed at the finance committee staff meeting was the wish to begin a new service for the community: fire department ambulance subscription. Three steps were taken to begin — reviewing and recommending the idea for the program, adopting ordinances to establish the program and fees, and approving a budget amendment in the general fund. PAFD Fire Chief Geoffrey Blackshire explained it very well, as his department is one of 10 municipal fire departments in California and one of only 259 in the world to achieve international accreditation. 40 THE MUNICIPAL | MARCH 2022
This places the department among less than 1% of fire departments in the world, and it is the only agency in Santa Clara County that also provides ambulance service. Those are some stellar qualifications, but what was the impetus? Blackshire said, “The proposal for an ambulance service fee, which we proposed in the fiscal year of 2021, is modeled after other fire departments, such as Anaheim, Orange, and Huntington Beach. All have found success in offering the program to their residents.” With COVID-19 statistics and the ongoing pandemic, you might assume that there would be more ambulance calls than ever, as more and more people became so gravely ill. That was not the case, said Blackwell. “The number of overall calls for service decreased during the height of the pandemic, primarily due to shelter in place mandates. There was a reduction in the daily population of people coming into Palo Alto for work, travel, restaurants, shopping and so on. As businesses reopened and the daily population returned to the city, the volume of calls for service has returned.”
Members of the Palo Alto Fire Department met up with personnel from Stanford’s Life Flight program. Together, members from the two organizations reviewed emergency response operations. (Photo provided by Palo Alto Fire Department)
The Omicron variant is already seeing higher numbers than those a year ago, and residents and businesses may welcome the opportunity to pay a low monthly fee for ambulance service when needed. This will enable the community to avoid expensive co-pays for ambulance calls, and for those on fixed incomes, this could be a welcome relief from the worry of how to pay for necessary care. Under the terms that the finance committee approved, residents could choose to pay just $8 a month to participate in the program. For businesses, the rates would depend on the number of employees: fees from $20 for companies of one and 10 employees, and $1,000 for companies employing between 251 to 1,000. Obviously, this would require coordination internally with city departments and with the billing departments of insurance companies. Is this the wave of the future, another step toward more universal and affordable care? Blackshire thinks that’s a possibility, and other communities may be watching to see how well this one works. If it’s as successful as hoped, he said, “The program would work best for cities that run an ambulance service. It would be important to analyze patient demographics and, most importantly, community interest. Our fire department conducted a survey as well as utilizing a community focus group to assess interest in and need of the program.” Obviously, a program such as this will take time to plan, organize and implement, and other cities looking to design such a program for their own community need to be mindful of that. Blackshire said, “It’s important to know and understand that it can and will take time to create all the procedures, as well as adjustments to software systems. This ensures the process will be seamless for the participants when they register. We are currently in this very phase of the implementation process and are not accepting registrations until all systems are fully in place.” The city plans to start marketing the program soon. Those who choose to participate would have the simplest of ways to pay the monthly cost: It will show up each month on their utility bills. Most
The emergency of a cat stuck in a tree is just as important to his or her person, and the department does its fair share of rescues. (Photo provided by Palo Alto Fire Department)
of the expected participants are likely to be residents and employees who are not covered by Medicare. Medi-Cal and Medicaid cover the entire cost, and Medicare covers up to 90% of the costs, but private insurance co-pays can range from $386 to $650. With these numbers in mind, it’s easy to see the need for this program. Blackshire observed that the department has learned a lot since the work of creating this program began. “There was strong interest from the community. The focus group showed strong support, and the city has received phone calls, emails, and generally a lot of interest in this program just from our presenting the request to offer this service. At this time, the city is working on preparation to launch the program, and we expect a lot of interest based solely on the number of inquiries already received.” It’s expected, of course, that interest will continue to grow and expand when the city’s FDAS is fully operational. And this could lead to the creation of more jobs and additional staff. As eloquently said in a closing statement Blackshire made on the fire department’s website, “While we hope you don’t need our services, in the event we do meet professionally, we promise prompt, professional and caring customer service. You deserve it, and we thrive on providing it.” The implementation of this program bears out of the fire department’s commitment to the community and residents. MARCH 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 41
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Parks & Environmental Services
City of Longview, Texas, gives Lear Park a huge amenity boost By NICHOLETTE CARLSON | The Municipal
