The Municipal - May 2022

The Premier Magazine For America’s Municipalities

May 2022

Building & Construction

INSIDE: Benefits of deconstruction Cities boost their downtowns Bolingbrook, IL Permit No. 1939

PAID PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE

www.themunicipal.com

College Station opens new city hall

Contents

May 2022

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VOL. 13 No. 2

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www.themunicipal.com

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Focus on Building & 32 18 Construction: Portland sees

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benefits of deconstruction

Public Safety: In an emergency, residential lockboxes allow access

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Focus on Building & Construction: The Grove at Towne Center brings downtown home for Snellville

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Water & Energy: Poughkeepsie receives $3.57 million to improve aging sewer infrastructure

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Focus on Building & Construction: Under construction: Naperville pursues project to boost its downtown

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Shutterstock photos

17 Focus on Building & Construction

Focus on Building & Construction: Ashe Street Courthouse embarks on its next venture Focus on Building & Construction: Stationed for progress: College Station opens new city hall

Municipal Management: Cities care for four-legged citizens with improved animal care ordinances and facilities Waste & Recycling: Cycling toward the circular economy

Parks & Environmental Services: Permanent parklets: Alexandria, Va., plans to keep pandemic pop-up parks

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May 2022

ON THE COVER With unforgiving freeze-thaw cycles, pothole repair can be a never-ending battle. KM International knows this all to well. This Michigan manufacturer offers up its expertise and knowledge to municipalities contemplating between in-house pothole repairs and contracting them. Learn more on page 10.

Building & Construction

INSIDE: Benefits of deconstruction Cities boost their downtowns College Station opens new city hall www.themunicipal.com

4 THE MUNICIPAL | MAY 2022

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Departments

Meet our Staff publisher RON BAUMGARTNER rbaumgartner@the-papers.com

8 Editor’s Note: The fluctuation continues

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

editor SARAH WRIGHT swright@the-papers.com

10 From the Cover: Why your pothole patching program is lagging and how to fix it

12 On The Road Again: Matchstick Marvels, Gladbrook, Iowa

14 What’s In A Name: Boring and 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

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

Zigzag, Ore.

40 City Profile: City of Berne,

connected to its Swiss roots

56 Conference Calendar 57 Product Spotlights 58 Holiday: Memorial Day Tribute 62 News & Notes 64 Public Works Week 66 Top 10: Best cities for active lifestyles

69

Advertiser Index

mail manager KHOEUN KHOEUTH kkhoeuth@the-papers.com

WWW.THEMUNICIPAL.COM PO Box 188 • 206 S. Main St., Milford, IN 46542 866-580-1138/Fax 800–886–3796 Editorial Ext. 2307; Advertising Ext. 2505, 2408 or 2489

6 THE MUNICIPAL | MAY 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.

MAY 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 7

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Editor’s Note

The fluctuation continues Sarah Wright | Editor

D

elays, shortages and labor Challenges — among other factors — continue to drive up the cost of construction across the nation. Much of this is still tied heavily into COVID and the sudden stop in production, which has still not been fully bridged, even as demands soar. The war in Ukraine has also impacted oil prices, further affecting costs.

Construction input prices increased 2.6% in February compared to the previous month, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index data released on March 15. The same analysis found nonresidential construction input prices rose 2.5% for the month.

In a press release, ABC chief economist Anirban Basu noted, “It will get worse before it gets better. Not only has Russia’s assault on democratic Ukraine created supply challenges in a number of categories, including oil and natural gas, but the reemergence of COVID-19 in parts of Asia and Europe is also poised to produce additional impacts. While many still expect commodity prices to decline later this year, the wait has been meaningfully extended by geopolitical conflicts and ongoing COVID-19 lockdowns.

“For contractors, this has the potential to put even more downward pressure on margins. It is likely that, as bid prices continue to soar, more project owners will choose to delay project starts. The current state of affairs also creates complications for public agencies considering when to start large-scale infrastructure projects.

It is a challenging time to begin such projects, given the

8 THE MUNICIPAL | MAY 2022

workforce shortages that remain and materials price inflation. Undoubtedly, some public administrators will decide to extend planning time, delaying project start dates.”

Faced with this, many municipalities have been forced to seek additional appropriations to see projects to their conclusions.

In this issue of The Municipal, we spotlight several building projects across the country, including the Grove at Towne Center in Snellville, Ga. The city has had the good fortune to dodge some of the labor shortages while launching this immense construction project that will bring about a downtown — something it has been without. Writer Beth Anne Brink-Cox spoke with Snellville City Manager Butch Sanders about this ambitious project.

Farther north, Johnson City, Tenn., is just embarking on a journey to satisfy a different community need — the creation of a business incubator — while repurposing a historic courthouse to do so. Writer Kevin Kilbane shares more about this project, which sees Johnson City work closely with Washington County.

Additional topics include cities pursuing deconstruction versus mechanical demolition; Naperville, Ill.’s downtown improvement strategy; and College Station, Texas’s, brand-new city hall and its future plans for greenspace and a visitor center.

Despite challenges with labor, shortages, and price hikes, municipalities seem keen to continue with their building projects; some just might include slight deviations from the original plans.

2022

Safety for All: BUILDING CODES IN ACTION Week 1:

Week 2:

Week 3:

Week 4:

May 1–8 Energy and Innovation

May 9–15 Building Safety Careers

May 16–22 Disaster Preparedness

May 23–31 Water Safety

www.buildingsafetymonth.org

#BuildingSafety365

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From The Cover

Why your pothole patching program is lagging and how to fix it

By MICHAEL BLAKE | Director of Marketing, KM International

Every March it seems like every news outlet, both national and local, runs frontline coverage of the self-proclaimed “pothole pandemic.” This puts departments of transportation, road commissions and local public works departments in the limelight as fresh attention is drawn to these municipal agencies and what they are doing to fill potholes efficiently and effectively.

As a Michigan manufacturer, KM International knows all too well the havoc the winter freeze-thaw cycle causes on road and highway systems. Potholes are everywhere, and unfortunately, most potholes filled on a Monday will reoccur again on Tuesday. Although pothole patching often falls under the job of a public works agencies’ duties, most agencies do not have the time, manpower, equipment or expertise to 10 THE MUNICIPAL | MAY 2022

make a long-term repair to these potholes.

The past two years have been specifically difficult with a severe labor shortage and a rising cost in asphalt material. So, the question then becomes do municipals keep pothole patching in house or do they bid it out to local asphalt contractors? Looking at this choice objectively, there are benefits and drawbacks to each option here.

ABOVE: An asphalt hotbox will maintain asphalt temperatures for up to two days.

(Photo provided)

To preface the following comparison, there are two important facts that, no matter your decision, need to be addressed. The first is the pothole repair process. The throw-and-go method used by 90% of municipalities will not be a long-term repair solution nor should it be thought of as the standard in the industry. What most municipals do not realize is that taking a couple extra minutes to prep the pothole by cleaning, drying and applying a tack coat, and then placing material and compacting it properly, will drastically increase your pothole patching success rate.

The second important factor is material selection and application temperature. Hotmix asphalt should not be applied under 275F

Proper preparation and compaction are vital to a successful pothole repair program. (Photo provided)

Having hotmix asphalt is essential for effective pothole repair.

(Photo provided) and really should be applied between 325-350F. Much of the time, municipalities patch out of the back of a pickup or dump truck, and the asphalt cools well under application temps before workers even get to their first repair area. Even if using a cold patch, that should be applied at 80F to 90F. Without acknowledging these two factors, a municipality’s pothole patching program is already doomed from the start.

Benefits and drawbacks of an internal pothole patching program: Benefits • Keep your crew’s busy year-round.

• Relatively low initial equipment investment cost.

• Ability to respond to citizen complaints and emergency repairs immediately.

Drawbacks • In all honesty, most people dislike working with asphalt, and it isn’t high on their priority list.

• Potential traffic danger to employees, especially in high traffic areas.

• If an employee is not familiar with asphalt and the process, then the repair will likely need to be repaired again in the future.

Benefits and drawbacks of contracting out your pothole patching program: Benefits • In the bid or service contract, you can specify the specifications as to how you want the repairs made following a more thorough process than throw and go.

• Free up labor and equipment resources to focus on other tasks.

• Assuming the contractor is doing a good job, this will ideally eliminate or reduce citizen complaints.

Drawbacks • In the long run, it may be slightly more expensive than keeping it in house.

• You are reliant on a contractor responding in a timely manner and addressing citizens’ concerns.

Regardless of which option is better suited for your organization, the repair process and material temperature are crucial to a successful program. If you choose to keep it in house, come up with a best practice guide sheet so even those who are unfamiliar with the pothole patching process at least have a guide to go from. And if you choose to bid out this type of work, clearly state that the potholes must be cleaned, dried and a tack coat applied before applying material and compacting. Additionally, as stated previously, the application temperature should also be clearly stated in an internal guidebook or bid specification. The application temperatures can be achieved in equipment such as an asphalt hotbox reclaimer.

As a manufacturer of asphalt maintenance equipment, we have seen each scenario successfully implemented in public works organizations across the country. At the end of the day, every municipality is different; therefore, there is not a definite right answer either way.

As a public works director or superintendent, you need to evaluate your internal organizational structure to determine what is a better choice for you, your staff and your citizens.

As a manufacturer in the asphalt maintenance industry, KM International is always willing to offer its expertise and knowledge to municipal agencies contemplating between these two options. KM International has a vase knowledge base on not only the equipment used in the pothole patching process but the actual process itself. KM International reps routinely speak at national and local municipal shows and conferences on the proper way to patch potholes and are always willing to share their experience with public works leaders.

For more information, visit www.kminternational.com.

MAY 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 11

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On The Road Again

Matchstick Marvels Gladbrook, Iowa

By RAY BALOGH | The Municipal

Sometimes numbers can spell words. And in Patrick Acton’s case, those words are “tireless passion.”

To put it simply, the Iowa artist has, for the past 44 years, created models out of matchsticks. A deep dive into his singular efforts, however, unearths a remarkable statistical narrative. Since 1977, Acton has built 75 precise scale models of buildings, ships, real and fictional space vehicles and fantasy recreations, many spanning more than 10 feet long, involving: • 8,679,000 2-inch matchsticks (and still counting, as Acton intends to unveil a new model in 2023), every one placed by his own two hands, and held together with: •M ore than 300 gallons of wood glue.

More than one-third of the models have been specifically commissioned by Ripley’s Believe It or Not! since 1994 and can be seen in their museums around the world, from Mexico City to Copenhagen, Denmark, to Sydney, Australia. His largest creation, that of a steampunk locomotive called “Plane Loco,” measures 22 feet long, 13 feet wide and 9 feet high, and can be seen at Ripley’s Time Square museum in New York City.

The humble Iowa farm boy has certainly come a long way since he “saw a television news story about a man who fashioned a model of his farmstead from ordinary wooden matchsticks,” according to his Gladbrook, Iowa, museum’s website, www.matchstickmarvels.com.

“Although Pat never forgot about this interesting story, it wasn’t until years later that he attempted building with matchsticks.

“Then in 1977, fresh out of college with no woodworking tools of his own, Acton built a small model of a country church. He used Ohio Blue Tip matches purchased at the grocery store, a bottle of school glue, a utility knife and a piece of sandpaper.”

He used 500 matchsticks on that inaugural project and continued building one or two models a year for the next decade, using several hundred to several thousand matchsticks for each. His wife, April, would help with the laborious chore of cutting the combustible ends off the matchsticks, but he glued every stick himself.

His work greatly accelerated in 1988 when he called Ohio Blue Tip and discovered he could purchase the matches without the sulfur tips.

Since then, his creations have averaged tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of individual sticks, and the “Plane Loco,” finished in 2015, boasts 1,029,000 pieces.

Another boost in productivity came with his invention of a technique for gluing sheets of matchsticks for use on the models. He found he could glue the matchsticks together on a base of plexiglass, let the 12 THE MUNICIPAL | MAY 2022

J.R.R. Tolkien’s City of Kings, Minas Tirith, was one of Acton’s largest models when he completed it in Februrary 2010. The seventiered city contained hundreds of buildings and required 420,000 matchsticks. Acton also used 24,000 small wooden blocks to construct Mount Mindolluin, which holds up the structure.

glue dry for a few days and peel up the intact sheet to be used like plywood for model substructures.

His former hobby, which he plied while serving as a professional career counselor in a nearby community college district for three decades, turned into more than a full-time job.

For example, his commissioned work of the new World Trade Center for Ripley’s took him 2,100 hours to complete. He started in July 2012 and finished March 28, 2013. That pencils out to a nonstop, no-vacation average of at least 54 hours a week. Several other projects have required similar unwaveringly steadfast time commitments.

