PRSRTSTD U.S.POSTAGE PAID Bolingbrook,IL PermitNo.1939 www.themunicipal.com The Premier Magazine For America’s Municipalities October 2022 INSIDE:LandPrideMunicipal-ownedcampsitesdelight all Cities pollinatorprioritizefeatures Parks & Environmental Services
2 THE MUNICIPAL | OCTOBER 2022
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Focus on Parks & Environmental Services: Campgrounds shine as assets to several municipalities
Focus on Parks & Environmental Services: Griffy Lake Nature Preserve improvements safely connect residents to nature
36 Public Safety: Dayton, Ohio, partners with Premier Health on paramedicine program
Focus on Parks & Environmental Services: Woodcrest Drive Stream Rehabilitation Project to restore over 3,000 feet of stream
40 Municipal Management: Graduate school comes for municipal managers in Laredo
photosShutterstock 4 THE MUNICIPAL | OCTOBER 2022 30245018
Focus on Parks & Environmental Services: Pop up art: Lexington, Ky., creates Art on the Town program to promote local artists
Land Pride offers contracts through several cooperative buying groups for its grounds maintenance equipment. Through these contracts, it helps guide buyers to the equipment that best suits their needs. Learn more about Land Pride and cooperative buying on page 10.
Focus on Parks & Environmental Services: Pollinators bring communities together
46 Waste & Recycling: Recycling: There’s an app for that Building & Construction: History on the move
October 2022 | VOL. 13 No. 7 | www.themunicipal.com
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42 Water & Energy: Ohio launches lead service line pipe replacement grants
www.themunicipal.com INSIDE:LandPrideMunicipal-ownedcampsitesdelight all Cities EnvironmentalpollinatorprioritizefeaturesServices
17 Focus on Parks & Environmental Services
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ON THE COVER
OCTOBER 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 5
8 Editor’s Note: The value of parks 10 From the Cover: Cooperative buying saves time and money 12 On the Roage Again: New Orleans’ Cemeteries 34 Personality Profile: Levis’ parks and recreation passion helps turn blank spaces into inclusive opportunities for play 54 Conference Calendar 55 Product Spotlights 58 What’s in a Name: Deadwood and Sturgis, S.D. 60 Top 10: Best cities for avid cyclists 61 Advertiser Index PO Box 188 • 206 S. Main St., Milford, IN 46542 866-580-1138/Fax 800–886–3796 Editorial Ext. 2307; Advertising Ext. 2505, 2408 The Municipal does not knowingly accept false or misleading advertising or editorial content, nor does The Municipal or its staff assume responsibility should such adver tising 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. WWW.THEMUNICIPAL.COM editor SARAH WRIGHT swright@the-papers.com publication manager CHRIS SMITH chris@themunicipal.com publisher RON BAUMGARTNER rbaumgartner@the-papers.com senior account executive REES WOODCOCK rees@themunicipal.com editor-in-chief DEB PATTERSON dpatterson@the-papers.com business manager ANNETTE WEAVER aweaver@the-papers.com director of marketing STEVE MEADOWS smeadows@the-papers.com mail manager KHOEUN KHOEUTH kkhoeuth@the-papers.com graphic designer MARY LESTER mlester@the-papers.com DepartmentsMeet our Staff 6 THE MUNICIPAL | OCTOBER 2022
OCTOBER 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 7
8 THE MUNICIPAL | OCTOBER 2022 Editor’s NoteM
his August the National Recreation and Park Associa tion released a Park Pulse Survey regarding park funding. It found “62% of U.S. adults say they are likely to vote for a politi cal candidate that makes park and recreation funding a priority.” The same survey showed millennials (69%) were even more likely to back candidates who prioritize park and recreation funding. As a millen nial myself, I definitely fall into that percentage. I love my local parks and nature trails, and the opportunity they provide to connect with the natural world. In those moments, surrounded by the admittedly tamed wilds of these spaces, stress melts away.
Parks are the epicenter of fond memories, whether relishing nat ural surroundings or taking part in programming. Best of all, they know no age. Children learn to fish in their confines; hopefully, not hooking their fathers like I did. As they grow, their park experiences follow suit. Then, as adults, I feel we develop a greater appreciation for these natural lands set aside for our enjoyment and realize their value. And parks have a lot of value, especially as they pivot to offer more opportunities.
Undoubtedly, there are people who will not see the value of parks; however, I think the NRPA’s Park Pulse Survey shows the bulk do and appreciate the many ways our parks departments strive to connect their communities with outdoor recreation and the natural world.
The value of parks
Sarah Wright | Editor
In this issue, we will spotlight other projects and programs parks and cities are undertaking to improve citizens’ lives. These include Howard County, Md.’s, Woodcrest Drive Stream Rehabilitation Project; Lexington, Ky.’s, “Art on the Town” program that connects artists with potential customers; Bloomington, Ind.’s, completed Griffy Lake improvements; and the many ways municipalities are helping pollinators out.
T
Camping has blossomed in city parks. I truthfully hadn’t even been aware that municipal camping was a thing until my dad’s road trips, and he shared the municipal campsites he was staying at. After his trip, I saw Pittsburgh, Pa., City Council was considering approv ing a program to allow camping in its city parks and thought to myself, “There is something there.” And sure enough, writer Denise Fedorow uncovered a diverse offering of city-owned campgrounds that some times have created revenue opportunities for parks departments. Unsurprisingly so, since the 2021 North American Camping Report finds the number of active U.S. households (meaning households that identify as campers, but may not necessarily camp each year) grew by a record 3.9 million households in 2020.
John Muir perhaps said it best: “In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.”
Fedorow spoke with Austin, Texas; Nashville, Ark.; Florence, Ala.; and Freeport, Maine, about their campgrounds. I highly recom mend checking out her article as each of these cities takes a different approach, but all agree offering camping has been worth it.
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(Photos provided by Land Pride)
So how does cooperative buying work?
It’s really quite simple: a cooperative model allows a manufacturer like Land Pride to respond to an RFP that covers a large group of buyers, and it allows a large group of buyers with similar interests to leverage their buying power to get great government dis counts on products. By using a cooperative model, government agencies save time and
In today’s world of tight budgets and lean staffing, it is imperative that city, county, municipal and state agencies make the most of their grounds maintenance budgets with reliable equipment at reasonable prices. But how should you approach that? Requests for proposals (RFP) are time consuming and chew up some of the precious dollars that are allocated in the budget and simply negotiating your best deal is not how government procurement works.
So why not let someone else do the leg work? That’s where cooperative buying has a place in a grounds maintenance depart ment. Generally speaking, purchases in these departments are big-ticket items that can be a budget buster if you’re not careful.
Cooperative buying saves time and money
By DEE WARREN | Land Pride Marketing Manager
10 THE MUNICIPAL | OCTOBER 2022 M From The Cover
effort because the process is simplified for theTakebuyer.for example a state department of transportation that worked with Land Pride on a purchase. The fleet manager called Land Pride in need of rotary cutters for their roadside maintenance. He was looking for a solution that saved him time and money while still getting the brand that he and his crew wanted. To facilitate the sale and sim plify the process, Land Pride suggested using one of our competitively bid cooperativebuying contracts, such as Sourcewell, OMNIA or InBuyBoard.shortorder, Land Pride quoted the rotary cutters that the state wanted with substan tial discounts as outlined in the cooperative contract. The state reviewed the quotes and
counties and municipalities see that value and utilize a cooperative purchasing agency to maximize their time and their dollars.
ABOVE: Procurement professionals can save time by using cooperative purchas ing, particularly when it comes to ground maintenance. Land Pride offers contracts with many cooperative buy groups, includ ing Sourcewell and Omnia.
If you’re a grounds maintenance manager looking to buy a rotary cutter, a seeder or a wide area mower, cooperative buying can mean less time soliciting bids and more time actually doing the tasks associated with grounds maintenance management. And today, many states and many more cities,
A local school district contacted Land Pride in need of a seeder and core aerator to care for its sports fields. After talking to the grounds maintenance manager, Land Pride recommended an Overseeder because of the district’s intended use on existing turf fields. The district was grateful for the direction in the buying process, was happy with the price and had both pieces of equipment within eight weeks of ordering them.
OCTOBER 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 11
What can cooperative buying do for you?
Guidance in the process
Consider this: a local municipal golf course approached Land Pride about a quote on a commercial zero-turn mower to maintain its fairways. Being a return customer, Land Pride knew that the golf course owned a 39 HP Kubota tractor and suggested that a Land Pride All-Flex Mower would do a great job and cut down on their mowing time. After reviewing the quote, the superintendent real ized that the AFM4211 was indeed the way to go. The purchase order was issued, and the golf course soon had its AFM4211 purchased at a substantial discount thanks to Land Pride’s Sourcewell contract.
of. Land Pride offers contracts with several, Sourcewell and BuyBoard just to name two, but with so many cooperative contracts avail able, buyers need to choose the one that best meets their buying needs.
issued purchase orders, and Land Pride built, shipped and invoiced the state. Within a few weeks, the process was complete.
it’s not just states, cities and coun ties. Many school districts participate as well. With education budgets in many areas shrinking fast, cooperative buying can stretch dollars farther. The BuyBoard is a cooperative located in Texas and has a large number of schools and universities as members across the country. For them, Land Pride’s contract has been very beneficial.
For information, visit www.landpride.com.
Cooperative buying has options
Organizations like Sourcewell and Buy Board make sure everything in transparent. They maintain all of the paperwork, and they are competitively solicited, evaluated and awarded by a public agency that is bound by laws regulating the process. Everything is available for public review.
Through cooperative buying, grounds maintenance managers have access to needed equipment like rotary cutters, seeders and mowers while also making the most of their equipment budgets.
There are many cooperative buying groups that government agencies can be a part
Once a manufacturer like Land Pride responds to an RFP and is awarded a contract by a designated public agency, members of the cooperative can purchase any number of products at a substantial discount. Not every state, city or county has a need for a fleet of folding rotary cutters, and that’s OK. Many times, the manufacturer’s complete product line is available on the contract. In the case of Land Pride, that’s over 500 products that can be purchased by agencies across the United States.And
Enhanced customer service is one thing that sets cooperative buying apart from the bid process. When going out for bid, the agency has already made the decision on the equip ment that will be purchased, but what if that’s not the best solution for the task?