A regional park in Longview, Texas, Lear Park was first acquired by the city of in 1998 with the assistance of donations made by William Lear, a local philanthropist. After the original development of the park in 2000, the park has since grown to 182 acres. Improvements following 2000 and those that will be made in phase five this year will greatly enhance the draw and amenities of Lear Park to both residents of the community and visitors. In 2000, Lear Park’s original master plan was completed. According to Scott Caron, director of parks and recreation in Longview, “That really got the ball rolling with how to tackle all that was envisioned.” A comprehensive plan was developed and adopted by the city of Longview in 2015. 42 THE MUNICIPAL | MARCH 2022
Caron explained, “The process took two years to complete with establishing an advisory committee, strategic planning sessions, public meetings, open houses and surveys. This plan provided our mayor, city council and staff with priorities for what they wanted to see within the city. Number 18 on
ABOVE: After the city of Longview, Texas, acquired Lear Park in 1998, development began on the park in 2000, and phase five is set to be completed later this year. A comprehensive plan was developed and adopted in 2015. Then, in 2018, a bond issue was approved with Lear Park receiving $8.8 million. Other bond issues as well as grants from Texas Park and Wildlife have helped to fund various phases of improvement. Since 2000, the park has grown to 182 acres. (Photo provided) the list of priorities was the completion of the Lear Park master plan.” Once the city’s comprehensive plan was adopted, with Lear Park improvements noted as a priority, the comprehensive planning advisory committee continued to meet to discuss and review accomplishments. The accomplishments discussed
Lear Park’s recent upgrades include 10 softball fields, six baseball fields and 15 soccer fields. This year’s phase five includes two new softball fields and a concession stand as well as two new baseball fields and a bathroom and concession stand. Parking for the baseball fields will also be included in this phase. (Photo provided)
were those projects and plan items that could be completed via the annual budget process. Once the majority of these annual budget projects were completed, the comprehensive planning advisory committee searched for items and projects that could be included in a bond issue. “The 2018 bond issue was the result, with three separate items: public safety, streets and parks,” Caron stated. “All were approved for a total investment of $104 million. The parks portion was $24.7 million, and Lear Park was $8.8 million.” The latest phase, phase five, which is to be completed this year, was funded by a voter approved bond issue. “Previous phases have been funded by other bond issues,” Caron shared, noting another avenue was “establishing a foundation with the purpose of providing the improvements.” Texas Park and Wildlife grants have also helped to fund previous phases. “There were two primary reasons for the improvements,” Caron explained, regarding the multitude of changes and enhanced amenities brought to Lear Park beginning with its development in 2000. “One is to provide additional space and flexibility for the local youth leagues and groups, and the other is to draw visitors for sports tourism. Everything at Lear Park has been done with our community in mind,” he emphasized. “To provide something for the entire family, from the most active to the most passive.” These improvements also allow Longview to host regional and national sports tournaments to both showcase the community and generate revenue for the city. In the summer of 2019, splash pad and pavilion amenities were completed. The design phase for Lear Park then began in late 2019. The
With so many fields in one location, families will not have to spread out anymore. These fields also allow the city to host regional and national sports tournaments, allowing residents to watch their teams at home instead of having to travel to other cities. This also generates revenue for the city and allows them to showcase their city. (Photo provided)
project was bid on in 2020, and the city council awarded the project in July 2020. “The improvements at the splash pad were very well received from the very start,” he mentioned. “The pavilions were rented 85% of the time, and attendance increased substantially. We don’t charge admission for the facility, so it’s hard to have a real accurate number of attendees, but I would estimate we routinely have 1,000 visitors a day.” Once phase five of the Lear Park project is completed later this year, the park will have 15 soccer fields, four with lights and two with artificial turf; 10 softball fields, which include 200 feet of fencing; six baseball fields of various distances; a Leathers and Associates wooden playground built by the community; a one-acre splash pad; a threeacre lake; an 18-hole disc golf course; and a walking trail that is 3/4 of a mile long. Phase five specifically includes completing two sections of the splash pad; two new softball fields and a concession building; two new baseball fields and a concessions and restrooms combined building; parking for the baseball fields; adding lights to two existing soccer fields; and converting two existing soccer fields to artificial turf. “We are at substantial completion, and the contractor is working through the final punch list,” Caron said. “We have taken possession of the artificial turf soccer fields and expect everything turned over to the city.” He continued, “Everyone is looking forward to the fields being complete. With all the amenities in one location, families won’t have to spread out.” The city of Longview has already filled its tournament schedule at Lear Park. Local residents are particularly excited to watch games in their home city as opposed to having to travel to other cities.
MARCH 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 43
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Technology
Bringing broadband to rural communities By MARY JANE BOGLE | The Municipal
Improving internet access and digital literacy in rural communities is no small task. Multiple hurdles exist, not the least of which is a lack of infrastructure, as well as a lack of familiarity with the technology.