Acton built an incredibly detailed matchstick model of the U.S.S. Midway in 1986, his second largest at the time in terms of the number of matchsticks used (16,000). Edward Meyer, vice president of exhibits and archives for Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, which has commissioned more than 20 of Acton’s projects, said, “Pat Acton is clearly the best matchstick model maker in North America.

Quality-wise and skill-wise, he’s the best in the world.”

His inventory of creations eventually outgrew his home and workshop, so the Gladbrook community established a museum for his models, more than 20 of which are on display at any time.

All the works are hallmarked with Acton’s stunning accuracy and attention to intricacy, and include: • Buildings, from his early models of a church and barn to a trio of country schools to the Iowa governor’s mansion, Notre Dame and Chartres cathedrals and the U.S. Capitol.

• Ships. His fleet includes Christopher Columbus’s Santa Maria, a sternwheel riverboat, Cutty Sark clipper ship, Robert E. Lee 19th Century steamboat, the U.S.S. Constitution, several aircraft carriers and the U.S.S. Iowa battleship.

• Land vehicles, such as bicycles, a stagecoach, Conestoga wagon, Freightliner flatbed tractor-trailer, several locomotives and a twothirds scale model of the 1970 Dodge Charger from the movie “Fast & Furious.”

• Aircraft and space vehicles, beginning to present, from the 1903 Wright Flyer to fighter aircraft to the International Space Station, and fictional spacecrafts U.S.S. Enterprise and Millennium Falcon.

• Gondor’s capital city, Minas Tirith, from J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” series, and Harry Potter’s Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

• Miscellaneous creative ventures, such as windmills and wind turbines, rocking chairs, college logo signs, cowboy, swimmer, angel, American bald eagle, brontosaurus and two-headed dragon.

The museum, located at 319 Second St., Gladbrook, Iowa, is open seasonally, from April 1 through Nov. 30, from 1-5 p.m. seven days a week except Easter and Thanksgiving. The cash-only admission is $5 for adults, $3 for ages 5-12 and free for children under 5.

For more information, call (641) 473-2410 or visit www.matchstickmarvels.com.

(Photos provided by The Matchstick Marvels Museum)

Acton’s recreation of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry took him nearly three years to complete. Prior to construction, he drew up technical drawings, built a cardboard scale model and watched several “Harry Potter” movies to capture the architectural evolution of the fictional institution. When he finished the project in November 2006, he had used 602,000 matchsticks and 24 gallons of wood glue.

The model of the Perseverance Mars rover is the actual size of NASA’s vehicle launched July 30, 2020, measuring 10 feet long, 9 feet high and 7 feet tall. Its construction required 880,000 matchsticks and 28 gallons of wood glue.

MAY 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 13

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What’s In A Name

Boring and Zigzag, Ore.

By RAY BALOGH | The Municipal What’s in a name? In the case of two Clackamas County, Ore., municipalities: not at all what it first appears.

The names of Boring and Zigzag really have nothing to do with their common meaning as applied to their culture, personality or geographical makeup.

The welcoming sign to Boring, Ore., packs in a lot of symbolism of industries and activities that belie its name. The town was actually named for its founder, not its atmosphere.

(Photo courtesy of www.boringoregon.com) BORING Boring is the namesake of William Harrison Boring (Feb. 26, 1841Dec. 1, 1932), whose life was hardly like what his surname implies. He served as a Union soldier during the American Civil War in the battalion that distinguished itself in the Siege of Vicksburg in the spring and summer of 1863.

The severe injuries he suffered to his face and throat prompted him to wear a beard for the rest of his life.

After his medical discharge from service, he and his wife, Sarah, left their home state of Illinois and traveled to Portland via San Francisco to meet his elder half-brother, who had traveled the Oregon Trail and settled a dozen miles east of Portland about 20 years before.

William and Sarah put down their roots on 160 acres of nearby land in 1874. He donated land for the settlement’s first schoolhouse, and the residents opted to name their community in his honor.

The community was officially plated in 1903 following the construction of an electric rail line by the Portland Railway, Light and Power Company, and became a major hub of the Pacific Northwest timber industry. Owing to its beneficial climate and soil, Boring also spawned a proliferation of plant nurseries, berry farms and other agricultural enterprises, many of which still operate today.

Boring remains an unincorporated community, its residents having spurned attempts to incorporate it as a village, town, city or other designation.

The community dubs itself — whether as a tongue-in-cheek witticism, a preemptive self-defense gesture or a prospective judo flip of anticipated negative press — “the most exciting place to live.”

On the other hand, furthering its ostensibly self-effacing moniker, Boring has twinned with two foreign sister cities, Dull, Scotland, and Bland, New South Wales, Australia, and uses those pairings in its tourist promotions.

14 THE MUNICIPAL | MAY 2022

Zig Zag Inn was built in 1927 and remains a community mainstay for the unincorporated area. (Photo provided

by Zig Zag Inn)

The municipality registered a population of 8,985 residents in the 2020 census and serves as a bedroom community for Portland, the state’s largest city.

For more information, visit www.boringcpo.org or www.boringoregon.com.

ZIGZAG Zigzag is an unincorporated community nestled within the Mount Hood Corridor, located along U.S. Route 26, with nary a zig or a zag in its streets.

It was named after the nearby Zigzag River, a tributary of the Sandy River, which in turn is a tributary of the Columbia River. The Zigzag River, though, is no more crooked or geographically meandering than other waterways in the area.

The zigzag concept that would provide the names of the river, community and a nearby glacier was actually first applied to a canyon and ravine near the timberline of Mount Hood, bestowed upon the geography by a party of pioneers in 1845.

One member, Joel Palmer, wrote of their experience crossing the ravine in his journal entry dated Oct. 11, 1845: “The manner of descending is to turn directly to the right, go zigzag for about one hundred years, then turn short round, and go zigzag until you come under the place where you started from; then to the right, and so on, until you reach the bottom.”

The expedition eventually explored around the perimeter of Mount Hood, and the next year another team member, Samuel K. Barlow, established Barlow Road, a toll road travelers could use instead of floating on rafts down the Columbia River.

The site of one of the toll gates, now a Forest Service campground, featured a post office to serve the community immediately to the west. The post office was established in February 1917 and in September 1918 officially adopted the name of Zigzag.

Notable Zigzag denizen William John Lenz built, along with other structures, the original Zigzag Inn in 1927 from hand-hewn logs. He also built wood furniture and was a hiker, guide, hunter, musician and storyteller.

In May 1933, Camp Zigzag, the state’s first Civilian Conservation Corps camp, was constructed and populated with reforesters, trail builders and construction workers who erected buildings at the U.S. Forest Service Zigzag Ranger Station, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

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$51,000

Community Development Block Grant received by Making a Difference, a youth support organization in Enid, Oklahoma, to move into a city-owned property. But after a year and half, Making a Difference hasn’t spent the grant because it’s still waiting for the city to finish renovating so the move can take place.

Visit https://www.enidnews.com/news/waiting-in-the-wingsyouth-program-at-standstill-as-city-continues-building-repairs/ article_8b297b70-95d1-11ec-ae0a-df5a4d3fb820.html

$2,500 to $3,000

By September 2015, the city of Portland, Ore., developed a grant program giving $2,500 to $3,000 in grant money to deconstruction projects that anyone involved could apply for.

focus on

Building & Construction 25% Rise in asphalt costs in the area surrounding Canal Winchester, Ohio, which recently awarded a nearly million-dollar contract for its street program for 2022.

Source: https://www.columbusmessenger.com/deputies-to-relocate-to-existing-municipalbuilding-plus-cw-pool-news-and-more.html Read more about deconstruction in Portland on page 18.

$2 billion Approximate cost of the Empire State Plaza, which began construction in 1962 in Albany, N.Y. Ninety-eight commercial and residential properties were seized via eminent domain for the landmark project.

Source: https://spectrumlocalnews.com/ nys/capital-region/community/2022/03/26/ albany-residents-reflect-on-neighborhood-60-years-after-eminent-domain

1,200 square feet College Station, Texas’s, new city hall features the 1,200-square-foot Bush 4141 Community Room, which can be reserved for a variety of functions.

For more about the new College Station City Hall, go to page 36.

95 and 105 years old Naperville, Ill., will be updating its downtown water mains, which are between 95 and 105 years old. This includes upsizing from 6-inch and 8-inch water mains to 12 inches.

Read more about Naperville’s downtown project on page 24.

$85 million The cost of Snellville, Ga.’s, The Grove at Towne Center project. Once complete, this project will give Snellville an official downtown area.

Learn more on page 28.

MAY 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 17

M Focus on: Building & Construction

Portland sees benefits of deconstruction

By DENISE FEDOROW | The Municipal

When it comes to enacting deconstruction policies, weighing the pros versus the cons and being able to share those with officials and residents is one key to success.

There are several benefits to deconstruction versus mechanical demolition. Environmental benefits, historical preservation and job creation are the big three, but cities that have enacted such policies admit deconstruction costs more and takes longer than mechanical demolition.

One city that has enacted a deconstruction policy successfully is Portland, Ore. Shawn Wood, construction waste specialist for the city of Portland, shared how its deconstruction ordinance came about.

Wood said around 2013-2014 the country was coming out of a recession, and the city saw a “sharp uptick in house demolition permits.” Most of Portland’s demolitions are driven by new development — knocking down a house and building a bigger one in its place. Around that same time, he conversed with a local nonprofit organization 18 THE MUNICIPAL | MAY 2022

that was doing deconstruction “way before our ordinance was in place and were selling materials.”

He said they began thinking about how they could level the playing field for deconstruction.

“It’s a hard sell when deconstruction costs more and takes longer,” he said. “But the outcome is much better.”

Also, around that same time, the city was receiving complaints and concerns from neighborhood groups who were asking the city to halt demolitions and preserve the modest housing. Unlike cities like Baltimore and Milwaukee, many of Portland’s demolitions were private and were knocking down modest 1,200- to 1,400-square-foot homes and replacing them with 3,000-square-foot homes that were valued at $1 million versus the previous value of $350,000 for example.

Stacks of “old growth lumber,” a valuable commodity in deconstruction, wait to be purchased at a salvaged material market in Portland, Ore. (Photo provided by Good Wood Deconstruction & Salvage)

“Huge McMansions were going up towering over the tiny homes next door,” Wood said, adding in 2014 someone could walk in to the permit division and get a permit over the counter and have the house razed within a couple of hours.

“Imagine coming home from work, and the house next door is gone and there’s asbestos and lead dust all over your garden, your pets and (your) kids’ toys,” he said.

The neighborhood groups went to the city council asking that the permit bureau shore up the system requiring notification of neighbors. That resulted in delays of demolition as everyone worked through this process.

Neighborhood groups kept pressuring the council to expand notification and advance deconstruction. The council told the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, where Wood

Signage promoting deconstruction is posted on a site in Portland, Ore. Portland said having signage explaining the project helps residents understand why the building might take longer to come down and spreads awareness of the process. (Photo provided by Northwest Deconstruction Specialist)

works, to form an advisory group and come back to the council with a recommendation in three months.

Wood said he felt that was a “pivotal moment moving this forward.”

A deconstruction advisory group was formed including Rebuild — the nonprofit group — for-profit deconstruction companies, Habitat for Humanity, homebuilders, developers, representatives from the permitting bureau, and historic preservation and neighborhood groups.

“Everyone we could think of we brought to the table,” Wood said.

By June, the advisory group brought a proposal to the city council to start giving voluntary incentives for deconstruction and requirements phased in over time. By September 2015, the city developed a grant program giving $2,500 to $3,000 in grant money to deconstruction projects that anyone involved could apply for.

“In return, we got a bunch of information: how much it costs versus mechanical, how many crew hours it took, what happens if they run into unabated asbestos. It became a proving ground for elements that were later in requirements,” he said.

Some of those elements included keeping receipts for materials sold and having yard signage promoting deconstruction. The advisory group continued meeting monthly, and in 2016, members discussed the possibility of a demolition tax — $25,000 a year on a number of demolitions.

“If we were going that route, I wanted a lower tax for deconstruction projects and maybe a rebate,” he said.

But Wood said the homebuilder’s associations fought back on that and the conversation only lasted three weeks. The advisory group continued meeting to determine what a deconstruction ordinance

Pictured are cladding profiles of salvaged lumber from Portland, Ore. (Photo provided by Good Wood Deconstruction and Salvage)

would look like so everyone was back at the table. Members decided to have a requirement based on the year the structure was built.

“That was another aha moment,” Wood said.

The advisory group looked at the demolition permits, and from that, it knew that structures built in 1916 or before routinely captured one-third of house permits.

“Setting the threshold at 1916, we knew we’d capture one-third of the demolitions. Everyone agreed that was a reasonable first step,” he said.

The neighborhood groups wanted everything to be deconstructed, but those that sold the materials said they wouldn’t be able to handle it and costs would go down. Wood said members wanted to start off balanced and not overwhelm anyone. The neighborhood groups relented, but with a caveat that the ordinance would include the year built requirement be raised to 1940 in three years.