Since Land Pride is owned by Kubota Trac tor Corporation, municipalities can save time and money when it comes to purchas ing a tractor implement package that will meet their needs.
By purchasing through a cooperative con tract, grounds maintenance managers in many government agencies can take advan tage of the time-money-saving benefits that the contracts provide. Buyers will have to do their homework, but they can certainly be confident that manufacturers like Land Pride are here to help with the process. Find ing a contract and manufacturer that you like is better than trying to navigate the buying process alone.
More than half the city, much of which was developed on reclaimed swampland, lies sev eral feet below sea level and is sinking at the rate of almost half an inch a year.
from around the world to partake in educa tional guided tours of the cemeteries.
Each cemetery has a unique history, with varying permutations of demographics, cul ture, adaptation to prevailing circumstances and geographical fortuity.
St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, 2 and 3
Several of the cemeteries underwent phases of expansion as the original blocks of land were filled to capacity. New Orleans has had its share of lethally rough times, includ ing floods, hurricanes, devastating fires and widespread outbreaks of yellow fever and cholera, and perhaps the most gruesome narrative about the cemeteries is how quickly and relentlessly they reached their census limit.For example, during the city’s worst yellow fever epidemic in 1853, approximately 1,300 people succumbed to the disease each week. In August of that year, St. Patrick Cemetery No. 1 buried about 1,100 yellow fever victims without the opportunity to inter them in rows, leaving the landscape a disorganized reposi tory of hastily prepared graves.
tures in various poses of reverence keep a watchful eye on the departed throughout New Orleans’ cemeteries. (Shutterstock.com)
In 1789, Cemetery No. 1 was rushed into exis tence by the city’s government to augment the already full original centrally located cemetery, which had recently been closed. The new cemetery was located outside the fortified city, within 40 yards of the Charity Hospital Property. Its location, which abut ted marshy swampland, was preferred by medical professionals concerned about the
12 THE MUNICIPAL | OCTOBER 2022 M On The Road Again
None of the attempted remedies such as drilling holes in the airtight coffin or weighing it with rocks and sand kept the dead from “rising again” and the townsfolk of centuries ago settled on the alternative of “burying” their dearly departed aboveground in tombs, vaults and mausolea.
Consequently, the city’s historically high water table made difficult, if not impos sible, the widespread implementation of the second meaning of the phrase. Any hole deeper than a few feet tended to flood with subterranean water. Anecdotes abound of coffins, interred at the traditional depth of 6 feet, floating back to the surface.
decomposition likened to a “slow crema tion.” Typically, within a year, only the bones remain.According to tradition, one year and one day after burial current ordinances set the time frame at two years the bones could be swept down an opening in the floor, empty ing the space for the next occupant. Names and dates would be added to a plaque or headstone to preserve the memories.
Oftentimes the vaults are used serially for the deceased, usually family members who subsequently pass away and are placed in the family tomb. Helped by the area’s torrid subtropical climate, corpses entombed aboveground undergo a steady
New Orleans hosts 42 such “cities of the dead,” the oldest, St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, having been established in 1789. Many of the sites are noted for their architectural and cultural importance and several have been placed on the National Register of Historic Places. About 100,000 visitors a year arrive
“Six feet under” has a couple of significant meanings for New Orleans, La.
New CemeteriesOrleans’
Lafayette Cemetery
New Orleans’ cemeteries have historically been crowded or over flowing, many with burgeoning populations since the year they opened. With space at a premium, even the fortified walls of the cemeteries contain multi-tiered rows of tombs. (Shutterstock.com)
The St. Louis cemeteries can only be visited via an official tour by a licensed guide. Tickets are $25 for adults and $18 for children.
St. Roch hosts a Gothic Revival chapel and a stunning mosaic of saints. The cemetery was established in 1874 to serve a German congregation. The chapel was widely hailed as a place of healing, prompting regular pilgrimages by those in ill health or seeking spiritual consolation.
Originally built for the city’s indigent population, 99% of its population is buried underground.
St. Joseph Cemetery No. 1 and 2
Greenwood Cemetery & Mausoleum
spread of diseases. It was intended as a temporary site, but was made permanent later in the year.
Greenwood Cemetery, one of the largest in New Orleans, is cross hatched with long paved streets. The cemeteries, most of which were laid out in grid form, have been dubbed “cities of the dead,” and many even sport street signs. (Shutterstock.com)
OCTOBER 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 13
The first burials were underground, but an 1803 city ordinance man dated that all subsequent interments occur aboveground.
Founded in 1833, the nondenominational, nonsegregated cemetery contains the graves of immigrants from more than 25 countries and natives of 26 states. It serves as the final resting place of Judge John Howard Ferguson, the defendant in Plessy v. Ferguson. The location inspired Anne Rice’s writings on The Mayfair Witches and Vampire Lestat’s tomb.
St. Roch Cemetery No. 1 and 2
The cemetery’s most famous denizens include Paul Morphy, the first world chess champion; Homer Plessy, plaintiff in the landmark 1896 U.S. Supreme Court case Plessy v. Ferguson; and Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau, beloved for her legendary altruism in treating the sick during yellow fever epidemics.
Originally established to provide a final resting place for German families and supply income for a German orphan asylum, both cem eteries became overfilled within 20 years of their opening.
Holt Cemetery
Actor Nicolas Cage purchased a plot at the cemetery and commis sioned a 9-foot white pyramid bearing the cryptic Latin inscription, “Omnia Ab Uno” (“All From One”).
The cemetery served as a location for scenes from “The Cincinnati Kid” and “Easy Rider.”
Metairie Cemetery
This oval-shaped cemetery was chartered in 1872 on a former race track. It houses 9,000 graves, including those of nine Louisiana state governors, seven New Orleans mayors, three Confederate generals, famed swing and blues bandleader and singer Louis Prima and res taurateurs of Popeye’s and Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse.
One of the city’s largest cemeteries, Greenwood contains 20,500 lots and still averages 1,000 interments per year. It was opened in 1852 by the Fireman’s Charitable and Benevolent Association. Its Confederate Monument contains the remains of more than 600 soldiers. For more information, visit nolacatholiccemeteries.org or experienceneworleans.com.
Visitors to the cemeteries in and around New Orleans can enjoy the occasional splash of festive color in an otherwise drab and dreary, albeit architecturally aesthetic, environment. (Shutterstock.com)
Cemeteries No. 2 and 3 were opened in 1823 and 1854, respectively.
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goods.YourCountcountscommunityonyou.onus.
Whensourcewell-mn.govitcomestopurchasing,
Local choice.
OCTOBER 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 15
city leaders in Nisswa (MN) get the best of both worlds — local dealer access with national buying power. They keep taxpayer dollars in the community while saving time and money during the procurement process by utilizing Sourcewell contracts to buy equipment, office supplies, technology, and other
Sourcewell is your government source for hundreds of cooperative contracts.
Big buying power.
sourcewell.co/buying_power
Watch this video to hear the city administrator’s perspective.
Protect your first responders & Your equipment info@traffixdevices.comwww.traffixdevices.com(949)361-5663 16 THE MUNICIPAL | OCTOBER 2022
75% Find out how cities are helping pollinators on page 30.
$200 million
Read more about the most recent contaminations at state-finds-hexavalent-chromium-in-pond-near-tribar-https://www.wvpe.org/michigan-news/2022-08-08/manufacturing-spill.
OCTOBER 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 17
45% To find out more about the relationship between healthy, local food options, voters and park funding, start at parks-and-recreation-provides-healthy-local-food-options/.https://www.nrpa.org/parks-recreation-magazine/2022/september/
$1.85 million
Art on the Town program on page 24. $5.6 billion
Approximate cost for Ann Arbor, Mich., to connect to Detroit’s water supply. The city is considering the option following several contamina tion events, including a recent hexavalent release near Hubbell Pond. The pond currently provides the city’s main drinking water source.
Florence, Ala.’s, McFarland Park has 21 primitive sites and 60 pull-in sites for RVs with water, sewer and electric.
The amount artists add to Kentucky’s Lexington’s
3,637
The amount budgeted for Bloomington, Ind.’s, Parks and Recreation to add a new fishing pier and proposed walkway at the Griffy Lake Nature Preserve.
Learn more about this project on page 26.
Turn to page 22 to learn more about this ambitious project.
themLexington’scartshasUrbanLexington-Fayetteeconomy.(KY)CountyGovernmentpurchasedeightmobileforartiststouseinparks,connectingwithacustomerbase. Read about
About 75% of the world’s flowering plants and about 35% of food crops worldwide depend on bees, butterflies, birds, bats and other pol linators to reproduce or set fruit, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports at usda.gov.
Several cities across the U.S. offer camping within their parks. See how four cities do it on page 18.
Parks ServicesEnvironmental& Focus on:
The Woodcrest Drive Stream Rehabilitation Project will restore approximately 3,637 linear feet of stream along four unnamed tributaries to Deep Run, which is located within the Lower North Branch Patapsco River watershed.
60
Close to half the park and recreation agencies that participated in the 2022 National Recreation and Park Association Agency Performance Review operate community gardens so residents have access to locally grown food. It’s one reason millennial voters say they will elect local political candidates who prioritize park and recre ation funding.
The reasons behind how these municipalities became stewards of campgrounds may vary, but officials agree that having the amenity within their city or town is a benefit.
City of Austin Parks Manager Kerrie Thompson said the city has about 189 parks, but Emma Long Metropolitan Park is one with campsites available. Thompson wasn’t sure when the campsite started but believes they have been available at least 40 years, if not longer. She said there are about 45 tent sites and 20 RV sites.
ABOVE: RV campers form a line on the waterfront of Lake Austin at Emma Long Metropolitan Park in Austin, Texas. (Photo provided by the city of Austin Parks & Recreation)
The campground at Emma Long Park operates much like a state park, accord ing to Thompson. People can reserve sites through the city of Austin’s park and recre ation
“The campground is used a lot by scouts, the YMCA, rec kids a lot of youth,” she said. “We’re working to get more seniors out camping.”Thecity also gets out-of-state campers, including some regulars. The park has a max imum 14-day stay to avoid having someone living at the campground.