Ron Shields, right, vice president of The Open Resource, teaches community members how to use Chromebooks. (Photo provided)
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These are challenges that Carole Yeend, co-chair of the Rush County, Ind., Broadband Task Force, is facing head on. “When you look at how we as a society interact with one another, everything — business, education, healthcare, economic development — is, or soon will be, digital.” According to Yeend, “Access to a reliable digital infrastructure is important to everybody.” As the task force has discovered, “any community that finds itself on the wrong side of the digital divide is risking being left behind and facing a deteriorating quality of life.” The recent pandemic highlighted this fact. With more people working from home, the need for fast, reliable internet connection was readily apparent. Those without this access were quickly marginalized. Of course, Yeend admits that delivering this kind of infrastructure comes at a cost to providers. And yet, the infrastructure is just one piece of the puzzle. “You can build towers and install fiber,” said Yeend, “but if people aren’t comfortable with using the service, the payback for providers just isn’t there.” That’s why she, in partnership with co-chair Mark McCorkle, got busy building community partnerships and developing a five-year digital inclusion plan. The Rush County Broadband Task Force is the first group in the state of Indiana to do so. “We know that federal funding might be on the horizon to help bridge the digital access divide,” said Yeend, “and we are positioning Rush County to be prepared.” Part of that preparation involved partnering with Geo Partners, LLC, in Minnesota. “They’re a crowd-sourcing, data speed mapping service,” said Yeend. “They heard about our project and reached out to help.” “Our goal with Geo Partners was to create a map with dots identifying the real-time level of service. Red dots indicted a speed of 10 mbps down/1 mbps up or less. Rush County’s map looked like a measles outbreak showing how poor our service is. We were able to track internet speeds and coverage throughout the county,” said Yeend. The project caught the attention of Indiana Farm Bureau, which formed the Indiana Broadband Strategic Partnership. It has come together to fund a similar mapping project throughout the state. IBSP wants to help bring reliable broadband to the most unserved and underserved communities across the state. IBSP also includes
NineStar Connect and Rush Memorial Hospital partnered together to bring fiber to the Boys & Girls Club in preparation for the upcoming Tech Fest. Coding and robotics competitions are just a few of the STEM activities offered to children in Rush County, Ind. (Photos provided) Cook Medical Group, Duke Energy Foundation, Indiana Association of Realtors, Radius Indiana and the Regional Opportunity Initiative. The Rush County Broadband Task Force is also working to address the second component of digital inclusion. “Look up the definition of ‘digital inclusion,’” said Yeend, “and you’ll see that it covers not just having affordable access to the internet but also having a device and knowing how to use it. Many people think of this issue as a social justice issue, but at its heart, it’s really an economic issue.” That’s where a connection with Dr. Roberto Gallardo PhD of the Purdue Center for Regional Development came into play. With his guidance, the task force has identified a vision, mission and goals, including improving the quality and ownership of computing devices, with training if necessary, throughout the county. To accomplish this objective, the Rush County Broadband Task Force is working with a local literacy organization, The Open Resource. Its vice president, Ron Shields, has begun gathering used devices and bringing them up to speed, then offering them to community members for free. Shields has also applied to the Rush County Community Foundation for a grant to fund a Digital Navigator Program, where he buys refurbished Chromebooks and invites members of the community to come and learn how to use them. At the end of the training session, attendees get to keep the device. “Ron also trains in other software programs and assists people who are having difficulty with their devices,” said Yeend. “They call him Professor PC.” In addition, the task force is launching its first-ever “Rush County Tech Fest,” slated for April 30, 2022, at the community Boys and Girls Club. Working in conjunction with multiple community partners, the task force plans to develop fun and creative activities designed to increase the skills and tools required to use current technology.
“Our Boys and Girls Club is already teaching coding to kids and sponsoring teams for robotics competitions,” said Yeend. “We wanted to support them in these efforts and increase digital literacy at the same time.” In order to host the event, the community recognized that they would have to improve internet access to the club. Community leaders stepped up to the challenge in a big way. NineStar Connect, the major installer of fiber in the area, and Rush Memorial Hospital worked together to bring fiber to the Boys and Girls Club building to support Tech Fest and the club’s STEM activities. The director of Rushville Public Library, Nicole Kirchoff, is joining efforts to engage the community in the Tech Fest as well, sponsoring a video contest for the best 30-second commercial advertising the event. “We want to have a drone rodeo,” said Yeend, “and the hospital might demonstrate how to use telemedicine. NineStar might offer a computer security workshop. And we might even get a Maker Space activity with 3D printers.” While the task force is still building activities for the day’s events, they’re certain the event will draw a crowd. They’ve also gained financial support from a $15,000 grant from Duke Energy Foundation administered through the Purdue Center for Regional Development. The grant was designed to for the development of digital inclusion plans. Because Rush County already had a five-year digital inclusion plan, it was charged to further its development and create more awareness about the digital divide and implement strategies to bridge the gap. Looking to the future, Yeend envisions tech summer camps for kids and demonstrations on the importance of technology in community. One thing’s certain. If the Rush County Broadband Task Force has anything to say about it, that digital divide in Rush County will be getting smaller every day. MARCH 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 47
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Streets, Highways & Bridges
PennDOT mixes up a new type of road By DANI MESSICK | The Municipal