Everyone agreed, and the council adopted the resolution in February 2016, followed by the ordinance in July that was effective Oct. 31, 2016. Wood said everything was moving along fine, and the city knew if it moved the year built to 1940, it would capture two-thirds of the demolitions, potentially doubling the amount to be deconstructed.

But in 2018, he said, “It became clear demolition permits had peaked in 2016 and were starting to go down.”

Wood became concerned whether there’d be enough demand for the materials so they wouldn’t eventually end up in the landfill. Wood said a whole infrastructure had been built because of the ordinance — new deconstruction companies formed, new retailers developed to sell materials and lines of furniture had been developed using salvaged materials. The city was supporting workforce training, etc.

MAY 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 19

continued from page 19

A deconstruction worker de-nails lumber on a project in Portland, Ore. Removing the nails makes the lumber more saleable. Portland has a successful deconstruction program where two-thirds of the city’s demolition projects are conducted through deconstruction.

(Photo provided by Northwest Deconstruction Specialist)

But when he looked at the demolition permits, he realized Portland would have the same level of demolitions because there were fewer projects. In 2020, the city raised the year built to 1940, missing the 2019 caveat by one month.

“That’s where we are today, capturing twothirds, and it’s no longer an oddball way of doing demolitions, it’s become the primary way,” Wood said.

In fact, he said they’re seeing voluntary deconstruction projects of homes built in the 1950s and 1960s. The upside is the cost of deconstruction has gone down over the five years, and the cost of mechanical demolition has gone up. Portland went from two companies doing deconstruction to 15 to 16 certified companies doing the work, with a half dozen doing the majority of the projects. Some of those companies have opened their own retail showrooms to sell salvaged materials, and some have become one-stop contractors by getting hazardous material removal certified and acquiring heavy machinery to remove the concrete and foundation.

20 THE MUNICIPAL | MAY 2022

Wood said the neighborhood groups really recognized the benefits of the way hazardous materials were handled in deconstruction projects. If hidden asbestos was found, contractors stopped work and called in hazardous materials abatement companies to remove it. He said that didn’t happen in mechanical deconstruction — the excavator allows asbestos and lead dust to go everywhere.

So the neighborhood groups went back to the council, saying if the city wasn’t going to require every demolition be done through deconstruction, they wanted more stringent requirements on mechanical demolitions.

In 2018, new regulations went into effect.

Contractors have to hand remove any painted material that is not structural — doors, trim, siding and deck railing. They also have to wet down the structure. Both things require additional staff, causing costs to rise. That’s created a level playing field, and both types of demolition can bid on projects, according to Wood.

He said deconstruction should cost more because it does a much better job from a health standpoint and an environmental

standpoint. Wood said lead dust can travel 400 feet before settling, and he just testified to the Environmental Protection Agency asking them to consider demolition a source of lead.

Wood said the key for making this work is there has to be a demand and a market for the material and that varies by location. In Portland, the old growth wood drives the industry, and “Stumptown” was Portland’s nickname because when it was first developed, there were stumps everywhere.

Wood said even though, “the hardest thing I ever did was getting this ordinance passed, it was relatively easy compared to other places.”

That was because Portland already had pieces in place — it had retail outlets selling materials and it is part of Portland’s design.

“Portland prides itself on recycling and thrift stores. One of the deconstruction contractors said, ‘We recycle bottles but throw away our houses.’”

You can see the salvaged materials in bars and restaurants in the city, and Wood believes they’ll see that being more of a focus because salvaged materials have less of an impact on the environment. He said processing metals and virgin wood uses a lot of energy and releases carbon in the air. He said two elements are needed for the salvaged materials: for-profit retailers for higher value materials and nonprofits for reusing smaller valued items like doors, fixtures, etc.

Wood said there needs to be a champion on the council or the mayor to take on the pushback that it costs more, but added if a duplex or multi-unit apartment goes up in its place, that cost is negligible.

Wood advised if a city doesn’t already have a green or climate action plan, to create one as it lays the groundwork for deconstruction.

He mentioned that the city of San Francisco is approaching deconstruction differently — it is first creating the market for the salvaged material, then will seek deconstruction.

“Don’t go full throttle — start off with incentives, learn about it, promote it with signage, make sure your ecosystem is up for the task (of storing and selling materials) and raise requirements over time. That’s what worked for us,” Wood said. “In a perfect world, you’d have a deconstruction ordinance and a complimentary policy requiring or incentivizing the use of salvaged materials in new construction. That’d be perfect.”

Not just a West Coast trend:

Further case studies for deconstruction

Deconstruction has found fans across the U.S. and is not limited to the West Coast. However, there’s no one-shoe-fits approach for communities to adopt. Milwaukee, Wis., and Baltimore, Md., are two such cities that have welcomed deconstruction, though are taking different approaches.

Milwaukee, Wis. In the city of Milwaukee, Alderman Robert Bauman championed a deconstruction ordinance for the city in 2017.

Bauman said his interest was spurred because he’s “a strong advocate for historical preservation,” but he saw three benefits in deconstruction.

“Our ordinance applied to one- to two-family homes built in 1929 or earlier,” he said, noting it provides the city with the ability to capture the old growth lumber while avoiding waste. “We’re putting good wood in the landfill and cutting down more trees.”

It was also a significant job creator, according to Bauman, at a seven-one ratio.

“In man-hours, it’s 640 man-hours versus 38 for mechanical demolition, and it created entry-level jobs for inner-city folks,” Bauman said.

“In theory, it’s great — in practice, there were lots of problems.”

Chris Kraco, condemnation supervisor in the Department of Neighborhood Services, and Commissioner of the Department of Neighborhood Services Erica Roberts spoke to those issues.

Kraco said the city had piloted deconstruction as far back as 2010.

“We sent out the first requests for proposals in 2010 and awarded one contract. Initially, we had a couple of individuals and contractors pushing us a little to try it — we were interested in seeing if it could be done with the cost factor. We did a few projects as pilots to see how it would go. The alderman was an avid proponent — he sees the value in reclaiming the lumber.”

The ordinance went into effect in January 2017, and a little more than a year later, it was put on hold and is still on hold — “while we figure things out,” Kraco said.

Roberts added it’s on hold while the city irons out issues of getting the buildings down in a reasonable time frame while trying to grow the program. According to the ordinance, the deconstruction requirement of the ordinance is on hold until March 1, 2023.

Kraco said one problem Milwaukee has encountered is a shortage of contractors who do deconstruction. “We have a couple of contractors who primarily do deconstruction and sell a lot of material to a variety of independent contractors and businesses. If the material is not saleable, they ground it up into mulch.”

The ordinance requires 80% to 85% of the waste to be repurposed or reused — concrete not included. It also requires 40% of the labor force needs to be residents of the city, and a small business requirement of 25% of the contract be awarded to local small businesses.

A deconstruction project is shown in progress in the city of Milwaukee. The city has had some challenges enacting its deconstruction policy, but still bids out several projects a year to be deconstructed. (Photo provided)

These requirements create a challenge for some deconstruction contractors. According to Roberts, “There are too many unsafe buildings left standing and not enough vendors.”

Mechanical demolition takes about two to three days, while deconstruction takes one to three weeks, depending on the size of the building.

“We suspended the ordinance initially to try to figure out a better way to make the ordinance work,” Kraco said.

Bauman said, “Initially, they wanted us to repeal it, but we didn’t — it’s been on hold for four years.”

Despite the ordinance being on hold, the city is still bidding out deconstruction projects. Kraco said, “We just finished up a contract with up to 10 parcels, and we’re partially through reviewing a request for proposal for 10 more. Because of the overhead, it’s easier for contractors to get a volume of properties.” He added it’s easier to bond five to 10 parcels versus 50, for example.

Alderman Bauman, though frustrated, recognizes contractors don’t want to comply with the hiring city workers and small business requirements of the ordinance.

When asked if that was negotiable, he responded: “Those are politically sensitive issues. The job creation aspect helps MAY 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 21

continued from page 21

Stacks of old growth lumber are shown here on a Milwaukee, Wis., deconstruction project. The opportunity to reclaim and salvage this lumber is one reason Alderman Bauman championed a deconstruction ordinance in Milwaukee. (Photo provided)

inner city — typically young people of color — enter or reenter the workforce, and the job creation was a major driver of the ordinance.”

Bauman said there also needs to be a “steady supply” of salvaged materials for retailers to resell — if there’s 10 this year and none next, they’re not going to be willing to stock it.

Baltimore, Md. Baltimore has been doing deconstruction without an ordinance for six years. Jason Hessler, deputy commissioner of permits and litigation for the city of Baltimore, said a nonprofit organization approached the city in 2014 about deconstruction.

The nonprofit, Humanim, has several branches, including one called Details, which does deconstruction, and another called Bricks and Boards, which sells salvaged materials. The city worked with them for a year as a pilot and then approved a deconstruction contract for five years — that ended in 2020.

Hessler expressed some of the same benefits that Portland and Milwaukee officials shared — being able to salvage materials, reducing items going to the landfill and the fact that it was a jobs program.

“And it was a great story. It was improving the community, with those who lived in the community trying to give back to the community and protecting the community while, at the same time, reducing vacant (properties) and not adding to the waste stream,” Hessler said.

Baltimore has the challenge of row housing. There might be a row of 10 attached houses, and five of them are coming down, which requires “wall work” to protect and shore up the exposed wall that was never intended to be an exterior wall. There’s also the potential for three of those five houses to have the roof missing. The house might have been sitting there roofless for years, so the wood and any material inside are useless; only the exterior bricks are salvageable. Workers sometimes run into situations where they can only deconstruct three of the homes and the other two must be done mechanically.

For Baltimore, the major items of value for resale are bricks — and depending on the quality, floorboards, some metals and marble are other possibilities.

“Baltimore is famous for our marble steps,” he said.

22 THE MUNICIPAL | MAY 2022

Employees from Details, a division of the Baltimore-based social enterprise company, Humanim, deconstruct a home in Baltimore City. Baltimore had a five-year contract with Details for deconstruction and is in the process of preparing a new contract to send out for bid. (Photo provided by Jenny Braudaway, Humanim)

In fact, city hall is undergoing restoration, and the exterior is marble.

Hessler said the city couldn’t find matching marble, so he was contacted about whether there were marble steps in town they could salvage. Hessler connected city officials with properties about to be deconstructed, and they reclaimed the marble to use in city hall’s restoration.

Some demolitions are emergency demolitions where the building is unsafe. Sometimes, there was a fire and nothing would be salvageable. But for planned demolitions, where it makes sense, the city favors deconstructions.

Hessler said the city is preparing to put a new deconstruction contract out, and it has seen interest. Baltimore is also looking at a stabilization contract at the same time. He explained the city has about 20 houses a year that it stabilizes by cleaning them out and putting a new roof on, making them more desirable. He said about 70% of the city’s demolitions are privately owned, but if the property owner doesn’t pay for the demolition, the city will put a lien on the property.

As for an ordinance, Hessler said a nonprofit agency is working with a council member to draft one, but it hasn’t been introduced yet so he’ll have to see what it looks like. One thing Hessler was impressed by is the fact that they point out the need to have a secondary market for the salvaged materials and to offer some sort of incentive for rehabbed and new construction to use salvaged materials instead of new.

Hessler said he’s “very much in support” of deconstruction, adding it fits with the city’s green building and green infrastructure plans. The city has grants to help keep seniors in their homes as long as possible by helping to maintain the home. The council has put a requirement to put “white roofs” on the houses the city stabilizes — during this process, workers put a white surface over the black tar roof to reflect the heat off the roof as an energy saver.

All of these officials believe deconstructions benefits are worth the challenges and the extra costs. They all advised doing research and ensuring there is a market for the salvaged materials and having champions for the cause.

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M Focus on: Building & Construction

Under construction: Naperville pursues project to boost its downtown

By MICHELLE BLOUNT | The Municipal

The city of Naperville, Ill.’s, transportation, engineering and development department and the Downtown Naperville Alliance have begun a five-phase plan that will give Naperville’s downtown area an update. Included updates will improve accessibility and safety in the area while making it easier to maneuver downtown by widening sidewalks for pedestrians. The city will also give the entire area a cosmetic upgrade with new landscaping.

Bill Novack, director of TED, discussed how in the 1970s Naperville had a cute and successful downtown area, but during that time, a regional shopping mall was built on the outskirts of town, and Naperville’s city council and downtown businesses were 24 THE MUNICIPAL | MAY 2022

scared that everyone would start going to the mall and not visit the downtown area.

Novack said a Naperville group got together and constructed an urban plan and made streetscape improvements, which was great for its time.