Thompson said the fees are on the website along with a helpful camping guide, but the sites in the grove and the bluff are $10 a night, camping sites with utilities are $20 a night and the waterfront sites are $25 a night.
She said the biggest challenge is “people who don’t want to pay attention to the rules and want to party all night. We’ve had
By DENISE FEDOROW | The Municipal
“Whenwebsite.they show up at the park, there’s a cashier who’ll check them in and give them a reservation card very similar to a state park,” she Thompsonsaid.thinks having a campground in a city park is a good benefit for the commu nity, and with many of the campsites being right on Lake Austin, it’s very attractive.
Campgrounds shine as assets to several municipalities
From east to west, several municipalities have campgrounds, including Austin, Texas, at Emma Long Metropolitan Park.
The park rules state that quiet time is from 10 p.m. until 8 a.m.
situations where people were screaming and yelling at 2-3 a.m. and we had to call 911.”
Emma Long Metropolitan Park in Austin, Texas, offers many amenities for campers staying at the park, including a beach on Lake Austin. (Photo provided by the city of Austin Parks & Recreation)
18 THE MUNICIPAL | OCTOBER 2022 Focus on: Parks & Environmental ServicesM
Another issue has been RVers overloading the electrical system. “People with RVs want
She said, “Every once in a while we have someone who wants to stay longer espe cially if they’re working in the area on a construction job it’s more economical than a hotel.”Campers need to leave for a day and then they can come back for another 14-day period.
currently undergoing Phase II of its upgrades a brand-new bathhouse pavil ion. Thompson said the park is 1,400 acres and has an entire motorcycle track through the woods, a five-mile round trip bike and hiking trail and “lots of endangered species out
Camping for tournaments
Campers of all sizes take advantage of lower rates offered by city-operated campgrounds at McFarland Park in Florence, Ala. (Photo provided by the city of Florence, Ala.)
The city has a state trooper and a detective who live on site. There’s a small two-bedroom cottage the detective lives in and a camper in a different location for the state trooper.
He said unlike some other locations, Flor ence’s campsites haven’t had electrical issues, but they have had water issues. “Our water hookup gets backed over frequently we’ve had to replace spigots,” he said.
“They’re usually in town all week, so they like to stay in RVs,” she said.
OCTOBER 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 19
“They’reagain.right in the parking lot — not the best location,” she said, especially for those not staying because of tournaments. “We do get quite a few campers who are traveling through the U.S. and stay one or two nights.”
McFarland Park has 21 primitive sites and 60 pull-in sites for RVs with water, sewer and electric. Each site has both 30-foot and 50-foot amp service.
There’s a lot of grass on Florence’s sites and big RVs pulling in creates holes, and camp ers want the city to fix them, but Peden said if workers fill them with dirt, they’ll become mud holes. If workers put in gravel, that can create other problems.
Nashville City Park in Nashville, Ark., put in campsites in the 113-acre park about seven to
In the last two years, the parks department upgraded all the electrical, but despite that, campers are still putting too much strain on theThompsonsystem.
said she’d like to have a camp post with someone on property 24/7, like state parks have.
Floyd said in the five years she’s been with the park department, there hasn’t been any issues other than minor vandalism elsewhere in the park. She said Nashville also had light ning strike a hookup once, but no one was hurt and it hit the camper of the state trooper who stays in the park.
The campsites are lined up on the front side of the ball park, and in retrospect, that’s something Floyd would change if she had to do it all
the city has 60 sites, and they are on a first come, first serve basis. No reserva tions are taken at this time, but Peden hopes that might change when the campground expands.Peden wasn’t sure of the history of this campground, as he’s fairly new, but esti mated by the size of the sites they might’ve started in the 1960s.
“It’s a tight fit to pull in a 40-foot RV,” he said.
And they’re really close to the dam and by the Tennessee River, so “we’ve come under water a couple of times,” Peden said.
city has, according to Park Superintendent LeeCurrently,Peden.
Along with the expansion of 60 more sites, Florence is looking to upgrade the current sites and the bathhouse soon.
Austinnow.is
10 years ago, according to Meghan Floyd, park director, specifically for those coming to town for softball and baseball tournaments.
Floyd thinks it’s an asset to the city to have the“Thecampsites.biggestissue we’ve had is when we’ve had people who want to stay longer,” she said.
McFarland Park in Florence, Ala., is on the Tennessee River with picnic sites on the riverfront, where visitors can watch paddleboats go by. (Photo provided by the city of Florence, Ala.)
“It would be something completely new for the city having someone on property all the time, but if there was someone patrol ling the area on gators, it would help alleviate someSheissues.”saidshe’d also like to add more ADA campsites for people with wheelchairs. There are about four to five wheelchair-accessible sites
However, she added, “It’s a lot of fun, but a lot of work. The park is used and abused a lot it’s a cool amenity.”
McFarland Park in Florence, Ala.
Floyd said the parks department upgraded all the electric poles about two years ago and added a dump station. The city also added sewer hookup to the state trooper’s site only.
to run air conditioners, TVs, microwaves, etc., and we were burning out a lot of fuses.”
She said each site has both 30 and 50 amp hookups. Thirty amp is $10 a night, and 50 amp is $12 a night. Nashville has a seven-day maximum stay.
Thethere.”park is reportedly only 20 to 30 min utes from downtown Austin. Thompson said, “I’ve really utilized scouts with beautification projects.”Forother cities and towns thinking of start ing a campground, Thompson advises, “Do your homework have a plan; there’s tons of liability being open 24/7, 365 days. Have an evacuation plan and be prepared.”
In Florence, the parks department is plan ning to double the amount of campsites the
Dog walking
“It’s not the best place to walk dogs one lady got knocked over by a dog, but no one’s been bitten,” he said.
People are adamant about walking their dogs there, Lyman stated. The town had a piece of property with a pond and trail that was fenced, and officials thought it would be a great place for a dog park, but the community didn’t want it.
There’s plenty of scenic beauty to be found at Winslow Park in Freeport, Maine. The land was donated to the town with the stipu lation that it provide camping sites. (Photo provided by Winslow Park and Campground)
“Always have staff 24/7 so they can patrol and enforce quiet hours, otherwise it can get out of hand and you’ll lose business if a bunch are partying.” He further advised, “You have to run it like a business like a private campground and enforce all the rules, otherwise they’ll be abused.”
The stipulations included that the park would have campsites and no town tax money would be used for the park and no revenue from the park would go to the town.
Lyman said because the park is in a nice neighborhood, it’s become a popular place to walk dogs, and at times, they’re allowed off leash.
If camping is allowed for more than a month, he would have them sign a contract stating they have no rights to the property, because apparently in Maine, there’s a law that makes that an issue. He would also set limits on all sites.
Other city-owned campgrounds include: Drummond City Park, Drummond, Mont.; Riverside Park, Douglas, Wyo.; Washington Park, Anacortes, Wash.; San Jon City Park, San Jon, N.M.; Langdon City Park, Langdon, N.D.; and Greenhorn Meadows Park, Colorado City, Colo. 20 THE MUNICIPAL | OCTOBER 2022 continued from page 19
Some issues Winslow Park has had include those who just want to party. “Our sites are fairly spacious, but we’re basically an island, so it gets loud, but we have three rangers on duty 24 hours a day.”
“It came with a trust, and it should be self-supporting,” Lyman said, adding the campground started off slowly with a few campers and scout groups until the late 1990s and early 2000s.
He added, “It stays busy down there. It’s a revenue producer.”
In Freeport, Maine, the city’s campground came about because of a donation. Neil Lyman, park manager for Winslow Park and Camp ground, explained the land for the park was “donated to the town in the 1950s but with stipulations.”
“You don’t want it to become a trailer park,” he said.
Lyman advises other parks to have dogs on leash at all times and keep it simple. Personally, Lyman would advise against seasonal sites, but if they have them to remove everything at the end of the season.
The park is open from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m., and there are park employ ees on site during those hours, but at night, the city has park police patrolling.Thecost for RVs is $25 a night, $20 for seniors or the disabled and $14 for tent camping. Peden advises other municipalities considering a campground in a city park to “do your homework and do it right the first time. Make sure the sites are wide enough.”
“The only amenity is a dump station and a couple of water filing stations,” he said. “There are two restroom buildings and one has showers.”Hesaid the most expensive sites are those right on the water at $45 a night for RVs and $40 for tents. Inland, the sites run $35 for RVs and $30 for tents and all those fees go to operate the park.
All three rangers live on-site as does Lyman. He said the only sites with electricity are the rangers’ sites. They live at the park about seven months a year while Lyman is there year-round.
“There’s a trust attorney who oversees things to make sure the town operates it as they’re supposed to,” he said.
The park has 102 sites all together 23 are right on the water and the rest are wooded. None of them have hookups, but most can take RVs up to 40 foot.
Campground donated to town
Lyman said the campground is at 93% capacity most of the time. “We do get a lot of locals within 30 miles, but we also get campers from all over Canada and from out-of-state,” he said.
“We have 12-foot tides,” he said.
Winslow Park has a two-week stay limit. However, he said there are some seasonal sites that started back when the campground wasn’t making any money, so the seasonal sites became part of the town charter. Campers can pay a fee for camping for the whole season, and they get to re-up every year.
Lyman explained he is the park manager for this park only. “We operate as a nonprofit that is a town entity, overseen by the town manager and town council. We have to go to the council to get our budget approved.”
According to Lyman, the deed states the park is 93 acres, but it’s actually 70 acres and includes a mile-and-a-half waterfront.
He said Winslow Park and Campground has its own employees who work at the park and use the resources of the town for payroll and hiring. He noted he is considered a town employee. There is a park commission that mainly makes recommendations.
“The previous park manager before me built it up, and now it’s a legitimate operation and is full all the time,” Lyman said.
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22 THE MUNICIPAL | OCTOBER 2022 Focus on: Parks & Environmental ServicesM
Howard County, Md., has recently taken on an ambitious Woodcrest Drive Stream Rehabilitation Project that began in June 2022 and is projected to be completed in March 2023. The project involves restoring approximately 3,637 linear feet of stream along four unnamed tributaries to Deep Run, which is located within the Lower North Branch Patapsco River watershed. The location of the project site was identified during the Patapsco River Watershed Study done in 2016.