Pennsylvania may not be the first state to construct a road from recycled plastic, but leaders of Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s Strategic Recycling Program hope that their new roadway at Ridley Creek State Park will be a catalyst for continued projects and eventual state recycled roadway standards. “Our overall goal is to develop approved specifications for plastic use and asset application,” explained Dave Condo, PennDOT environmental chemist and program manager for the strategic recycling program. The new roadway at Ridley Creek State Park is one of many demonstration projects that will allow PennDOT to create standards and includes another in Lancaster County developed in March 2021, one in Delaware
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County and one in Allegheny County using various similar and different techniques. For example, one roadway in Allegheny County saw contractors mix asphalt with plastic bottles. This mixture is one that PennDOT hopes will lead to a long-lasting roadway that keeps plastic out of landfills. At Ridley Creek State Park, PennDOT used plastic bags and asphalt to create about half a mile of roadway on either end of the park’s main thoroughfare. They refreshed
ABOVE: Ridley Creek State Park Manager Alexa Rose speaks during the reopening of South Sandy Flash Drive. A portion of the roadway was paved, using a mixture of asphalt and recycled plastic. (Photo provided) the rest — about 1.5 miles — with a traditional asphalt mixture as a control sample. At the test site, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ Crystal May said contractors ground up 30% of the original road wrap, compared to the normal 15%, using it along with the plastic additives on the upper two inches of the wearing course of the road. “We looked at a variety of recycled materials, not just plastics, but this has been a focus in the last year and a half,” said Jeffrey Obrecht, manager of Environmental Health and Safety
Services at RK&K, a civil engineering company in Allegheny County. “The ultimate goal is to develop a specification so this type of product can be used by the commonwealth. We wanted to use one product as a demonstration this time and perhaps another in another demonstration project coming up.” Obrecht suggested that the research will take at least 18 to 24 months to complete. Asphalt modifiers are not a unique product; contractors have been using them for many years, but plastic-based asphalt modifiers using recycled materials are less common. The team learned from projects in other states, including Iowa, where five similar projects have been completed. They used these to The new roadway is one of many pilot projects for PennDOT’s Strategic Recycling Program. find out potential value and concerns related (Photo provided) to their plastic roadway pilot programs. “We even worked with the lab crew to discuss this technology and how we can further advance it,” said May. PennDOT pavement materials engineer Neal Fannin said the department is heading for a performance specification that would allow it to evaluate additives in a more rational way and evaluate their performance in a manner of what can be expected on the road. This could open up the department’s specification more toward recycled materials. “Research needs to be done, and this project and others are a part of that research,” he continued. “Asphalt modifiers generally positively affect one property and may decrease the effectiveness at another property.” PennDOT chief materials engineer Joe Robinson explained the plastics are reduced into a form to be incorporated with the asphalt. They act as the glue binding the ground gravel and The pelletized material used for PennDOT’s pilot project Ridley Creek State Park is called rocks together. NewRoad Hybrid Asphalt Additive. (Photo provided) Asphalt pavement typically has a base and a binder, an intermediate layer and then a wearing layer. The plastic and asphalt mix functions as only the wearing layer of the roadway, going Condo explained the construction industry roadway pilot program will have a multi-year about 2 inches deep. has been interested in roads from the angle of performance evaluation to test the durabilStill, the ratio and type of plastic may cause including recycled products since the concept ity of the specific product used. Data is being a variety of issues with the durability and stiff- was first introduced in the early 2000s. shared with universities and associations, ness of the roadway. “Everyone thought it was a great project, which are using this information as well as “There’s a balance with asphalt in particu- but you have to get the industry to use it and their own to undertake tests to continue lar between a stiff mix that will stand up to afford it from a cost standpoint,” he explained. the development of products and to create the heavy traffic and won’t rut,” said Fannin. “We’re treating it as with any other product on standards. The PennDOT Strategic Recycling Program “Asphalt is referred to as a flexible pavement the market. It has to perform, and it has to be material, and if it becomes inflexible, it will effective. We’re trying to build this market is always looking for new things to recycle, fracture in a brittle way, and you don’t want because that is the only way we have found having tried wood, glass and concrete in asphalt that fractures brittlely. You want it to that this is going to be a sustainable practice.” the past, as it continues to seek affordable flex with the ground so that when freeze-thaw Like other pilot projects of similar latitude, and durable ways to use difficult-to-recycle happens, it goes with it.” the Ridley Creek State Park asphalt and plastic materials. MARCH 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 49
21_2760_The_Municipal_MAR Mod: December 15, 2021 10:19 AM Print: 01/03/22 1:52:42 PM page 1 v7
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Technology
The home of Purdue University, the city of West Lafayatte, Ind., sees its population swell in the fall, straining traffic. Through a smart city challenge, the city seeks solutions to improve traffic safety. (Shutterstock.com)
Challenge to stoke traffic solutions in West Lafayette By LAUREN CAGGIANO | The Municipal
In Indiana, the Innovation Partners Institute at the Purdue Research Foundation — together with partners — is looking for new solutions to a familiar problem via the West Lafayette Smart Cities Challenge. Purdue University in West Lafayette has about 50,000 students who descend on campus each fall. This means the population of the Midwest city doubles overnight. And that much growth over a few days’ time can spell trouble in terms of collisions between vehicles, pedestrians and people on other forms of transportation. This can be a recipe for injury or even death. This problem is on the radar of Erin Easter, director of development with the city of West Lafayette. So, when the Purdue Research Foundation contacted the city about coming up with a plan that they as a community could research, she and her team were all ears.