ABOVE: Downtown Naperville’s last major improvement occurred in ’70s and early ’80s. It is currently undergoing construction that will improve accessibility and safety in the area. (Jacob Boomsma/ Shutterstock.com)

“You have streetscapes from the ’70s and early ’80s, well, you fast-forward to 2020, and it’s pretty worn, and it’s looking bad,” Novack said, adding, “Our public works department has done a great job keeping it together.”

The timing for streetscape improvements began when a downtown property owner

Signage in downtown Naperville, Ill., highlights the fruits that construction will bring, featuring a rendering of the finished project. This approach was taken to cushion the annoyance of construction and encourage visitors to continue to support local businesses through the process. (Photo provided) approached the DNA and TED with a plan and told them he would finance or pay for all the streetscape improvements. “We looked at it, and it was a good plan,” Novack said. Part of the design would remove the current angled parking and replace it with parallel so the sidewalks could be widened.

The largest part of the project will be the city’s replacement of water mains. Novack stated that the water mains are 95 and 105 years old, and it was time for replacement and an upsize from 6-inch and 8-inch water mains to 12 inches. One water main will get a liner because there isn’t enough room to fit a new one.

The city and downtown businesses agreed the city would pay for the improvements upfront, with the business owners agreeing to pay 40% of the cost over the next 15 years.

No one is a fan of construction. It impedes movement through areas and makes it difficult to reach destinations. Danielle Tufano, executive director of the Downtown Naperville Alliance, helped Novack and the planning team develop ideas to make the construction more palatable to the community. She said many different creative and talented entities came together to create public relations and marketing tactics to help the community see the construction positively.

Tufano said when the community looks ahead to the fall, when the work is finished, “We’re all going to very much enjoy the product that we’re left with. It’s just getting through these couple of months.”

Businesses will remain open and accessible, but construction can be off-putting. Tufano went before Naperville’s city council and requested marketing funds to be set aside specifically for marketing the businesses along the construction route. Tufano said those funds could be directed toward “signage, television commercials,

Utility work is done on Main Street for the first phase of Naperville’s five-phase plan to improve the city’s downtown area.

(Photo provided) print ads or digital advertising.” She added the main thing all parties tried to keep in mind is “letting people know that we have this wonderful project that we’re working on that we can all benefit from in the fall of 2022.” She went on to say, “We do recognize that for people heading to our downtown and for people trying to shop or dine along these businesses on the construction route, it is quite an inconvenience.”

Tufano and the team’s first push was with signage that got the word out that downtown businesses are open. She had renderings made onto vinyl window clings to put up in storefronts to show Naperville citizens how their new downtown would look after construction. “Here’s what it looks like right now, and here’s what it’s going to look like in a couple of months,” Tufano stated.

The city has made the construction zone engaging with signage and banners. Relatively inexpensive arrow decals also line the sidewalk, letting downtown visitors know how to get to a business.

According to Tufano, they’ve also made the area more engaging for families. She stated they noticed families would show up and let their kids stand on the sidewalk and watch the construction workers. This sparked the idea to work with a local sign company to create viewing windows throughout the construction zone. These will make the activity safer for people and allow them to watch the project’s progress. The windows will be made of a 6-foot-by-4-foot acrylic partition to protect people from any small flying debris and dust.

Tufano said the key to making this project run smoothly is communication. Communication with coworkers, other departments and, of course, the community.

The second phase of the plan will start mid-May.

MAY 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 25

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M Focus on: Building & Construction

The Grove at Towne Center brings downtown home for Snellville

By BETH ANNE BRINK-COX | The Municipal

The phrase “small Southern town” rolls easily from the tongue, and that leads to mental pictures of downtown streets with little mom-andpop stores that have served many generations. But that’s often more Hollywood — or at least Mayberry — than the actual reality. Snellville, Ga., is mixing it all up with an $85 million, 18-acre project: creating a downtown.

Butch Sanders, Snellville city manager, said that’s right, because “Snellville has never really had a downtown. This project has been in the works/thought processes of the mayor and the city council for 20 years. Originally, Snellville was simply a crossroads of Highway 78 and Highway 124. There was a church, a post office, a general store that was finished in 1883, but that was about it.”

Beginning in 2003, there have been many locals and experts involved in brainstorming and researching as the design evolved.

“With focus groups, I’d say we had somewhere between 400 and 500 people. Later, we had two town hall meetings that were attended by 200, 300 people, and it was all positive,” said Sanders. “We had a vision, of course, not exactly how it would look, but that’s why we wanted a lot of input, and we got it.”

So what exactly is involved in this massive project? “Our final design incorporated everything we wanted,” Sanders explained, 28 THE MUNICIPAL | MAY 2022

This sign proudly marries Snellville’s past with its present and future. (Photo provided

by Snellville, Ga.)

adding, “There will be a large parking deck, wrapped with 200 multifamily apartments.

Gwinnett County is working with us to build the two-story Elizabeth Williams Public Library, with books on the ground floor and business education space on the second floor. College classes, you know.”

There is also a lot of interest in coworking space, which is a fast-growing trend that is here to stay; the details for that are still being worked out, and this is expected to be a boon for startups and young entrepreneurs.

Sanders said, “Very important in this finished design was a municipal market, with space beside the library. The Hall at the

Grove will be chef driven — and it’s nonfood chain — with nine different restaurants and menus. Think of a food court, but more upscale. It will be a beautiful and relaxing atmosphere with table seating and your order brought to you, rather than ordering at a counter and then searching for a table.

This is a wonderful way for chefs who are just starting out, less risky than brick-andmortar locations and more economical because of it. There’s much less overhead.

It’s a unique concept for a tenant. Eventually, they’ll outgrow this location and move on up, with others taking over.”

When that happens, the chefs will already be well known and have their own reputation to make it easier starting their own restaurant.

Adding to the planned ambience is a social bar area.

Sanders is especially looking forward to the event space in The Grove, a little less than an acre when completed. “We’ve never had this kind of space, and it will be nice to have. There will be a really neat pavilion for concert performances, and a beautiful fountain with a really cool mosaic design. The fountain will have a lower level just for dogs to drink from when you’re walking them. We’ll be able to showcase local talents, as well as Snellville tourism and trade. The calendar is already filled with everything from beach glass to concerts to Food Truck Fridays!” With so much space at their disposal, the possibilities are endless and eagerly anticipated.

The name chosen, The Grove, was very important, historically, to Snellville. “We were known in the 19th and 20th centuries for agriculture, and we wanted to remember and honor and build on the past.

We have 300-year-old trees that will line the park, and an arborist tends to them regularly. We also work closely with the historical society; they will have office space above the library,” explained Sanders.

He added, “This isn’t like an outdoor mall. It’s a real town center where people can live and work and play. We will have more retail office space on the east side of the complex and will also incorporate more residential housing. A lot of empty nesters are hoping for condos. It’s very important that we meet all the demands and needs of the town. We look at this as a gathering place, with

ABOVE: This site plan gives a grand overview of the final rendition of Snellville, Ga.’s proposed The Grove at Towne Center project.

(Photo provided by Snellville, Ga.)

The Grove at Towne Center is no longer simply an architect’s rendition. The reality is better than could have been imagined just a few years ago. (Photo provided by Snellville, Ga.)

MAY 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 29

continued from page 29

employment options as well, and it’s a focal point for the entire community.”

The cost — $85 million — is, of course, no small piece of change.

How was it funded? Sanders said there were several sources. “Sales tax and bonds, both taxable and non-taxable, for the parking deck and market. We also have general funds available, and the good news is that we won’t have to use our general fund balance.”

Sanders further explained that there is a phase one and a phase two for this enormous project. “We had hoped phase one would attract the private sector, and it has. Across the street will be phase two; it will be sold in the next month or two, and it will be a positive thing for the community. It has spurred interest in residential and commercial developments — definitely a positive reaction! Phase two will feature, among other things, real grass, not artificial turf, and there will be a walking trail, a splash pad and kiosks where games can be played, pretty much something for everyone. We just want to provide a great gathering place.”

And some of the music will celebrate diversity by showcasing different countries and their sounds; expected will be African music and Jamaican reggae, just to name two.

It’s always a positive to see historical details from previous buildings incorporated into new designs whenever possible, and The Grove at Towne Center will be no exception to this tradition. Georgia is known for its granite — think Stone Mountain — and the main park will have a lot of it featured from earlier days, such as cornerstones, walkways and benches.

30 THE MUNICIPAL | MAY 2022

A major asset to the new downtown is this planned parking deck; it will be a change from the old days of metered street parking.

(Photo provided by Snellville, Ga.) “And we will bury a time capsule! The council is very cognizant of history. The historical society will be working with us to develop the best program benefiting them as well as the city,” said Sanders.

That very element of granite slowed down some of the early construction; pouring footing was complicated when more granite was discovered than expected in some of the targeted areas.

Sanders explained, “It only put us behind 30 to 45 days. We had expected to be completed by November or December (2022), just in time for the holiday season. Now it looks to be January 2023, and that’s a great way to beat the after-holiday blues, right?”

The library was delayed, too, which actually ended up benefiting the project’s finances, as materials didn’t have to be ordered during the height of pricing due to the pandemic and shipping issues. “We saved a lot of money just by having more time added to our projection. But we’ve been lucky that we’ve experienced no labor shortage; our contractors have done a great job. We just feel like we’ve been very fortunate. Our timing has been pretty darn good,” said Sanders.

Ultimately, the goal for properties adjacent to this Towne Center is to see further development of housing and businesses in the surrounding areas, including hotels and other attractions that will draw locals and tourists alike to the beautiful heart of Snellville — downtown at last.

M Focus on: Building & Construction

Ashe Street Courthouse embarks on its

By KEVIN KILBANE | The Municipal

The Ashe Street Courthouse has filled several important roles in Johnson City, Tenn., since its completion in 1910: federal bank and post office from 1910 to 1937; Washington County Courthouse from 1940 to 1985; and 911 emergency call center from the late 1980s through 2017.

City officials now plan to prepare the Beaux-Arts-style architectural gem for a new role as an incubator and accelerator site for healthrelated businesses.

“We’re hoping this space can be used for additional support for those startup businesses and entrepreneurs,” said Bob Cantler, president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce serving Johnson City, Jonesborough and Washington County.

The project, which should be completed by January 2023 or earlier, started with the goal of preserving the building, which became vacant in 2017, said Randy Trivette, assistant city manager for Johnson City, a community of more than 70,000 people tucked in a valley in the Appalachian Mountains in northeast Tennessee.

“The architecture of the building is really, really amazing, and just with the time frame of when it was built and it still has held up as well as it has on the exterior,” Trivette said. “It just needs a little tender 32 THE MUNICIPAL | MAY 2022

loving care.” This includes cleaning and some repairs to bricks and ornate cornices decorating the exterior.

The brick building, which stands downtown at Ashe and Earnest streets, originally was known as the Johnson City Postal Savings Bank and Post Office, according to the application to place the building on the National Register of Historic Places, which was written by the Heritage Alliance of adjacent Jonesborough, Tenn. The two-story structure, which was added to the National Register in late 2020, was the first federal building constructed in Johnson City, the National Register application said. Its location, near three railroad stations and the business district, made it a hub of communications and business for northeast Tennessee.

For the planned renovation, the city partnered with Washington County, which owns the building, and the state of Tennessee. State officials approved $5 million for the work, with a request the building

LEFT: This architectural rendering shows a possible design for the west side of the Ashe Street Courthouse, which would feature a new entrance area and a tower containing a secondary staircase and an elevator that would make the two-story building accessible for people with disabilities. (Photo provided by the city of Johnson City, Tenn.)

next venture provide space to start and grow health-related businesses. The state funding should cover all project costs, Trivette said.

“We’ve worked out an agreement with the county to do this renovation on the building,” he said. “And then the county and the city also are negotiating and working out some type of agreement now where they may deed it to us or give us a long-term lease so that, after the renovation, we’ll maintain the building and keep up the maintenance on it.”

They also are seeking input from residents, businesses and other stakeholders before deciding on final design plans, which must be approved by the city’s Historic Commission.

The planned renovation will address several needs: • Repair water damage from roof leakage.

• Construct a tower containing an elevator and secondary staircase to make the building accessible for people with disabilities.

• Replace electrical, plumbing, heating and air-conditioning systems and install cables for modern communications systems.

• Create an interior space for public use and smaller spaces for business startups.

“I would say the biggest challenge is all the electrical is going to have to be completely upgraded to new code-compliant material, all the plumbing is going to have to be completely torn out and updated to code-compliant material, and then the HVAC — the heating

The west side of the historic Ashe Street Courthouse in Johnson City, Tenn., includes additions that likely would be removed as part of a planned $5 million project to renovate the building into incubator and accelerator space for health-related businesses.

(Photo provided by the city of Johnson City, Tenn.)

Project tips Randy Trivette, assistant city manager for Johnson City, Tenn., has these tips for communities renovating a historic building: • Gather community support. “People love to see their history maintained and supported in most communities.”