Woodcrest Drive Stream Rehabilitation Project to restore over 3,000 feet of stream
The primary goal of this project is channel stability by providing grade control and enhanced ecological function. While the removal of trees is necessary, the project will complete with the replanting of approximately 1,500 native trees, plants and shrubs. (Provided by Howard County)
The timeline for this project was specifically chosen based on two conditions. One took into consideration the stream closure period since in-stream construction activities are prohibited between March 1 and June 15 by the Maryland Department of the Environment. This regula tion aims to minimize impact to aquatic habitats. The second condition considered the end of the school year to ensure construction did not interfere with students reaching school. The project involves the use of pedestrian walkways, which are traveled by students to reach the localAccordingschool.
He continued, “To accomplish these goals and ensure the project remains stable across a range of flows, a variety of restoration and stabilization measures will be installed. Restoration methods include channel planform modifications, installation of a mixture of channel bed structures, including riffle grade controls, cascades and step pools, stream bank and floodplain grading and nutrient processing features. The channel will be modified to a more stable planform that can accom modate the steep valley slope and increase floodplain connection.
By NICHOLETTE CARLSON | The Municipal
The Woodcrest Drive Stream Rehabilitation Project in Howard County, Md., began in June and plans to restore over 3,600 linear feet of stream along four unnamed tributaries to Deep Run by March 2023. Thus far the contractor has completed mobilization of the project and begun installing cascade structures, riffle structures and step pools along the stream. (Provided by Howard County)
Through a combination of county funding and a Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays 2010 Trust Fund Grant, the restoration project construction costs are estimated to total approximately $1,204,000.
An additional pilot approach to the project spotlights nutrient pro cessing features, including recent research specializing in the design and increased effectiveness of trapping and processing nutrients.
Some trees will also need to be removed during the project. The county works with the contractor in order to focus on the removal of primarily already dead trees, trees that pose safety hazards or trees that are impeding the progress of construction. The final phase of the rehabilitation project includes planting an estimated 1,500 native trees, shrubs and live stakes within the site.
to enter,” Richmond illustrated. “The contractor walked the site and installed any necessary tree protection; identified trees that need to be removed; and installed stabilized construction entrance and pathways so that construction equipment could be brought into the site. The ero sion and sediment control features were then installed to minimize erosion from the construction site, causing sediment pollution in the streams.”Currently,
the contractor has completed mobilization and has begun the installation of cascade structures, riffle structures and step pools along the stream. The contractor has begun the process of grading the stream, streambanks and installing in-stream structures with multiple crews on separate branches of the stream since the same process is fol lowed on all the tributaries in the project and many of these tributaries are independently located.
“This project also includes a replacement of an existing culvert in the northern branch of the project,” Richmond described. “The exist ing culvert is undersized, which frequently causes the pathway to be flooded. The larger size culvert should eliminate this from happening as frequently. We are also replacing an existing pedestrian bridge, which children use to cross the stream to reach the school. The existing bridge is starting to deteriorate with age and needed to be replaced. Since this project would already involve stream work in the vicinity of the bridge, it provided an opportunity to incorporate a new bridge into the design with minimal disruptions to the design or schedule.”
“Floodplain benches will be constructed to provide more frequent flood relief while promoting additional hyporheic exchange and nutri ent processing. Woody material will be incorporated into the riffles and pools to improve in-stream habitat and provide a greater differ entiation of bed materials. Water quality improvement through the site and downstream waters is expected through the reduction of total suspended solids, nitrogen and phosphorus. The stream restoration project will ultimately create a stable stream system with enhance ments to in-stream and riparian habitat.”
OCTOBER 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 23
to Richmond, the first phase of the rehabilitation proj ect was mobilizing the contractor. “During this phase, the contractor installed orange construction fencing around the perimeter of the proj ect site. This fencing outlines the area that the contractor may work and store equipment, as well as provides a visible barrier for the public not
“The primary focus of the project is channel stability, specifically ensuring vertical and lateral stability in areas where there is a risk of sewer infrastructure instability, severe channel incision or headcut migration,” Mark Richmond, Howard County stormwater manage ment division chief, explained. “Channel bed structures are intended to increase the overall stability of the site by providing grade control through the project reach to reduce further bed and bank degrada tion. The project also focuses on enhanced ecological function through increased floodplain connectivity and in-stream habitat.”
“These features are small floodplain benches constructed of a mix of organic materials, including woody debris and frequently accessed during the one- and two-year storm events,” Richmond explained. “Nutrient processing windows are designed to trap nutrients and sedi ment being transported through the system so that they may be stored and removed by plants and microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi.”
Local artists who have already juried in other respected programs such as the Kentucky Arts Council’s Kentucky Crafted program or the Kentucky Guild of Artists and Craftsmen, as well as other art shows and exhibits, are eligible to apply for a cart. After submitting their application, getting approved, and attending an orientation
Putting the cart before the art Conceived in 2021 and launched this past June with money from the city budget as well as with a grant from the Knight Foundation and assistance from the Bluegrass Commu nity Foundation, Art on the Town features eight mobile carts that serve as a pop-up shop of sorts for local fine artists, craftspeo ple and authors. The carts are available seven
By JULIE YOUNG | The Municipal
Heather Lyons knows that arts are a valuable component to the state and local economy. In fact, according to the 2020 Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis, Kentucky has more than 46,000 artists, who make up 2.4% of the state’s workforce and add $5.6 billion to the economy. In order to create opportunities for people to encounter art and explore all that is unique about the Bluegrass State, Lyons, the director of Arts & Cultural Affairs for the Lexington-Fayette (KY) Urban County Government, created “Art on the Town” — a program designed to help artists showcase and sell their work.
Watercolor and pastel artist Marianna McDonald works on a painting while showcasing her artwork on one of Lexington, Ky.’s, Art on the Town carts. (Photo provided by Lexing ton-Fayette Urban County Government)
24 THE MUNICIPAL | OCTOBER 2022 Focus on: Parks & Environmental ServicesM
Pop up art: Lexington, Ky., creates Art on the Town program to promote local artists
“We know that visitors like to purchase items that are representative of the places they visit, and local arts and crafts really speak to our region,” she said. “Aside from a few galleries in downtown Lexington, there are no retail venues for artists to regularly sell their work.”
The group also works with Visit Lex, the local convention and visitors’ bureau to notify artists of dates when large conferences and conventions are coming to town. Lyons said Art on the Town artists are now being invited to set up their carts and sell their work at private and ticketed events throughout downtown Lexington.
days a week and are free to use, giving dozens of individual artists and small creative busi nesses a highly visible, low-cost opportunity to sell their work and cultivate a customer base.“The carts are mobile and can move around within several block areas of downtown Lex ington,” Lyons said. “Artists are welcome to set up anytime in plaza areas along the newly completed Town Branch Commons in Down town Lexington. We also partner with other groups and organizations that are present ing downtown events such as the Saturday farmer’s market, the weekly Thursday Night Live, Gallery HOP nights, and other fairs and festivals.”
“Some construction is going on with a major renovation of Central Bank Center, which houses Rupp Arena and Convention space,” LyonsWhensaid.the construction is completed, Lyons stated Art on the Town will also set up there when large conventions are in town. She also has additional ideas to help expand the program and incorporate live perfor mances and local university students to take part in
“Lexington is excited to harness this energy and economic momentum though interac tive and creative placemaking in downtown Lexington,” Lyons said.
“The public reaction has been wonderful,” Lyons said. “Our community members and visitors love seeing and engaging with artists on the street. Many artists are not only sell ing their work but also creating new pieces at their cart location so visitors and community members get to see artists working as well. The artists are wonderful ambassadors and add a warm and lively presence along the sidewalks, plazas and parks in downtown Lexington.”Thecartsare available to artists all yearlong but will not be utilized on the streets during the winter months. Instead, artists will partic ipate indoors at an upcoming conference that will be held in the city, which will hopefully lead to additional opportunities for more year-round sales.
Art on the Town carts are typically set up in high-traffic areas such as along the Town Branch Commons, outside the Marriott and Hilton hotels, in Tandy Centennial Park and, naturally, along Main Street. Triangle Park is another downtown location that hosts vari ous events and has invited Art on the Town
“Artistsdisplays.areenormously resourceful, inno vative and a great asset to any community,” Lyons said. “I would encourage communities to invite artists in to discuss ideas that will benefit them as well as the (municipality). The success of Art on the Town happened because there are benefits to all participants. The artists benefit from selling their work, and the community benefits by enhancing visitor experiences when they are in town. The artists are providing additional reasons for people to come downtown and that helps everyone.”
Lexington basket maker Derek Downing stands beside his Art on the Town cart. These eight carts allow local artists to have low-cost pop-up shops all yearlong. (Photo provided by Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government)
In an effort to give visitors access to local art work and create an opportunity for artists to sell their wares, Lyons began working on the idea for Art on the Town 18 months ago. She met with local artists, downtown businesses and art-based groups to determine what kind of program would best support local talent. In addition to the lack of retail venues in which artists could sell their work, the cancellation of fairs, festivals and other special events due to the COVID-19 pandemic caused many artists to lose every opportunity they had to display and sell their products. The program was announced in May, and the carts hit the street a month later. She said so far, Art on the Town has been a big hit with residents and guests alike.
OCTOBER 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 25
Painting the picture
Lexington officials announce the launch of Art on the Town carts designed to help local artists showcase their wares alongside basket maker Derek Downing and watercolor/ pastel artist Marianna McDonald. (Photo provided by Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government)
participants to take part in a wine tasting event being held there as well.
session, they can start scheduling their carts to display their work.