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They were connected with partner US Ignite, a high-tech nonprofit with a mission to accelerate the smart community movement. Its public-private partnership programs leverage advanced networking and data science to drive key outcomes for communities. Its work also enables new opportunities for wireless and IoT research designed to help narrow the gap between cutting-edge experimentation and scalable, real-world technology deployments. “So once we started having the conversation with US Ignite, we came up with a lot of ideas about potential research projects. But the one that we kept coming back to was this idea of keeping all of our citizens — our students and our visitors — safe. Purdue has a number
As the city of West Lafayette’s director of development, Erin Easter is focused on all elements of community growth and quality of place. (Photo provided)
Currently, 19 street cameras and sensors capture video analytics and sensor data in West Lafayette, Ind., around the Purdue University campus. (Map provided)
of successful athletic teams that draw a lot of people to the community. And we have a responsibility to them, just like we do with the rest of our citizens, to keep everyone safe while they’re here within our city.” “So, we opened the competition in September, and the first wave of The takeaway of the meeting of minds was they needed to find selection happened at the end of the year,” she said. “We just finaltechnology-based solutions that would serve to reduce the number ized it on Jan. 3, and we have three teams who are moving forward, of vulnerable road user impacts so people on foot, bikes or scooters exploring how they might be able to use our city data to explore how would be equally safe. In other words, it goes back to a key question: we can keep our guests and our citizens safe.” “What can we do with the tools that we already have, as a data point, According to Easter, there was a great amount of interest from the to reduce those traffic conflicts?” community in the competition. They had nine proposals total, and According to Easter, they’re partnering with Miovision — a devel- three were selected. oper of smart technology for cities — which has a beta test in the works “There’s a $15,000 kind of research incentive for them,” she said. involving a pedestrian detection system. Miovision’s technology helps “They can use it on materials and/or data — whatever they need to, cities sense and understand what’s happening at the intersection in to come up with a solution. And they will compete for the winning real time. project in the spring. They’ll use this time to test their theories and “We have them at all of our major intersections surrounding the come up with the process (based) on what the data is telling them, campus,” she said about this solution. “So, it’s a tool that’s ubiquitous, and then try to put it into practice to prove how their solution would to help us get an idea of potential conflicts and how many times this benefit the city.” For the third phase, one finalist will pilot its solution for the city of happens during a day to set some kind of a program or solution, which is what we’re really looking for — to reduce that number of conflicts.” West Lafayette and gain access to potential investors and a one-year Easter said they’re still seeking proposals from other parties. The membership to NT Convergence. West Lafayette Smart City Challenge welcomes proposals from any U.S. university-based faculty and/or student (graduate or undergrad- For more information about the competition, visit https://discovuate) teams; or U.S.-owned and -operated startups or businesses with eryparkdistrict.com/wlsmartcitychallenge-21. fewer than 25 employees. MARCH 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 53
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Municipal Management
Syracuse, N.Y., youth given career exploration opportunities through summer youth program
Syracuse youth play basketball. (Photo provided) By NICHOLETTE CARLSON | The Municipal
While the city of Syracuse, N.Y., has previously run a summer youth program for 16- to 18-year-old students to work for six weeks during the summer — many at city hall — a summer program for younger students was recently established as well in 2020. This summer fellows program was organized through the Allyn Foundation with the help of 32 different partner organizations. Ideally, the goal is for students to do the summer fellows program from age 13 to 16 and then continue on with the CNY Works program from age 16 to 18. The only requirement is that the participating children live in Syracuse and provide their age and address. Meg O’Connell, executive director of the Allyn Foundation, stated this summer fellows program was “piloted partly because that other traditional program that was run by CNY Works, the state didn’t release the funding.” Therefore, the summer youth program for older students run by CNY Works was unavailable during 2020, leaving a gap in employment opportunities for youth. The Allyn Foundation realized, due to a high level of poverty in the area, there are many children who are younger, around age 13 and 14, who need a way to keep busy during the summer and need to make money. Each participating youth was given a stipend for participating in the program. Students under age 14 were given $299, while those age 14 and over were given $599. This added incentive helps to keep the students engaged, and O’Connell noted, the program discovered many of the students used that money toward school supplies. The city of Syracuse, N.Y., was willing to use American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 funding to assist with forming the summer fellows 54 THE MUNICIPAL | MARCH 2022
program in collaboration with the Allyn Foundation and local youth organizations. Each program lasted between four to six weeks and had a different emphasis. For example, one program held through the Good Life Foundation focused on teaching the children entrepreneurship and had them come up with business plans. However, each program was required to teach financial literacy and provide mental health services. The most used financial literacy program was the Center for Financial Requirement where students learned how to budget and were able to go to a bank, set up their own bank account and begin to save their own money. Mental health services were also an important requirement in each of the programs. O’Connell stressed how speakers would come to talk to the youth about “mental health, self care and how they are dealing with Covid.” One goal was to teach students how to create a proper work-and-life balance. Some programs also did an hour of math and reading each day. While some students who participated in the program were also
in summer school, many of the youth in the programs still received additional educational benefits. The multitude of programs available give students flexibility while helping them to build work habits. Otherwise, each of the youth organizations could choose their own curriculum for the program and paid for their own staff to run the program. Each organization also received a $200 stipend per student to pay for supplies, transportation and other such necessities. “There were concerns there would be no opportunity for youth employment,” O’Connell mentioned. “What are we doing about these youth that are out of school and have no engagement opportunities?” The foundation raised $700,000 and ran both programs in 2021 for students from age 13 to 18. The plan is to run it again this summer as well through the foundation. In 2021, the summer fellows program partnered with 25 youth-serving organizations to provide programming and stipends for 781 youth. Of the 781 youth, 345 were age 10 to 13, and 436 were age 14 and up. The total ARPA funds used for the program were $662,710. However, O’Connell mentioned that the role of the Allyn Foundation is coordinating nonprofits, community engagement and community building. Therefore, the foundation is trying to determine whether to continue the summer fellows program after this year. The foundation is also focused on figuring out ways to do more things for students throughout the year. O’Connell is hoping that the city of Syracuse will see the value in the program and begin to fund the program, as the city has already committed to do this summer. “How do we make this part of some type of sustainable funding stream?” she asked. Since the county tends to have more money for operating expenses in support of organizations, it makes sense for the city to help fund the program. The Allyn Foundation did a pre- and post-program survey to show what students learned and what was most valuable about the program. “Many were incredibly grateful, as were their parents, that they were able to have this opportunity and receive this stipend,” O’Connell emphasized.