• Seek out all possible grant opportunities. Also speak with your area’s state legislators to see if they can encourage the governor or other state officials to offer assistance.

• Find project partners. “I’ve noticed in our community and in other communities that state officials love to see municipalities and counties partnering, whether it’s with each other or whether it’s with private businesses or nonprofits.”

• Find an architect with experience in maintaining or restoring historic buildings because “there’s an expertise to that that you really need when you are trying to get something like that done.”

MAY 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 33

continued from page 33

and cooling system — is going to have to be an overall upgrade, too,” Trivette said. “So those are big-ticket items, and they’re hard to do in a building that you are trying to maintain the integrity of some of the historic walls and things like that.”

Maintaining its purpose as a public space is also a must in the design, Trivette noted. When the U.S. government closed its post office in the building in 1937, it deeded the structure to Washington County with a clause stating the building would revert back to the federal government if it ever ceased use as a public space.

Trivette hopes to partner with East Tennessee State University, which is located about a mile west of downtown, to provide business coaching to entrepreneurs using Ashe Street Courthouse space. To better connect downtown and the university, the city has launched the $35 million West Walnut Street Corridor project to add bike lanes, pedestrian pathways, sidewalks and traffic-calming devices along This historic postcard shows the front of the Ashe Street CourtWalnut Street. City officials believe the enhancements will attract house building in Johnson City, Tenn., shortly after it was completed in 1910. At the time, the building was known as the businesses to the street.

Hopefully, Cantler suggested, the West Walnut Street project also Johnson City Postal Savings Bank and Post Office and served the will draw ETSU’s 14,000 students into the community more and will community as both a bank and post office. The building became the Washington County Courthouse in 1940. (Photo provided by bring Johnson City residents onto the university campus.

Heritage Alliance, Jonesborough, Tenn.)

Cantler and Trivette said the Ashe Street Courthouse project builds on the growing entrepreneurial spirit in their area.

“There are a lot of people who are looking for places to start up family-owned type businesses, whether it be crafts or restaurants or food “And there are a lot of businesses that are buying these older buildings or bakeries — all those things, there’s a lot of interest,” Trivette said. and renovating them.”

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M Focus on: Building & Construction

Stationed for progress:

College Station opens new city hall

(Photo provided by the city of College Station)

36 THE MUNICIPAL | MAY 2022

By JULIE YOUNG | The Municipal

Although it wasn’t officially incorporated until 1938, College Station, Texas, has a rich history, and the city is eager to preserve it. After years of planning, the community dedicated its new city hall building last December and has demolished the former structure to make way for a public plaza. It is also repurposing its old police and fire building to create a new tourism office and event space.

“We have a lot of exciting things happening, and we are excited for everyone to see them,” College Station City Manager Bryan Woods said.

College Station city officials cut the ribbon on the new College Station City Hall building.

(Photo provided by the city of College Station)

Connecting to the past Located in the heart of Brazos County, College Station’s origins date back to 1860 when the Houston and Texas Railway began developing in the region. A decade later, the area was chosen as the site for the state’s first public, post-secondary institution — the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, which opened in 1876. The school was later renamed Texas A&M in 1963.

“People came here for the school, and in fact, that’s how we got our name,” Woods said. “When we looked at the original city hall structure that was built over 50 years ago, we commissioned an architect that would create something reminiscent of our history The community of College Station, Texas, dedicates its new city hall building last December 2021. (Photo provided by the city of College Station) with the school as well as the railroad.”

The new city hall building, located across the street from Texas A&M, is an 80,000-square-foot edifice. Kirksey Architecture designed it, and 1,200-square-foot Bush 4141 Community Room, which can be CORE Construction built it. Its exterior evokes the feel of an old train reserved for a variety of functions; and the Aggieland Room, which depot with stone on the bottom, pitched roofs, a clock tower and a stretches across the front middle of the building and offers the best red brick façade. Additional train station elements await visitors at view of College Station.

“We get a lot of calls from people wanting to use it for weddings,” the entryway of the building. The interior is a thoroughly modern city center with plenty of offices, meeting spaces and multipurpose Woods said. “We are still trying to figure all of that stuff out, but it is a tremendous place that we are excited for people to use.” rooms that can evolve and change over time.

Woods said everyone loves the two-story lobby with the open Along with the new building, College Station also unveiled railing on the second floor. Other positive additions include the its new seal, which pays tribute to the Bush 4141 locomotive, large city council chamber that can hold up to 200 people; the MAY 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 37

continued from page 37

College Station’s city hall lobby welcomes guests during a reception in December 2021. (Photo provided by the city of College Station)

The new council chambers at the College Station City Hall is a spacious room that seats 200 comfortably. (Photo provided by the city of College Station)

Texas A&M University, Union Pacific and the armed forces cadets who play a big role within the community.

“We have the largest uniformed body of students outside of the military academies,” Woods said.

Focused on the future In March, College Station completed the demolition of the former city hall site to make way for a plaza and greenspace that will be used for community events. Additionally, it will repurpose the original police and fire station building to serve as the city’s new visitors’ center. As one of the oldest buildings in College Station, the “1207 Building” has been home to the city’s human resource and maintenance offices, but Woods said it will be remade to show off the ABOVE and BELOW: This computer rendering shows what the new connection between College Station and the university. Four bay College Station Visitors’ Center will look like in the former police/ doors on the side of the building will serve as meeting and enter- fire station building. (Photo provided by the city of College Station) tainment spaces to activate the whole area.

Woods hopes the new center will be ready to show off in time for football season so that tourists and residents alike can enjoy it.

“We want to be the greatest college town in America, and we are building that identity in conjunction with the university,” Woods said, noting that the community’s population can swell by 100,000 on game days. “It’s a good problem to have, but it helps to know that every shop and restaurant benefits from the presence of a top school.”

Woods said he knows that even today, most people still come to College Station because of the university; however, he wants them to stay for the high quality of life. Not only does the city want to attract students who will live among its residents for four to six years, but it also wants to attract a talented faculty, administrative and support staff by providing them with places to eat, shops to patronize, parks to play in and the infrastructure in place to live their best lives. you serve,” he said. “Everything you do has to have an impact on the When he thinks about the people who created the original building, people you serve. We can’t predict how people will live and work he knows that there is history in those bricks, and it is that history even a decade from now, but you try to build things that will give that he hopes to carry forward. them the most flexibility to adapt when new opportunities arise.

“As a public servant, you are a caretaker, and during that period of Hopefully, we have done this through these projects.” time, you are entrusted to create the most opportunity for the people 38 THE MUNICIPAL | MAY 2022

MAY 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 39

M

City Profile

City of Berne, connected to its Swiss roots

The Swiss heritage of the city of Berne is apparent from the time visitors are welcomed to the city with this sign. (Photo provided)

By DENISE FEDOROW | The Municipal

The city of Berne, Ind., in Adams County has stayed close to its Swiss roots. The picturesque city, 35 miles south of Fort Wayne, was founded by Swiss Mennonite immigrants in 1852.

Known as the “furniture capital of Indiana,” Smith Brothers of Berne is one of the largest employers in Berne with over 600 employees.

“It’s sold all over the world,” said Susan Buckingham, director of the chamber of commerce.

There’s also Clauser Furniture, Habegger Furniture, Bernhaus Furniture and “a beautiful furniture store” on Main Street/Highway 27 — Yager Furniture Company.

Dunbar Furniture Store is also in Berne and sells internationally to high-end clientele.

“It does make Berne a destination to buy furniture,” Buckingham said.

Some of the other large employers in Berne include FCC-Adams LLC — an auto parts manufacturer with over 500 employees — and Poseidon Barge Company.

40 THE MUNICIPAL | MAY 2022

Mayor Gregg Sprunger said it’s a little unusual to have a barge company in the middle of the Midwest; however, the barges Poseidon makes sit in the water to place cranes on and are used by the military and entertainment venues.

Buckingham said there’s a Ford Motor Co. dealer Mayor Gregg A. (Moser Motor Sales) that’s been at the same location Sprunger, mayor for the city of Berne, is for 150 years.

“It’s the original site and small but endearing,” she said. in his first term as Annie’s Publishing LLC is the new name for the craft mayor but served and nostalgia media division of DRG, headquartered 30 years on the in Berne. They operate out of a century-old building city council prior to that was once home to the Berne Milk Condensary. being elected mayor.

The family of products offered by Annie’s Publishing (Photo provided) includes Annie’s Attic, House of White Birches, The

Berne’s water tower carries on the community’s Swiss theme. (Photo provided) Pictured is the Berne Clock Tower in Muensterberg Plaza at sunset. The 160-foot tower has a glockenspiel that plays four times a day. (Photo provided) Needlecraft Shop, Quilter’s World, Creative Knitting, Crochet World and more.

Buckingham also mentioned Edelweiss Floral and Gift Shop downtown.

“You’re not going to find everything here, but you’ll find unique things here,” she said.

Swiss heritage But what makes Berne really unique is its embrace of its Swiss heritage — the influence is apparent in town from building styles to “the only 160-foot Swiss clock tower in Indiana,” Sprunger said. “It’s reminiscent of the one in Bern, Switzerland.”

Berne also has the only Canton Tree in the United States, according to Mayor Sprunger.

“A Canton Tree is a pole with all the canton flags of Switzerland,” he said. “Switzerland cantons are like states in the U.S. There are about 30 or more cantons in Switzerland.”

The Canton Tree and the clock tower are both at Muensterberg Plaza, along with the Settler’s Monument and the quilt garden with three plots of flowers depicting Swiss heritage.

“A group of men maintain the flowers, and in the summer, it’s really beautiful,” Buckingham said.

Berne’s clock tower was designed after the one in Bern, Switzerland.

(Shutterstock.com)

The Glockenspiel on top of the clock tower plays at noon, 3 p.m., 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.

There’s also a splash pad at the plaza.

Each year, that Swiss heritage is celebrated during Berne Swiss Days. This year the festival will be held July 28-30.

“This is the 50th anniversary of Berne Swiss Days so that’s huge,” Buckingham said.

She said the festival includes “a lot of Swiss-ness” — yodeling, accordions and dance.

Buckingham said because of COVID-19 in the last two years the city wasn’t able to have all the festival events, but they’ll be returning this year, including the parade.

“This year we’re pulling out all the stops.

We’ll have all the things people remember — the stage and the parade. We’ll also have a musical that hasn’t been done in several years,” Buckingham said.

Both Buckingham and Sprunger mentioned The First Mennonite Church — supposedly the largest Mennonite Church in America.

“It has a gorgeous interior and gorgeous organ,” Buckingham said, adding that visitors come specifically to see the church.

City services Berne’s government consists of a mayor — Gregg Sprunger — a five-member city council and three-member board of public works. The city of 4,173, as of the 2020 census, has 26 full-time employees and is served by a police force with seven full-time officers, five reserves and an administrative assistant. In the early 1940s, the police department started with a night watchman.

By the end of WWII, the position changed to town marshal. Now the police chief is Tim Taylor.

There’s still a volunteer fire department, which originated in 1895. There’s one park in Berne — Lehman Park — and a public pool operated by Berne Recreation Facility.

Sprunger, who served on the city council for 30 years before becoming mayor, said the biggest challenge affecting Berne right now is one that many communities are experiencing: housing. The high cost of building materials, along with the supply chain issues and labor shortages, is causing some developers to wait to see if the situation improves.

Many of the employers in town are hiring, and unemployment in the county is below 2%.

Sprunger said he enjoys his role as mayor.

“Being able to help solve issues with employees and helping to improve the city for

MAY 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 41

continued from page 41

residents, whether that be through a new street or new services. I try to be a champion for Berne.”

Nearby attractions Besides the uniqueness of the town itself, there are other attractions to see in or near Berne. The Adams County Veterans Memorial is open to the public. Other examples are Earthen Treasures Natural Food Market and the Swiss Heritage Village and Museum — a 22-acre pioneer village depicting the everyday life of early Berne settlers.

Swiss Heritage Village and Museum is open May through October.

Visit Hitzer’s Stove and watch as Amish craftsmen hand build wood and coal stoves and fireplace inserts. It is one of the many Amish businesses in the area.

Limberlost State Historic Site is nearby. Built in 1895, the 12-room Queen Anne-style log cabin was home to Gene Stratton Porter — author and naturalist.

Sprunger said Pine Lake is a mini water park just outside of Berne.

“In the summer, it’s very busy. A lot of people come for the day from Fort Wayne.”

He added in Berne, “We can offer that small-town feel.” People there have strong work ethics and properties are well-maintained.

He said the goal is “to make Berne a better place to live, work and raise a family. I do the best I can to make Berne a better place.”