ABOVE: This aerial view shows how the new loop enables hikers reach the trails on the north sides of Griffy Lake safely without having to walk along Headley Road. (Photo provided by the city of Bloomington, Ind., - Parks and Recreation)
In 1984, the Long Range Use and Manage ment Plan, which is part of the Bloomington City government, “recommended a board walk that would allow people to walk the trails on the north and south sides of Griffy Lake safely,” said Steve Cotter, natural resources manager for the city parks department. “For many years, visitors have had to walk on Headley Road. Now there is an accessible route from the parking lot to the new walkway.” This walkway also features a guard rail, further improvingBeginningsafety.inlate July 2021, the lake was temporarily lowered not as drastically as
Representatives from architectural design firm Mader Design presented the parks and recreation department with a canoe they
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Griffy Reservoir, more commonly known as Lake Griffy, is a reservoir in the city, created by a dam on Griffy Creek, which was built in the 1920s. Originally, it served as the main source of drinking water for Bloomington for sev eral decades until Lake Lemon and Lake Monroe replaced that position in the 1950s. Even so, the city still considered Griffy Lake as its potential “emergency” water supply source, and it needed protection. Through the years, more than 45 separate parcels of property have been acquired: presently, 1,180 acres known as Griffy Lake Nature Preserve surround the lake. Adjacent to the GLNP is the 185-acre Griffy Woods, part of the Indiana Uni versity Research and Teaching Preserve. Griffy Woods was created a little more than 20 years
Griffy Lake Nature Preserve improvements safely connect residents to nature
ago in 2001, and it occupies parts of the Griffy Lake watershed to the southeast of the lake (this watershed includes University Lake).
When you think of Bloomington, Ind., you wouldn’t be faulted for immediately thinking of the classic sleeper, “Breaking Away,” which was filmed there in 1979. But there’s much more to Bloomington than that film and Indiana University. Here’s something else to consider.
By BETH ANNE BRINK-COX | The Municipal
when it had been nearly emptied in 2012 for dam repairs for the survey work, regarding a new fishing pier and the proposed walk way. Construction began later in the fall and continued through the summer of 2022. It was completed and a ribbon-cutting cere mony opened it to the public on July 29, 2022, while simultaneously celebrating 50 years of management by the Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department, which hosted the grand event. Guest speakers at the event included Bloomington Mayor John Hamilton, Board of Park Commissioners President Kath leen Mills, City Councilperson Ron Smith and parks and recreation staff.
Trail on the nearby IU Research and Teaching Preserve. Trail users are reminded to stay on marked trails and keep dogs on a leash; it’s also expected that hikers will follow safe hiking procedures and leave no litter
July 29 marked the opening of the completed project, as well as a celebration of the Bloomington Parks and Recreation’s manage ment of Griffy Lake Nature Preserve. (Photo provided by the city of Bloomington, Ind., - Parks and Recreation)
OCTOBER 2022 | THE MUNICIPAL 27
While the area has always been in use, there was more activity there in the last two years, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. Outdoor walk ing was one of the safer pleasures allowed everywhere. Cotter said the improvements have put the preserve and lake in better condition, essential for surviving future decades.
As most city governments know and have experienced, Cotter said, “Funding, design and permitting were the biggest challenges to this project. The only bid we received came in about $500K over the origi nal $1.6 million budget, so the total scope of the project was reduced.”
Cotter said, “The Griffy Loop and Pier project includes a separated walkway along the entire length of the Headley Road causeway, as well as an accessible fishing pier and four additional fishing spots along that walkway. There is also a sidewalk from the east side of Headley Road to the new crosswalk that leads to the fishing pier.”
A compromise was reached with the contractor, and the agreedupon new budget was $1.85 million. “With change orders, the final total came to about $2 million. Bids, in general, were going higher at the time, because of supply and labor issues.” Despite those all-too-familiar issues, Cotter added, “But the project was substantially completed on time.”With all that was completed by July, there’s more to come. Cotter explained, “The project also included bridge improvements, a wooden staircase and a new section of natural surface trail on the south shore. The new trail will eventually be extended around the lake.”
He added, “The reaction to this has been positive, and people are using the new amenities. The natural surface trail follows the contour of the hillside and connects to the existing trails the Nature Trail, the Hiking Trail, Griffy Creek Trail, Lanam Trail, Cascades Park Trail, Wet land Trail, North Shore Trail, North Shore Loop Spur and South Shores
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources stocked the lake with bluegill, red-ear sunfish, largemouth bass, channel catfish and crappie, all for the taking within approved limits if the fisher has a valid Indiana fishing license.
“Publicbehind.inputwas taken at an Environmental Resources Advisory Council Meeting. A local hiker made the suggestion for a trail around the Griffy Lake watershed, and it morphed into a 6-mile loop around GriffyThisLake.”project was funded with a combination of Parks General Obliga tion Bonds and city of Bloomington Bicentennial Bonds. The contract was awarded to E&B Paving for the construction work. Additional funding was found to cover the difference between the budget and the actual cost of the project, a common thing with supply shortages and delays resulting in higher costs than quoted, which is happening everywhere. There will also need to be future funding to maintain the retaining wall and the crushed limestone trail surface.
purchased and donated to the Griffy Lake boathouse for the boat rental fleet. Mayor Hamilton took the canoe on a ceremonial first paddle on Griffy Lake, while BPR natural resources staff led a walk along the accessible side path and the first half mile of trail developed as part of the Griffy Loop Trail project.
Mader Construction donated this canoe for the boathouse fleet. Mayor John Hamilton took up the oars for her maiden voyage. (Photo provided by the city of Bloomington, Ind., - Parks and Recreation)
The Bloomington Parks and Recreation natural resources staff led a walk along the accessible side path and the first half mile of trail developed as part of the Griffy Loop Trail project. (Photo provided by the city of Bloomington, Ind., - Parks and Recreation)
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Montclair earned the honor by demonstrat ing it has planted milkweed and other nectar plants the monarch butterfly needs to thrive. It is one of a growing number of communities nationally working to help bees, butterflies and other pollinators rebound from popula tion declines and threats to their future.
About 75% of the world’s flowering plants and about 35% of food crops worldwide depend on bees, butterflies, birds, bats and other pollinators to reproduce or set fruit,
An NRPA Park Pulse survey in summer 2018 found 95% of U.S. adults ages 18 and older who responded agree that communities should create designated pollinator habitat. However, 66% of respondents weren’t “very confident” about what they can do to help pollinators.
By KEVIN KILBANE | The Municipal
30 THE MUNICIPAL | OCTOBER 2022 Focus on: Parks & Environmental ServicesM
Pollinators communitiesbringtogether
ABOVE: Two years after installation, native plants provide a colorful exhibit of their own outside the Watermark Art Center in Bemidji, Minn. The plantings took place in 2018 as part of the Birds, Bees, ButterfliesBemidji initiative to encourage greater use of pollinator habitat and native plants throughout the community. (Photo provided by Birds, Bees, Butterflies-Bemidji)
Municipalities are in a unique position to enhance pollinator survival because of the land they manage and the programming they provide their residents.
the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports at usda.gov. Many pollinator species have declined because of habitat loss, pesticide use, disease and other causes. In July, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature added the monarch butterfly to its Red List of threatened species.
and Park Association in Ashburn, Va. Plant ing pollinator-friendly native plants not only benefits pollinators, it also saves money because the plants need less maintenance, White said. Preserving pollinators is also popular with the public.
Make an impact Parks and recreation departments manage about 11 million acres of land across the United States, said Michele White, senior pro gram manager with the National Recreation
“It is now. There is no time for tomorrow,” said Jose German-Gomez, founder and chief executive officer of the nonprofit Northeast Earth Coalition in Montclair, which works closely with the township government on environmental conservation initiatives.
This summer, the township of Montclair, N.J., celebrated becoming one of a few locations in the Garden State to earn designation as a Monarch City USA community.
After the city of Bemidji, Minn., decided a few years ago to participate in the National Wild life Federation’s Mayor’s Monarch Pledge, leaders asked the parks and recreation department to lead planning to fulfill the requirements of planting native habitat for monarchs and other pollinators and educate residents on how to help pollinators.
once they come up with an idea, a lot of them run with it, and we just try to support them how we can.”
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The township of Montclair, N.J., has worked actively with the local Northeast Earth Coali tion to improve local habitat for pollinators and wildlife. The cooperation included First Ward Councilor William Hurlock, lower right, who is deputy mayor of Montclair, helping children release monarch butterflies at the community’s 2021 Monarch Migration Cel ebration event. (Photo provided by Jose German-Gomez, Northeast Earth Coalition)
“It’s one of these kind of collaborative initia tives where everybody is still an independent party,” said Peter Buesseler, the Mississippi Headwaters Audubon Society president. “But you just kind of tie what you are doing together with what other similarly minded folks are doing. It just has a bigger commu nity impact.”
After deciding to put a greater emphasis on aiding pollinators, the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy has begun converting some of its annual flower gardens to pollinator gar dens featuring native plants, said Art DeMeo, the nonprofit’s director of community greenspace services. The conservancy main tains about 130 community gardens in 20 counties in western Pennsylvania, including about 90 gardens in the Pittsburgh area. Part ners include the city of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Public Schools, neighborhoods, corporate sponsors and several thousand volunteers.
Parks department Director Marcia Larson invited collaboration by several local groups already working on native habitat issues. They include the Mississippi Headwaters Audubon Society; Bemidji State University sustainability office; Master Naturalist and Master Gardener volunteers; Bemidji Garden Club; and the local soil and water conserva tion district. Early on, members decided to promote pollinator efforts jointly and to brand it as the Birds, Bees, Butterflies-Bem idji“Theinitiative.people in the group are just really motivated and passionate,” Larson said. “So
This summer, for example, the conservancy formally dedicated a garden in the Larimore neighborhood in northeast Pittsburgh where renovation added a rain garden to an exist ing flower garden. Students and parents from the adjacent school plant the garden each
This spring, the township passed an ordi nance requiring use of native trees, shrubs and plants for at least 70% of all new plant ings in public spaces.
Pull people together
The impact reaches beyond the township’s borders. “Everything that we do here has an implication in neighboring towns, which is great,” German-Gomez said.
The township of Montclair began its efforts to conserve nature and wildlife in 2005 when the Northeast Earth Coalition proposed seeking a Community Wildlife Habitat designation from the National Wildlife Federation, German-Gomez said. Additionally, local organizers had to inter est 250 homeowners and several schools, parks and houses of worship in both planting native habitat and ceasing use of pesticides and herbicides. They succeeded, and Montclair received its designation in 2008.“That project started an environmental movement in town,” German-Gomez said.