Youth in Syracuse, N.Y., play a game during summer. Several youth-related organizations have stepped up to ensure kids have plenty to do during the summer. (Photo provided)
In 2021, the summer fellows program partnered with 25 youth-serving organizations to provide programming and stipends for 781 youth. (Photo provided)
Through the summer fellows program, students under age 14 were given a stipend of $299, while those age 14 and over were given a $599 stipend. (Photo provided) MARCH 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 55
M
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.
MARCH March 1-4 Missouri Park & Recreation Association Conference & Expo University Plaza Hotel, Springfield, Mo. https://www.mopark.org/ conference March 2-5 NUCA Annual Convention & Exhibit Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort & Spa, San Antonio, Texas https://www.nuca.com/ convention March 6-9 Michigan Parks Conference & Trade Show Grand Traverse Resort & Spa, Acme, Mich. https://www.mparks.org/page/ Conference March 6-9 New Jersey Recreation & Park Association 47th Annual Conference Harrah’s Waterfront Conference Center, Atlantic City, N.J. https://www.njrpa.org/ March 7-10 Colorado Rural Water Association 41st Annual Conference Denver, Colo. http://www.crwa.net/events/ crwa-annual-conferenceexhibition/ March 8-11 Work Truck Week Indianapolis, Ind. www.worktruckweek.com March 8-11 California Park & Recreation Society Conference & Expo Sacramento, Calif. https://www.cprs.org/ education/conference
March 9-10 Healthy Worksite Summit Lynnwood, Wash. https://wacities.org/eventseducation March 9-11 IRWA Annual Spring Conference Riverside Hotel, Boise, Idaho https://www.idahoruralwater. com/Training/Conferences/ SpringConference.aspx March 10-12 Wisconsin State Firefighters Convention Hyatt Green Bay & KI Convention Center, Green Bay, Wis. https://www.wi-statefirefighters.org/convention-info. html March 13-15 BOAL Annual Conference L’Auberge Casino Hotel, Baton Rouge, La. https://www.lma.org March 13-16 South Carolina Environmental Conference Sheraton Myrtle Beach Convention Center Hotel, Myrtle Beach, S.C. https://www.scwaters.org/ events/Event March 13-17 International Fire Operations Conference & Exhibition Conference Kingdom of Saudi Arabia https://www.iafc.org/events/ upcoming-events March 14-16 NLC Congressional City Conference Washington, D.C. https://registration. experientevent.com/ March 14-16 Utah Recreation & Parks Association Annual Conference St. George, Utah https://urpa.wildapricot.org/ event
56 THE MUNICIPAL | MARCH 2022
March 14-16 Nebraska Rural Water Association Annual Conference Younes Center, Kearney, Neb. http://www.nerwa.org/AnnualConference.html March 15-16 MSTPA Annual Conference The Westin, Birmingham, Ala. https://mstpa.org/annualconference March 15-17 Missouri Rural Water Association Annual Conference St. Charles Convention Center, St. Charles, Mo. https://moruralwater.org/ annual-conference/ March 15-18 MRWA Annual Conference Soaring Eagle Resort, Mount Pleasant, Mich. https://www.mrwa.net/annualconference March 15-18 Wisconsin Rural Water Association Annual Conference La Crosse, Wis. https://www.wrwa.org/wrwaannual-technical-conference/ March 19-20 Michigan Municipal League Capital Conference Lansing, Mich. https://mmlfoundation.org/ see-you-at-capital-conference March 20-23 Alabama Rural Water Association 44th Annual Technical Training Conference Mobile Convention Center, Mobile, Ala. https://alruralwater.events/
March 21-24 Carolina Recycling Association 32nd Annual Conference & Trade Show Kingston Plantation, Myrtle Beach, S.C. https://www.cra-recycle. org/2022conf March 22-23 Massachusetts Recreation & Park Association State Conference & Trade Sea Crest Beach Hotel, North Falmouth, Mass. https://massrpa.org/annualconference/ March 22-24 Iowa Parks & Recreation Association Conference Dubuque, Iowa https://iapra.org/events/ March 22-24 Wildland-Urban Interface Conference Peppermill Resort, Reno, Nev. https://www.iafc.org/events/ event March 23-25 League of California Cities Publc Works Officers Institute Portola Hotel, Monterey, Calif. https://www.calcities.org/expos March 23-25 Montana Rural Water Systems 42nd Technical Conference & Exhitition Heritage Inn, Great Falls, Mont. https://mrws.org/conferences/ Mar. 24-25 Florida Association of Governmental Fleet Administrators Spring Event Daytona Beach, Fla. https://www.flagfa.org/ March 24-26 Mid-America Trucking Show Louisville, Ky. Rescheduled from Sept 2021 www.truckingshow.com
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Company Profile
Time is running out to cut carbon:
Achieve net-zero with biodiesel today ABOVE: City of Madison forestry dump truck in front of headquarters building. (Photo provided)
By Harper York | Optimus Technologies
M
ahanth Joishy, superintendent of fleet services for Madison, Wis., knows that the clock is ticking. The time to cut carbon from his fleet is now. In April 2021, Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway unveiled the Climate Forward agenda to guide all municipal operations in the city. Climate Forward has mandated that all Madison infrastructure and vehicles run on 100% renewable sources and be carbon neutral by 2030. It’s an aggressive and ambitious goal, but it’s also the level of commitment that is necessary to make a significant impact on climate change. The city of Madison strives to be an example to the region in every aspect, especially
58 THE MUNICIPAL | MARCH 2022
when it comes to leading the charge toward sustainability. While electrification presents a sustainable solution for light applications, every municipality across the country relies on heavy-duty vehicles for emergency response, refuse collection and snow removal. For these heavy applications, where routes can be long and duty cycles relentless, electrification just isn’t ready, and it certainly isn’t affordable. With the clock ticking and the need to act now, both for the environment and to meet municipal commitments, waiting for heavy-duty electric vehicles isn’t an option. Many cities aren’t sure what else they can do, but luckily, for the city of Madison, Joishy knows the solution: locally made, 100% renewable biodiesel.