Berne’s public library also features the Swiss architecture common in the city founded by Swiss Mennonite immigrants. (Photo provided)

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M

Public Safety

In an emergency, residential lockboxes allow access

By BETH ANNE BRINK-COX | The Municipal

The field of emergency medicine is always looking for ways to improve response speed, serve more people in need and incorporate newer and better lifesaving techniques. Charlestown, R.I., has come up with a way to do all three, initiating a program that issues lockboxes to residents who meet certain criteria such as age being age 65 or older, medically disabled or having other special needs.

The boxes are free to residents who request them and enable police, fire and rescue squads to quickly gain access to them in moments of distress.

Chief Andrew Kettle of the Charlestown Ambulance and Rescue Service and police Lt. Phillip Gingerella were assigned the project when members of the seaside town’s local council wanted to get the program funded and started.

“We worked with patrolman Mike Carrasquillo, my elderly affairs officer, and Senior Center Director Michelle Vekakis,” Gingerella said.

“The town council had appropriated $10,000 from the current year’s budget if we could make it happen.”

Gingerella said one method they had heard of to take care of that population was to simply supply elderly residents with a standard realtor box to attach to their front door.

“We felt we could expand on that idea and design a program that included a more robust exterior key box. We reached out to a local manufacturer who produces the standard fire department key box attached to every commercial building in the country and asked to see a key box that was just as sturdy” for their purposes. It produced a residential version of the commercial building boxes. Kettle said the Fire Department Emergency Access Box program was the right idea to fit their design needs.

As hoped, public reaction was swift and strong. Kettle said there is much interest and a waiting list of residents and families looking to have a box installed. A page on the town’s website with information about the program.

The boxes can be requested by family members or caregivers. “If they contact us, we’ll work with the homeowner to get a lockbox installed for them,” he said.

Gingerella added once the design was agreed upon, the committee put together an informational flier and purchased 10 boxes to start with.

44 THE MUNICIPAL | MAY 2022

Part of the earliest planning for this project was to print and distribute these flyers, in the hope of generating interest. It was wildly successful. (Photo provided by Charlestown Police Department)

“We decided we would softly roll out the program, with just Mrs. Vekakis mentioning it to some of the seniors around the senior center.

Within a few days, all 10 boxes were deployed. We asked the town to purchase 10 more boxes, because we had more requests,” he said.

“The program really took off on its own, as one recipient told several of their friends and then the requests poured in. We currently have 55

Charlestown Ambulance Rescue Service (CARS) Chief Andrew Kettle worked with Gingerella and Cascarella to head the committee and put the plan into action. (Photo provided

by Charlestown Police Department)

Elderly Affairs Officer Michael Cascarella worked with the original committee.

(Photo provided by Charlestown Police Department)

boxes deployed, with more requests pending — although, as with everything else in the country today, the additional boxes are back ordered.”

The boxes are perfectly secure for those who have them: Only authorized members of the police, fire and rescue teams will have access to the key and all instances of access to a box is carefully documented.

Advertisements on TV for personal alarm devices don’t show how much time can be lost if a police officer, firefighter or emergency medical technician has to gain forced entry into a house.

“I have been a police officer for 25 years, and over that period of time, I have broken into dozens of houses knowing a sick or injured person is inside. It would have been nice to have a hidden or easily available key to prevent damage to the residence,” Gingerella said. “We have an elderly person who signed up to have a key box because we had to break into her residence a couple of years ago when she fell and could not get to the door.”

According to Kettle, “The biggest success we have is that we have 55 lockboxes installed and haven’t, to date, had to use them. However, knowing that we’ll be able to get to those residents faster and without the potential for damage to their home is huge.”

Charlestown has a second lifesaving program to be proud of: The town is a HeartSafe Community. The HeartSafe Communities program is a collaborative effort between the Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program and the American Heart Association. The program incorporates CPR and the use of automated external defibrillators.

According to Kettle, “We’re always looking for ways to take care of our residents and be on the leading edge of best practices.”

“This new program just adds to the services we provide to our residents,” added Gingerella.

In a town that counted 7,997 residents in the 2020 census, 55 lockboxes still leaves some room for improvement. When asked what the plan was for expansion if needed, Gingerella said, “The town has agreed to appropriate more money should the need for the boxes increase and we have to purchase more.” He went on to note that the boxes belong

Charleston Police Lt. Phillip Gingerella was also a part of the committee. (Photo provided by Charlestown Police Department)

Charlestown Police Department: This is the lockbox that was specially commissioned. It was designed and manufactured locally.

(Photo provided by Charlestown Police Department)

to the town and are returned to the town if a resident no longer needs it, lending itself to recycling and reuse.

“I would strongly encourage other communities to look at what’s best for them and their residents,” said Kettle. “We’ve found this will work well here and with our integrated police, EMS and fire teams.” The initiative also creates a safe way for elderly or special needs townspeople to remain in their own homes for a longer period of time.

MAY 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 45

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M

Municipal Management

Cities care for four-legged citizens with improved animal care ordinances and facilities

By NICHOLETTE CARLSON | The Municipal

Recently, cities have been looking at their animal ordinances or animal shelters to improve their care of the pet population. Many are reworking ordinances to better control what animals are allowed or the number of animals allowed within city limits as well as ensuring humane, proper treatment of pets. Other cities are building or upgrading their animal shelters to help control the stray population.

Cities in the U.S. are exploring ways to better serve their four-legged residents from update ordinances to building new shelters. (Shutterstock.com)

48 THE MUNICIPAL | MAY 2022

Marlin, Texas Prior to the recent construction of the city’s new animal shelter, Marlin, Texas, did not have its own animal shelter. When it came to stray animals, the city contracted with the Waco and Rosebud facilities. However, Marlin had an animal control officer on staff who would respond to animal complaints throughout the city. If a stray animal was found, the animal control officer would attempt to contact the animal’s owner. Otherwise, local and statewide rescues would be contacted to take possession of the stray animal.

With the number of stray animals getting out of control, the city decided it needed its own facility to hold and care for the strays. The city and donors raised approximately $50,000 in order to build the shelter and get it up and running, which took approximately one year from planning to functioning. Members of the community are helping to support the shelter by donating numerous supplies for both the building and the pets. The shelter will be run by the city and volunteers. Funding will come from both the city and continued community donations.

Marlin’s new shelter is an approximately a 1,200-square-foot metal building with a small lobby at the entrance for staff and community members to interact. The animal control officer has a small office in the shelter. There is also an exam room for animals and a restroom.

A washer and dryer are housed in the shelter to clean blankets and towels for the strays. A sally port allows the animal control officer’s truck to be driven inside the shelter to unload the animals. Supplies are also stored in this area. The shelter’s 12 kennels are located under an awning at the back of the shelter. It is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

According to William Hunt, the Marlin animal control officer, the shelter is currently only housing stray dogs at this time and is not taking owner surrenders. Instead of roaming the community, stray dogs will have a safe place to stay at the shelter. This will also help reduce the number of property damage and bite calls from strays within the community. These stray dogs are then put up for adoption.

Hunt stressed, “The biggest problem in the community is that owners need to know how important it is to have your pet spayed or neutered. Spay and neuter is the best way to reduce unwanted animals in the community. It is very important also for owners to get their animal microchipped.”

Natchez, Miss.

The city of Natchez, Miss., is growing, and as the population grows, the city discovered the need to help protect the pet populations that grow alongside it. In July 2020, when Mayor Dan Gibson took office, animal lovers and animal right advocates teamed up with him to explore and do an overall assessment of the city’s animal ordinance.

This new ordinance just passed in February 2022.

One of the primary issues, according to Gibson, was that the city’s old ordinance did not have any limitations on how many animals an individual could own and had no way to enforce any limitation. The city chose to put a limit on the number of dogs and cats an individual could own. If a person lives on less than one acre, he or she may own three dogs and five cats. On more than one acre, an individual may own four dogs and six cats. The number of animals allowed

With Natchez, Miss.’s, new ordinance, tethering is now outlawed to promote better treatment of animals, especially dogs, as the area experiences extremes during winter and summer. (DreamHack/Shutterstock.com)

was chosen based on conversations with neighboring cities and the number of pets their animal ordinances allowed.

However, Gibson also commented that the limitations were not in place because “we want to go around counting cats and dogs.” However, if a complaint is issued with animal control and the animal’s situation is deemed improper for either the health of the animal or the community, then the city can take action.

Tethering was allowable under the city’s old ordinance as long as owners walked the animal every eight hours. However, conditions in the city can be extremely cold in the winter and hot in the summer.

With the new ordinance, tethering is now outlawed to promote better treatment of animals, especially dogs, in the city.

Previously, the city had issues with unlicensed breeders selling dogs on the side of the road, many of which were unhealthy or inbred.

Through the new ordinance, the city requires all breeders to have a license to sell the dog or cat within the city.

In order to help control the pet population, the city of Natchez requires all cats and dogs to be spayed or neutered once they become of age, unless the owner obtains a breeding license. In order to own an unaltered animal, the owner must obtain a permit.

The animal control officer is a member of the police department.

In order to assist the animal control officer in their position, the city has provided them with a new vehicle, training and uniform. As a part of the police department, the animal control officer can also receive backup from fellow police officers when necessary. When it comes to violations of any portion of the Natchez animal ordinance, those in violation may face misdemeanor charges, fines between $100 and $500, as well as up to 30 days in jail.

“If you look across America, just about every shelter is crowded,” Gibson commented. The city is now looking for new ways to address finding homes for animals. His wife is also personally a part of the trap-neuter-release program. “I truly believe it is important to treat animals with extra care. We are better people when we show love and compassion to our four-legged friends.”

MAY 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 49

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Waste & Recycling

Cycling toward the circular economy

Shutterstock.com

By LAUREN CAGGIANO | The Municipal

Sustainability has many faces in 2022. In the case of Boulder, Colo., a bike tire recycling program is taking shape that holds great promise in encouraging residents to enter into what’s known as a circular economy and abandon linear “take-make-waste” habits.

The Boulder Climate Initiatives Department has partnered with local nonprofit Community Cycles to launch a bike tire recycling pilot program. City support will cover the cost of recycling up to 2,000 used bike tires.

According to Sustainability Program Manager Ellen Orleans, the program is a natural extension of the department’s efforts.

“Our department covers both energy and zero waste, the physical end of things,” she said. “So that covers all kinds of community programs. For a long time, we were focused mostly on collecting things that could either be recycled or more safely disposed of.”

However, the partnership with Community Cycles represents an opportunity because it means the city adds bike tires to the items being diverted from the landfill.

And if you ask Orleans, Community Cycle’s

50 THE MUNICIPAL | MAY 2022

ethos makes it the right organization for the job.

“They’ve been around for 45 years and have been both our partners and leading the way,” she said. “They began with picking up newspapers, cans and bottles in the 1970s.”

Community Cycle’s mission has evolved with the times. As Americans became accustomed to a culture of planned obsolescence, the organization has worked to counteract this wastefulness. It takes used bicycles, parts and tires; buys inner tubes; and leads workshops on how to repair bicycles.

“You can get a free bicycle if you join their program where you repair one,” said Orleans. “And the second one you repair, you get to keep for yourself. So, it’s a cool way for people to learn about repair, which is part of our mission, too — repairing things instead of sending them to the landfill.”

Ellen Orleans has been with the city of Boulder, Colo., since 2005, working on issues related to sustainability. (Photo provided by city of Boulder)

The city of Boulder is committed to building a circular economy that reuses, repairs, recycles and composts an increasing number of materials. Reusing hard-to-recycle materials, like bike tires, moves the city closer toward its goal of becoming a zero-waste community.

(Photo provided by Community Cycles)

“Community Cycles is (invested in) the cirBeyond the overlap in mission, another important aspect of the partnership is the cular economy,” she said. “Instead of trashing timing. Orleans said when the pandemic hit, bikes, they use them. They also have a wonthe Climate Initiatives Department had set derful program where they have collected, out to help thrift stores that were struggling fixed and given away 500 bikes to lower due to the combination of a lack of volun- income families and communities. That’s also a good way to get young kids into the teers and an influx of donations.

“Suddenly, they were getting 10 times as mindset of ‘I can bike to places.’” many donations,” said Orleans. “SomeAt the same time, Orleans said Community times people would donate things that Cycles’ work in the local neighborhoods has were broken, like a vacuum cleaner or an inspired change at the community level.

“Sometimes bikes get stripped down … but old TV from 1999. It costs money and time to bring that all into the recycling. So, we someone will leave the bike frame, and it went around and collected things (to help might still be valuable,” she said. “The protheir cause).” gram is about increased awareness.”

One of the city’s stops was Community Similarly, Orleans said the partnership Cycles. In talking to the staff there, Orleans underlines the importance of what she calls learned it had received a lot of bike tires. “de-siloing:” Getting municipal leaders to get Over time these donations began to affect out of their respective jurisdictions every now the nonprofit’s balance sheet and put a and then and to think how they can better strain on its budget, because it costs 50 serve the entire community. At the same time, cents per tire to recycle them. Orleans said she acknowledges that what might work in her department members looked at their one community might not work in another.