In 2017, the Northeast Earth Coalition and volunteers transformed a neglected plot of downtown land into Crane Park. The site’s pollinator and vegetable gardens beautify the area and serve as an outdoor classroom for school students, German-Gomez said. At another park, township leaders gave the coalition initial approval to build a commu nity garden and a pollinator garden, both of which will be accessible to people of all abilities.
Use existing spaces
Jose German-Gomez is the founder and CEO of the Northeast Earth Coalition in the township of Montclair, N.J., where he has worked with township officials and the community to expand wildlife and pol linator habitat. (Photo provided by Jose German-Gomez, Northeast Earth Coalition)
Montclair became a key New Jersey community for the Northeast Pollinator Pathway Project. Locations along the Pol linator Pathway install pollinator-friendly native plant habitat spaced closely enough for typical travel distances for bees, butter flies and other pollinators, according to the project website, pollinator-pathway.org.
“Whether you are planting a single plant or you are planting your whole yard, all of that is a help,” Buesseler said.
spring, DeMeo said. The students wanted to use native plants in the rain garden to support pollinators, so the conservancy did.
To expand community participation, provide opportunities for resi dents to get involved.
32 THE MUNICIPAL | OCTOBER 2022 continued from page 31
Pollinator garden size
How big should a pollinator garden be to provide useful habitat?
As with pollinator preservation efforts in Montclair and Pittsburgh, he believes Bemidji’s work benefits the community.
Keep it simple
Using native plants is a more sustainable way to manage landscap ing, Larson and DeMeo said. Installing a pollinator garden may cost a little more initially than using annual flowers, but the cost evens out over five years, DeMeo said. The minimal ongoing maintenance is cheaper than paying someone to mow large tracts of land regularly, Larson noted.
Similarly, the city of Bemidji began planting demonstration pollina tor gardens in existing areas, such as in parks, along the shore of Lake Bemidji, by a water tower and in gardens outside the local historical society and art center, according to Larson.
“We just try to incorporate them in many different locations,” she said. “It’s such a great way to build habitat. People love the birds and theThisbutterflies.”spring,the Bemidji City Council also passed a “No Mow May” resolution that permits property owners, during May, to register with the parks department to grow their lawns taller than the normal 6-inch maximum height. Delayed mowing allows pollinators to feed on early-spring lawn flowers, such as violets and dandelions. Nearly 50 residents registered for No Mow May this spring, Larson said.
The Northeast Earth Coalition in Montclair, the Western Pennsylva nia Conservancy and Birds, Bees, Butterflies-Bemidji groups all rely heavily on volunteers. The involvement teaches people about planting to preserve Communitypollinators.events,such as Bemidji’s annual Monarch Festival in September, offer opportunities for groups like Birds, Bees, ButterfliesBemidji members to set up booths and share information with people, Larson and Buesseler said. The groups also have organized workshops to teach people how to plant and care for pollinator gardens and worked with local nurseries to make more native trees, shrubs and plants available for purchase.
“While we encourage folks to create as much habitat as they are able and willing to do, even a small patch may provide an important nectar source or nesting site to pollinators,” said Deborah Seiler, communications director for The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation in Portland, Ore. The international nonprofit works to promote conservation of pollinators and endan gered species and a reduction in the use of pesticides.
“The advantage of larger patches is that they may provide better protection from nearby pesticides, exposure to the elements or predators, and other threats as well as easy access for pollinators to reach more resources,” Seiler said. “In short, you can expect higher survival in bigger patches. Good connectivity helps, too. Invite your neighbors to plant pollinator gardens along with you!”
“The idea is to make this a piece of a broader sense of why people think Bemidji is special,” he said. “What does it take for an area like
this to retain people and attract people? What are folks looking for? They are looking for a brewery, a coffeehouse, a vibrant sense of community, good schools and job opportunities. Just having a good, healthy environment is a big part of it and in one way contributes to that sense that this is a good place to live.”
Before (above) and after (below). Members of the Western Penn sylvania Conservancy staff planted native plants in spring 2020 in a newly constructed rain garden at an existing community garden in the Larimore neighborhood in Pittsburgh. The renovation pro vides more habitat for pollinators while also helping control rain run-off. (Photos provided by Western Pennsylvania Conservancy)
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As a third generation parks professional, Cameron Levis wears his title of Bowling Green, Ky., Parks and Recreation special populations coordinator quite proudly. Serving the community through work with the parks department began in his family with his grandfather, Dr. Alton Little, who was both a previous parks director and a professor. Growing up in Louisville, Ky., his mother, Betty Jean Levis, then went into the field of parks and recreation before her recent retirement in 2020. “I just soaked it up like a sponge as a kid,” he illustrated.
or professional sports, he ultimately followed his passion and went into parks and recreation.
At a young age, his grandfather taught him multiple ways to be inspired by how parks and recreation can help shape a community. For Levis, it is all about how he can take a blank space and create something for the community to help enhance the quality of life. His mother inspired a passion within him during her work with inclusive recreation. She taught him the value of “using recreation and sports to create more inclusive communities and using play to give everyone a seat at the table,” he described. “Between the two of them, I caught a passion and was taught lifelong lessons to shape communities for the better through parks and recreation.”
Levis went to college and graduated from Western Kentucky Uni versity with a double major in recreation administration and sports management. He studied the aspects of business, learning how to run a department, generate revenue and use municipal funds to bring programming to the community. These degrees provided Levis with a solid foundation of what the parks and recreation department has to do on a daily basis. While he briefly considered going into collegiate
Although his grandfather and mother greatly influenced his pas sion for the field and the way he conducts himself in his role, Levis wanted to make his own path for himself in the parks and recre ation field. Besides simply following in their footsteps, his goal
34 THE MUNICIPAL | OCTOBER 2022 M Personality Profile
After his grandfather’s passing, Levis combined both his personal and professional experiences in a children’s book titled, “Home Is Where Your Park Is.” The book discusses creating the perfect park, an exercise his grandfather used as a professor. (Photo pro vided by Cameron Levis)
Levis’ parks and recreation passion helps turn blank spaces into inclusive opportunities for play
By NICHOLETTE CARLSON | The Municipal
“I got a degree in play,” he mentioned, following wise words spoken by his Whilegrandfather.helearned a lot during his time at college as well as the last seven years in the parks and recreation department in Bowling Green, Levis still maintains that he has learned the most from his grandfa ther and mother. They taught him how to interact with people and “just loved other people well,” he said, which is integral in his work with the parks and recreation department.
was to create his own impact in the community of Bowling Green. “Everything means more knowing I’m standing on their shoulders,” heAfteradmitted.graduating from Western Kentucky University, Levis joined the special populations division of the Bowling Green Parks and Rec reation Department. His goal in his work is to ensure there is ample programming for those with intellectual and physical disabilities so they can still participate in recreation and sports. One program he is helping to run is an adult athletic club, allowing those with disabilities to transfer into a routine sport after high school. This program is also one his own mother helped to start at Western Kentucky University.
As for his career in parks and recreation, Levis commented, “I think parks and recreation is something that a lot of people don’t realize is a professional pursuit. More people stumble into it than study it as a career. Parks are something we all use, whether we realize it or not. COVID helped to spotlight parks and show what a haven (they) could be as a way to get outdoors.” He encourages those who want to be in service to other people and bring a smile to their faces to consider the parks and recreation field.
The adaptive sports program began when Levis started his role at Bowling Green. This program is specifically tailored to those with physical disabilities. The program includes wheelchair basketball, sports for individuals with low vision and adaptive water sports, which Bowling Green and another parks and recreation department have teamed up on. The goal is to find different ways to help those with physical disabilities get into nature and the water. There is also sled hockey equipment that is available for use on the city’s temporary ice rink. Each adaptive sport ensures that sports and recreation oppor tunities are available to all.
The three main programs that drive the year within the special pop ulations program are the Special Olympics, adaptive sports of South Central Kentucky and Camp Happy Days for youth and adults. Special Olympics provides year-round training and practice for individuals with intellectual disabilities, allowing them to drive that competitive edge. When it comes to what sports Levis has seen in his time with Special Olympics, he commented, “You name it, we’ve tried it.” He also works with a still-competing Special Olympics athlete, who his mother also worked with previously.
Levis’ overarching goal is to ensure Bowling Green’s parks are accessible and inclusive for every member of the community. He takes steps to ensure there is no barrier to play, such as the com munication station at the city’s first all-inclusive park. “I value my interactions as a child and want to create and facilitate those inter actions for others,” he stated. Creating these spaces within parks will promote a more inclusive society and community.
However, Levis thought it fitting that he was there when his grand father passed since he recalled going to the conferences when he was younger with his grandfather and mother, and these conferences helped to shape and fuel his passion for the parks and recreation field. At birth, Levis’ grandfather even gifted him a membership to the Kentucky Recreation and Park Society. Involvement in both the state and national levels will continue to be a staple of his career as he moves forward.
Levis has also used his personal and professional experience recently to write a children’s book dedicated to his grandfather titled,
For his specialty in special populations, Levis discourages the ste reotype that it takes a special type of person or training to work with special needs individuals and encourages simply stepping outside the comfort zone. Through his work with special needs individuals, he believes exposure and interactions with these individuals breeds greater awareness, and awareness leads to a more inclusive and accessible society. As the special populations coordinator, he cre ates volunteer opportunities so others can have exposure to special needs individuals and perhaps find a newfound passion or interest from this group that “brings so much light and life to our communi ties,” he mused. Levis’ position as a parks and recreation professional allows him both the responsibility and opportunity to create social change.
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Cameron Levis, center, caught a passion for parks and recreation from his mother Betty Jean Levis, left, and his grandfather Dr. Alton Little, right. After graduating from Western Kentucky Univer sity, he entered his role as the special populations coordinator for the Bowling Green, Ky., Parks and Recreation Department. (Photo provided by Cameron Levis)
An award winner of the 2021 National Recreation and Park Associa tion Young Professional Fellowship, Levis completed the nomination and application process to attend the annual NRPA conference. This fellowship gave him the opportunity to attend the conference in Nash ville in person. However, his time at the conference was cut short, and he could not meet his mentor in person due to the unexpected passing of his grandfather during that time.