Pairing that biodiesel with Optimus Technologies’ Vector System allows Madison to achieve net-zero with their heavy equipment while supporting the local economy. From Lake Mendota, right in the heart of Madison, travel north along the Yahara River to Deforest, where you will find REG Madison. Renewable Energy Group, North America’s largest biodiesel producer, has a biorefinery strategically located to utilize the abundant local feedstock for biodiesel. Made from used cooking oil, animal tallow, as well as Wisconsin soybean oil, REG produces an advanced biofuel from materials once regarded as garbage. Biodiesel offers an immediate, low-carbon solution to the
energy demands of heavy-duty vehicles and construction equipment. 100% biodiesel (B100) can reduce lifecycle carbon emissions by as much as 100%. During warmer months, Madison municipal vehicles already run on a 20% blend (B20) of biodiesel, but to achieve the mandate of 100% renewable, carbon neutral operations by 2030, Madison needed a way to go further and embrace the steep carbon reductions available by running B100 year-round. However, running B100 in frosty winter months presents operational challenges. Biodiesel gels at colder temperatures, and it can cause trouble with advanced emissions treatment equipment. But REG introduced Joishy and the Madison team to another company that has overcome both the cold-weather properties and the after-treatment difficulties associated with running B100. Across the country, in another city known for its waterways, Optimus Technologies has created The Vector System, a patented technology that enables diesel engines to operate on B100 regardless of how cold it gets outside. With integrated, automated controls that overcome problems associated with emissions systems, The Vector System offers municipalities like Madison the ability to leverage existing assets within their fleet and turn them into near-zero emissions vehicles. Based in Pittsburgh, Pa., nestled within the arms of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers, Optimus is showing the world that there is no need to wait for electrification when it comes to reducing carbon emissions in heavy-duty operations. With B100 and the Vector System, carbon reductions essential for mitigating environmental disasters are available immediately. Available as a retrofit, or on new vehicle builds with some OEMs, The Vector System enables fleets to reduce crush carbon on both current and future fleet vehicles. In January 2022, a team of Optimus engineers equipped 15 city of Madison vehicles with The Vector System. These vehicles ranged in function from refuse vehicles to snowplows to dump trucks. Later in the spring, Optimus will return to equip The Vector System on the city’s enormous wood chipper, an off-road piece of equipment that runs eight to 12 hours per day and can churn through sixty gallons of diesel an hour. When speaking about the confluence of benefits, Joishy sees B100 as a synergistic solution: “Biodiesel gives us the ability to
ABOVE: Two city of Madison refuse trucks mid Installation of The Vector System (Photo provided)
LEFT: City of Madison forestry dump truck in front of Madison Capitol Building (Photo provided)
immediately reduce the carbon emissions in our fleet. We love and promote electrification of smaller vehicles here in Madison, but the truth is, for these bigger vehicles that carry huge loads and run long hours, electrification just isn’t ready or widely available yet. Waiting isn’t an option. We must act now if we want to preserve our lakes and rivers for future generations. The Optimus Vector System offers a path forward that is available today. Climate Forward is about serving the environment, yes, but it’s also about serving the communities and people that we see every day. What could be better than reducing soot and carbon emissions from our garbage and dump trucks by using Wisconsin made REG biodiesel, made from
Wisconsin soybeans, grown by Wisconsin farmers? The goal is a renewable, sustainable circular economy that benefits our communities. That’s about as circular as you can get.” The clock is ticking. Each of us must act to preserve our climate. Optimus and REG have partnered with fleets from coast-to-coast, reducing millions of pounds of CO2 along the way. The shining example being set by Madison is one that every town can follow. Vital reductions in carbon are available today. The way to get there is easy, it’s affordable, and it may only be a river or stream away. For more information on how you can cut carbon today, visit optimustec.com/ madison. MARCH 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 59
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News & Notes New electric vehicles launching at Work Truck Week 2022 FARMINGTON HILLS, MICH. — Electric trucks, chassis, bodies and related equipment are among the new products launching at Work Truck Week 2022, North America’s largest work truck event. Work Truck Week is scheduled March 8-11, 2022, at Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Ind. Green Truck Summit is March 8. Education sessions run March 8-10, and the Work Truck Show exhibit hall is open March 9-11. New electric vehicles are the focus of many of the 27 press conferences scheduled for Work Truck Week. The Shyft Group will reveal an all-new electric vehicle on a purpose-built Class 3 chassis platform, along with a charging station and other elements of the product ecosystem. Bollinger Motors will launch new electric trucks, including Class 3-6 commercial platforms and chassis cabs. Morgan Truck Body will unveil its electric vehicle dry freight and refrigerated