“Everyone works on different scales of budbudget and determined there was funding to help offset the cost of recycling the tires. gets,” she said. “But we’re very lucky as a town About 156 pounds of tires were brought in that we have a whole department working for recycling in January and February. That just on sustainability and the circular econtranslates to roughly 700 tires. omy.”

When community members in Boulder, Colo., donate used tires in good working condition to Community Cycles, the nonprofit resells them at its bike shop. (Photo provided by Community Cycles)

Community Cycles advocates for bicycle recycling and reuse, so it can save more bicycles from the landfill. (Photo provided

by Community Cycles)

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Water & Energy

Poughkeepsie, N.Y., is using a $3.57 million grant to modern its sewer infrastructure while repairing and replacing damaged infrastructure. (Michal Grzechulski/Shutterstock.com)

Poughkeepsie receives $3.57 million to improve aging sewer infrastructure

By NICHOLETTE CARLSON | The Municipal

The city of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., recently received a $3.57 million grant toward modernizing its sewer and repairing and replacing damaged infrastructure.

As one of the older cities in New York, Poughkeepsie’s sewers are an aging, brick system. On the shores of the Hudson River, Poughkeepsie also has a mission to protect its water source by treating stormwater and ensuring the city has clean drinking water.

When Mayor Robert Rolison took office, he stated he quickly learned that it’s “not what you see you have to worry about. It’s what you don’t see.”

Rolison is grateful that the state of New York has made money available for such improvements. Poughkeepsie actively looks for and applies for grants to continually improve the city, whose top issue, according to the mayor, is safe infrastructure.

Poughkeepsie partnered with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation as well as Environmental Facilities Corporation to gather funding for the project. These entities also regulate and approve the city’s plans to use the funding.

52 THE MUNICIPAL | MAY 2022

According to Richard DuPilka, city engineer, the funding that was awarded started with an engineering planning grant, followed by a study to determine how much stormwater was leaking into the groundwater and what was overwhelming the pump stations and sewer system. The grant’s focus was on the sewer system, which was original to the city.

The grant also included publicizing the city’s need for the grant and putting in meters to assess water flow and conditions.

Particularly in times of heavy rain and runoff, municipal leaders found that the water pollution control plant would quickly become unable to handle the amount of water sent to the plant. Groundwater, stormwater and runoff are displaced into the Hudson River, where it undergoes natural filtration, but wastewater and sewage go to the plant, where it can be treated. However, in the older portions of the city, these lines are not separated: It all goes to the water control plant, causing it to exceed capacity.

Much of the $3.57 million grant money will be used toward a mass lining project of the sewer lines in one of the oldest sections in Poughkeepsie. This lining project will seal up leaks in the brick and pipes. Other areas will need repaired or replaced. (Provided by the city of Poughkeepsie)

While the city is mostly maxed out in new buildable areas, there is also a focus on separating wastewater and sewer pipes in prebuilt areas whenever an opportunity presents itself. When doing work on prebuilt structures, the newly installed stormwater and sewage lines connect to already-separated lines a few blocks away. These improvements also help to keep the plant from becoming overwhelmed.

Throughout 2019-20, the city surveyed and inspected 24,000 linear feet of large diameter sewers and 267 manholes to assess their condition. A need for lining was recognized when leakage became evident and layers of brick fell apart in the pipes and were picked up at the pump station. Cameras were placed into the sewer pipes to see where water was leaking through the bricks or roots had broken through.

“The main thing is watching what’s coming down the line,” DuPilka stressed.

After a nearly two-year process, the grant has been used primarily to identify a large lining project to line the brick sewer infrastructure in order to prevent further leakage into the groundwater. There are a few areas that will be in need of greater repair or even need replaced; however, “the lion’s share is lining,” Rolison explained. The sewer area that will need to be lined and repaired spans approximately a mile.

Currently, the city is gearing up to create a design for the necessary repairs. This design will then be submitted for approval. Following approval, the design will be put out for bids on the contract.

DuPilka mentioned that the city has a multiyear plan in place to address the rising challenges of the sewer system and stay ahead of work that will need to be done. “We know where the areas are and know what needs to be done,” he assured. The long-term master plan is also prioritized as to what will need improvements first. This list is placed on an annual environmental list, which helps the city to identify and apply for a grant when it becomes available. Otherwise, the city takes care of each need as it arises and as the funding becomes available.

As one of the older sections of road in the city of Poughkeepsie, the sewer lines are lined with brick, which wears down over time.

Now this brick infrastructure has begun to leak and fall apart in places, as seen by debris washing down to the control plant. This grant will help the city do a large, approximately milelong lining project of the brick to prevent further leakage. (Provided by the city of Poughkeepsie)

Roots have infiltrated part of the sewer lines, allowing wastewater to mix with stormwater and groundwater. In order to survey the amount of damage to the sewer pipes, the city sent down cameras to assess priority areas that need repair or replacement. (Provided by the city of Poughkeepsie) “We have approached this in a way so we can be successful in planning and acquiring necessary funds,” Rolison explained. As a public health and environmental issue, it is important that the city have a blueprint for continued remediation for administrations to come, he said. “Water is the life blood of the community, and it is important to be good stewards to the Hudson River.”

MAY 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 53

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Parks & Environmental Services

Permanent parklets:

Alexandria, Va., plans to keep pandemic pop-up parks

By JULIE YOUNG | The Municipal

Although they are not a new concept, parklets had a moment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some communities now plan to make them a permanent part of the streetscape: They have discovered that these public-seating platforms, converted curbside parking spaces that are now vibrant hubs, enhance the urban experience, encourage residents to slow down and connect, deter crime and attract business to area shops, restaurants and cafes.

Alexandria, Va.’s, parklet program has proven so successful that the city has decided to keep it beyond the pandemic; however, it will charge restaurants a fee for the use of the street space. (Photo provided by the city of Alexandria) 54 THE MUNICIPAL | MAY 2022

Maximizing opportunities According to Kelly Gilfillen CPM, acting director of the Office of Communications and Public Information for the city of Alexandria, Va., her city’s interest in parklets predates the pandemic.

City staff developed a two-year pilot program for parklets that was endorsed by the Parks and Recreation Commission, as well as the Traffic and Parking Board, in February 2020. The parklets in this initial program were not to be used for commercial purposes, but when indoor seating restrictions related to COVID-19 put a strain on businesses, the city acquiesced and allowed restaurants to use the parklets for outdoor dining.

“As businesses began to reopen to the public, they sought to maximize opportunities for outdoor dining and to expand their footprint because of the physical-distancing requirements set by the Virginia Department of Health,” she said. “Given the city’s earlier interest in parklets in general, both businesses and city leaders were interested in using this temporary program as a pilot.”

Regardless of the circumstances surrounding their inception, community response to the parklets has been overwhelmingly positive. In the fall of 2021, the city created a feedback form to gather input from residents, visitors and businesses about the program in order to make a recommendation for the parklets’ future: As it turned out, 92% of residents and visitors said they were more likely to patronize a restaurant with outdoor seating; 74% of residents and visitors, as well as 66% of businesses, wanted outdoor, in-street dining to continue.

“Qualitative feedback from business groups praised the added vibrancy and energy from having more people on city streets and included comments that parklets added visual interest and excitement

Diners at The Wharf in Alexandria, Va., enjoy parklet-style outdoor seating, which uses not only the sidewalk in front of the restaurant but also some street parking spaces. (Photo provided by the city of Alexandria) Alexandria, Va., will include modifications going forward with its parklet program, which will improve the safety of users. (Photo provided by the city of Alexandria)

to Alexandria — becoming an attraction for visitors,” Gilfillen said. “As social distancing requirements were phased out, the additional restaurant seats were lucrative options to aid business recovery, while ensuring that even as (COVID-19) case levels waned, risk-averse diners had the opportunity to eat outside.”

A new normal Given the support for the program over the past two years by the city council, visitors and the community, city staff began developing a permanent program to address some of the concerns parklets garnered — including flooding, fire, traffic safety and accessibility. Last October, the Alexandria City Council approved a permanent parklet program that allowed for both public and commercial set ups. Gilfillen said the city is in a transition period as they phase out the pandemic program and phase in the permanent one.

The city council recently approved an extension of the temporary program through September. But beginning Oct. 1, all commercial parklets must adhere to the parklet requirements approved by the Traffic and Parking Board in November 2021.

“The city is concerned about traffic safety as traffic volumes continue to increase and is working with businesses to ensure that safety is a top priority,” Gilfillen said. “Several of the parklet requirements address traffic

safety and require businesses to invest in reflective tape — among other visual cues for drivers — as well as locate future structures away from travel lanes and intersections.”

In addition to submitting to a public-notice-and-comment process to remove additional parking spaces and building a platform that is level with the curb, businesses that want to have commercial parklets will have to pay a fee for the use of municipal property. The city council approved fees of $75 per linear foot in downtown Alexandria, $25 per linear foot for businesses in designated Equity Emphasis Areas (as defined by the regional council of governments), and $50 per linear foot anywhere else in the city.

“If a business in downtown Alexandria builds a 20-foot-long parklet, it will cost them $1,500 for the annual permit starting in October,” Gilfillen said. “Not all of the current businesses are expected to continue hosting parklets; however, some new businesses are already interested due to the more permanent option.”

At least one business is frustrated with the new policy. Edrees Amarkhel, manager of the Il Porto Ristorante in Old Town, said that he already pays sales tax, meal tax and property taxes to the city and does not feel it is right to pay even more for a parklet. It’s a concern that Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson understands well.

“I have struggled with this,” he said during a March 9 city council legislative meeting. “We get 11% of anything that happens with these restaurant parklets to begin with, and we want to make sure that they are being used.

From a principle perspective, this is a public space that is being given to a private business for the purpose of making money, but I don’t want to charge a dollar more than what would sustain the program.”

MAY 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 55

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

M AY May 1-4 AWW & WEA 2022 Conference Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa, Hot Springs, Ark. https://awwwea.org/ May 2-5 Maryland Rural Water Association 30th Annual Convention Ocean City Fontainebleau Hotel, Ocean City, Md. https://www.md-rwa.org/ annual-conference-2022 May 4-6 Labor Relations Institute Yakima, Wash. https://wacities.org/eventseducation/ May 4-6 NYCOM 2022 Annual Meeting Sagamore Hotel, Bolton Landing, N.Y. https://www.nycom.org/ training/annual-convention May 4-7 Annual Meeting & Leadership Summit Fire Districts Re-imagined Turning Stone Resort & Casino, Verona, N.Y. https://www.afdsny.org/ attendee_information.php May 9-12 AASHTO Spring Meeting New Orleans, La. https://meetings.transportation. org/overview/ May 9-12 Advanced Clean Transportation Expo Long Beach Convention Center, Long Beach, Calif. https://www.actexpo.com/event-

56 THE MUNICIPAL | MAY 2022

May 9-12 North Carolina Rural Water Association Conference & Exhibition Benton Convention Center, Winston-Salem, N.C. https://www.ncrwa.org/ May 11 NAPO’s Legislative Update Breakfast & Annual Lobby Day MGM National Harbor Hotel, Washington, D.C. https://www.napo.org/events/ upcoming-events/ May 12 NAPO’s 29th Annual Top Cops Awards Dinner MGM National Harbor Hotel, Washington, D.C. https://www.napo.org/events/ May 11-14 Alabama League of Municipalities Annual Convention Bryant Conference Center, Tuscaloosa, Ala. https://www.almonline.org/ AnnualConvention.

May 18-21 California Association of Recreation & Park Districts Conference Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel, Lake Tahoe, Calif. https://caparkdistricts. org/2022-carpd-conference May 19-22 WSFFA 99th Annual Conference & Fire School Wenatchee Convention Center, Wenatchee, Wash. https://www.wsffa.org/annualfire-school/

JUNE May 23-25 Association Pennsylvania Municipal Management Annual Conference Hotel Hershey, Hershey, Pa. https://www.apmm.net/eventsand-registration May 23-25 New York Rural Water Association Annual Technical Training Workshop & Exhibition Turning Stone Resort and Conference Center, Verona, N.Y. www.nyruralwater.org May 23-25 PowerGen International Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, Dallas, Texas https://www.powergen.com/ event-info/event-schedule May 25-27 MEPAV Annual Conference Hilton Garden Inn, Virginia Beach, Va. https://www.vml.org/eventscalendar

JUNE June 3-6 90th Annual Meeting U.S. Conference of Mayors Reno, Nev. https://www.usmayors.org/ meetings/ June 5-8 68th Annual EUFMC Williamsburg Lodge & Conference Center, Williamsburg, Va. https://eufmc.com

June 6-9 NFPA Conference & Expo 2022 Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, Boston, Mass. https://www.nfpa.org/ conferenceseries June 6-8 New York Water Environment Spring Tech Conference Downtown Marriott, Syracuse, N.Y. https://www.nywea.org/ June 21-24 AWC Annual Conference Vancouver, Wash. https://wacities.org/eventseducation/

J U LY July 20-22 ACMA Summer Conference Westin la Paloma, Tucson, Ariz. https://azmanagement.org/ events/ July 17-21 Mid-Year Training Institute Gaylord Palms, Orlando, Fla. https://www.cadca.org/events July 21-24 NACo Annual Conference & Exposition Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center, Adams County, Aurora, Colo. https://www.naco.org/events/ conferences July 23-27 TFCA Annual Conference Embassy Suites, Murfreesboro, Tenn. https://www.tnfirechiefs.com/ conferences

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Memorial Day Tribute

Ceremonies are important. But our gratitude has to be more than visits to the troops, and once-ayear Memorial Day ceremonies.