Camp Happy Days helps to provide those with disabilities a good camping experience and fun times in the summer.
“Home Is Where Your Park Is.” He utilized an assignment his grandfa ther used as a professor of dreaming up and creating the perfect park by “taking a blank space and creating something for the community to enjoy,” he described.
Is it any wonder that one in five families wrestle with medical debt? Twenty percent of ambulance and emergency department bills go unpaid. This results in close to $10 million nationally in expenses to be absorbed by local communities. That figure does not include the cost of an emergency department visit.
the patient must not be eligible for home health care.
The initial home visit lasts between an hour and an hour and a half. This initial visit includes a vitals check, a review of medical history and current medications. The team will also perform a home safety check that includes installing smoke detectors as needed. The most important part of the first visit is the identification of basic needs and the develop ment of a unique care plan.
A team of EMS paramedics rush a patient on a stretcher to the ambulance for transport. Community paramedicine programs often focus on preventing the need for emergency health visits through education and different resources. (Gorodenkoff/Adobe Stock)
Dr. Marriott said, “This well-thought-out collaboration between Premier Health and Dayton Fire should positively affect the health of patients and help to reduce read missions. Patients will benefit tremendously from having the support that they need to continue their treatment plan outside of the hospital setting.”
This program, overseen by Randy Marri ott, MD, FACEP, medical director of Premier Health’s EMS Center of Excellence and EMS medical director for the Dayton Fire Depart ment, focuses on preventing the need for emergency health visits through education. Teaching patients how to monitor their vital signs, to understand the benefits and side effects of their medications, basic nutrition is just one part of the program. The team also helps patients gain access to primary care phy sicians, senior care and prenatal care. Basic needs, such as food and home safety, are also addressed.Theaim of the program, besides cutting healthcare costs, is to free up resources for others with a more urgent need by reducing frequent flier calls. Becoming proactive and preventing medical emergencies before they occur, rather than being reactive, is one way to reach these goals.
By GLENDA THOMPSON | The Municipal
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In a statement with in Premier Pulse’s blog post, “Premier Health, City of Dayton Launch Community Paramedicine Initiative,”
What if there were a way to reduce this cost?
In the first collaboration of its kind in Dayton, they have developed a community paramedicine program to reduce the repeat calls of what many medics call their “frequent fliers.”Often, patients with chronic health condi tions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and elderly patients with a lack of transportation struggle to attend doctor visits or physical therapy sessions. As a result, they often treat emergency medical services as their primary careThephysician.community paramedicine program assists citizens in improving their health and wellness. Three professionals a paramedic, emergency medical technician and a social worker work together assessing the needs of patients identified by Premier Health hos pitals, the Dayton Fire Department and other healthcare providers in the area. To qualify,
Dayton, Ohio, partners with Premier Health on paramedicine program
Data shared by the city showed that approx imately 300 people in Dayton called 911 for medical reasons over 10 times each in the pre vious two years. One lady called 66 times. This relatively small group of people accounted for more than 4,600 medical contacts. That’s the equivalent of six and a half calls per day from this tiny subset of the population.
The city of Dayton, Ohio, Fire Department, with Premier Health a medical network of three hospitals and two major health centers in the Dayton region did just that.
Each year, emergency dispatch services receive approximately 240 million 911 calls. Of these calls, 28.5 million request an ambulance or other medical assistance. With the average charge for an ambulance ride costing between $1,500 and $1,600, those calls add up to medical expenses over $45 billion.
“When we go to a house we’ll ask ‘What are some things you want to accomplish or need help with?’” Pulliam said in a statement to the news paper. “They’ll tell us and we’ll go back directly to the partners and get the help that they need for their goals.”
Paramedicine partners, Nathan Pulliam and Kendra Harris, visited Teasha Young’s home to set up a program for her, but before they got started, they repaired her beeping smoke detector. Harris told the Dayton Daily News they start by listening and learning what is affecting their patient. She stressed the importance of active listening. Sometimes the reason someone frequently calls 911 is because they can’t read. Some times patients need help to gather records, like birth certificates and Social Security cards, in order so they can apply for needed services.
program. “It’s not been a heavily utilized program, but it has had an impact with … people who use 911 as their medical provider,” she said.
While the program may end in Dayton, Ohio, it has taken off in other sections of the United States. Rural areas, in particular, are implement ing similar programs. Rural patients often live a large distance from primary care. As a result, many use emergency services as their primary healthcare in non-emergency situations. This creates a burden for EMS personnel.Community paramedicine programs can relieve this burden. Any community interested in starting a program of their own should review the following resources. It is strongly recommended to check with the state EMS office to be aware of any resources, guidance or requirements it may have for new community paramedicine services. Successful imple mentation of a community paramedicine program has the potential to reduce healthcare expenses absorbed by the municipalities and free up medical resources to be available for actual emergency situations.
Community Paramedicine Program Manual available at www.communityparamedic.org/Program-Handbook includes information on topics for consideration when planning and implementing a community paramedicine program. These include pro gram planning and feasibility, state regulations, assessing community needs, budgeting, policy development, training, beginning operations and more.
articles, data sets, presentations, research and other resources on community paramedicine.
The Minnesota Department of Health, Office of Rural Health and Primary Care offers a Community Paramedic Toolkit https:// www.health.state.mn.us/facilities/ruralhealth/emerging/cp/docs/2016cptoolkit.pdf and other research and educational resources https://www.health.state.mn.us/facilities/ruralhealth/emerging/cp/index.html. Some information in the toolkits is specific to Minnesota, but other states can use much of the information included.
Premier Health funded the community paramedicine program begin ning in 2019, partially thanks to a generous donation from the Good Samaritan Foundation Dayton. Unfortunately, this funding will cease at the end of 2022. Capt. Brad French with the Dayton Fire Department said it is unclear whether they will renew the program will when funding runs out at the end of the year, but that the city and Premier are in active discussions about the next steps for the program.
International Roundtable on Community Paramedicine
After a recent surgery, Pulliam and Harris popped into the hospital to visit Young. “It was a good surprise for me because the only visitors I had were the doctors and nurses and the aides. It meant a lot to me,” Young told the Dayton Daily News.
During the follow-up visit, the paramedicine team review the patient’s current health status through conversation and a mini-exam, including checking vitals. Visiting with the program participant, the team will verify that their patient has contacted the various resources needed Meals on Wheels, prescription delivery services and continue to answer questions.Theprogram
Data shows the program has helped over 100 people in the Dayton area. According to Premier Health and the fire department, the people enrolled in the program have decreased their emergency department visits and ambulance call by approximately 40%.
After her first home visit, Young told the Dayton Daily News that she considered the team part of her family, and despite doubts about sign ing up, the program helped her with her health. “It’s been a helpful tool. I don’t just look at them as people in the community. I look at them as part of my family,” she said.
During a home visit, a paramedic performs a preventative health check including checking vitals. (Visoot/Adobe Stock)
Additional resources for community paramedicine
The
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enrolls these vulnerable community members for a maxi mum of 90 days. Participation ends once the health goals established with the paramedicine team have been met and connections made with necessary community resources. If additionally needs are identified, reenrollment in the program can be considered.
The http://ircp.info provides
Dayton City Manager Shelley Dickstein and members of her team are currently analyzing data to complete a cost-benefit analysis of the
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Tomorrow’s public managers depend on the investments made in their professional development today. That’s the premise behind a partnership between the city of Laredo, Texas, and the Texas A&M International University Master of Public Administration Program that has resulted in the launch of a certified public manager program.
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was very practical and very doable. There are many municipal employees who are just so busy that they are unable to come back to graduate school for a long-term graduate degree: The CPM program just fits their schedule. And it allows them to step back and work with CPM faculty to enhance theirNowskills.”afew months in, Haruna said the program has already made an impact on the participants. The first cohort consisted of 15
proven and well-established in other states. He said the hope is to find similar success in the Lonestar State.
“The CPM program has been around for a while,” he said. “We wanted to take advantage of it and provide more skills for municipal workers and employee. It’s mostly for mid-management and top management workers in municipalities, cities, counties and school districts, so we were thinking it
A culmination of years of collaboration between Texas State University (San Marcos), TAMIU’s Office of Continuing Education and Laredo, the program is the beginning of CPM-focused public service training for the city’s employees. Dr. Peter Haruna, TAMIU Master of Public Admin istration program director, explained that while the program is new to Texas, it’s not a novelty in general. It has been implemented,
Graduate school comes for municipal managers in Laredo
ABOVE: Short-term training programs such as the CPM program advance TAMIU’s strategic plan by promoting strategic part nerships with the immediate community and other institutions. (Provided by the city of Laredo)
By LAUREN CAGGIANO | The Municipal
For instance, the curriculum touched on topics like budget, finance and communica tion in municipal government. Haruna said the sessions have brought about rigorous discussion, which indicates that the profes sionals are thinking about how they might apply the concepts to their respective realworld
“It will allow them to use the ideas that they’ve gained from the CPM courses to develop progress around how they can improve their management initiatives at the department level,” he said.
“Theforward.mostimportant thing for us is to actu ally connect with the city and the counties in a way that will be mutually beneficial,” he said. “We want to be able to understand what they are doing and their needs. It helps us to develop a curriculum that will meet the needs of our agencies and the commu nity. And then it will help us to actually build stronger relationships and bridges.”
city department directors: They will graduate byHarunaDecember.has been impressed with their dedication and commitment, which amounts to about 25 hours a month of study. The pro gram will conclude with a practical project that will allow the students to showcase the insight they’ve gained from the program.
ABOVE: Public managers explore real-life scenarios and how they might respond to them in their positions of leadership. (Pro vided by the city of Laredo)
Capitalizingcontexts. on that positive energy, he said there is a goal of having people on deck who want to enroll in the program.
“We want to recruit the second cohort and to allow them to have the same positive and rewarding experience that the first cohort had,” he said.