truck body concepts. Other companies announcing plans related to electrification include Legend Fleet Solutions, SEA Electric LLC, Vanair Manufacturing, Workhorse and ZF Group. “Work Truck Week is traditionally the launching pad for new commercial trucks, equipment and technology, so it’s natural that electrification — the hottest global vehicle trend — is a dominant theme this year,” said Steve Carey, NTEA president and CEO. “The industry is at an inflection point where we have traditional OEMs, most of whom have added electric vehicles to their lineups, and emerging dedicated electric vehicle manufacturers. As a result, more than 20 electric vehicle manufacturers are exhibiting alongside dozens of electrification upfitters, modifiers and component/equipment suppliers. This is a great example of how the work truck industry is constantly innovating to design more-efficient, cleaner vehicles that keep the world working.” Many exhibiting companies are showcasing new products ahead of Work Truck Week through the Product Gallery at wts22.mapyourshow.com. Register and create a WTW22 Planner for full access. For more information, including links to register and book hotel rooms, visit worktruckweek.com. Join the conversation at worktruckweek.com/getsocial.
News releases regarding personnel changes, other non-productrelated company changes, association news and awards are printed as space allows. Priority will be given to advertisers and affiliates. Releases not printed in the magazine can be found online at www.themunicipal.com. Call (800) 733–4111, ext. 2307, or email swright@the-papers.com.
62 THE MUNICIPAL | MARCH 2022
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Join the largest gathering of fleet professionals as NAFA’s Institute & Expo (I&E) heads to Columbus, OH on April 11–13, 2022. The lineup includes three action-packed days designed to provide you with the tools, resources, and education needed to maximize your fleet operations. APRIL 11–13 COLUMBUS, OH ■
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TOP 10 Most livable small cities in the U.S. What is your ideal living situation? According to SmartAsset, “Almost one in two Americans (48%, to be exact) prefer to live in a town or rural area, according to a 2020 Gallup survey — up from 39% in 2018. And while 27% still say that they want to live in a city, almost two-thirds of that group (16%) prefer a small city to a big one.” With remote job flourishing, more people can choose to live in their ideal city. For those looking for livable small cities, SmartAsset compared almost 300 cities with populations between 65,000 and 100,000 to identify and rank the most livable small cities in our 2021 study.
1. O’Fallon, Mo. 2. Oshkosh, Wis. 3. Sioux City, Iowa 4. Flower Mound, Texas 5. Eau Claire, Wis. 6. Lafayette, Ind. 7. St. Charles, Mo. 8. Ankeny, Iowa 9. Fishers, Ind. 10. Cheektowaga, N.Y. Source: https://smartasset.com/checking-account/ most-livable-small-cities-in-the-us-2021
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Advertiser Index A
K
Agile Fleet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover, 10-11
KM International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Air Netix LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 All Access Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Alumitank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
L Land Pride . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
American Shoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
M
Ampliroll Hooklift Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Mean Green Mowers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
B BendPak Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Bonnell Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BACK Buyers Products Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
C CleanFix North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Curbtender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Clearspan Fabric Structures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Connected Automotive Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36-37
E Edinburg Auction Sales, Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Elgin Sweeper Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Everblades Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
F FCAR Tech USA, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Fluid Control Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
G
Minimizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Monroe Truck Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
N NAFA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 National Construction Rentals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
O Optimus Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
S Stan Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Super Products LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Superior Signals Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Switch-N-Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
U Uline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Unique Paving Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
V
Global Environmental Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Visual Marking Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Greystone Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
VMAC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
GVM Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
W
H
Waytec Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Henderson Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Wisconsin Surplus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
This index is provided courtesy of the publisher, who assumes no liability for errors or omissions. MARCH 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 69
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