We honor the dead best by treating the living well. ­ — Jennifer M. Granholm

The Municipal joins all who remember and honor the men and women who have fallen while serving in the armed forces of the United States of America.

58 THE MUNICIPAL | MAY 2022

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News & Notes Contracts awarded in teletherapy services STAPLES, MINN. — Cities, counties and schools everywhere — no matter size or location — have access to vital solutions to serve staff and students with the help of teletherapy.

Sourcewell recently announced six suppliers have been awarded contracts in teletherapy services, making their products and solutions available through cooperative purchasing.

These contracts offer access to services for speech, occupational and physical therapy; psychology and social work; behavioral, emotional and mental health counseling; special education; hearing and visual impairment; and sign language interpretation; as well as assessment, diagnostic, management, personnel, training and support services and equipment.

“The ripple effects of the pandemic these past two years are becoming clear,” said Sourcewell Manager of Insurance Solutions Ryan Donovan. “The lives of public servants and students have all been impacted in one way or another. Distance learning, remote working, strains on first responders and teachers have taken a toll on our mental, physical and social health. I believe we’ve learned in the past few years how important it is to recognize, support and treat the whole person. This category is meant to do just that.”

Following a competitive solicitation process, Sourcewell awarded cooperative purchasing contracts offering access to these suppliers: • The Family Centre | 102821-FMY Mental health counseling and supports, therapeutic groups, psychoeducational classes and workshops, and sign language interpretation and teletherapy services.

• Global Teletherapy | 102821-GTY Speech and language pathology; occupational and physical therapy; school social workers, counselors and psychologists; general education mental health; social and emotional learning (SEL) support; and a speech language pathologist (SLP) platform.

• LifeWorks | 102821-LFW Student mental health support; 24/7 masters-level counselors, real-time and crisis service, and multilingual support — including 150+ languages by appointment; telemedicine, video and IP appointments; LifeWorks-owned global clinical network; campus and community resource referrals; and health assessment and virtual fitness.

• MindBeacon Health | 102821-MND A continuum of mental healthcare, including self-guided psychoeducational and wellness content, peer-to-peer support, guided cognitive behavioral therapy programs and live therapy sessions all offered virtually through a secure and private platform.

• SWORD Health | 102821-SWD Support for employees and their families with chronic back and joint pain by pairing them with a licensed doctor of physical therapy and an FDA-listed medical device bringing care into their home.

• Talkspace, Inc. | 102121-TKS

62 THE MUNICIPAL | MAY 2022

Virtual counseling, therapy, psychiatry, self-guided tools and relationship programs; psychoeducation; emergency protocols; relationship app; and behavioral health medication and support.

Sourcewell cooperative purchasing offers choice, value and peace of mind. Contracts are competitively solicited and delivered through your local dealer or representative. Search our contracts to expand your purchasing options.

Learn more by contacting our client relations team at (877) 585-9706 or email.

Commercial truck industry reunites at Work Truck Week 2022 FARMINGTON HILLS, MICH. — There were smiles and handshakes all around when Work Truck Week 2022 returned to Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Ind., March 8-11. North America’s largest work truck event often felt more like a long-awaited reunion than a tradeshow, as a verified 12,696 industry professionals gathered in person for the first time in two years.

Work Truck Week, which includes The Work Truck Show and Green Truck Summit, is produced annually by NTEA — The Association for the Work Truck Industry. Last year’s event was virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Work Truck Week has always been the commercial vehicle industry hub, but this year felt extra special in light of everything we have been through since March 2020,” said Steve Carey, NTEA president & CEO. “People were excited to be together, shake hands, share ideas and explore the latest trucks, equipment and technology. In many ways, it delivered the sense of normalcy that our industry needed.”

While overall event attendance was down about 7% versus 2020, Green Truck Summit, a full-day program focused on clean energy trends for commercial vehicles, set a record with a verified 835 participants — an increase of more than 58%. The Summit brings together government representatives, educators, fleets, manufacturers and innovators to provide updates on the work truck industry’s path to zero emissions.

Hundreds of event attendees participated in the Work Truck Week Ride & Drive March 9-10. Ride & Drive featured 19 commercial vehicles with the latest advanced technologies, sustainability offerings and alternative fuel applications. Participants drove many of the vehicles on city streets.

For more Work Truck Week coverage, including press releases from exhibitors holding press conferences, photos, videos and educational session recaps, visit worktruckweek.com/coverage.

Attendees who purchased a Green Truck Summit or Work Truck Week Conference Package can access on-demand educational content through April 13 by logging in to their WTW22 Planner at wts22.mapyourshow.com/8_0/login/login.cfm and selecting on-demand.

Work Truck Week returns to Indiana Convention Center March 7-10, 2023. Sign up to receive email updates about the event, including when registration opens in the fall, at worktruckweek. com/wtw23signup.

NTEA releases new edition of Truck Equipment Handbook FARMINGTON HILLS, MICH. — NTEA — The Association for the Work Truck Industry released the 15th edition of its Truck Equipment Handbook, the work truck industry’s most comprehensive pocket guide for commercial vehicle components and equipment.

The new version includes updates to U.S. and Canadian regulations, along with an expanded set of industry definitions. This edition also covers the vehicle certification process and regulatory standards applicable in Canada.

“Work truck industry professionals have relied on NTEA’s Truck Equipment Handbook as a valued resource since 1989,” said Steve Spata, NTEA senior technical assistance director. “It’s an indispensable guide for distributors, manufacturers, truck dealers, sales representatives and end users.”

Topics addressed • A pplication and installation considerations and requirements.

• Illustrations of basic engineering calculations.

• Alternative fuels and hybrid propulsion systems information.

• Reference sections on vehicle certification, Federal/Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety.

• Standards and lighting requirements.

• Weights and measures.

• Glossary of truck equipment industry terms.

The new handbook is available for $15 NTEA members and $29 nonmembers. Contact us — (800) 441-6832 or info@ ntea.com — to order in bulk. Find more details at ntea.com/ handbook.

Agile Fleet announces Phelps Rogovoy as vice president of client support services CHANTILLY, VA. — Agile Fleet, a leader in fleet management information systems, announced the promotion of Phelps Rogovoy to vice president of client support services. Rogovoy joined Agile Fleet in November 2008 and has served as implementation manager and as the director of implementation and customer support.

Over his tenure, Rogovoy has launched hundreds of FleetCommander fleet management sites across the government, higher education, nonprofit and utilities markets, serving over 2 million vehicle reservations. In this new role, Rogovoy will be responsible for leading the overall implementation of Agile Fleet’s FleetCommander software (fulfillment & customer launch), technical support, testing, technical writing and special projects.

“Phelps is a familiar face throughout the fleet community,” said Ed Smith, president of Agile Fleet. “In his 14 years at Agile Fleet, Phelps has been instrumental in managing fleets in support of hundreds of thousands of drivers and processing more than 2,000,000 vehicle reservations.”

News releases regarding personnel changes, other non-product-related company changes, association news and awards are printed as space allows. Priority will be given to advertisers and affiliates. Releases not printed in the magazine can be found online at www.themunicipal.com.

Call (800) 733–4111, ext. 2307, or email swright@the-papers.com.

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Public Works

64 THE MUNICIPAL | MAY 2022

National Public Works Week:

May 15-21 Within every public works professional lies a superhero American Public Works Association announced the theme “Ready & Resilient” for the 2022 National Public Works Week, May 15-21. Within every public works professional lies a superhero, which is dramatically represented in this year’s poster. Public works professionals are always ready to serve their communities and resilient as ever in their abilities to pick themselves up off the ground after encountering challenges.

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The “Ready & Resilient” theme highlights the ability of these professionals to perform regular public works duties and be ready at a moment’s notice to react as first responders during natural disasters and overcome trials seen in the field.

Public works superheroes help keep communities strong by providing an infrastructure of services in transportation, water, wastewater and stormwater treatment, public buildings and spaces, parks and grounds, emergency management and first response, solid waste and right-of-way management. They are what make our communities great places to live and work.

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MAY 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 65

TOP 10

Best cities for active lifestyles Walking, rollerblading, spin class, yoga or bicycle commutes: How do your residents stay physically fit?

Achieving an active lifestyle is a matter of motivation and dedication, but it’s easier when a person’s community encourages physical fitness by its commitment to building parks, bike and walking paths, providing reasonably priced access to fitness centers and other fitness-forward initiatives.

In January, WalletHub Financial writer Adam McCann took a look at medium-sized cities and metropolises across the United States to determine which ones best support weight loss and physical fitness goals. Based on 34 key indicators of an active lifestyle, he ranked 100 of them from best to worst.

The data set presented by McCann includes WalletHub’s “active lifestyle” score, analysis of budget allocations and the number of sports and outdoor facilities and programs. Physical activity is a priority for the following cities that made the Top Ten:

1. San Francisco, Calif.

2. Chicago, Ill. 3. New York, N.Y. 4. San Diego, Calif.

5. Honolulu, Hawaii 6. Los Angeles, Calif.

7. Portland, Ore. 8. Philadelphia, Penn.

9. Denver, Colo.

10. Seattle, Wash.

Source: https://wallethub.com/edu/best-and-worst-cities-for-an-active-lifestyle/8817 66 THE MUNICIPAL | MAY 2022

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Advertiser Index A

I

Air Netix LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

ICOM America Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

All Access Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

International Code Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Alumitank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

K

American Shoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

KM International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover, 7, 10-11

Andy Mohr Ford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

B BendPak Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

L Land Pride . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Lock-N-Climb LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Blackburn Manufacturing Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

M

Bonnell Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BACK

Minimizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Buyers Products Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Mobile Desk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Monroe Truck Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

C Calhoun Superstructure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

N National Construction Rentals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Central Life Sciences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Chapin International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 CleanFix North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Clearspan Fabric Structures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

S Sellick Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Strongwell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Switch-N-Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Curb Roller Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Curbtender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

T Trinity Highway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

F Fcar Tech USA, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Flock Off USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Twin Star Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

U Uline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Fluid Control Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Unique Paving Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

G

W

Greystone Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Wisconsin Surplus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

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

MAY 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 69

All commercial vehicles & off-road equipment FCAR HD scanners meet all your needs 1) Quick: scans in seconds 2) Easy: no learn curve, set it up and ready to diagnose 3) All software preloaded, never expire 4) Covers all truck, off road equipment & passenger car 5) DPF regen, DEF and soot reset to get out of de-rate 6) OEM level diagnostic all HD truck The FCAR HD Scanners covers over 100 manufacturers of all major trucks, cars and off-road equipment in OEM level.

Comercial vehicles: Allison Bendix Caterpillar Cummins Detroit

Duramax Eaton Freightliner Hino Internatonal

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Hyundai Isuzu John Deere Kobelco Komatsu

Kubota Liebherr Volvo/Mack ......

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Detroit Doosan Deutz Hino Hitachi

More equipment makers

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“

Truck Diagnostics and Equipment

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The FCAR has been a major asset to the Town of Kent in its ability to diagnosis our full line of equipment. It covers passenger cars all of our emergency vehicles and the Police departments variety of vehicles from Chevrolet to Ford and heavy duty equipment including Mack plow trucks and Refuse trucks.

Full line of international trucks and all our off road equipment. Cat loaders and backhoes, bobcat excavators and skid steers to mention a few. We are able to see fuel rail pressure and ABS signals for accurate repairs. The Mack truck functions are proven to be useful and money saver in forced regeneration which in the past had to be towed back to the manufacture. What a time and cost saving tool. Not only are drivability concerns diagnosis but transmission ,body modules controlling HVACs functions and brakes have a broad coverage. The tool is so user friendly and is powered by the vehicle or equipment you are plugged into. Bidirectional capabilities make it useful as an OEM tool. I have already substantiated my ROI.The customer service and support team makes the experience a completely satisfied one and you are not forgotten after the initial sale. Great job and great product. I highly recommend to add this to your tool box!

”

70 THE MUNICIPAL | MAY 2022

-----Nicholas Mancuso, Service Manager, Municipal Repairs Town of Kent

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