On a broader level, Haruna said the hope is that the program can be expanded beyond relationships with the city to all government agencies. He said TAMIU is in talks with the county: Those officials have indicated they want to become part of the CPM program going
In his words, “these are experienced individuals, they’re not just coming in as reg ular college level students. They want to use
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Similarly, he said that for now he is content with capping the enrollment at 15 people to avoid jeopardizing the integrity of the class room experience and learning environment.
Dr. Peter Haruna is the MPA program direc tor at TAMIU, and he’s bullish on the future of the Certified Public Manager program. (Provided by Texas A&M International University)
experiences as case studies. And we want to hear them. We want to listen to them. So, we want to keep it engaging and very reflective.”
Speaking of meeting needs, Haruna said it’s important that that the program be kept to its current six-month length. In his estima tion, too long of a commitment might deter people from enrolling in the first place.
Learn more at https://www.tamiu.edu/ ce/.
lead service lines are found in residential areas and some have also been found in small businesses. The replacement of lead pipes is typically the responsibility of the owner. Changes to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rules now require public water systems to inventory and replace lead water lines. Lead pipes can be replaced with PVC or copper and usually take a day to completely install.
Ohio is removing lead water pipes in various municipalities across the state. The H2Ohio program was launched by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine in 2019 as a larger initiative to not only remove lead water pipes but also reduce agricultural phosphorus runoff to prevent algal blooms, address failing septic systems and create more wetlands.
Exposure to lead, even in low doses, is linked to damaged central and peripheral nervous systems, learning disabilities, impaired hear ing and impaired development and function of red blood cells, among other medical issues.
By STACI REAFSNYDER | The Municipal
A main concern for H2Ohio is lead exposure in children, which is why it’s a primary focus of the program. “Since taking office in 2019, Governor DeWine has been an unwavering leader in his work to address the consequences of lead poisoning and to increase lead abatement,” the website states.
lead contamination in high-risk daycare centers and schools,” the websiteManystates.ofthe
“Governor DeWine believes that little is more important than access to clean water. He launched H2Ohio as a comprehensive water quality initiative to provide clean and safe water to Ohio through improved water infrastructure and decreased nutrient runoff into Ohio’s water ways,” H2Ohio’s Director of Communications Heidi Griesmer said.
According to Griesmer, public water systems receiving H2Ohio grants for lead service line removal were identified through a public call for project nominations to Ohio EPA’s drinking water state revolv ing fund. To date, replacement grants have gone to community public water systems. The Ohio EPA’s drinking water revolving fund program meets the requirements that are established by federal law and the U.S.
“TheEPA.recent H2Ohio investments in identifying and removing lead service lines are strategic actions to accelerate the removal of lead from
“H2Ohio will address water and sewer needs in Ohio, including fail ing home septic systems in disadvantaged communities and possible
In 2019, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine initiated a large initiative to remove lead water pipes, among other clean water initiatives. (Shutterstock.com)
Ohio launches lead service line pipe replacement grants
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According to H2Ohio’s website, h2.ohio.gov, the goal is to replace 315 lead pipe service lines, serve 9,130 people with 11 new drinking water projects and repair or replace 480 home sewage treatment systems.
In addition to H2Ohio, Governor DeWine has other initiatives in development that address water infrastructure, lead pipes and lead paint. H2Ohio will also continue to implement new clean water solu tions for Ohio, the website promises.
On Aug. 15, it was announced by Governor DeWine and Ohio Department of Agriculture that a $5 billion grant would go to aid a new program, H2Ohio Best Management Practice the Two-Stage Ditch.
Ohio drinking water and to assist Ohio communities in meeting the Safe Drinking Water Act requirements,” Griesmer said.
“We also anticipate continuing to offer H2Ohio grants to public water systems to either locate and identify LSL or to replace LSL,” Griesmer said. “Additionally, there will also be a significant amount of fund ing available through the drinking water state revolving fund for LSL replacement.”Eightcommunity public water systems have already received H2Ohio grants for LSL replacement and approximately 50 communi ties have received H2Ohio grants of up to $50,000 for LSL mapping. Among those approved for LSL replacement are Cincinnati, Cleveland, Delphos, Hubbard, Lockland, Norwood, Scio and Sebring.
(Shutterstock.com)PartoftheH2Ohio
program is to remove phosphorus runoff from local farms to prevent algal blooms. (Shutterstock.com)
H2Ohio was recently funded with an additional $5 billion to go toward the clean water initiatives. One of the goals is to remove lead pipes from water lines because of the dangerous health conditions associated with prolonged lead exposure.
“A two-stage ditch is a conservation practice that modifies the shape of a drainage ditch to create vegetation benches on each side. The vegetative benches slow water flow and reduce downstream nutrient runoff,” h2.ohio.gov states.
It was announced on Aug. 11 that the initiative will receive an addi tional $1.5 billion in funding to aid in identifying, inventorying and mapping lead pipes across the state. The program had received $2.1 million in funding in May to aid 48 communities with removal and replacement of lead water pipes.
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ReCollect Waste Solutions created the app, which cost the city just $17,000 for a three-year contract or about $5,600 per year. A Tampa city employee then has access to edit the app and review search history.
There’s an app for that Recycling:
“In that process, the residents help us know what the need is. What are people
“It’s an evolving database,” explained Edgar Castro Tello, recycling specialist at the Department of Solid Waste and Environ mental Program Management for the city. “As we get suggestions or find organizations that want to be added to the database, we do that like the humane society, for exam ple. They’re always accepting rags, like old T-shirts that may not be suitable for dona tion but that could be used for the pets that are at the humane society. There’s a little need for everything, and we’re finding out about it little by little.”
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By DANI MESSICK | The Municipal
Tampa Trash and Recycling, as a part of the city’s Spring it Forward campaign in March, showed residents that anything from school supplies to ceramic cups and from branches to corrugated boxes could be disposed of or recycled by various organizations and busi nesses throughout the city.
Tampa’s recycling application allows residents to search places either close to their home or across the city to recycle or donate specific items. (Photo provided by the city of Tampa)
The app took nearly a year to develop because the city kept collecting locations to add, and the staff is far from finished.
The city of Tampa, Fla., has a new app to help cut waste and promote the reuse of just about anything.
“It was a baseline idea of ‘where can you take items that you want to get rid of in the moment?’” Castro Tello said. “Something you no longer want in your possession, you no longer want it to be in your house, but where can you take it? Sometimes people don’t want to wait. They don’t want it to Itemslinger.”such as plastic bags have many recycling locations. The city keeps a spread sheet of stores that accept those and other recyclable items like batteries, locations that accept them but aren’t promoting it, and locations that are at capacity and need to have their recycling bins temporarily removed.
The app also helps the city’s solid waste and environmental division send educa tional materials to specific neighborhoods based on what’s commonly searched for in the area. If the city does a curbside audit for
A new recycling app allows residents of Tampa, Fla., to find homes for common household items they might otherwise throw away. (Photo provided by the city of Tampa)
“I think it’s a good reminder for people that reusing is always a better option than just throwing it away,” Castro Tello said.
To avoid dumping or simply throwing things away, the city wanted to create a solu tion that brought awareness to the potential of a second life for items residents no longer wanted to keep.
More information and a web-based form of the app can be found at www.tampa.gov/ recycle.
searching for a lot? They might be looking to get rid of an extra microwave, and that lets us know we need to see if there’s an organi zation that might take a microwave,” Castro Tello said. “Hopefully, every year we can find a new place for things that people are trying to get rid of.”
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“That’s an added bonus of the app,” he said. “We’re getting people to think about their
waste a little bit. Any moment that we can get our residents to think about their waste and reassess what they’re doing when they throw it away is always a win.”
Even bikes can get new life through Tampa’s new recycling app, which allows residents to find locations citywide to drop off a variety of unused items. (Photo provided by the city of Tampa)
its recycling pickup program, it can further curate the materials.
Castro Tello noted that recently the city began to see a larger amount of generated waste specifically cardboard waste to the tune of a 22% increase in 2021.
The app was promoted in tandem with the Spring It Forward campaign. There were 600 downloads of the app during that month, although usually it ranges from 60 to 300 downloads.Thevalue of the app changes seasonally as groups develop individual needs.
In Tampa, around 40% of single-family homes have a recycling cart but some use it for more than just recycling.
Residents can find a home for just about anything through the new app. (Photo provided by the city of Tampa)
“One of the things we tell people during the holidays is, if you have Christmas lights that don’t work, take them to a scrap metal recy cler. They will get recycled. Or, if they work but you just want to get rid of them, there are plenty of locations during the holidays that will accept them. We’ve been trying to get into that rhythm of anticipating what is needed during specific times of the year.”
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wave of the future, recognizing America’s increasing love of automobiles.
Condé Nast Traveler twice named Mason City, Iowa, to its list of “World’s Best Cities for Architecture.” The Midwestern metropolis keeps prestigious company, with Paris, Dubai, Istanbul and Miami making the same list. Why was Mason City included?
Because the house is a treasure in so many ways, in 2008, after a flood had damaged the
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie Style of housing is part of the reason. The Park Inn Hotel he designed, which opened in 1910, underwent an enormous restoration prior to reopen ing in 2011 to emphasize its status as the last remaining hotel that Wright designed. In addition, the Stockman House was a custom Wright design for a local physician and his wife: It, too, has been restored and is now open for tours.
ABOVE: After so much planning and work, Egloff House stands serenely in her new surroundings. A casual observer would never guess its full story, just driving by. (Photo provided by The Egloff House)
By BETH ANNE BRINK-COX | The Municipal
But the historic William C. and Margaret Egloff House is at the top of the list of rea sons. It was the first house where a two-stall garage was positioned at the front, rather than behind in an alley. The 1939 World’s Fair made much of this positioning as the
house, volunteers successfully moved it to its current location between the Park Inn Hotel and the Rock Crest/Rock Glen His toric District. Obviously, this was no small project, and it could not be quickly achieved.
Egloff House is a rare example of the Inter national Style of architecture and features such details as a wall of glass block windows, built-in dressers and rounded corner shelv ing, a smokestack fireplace and a recreation room that resembles the inside of a ship, with porthole windows and an inlaid rubber compass on the floor. These details may have been included because William Egloff loved to sail, though local lore believed he was in the U.S. Navy. He had actually served in the Army Air Force Medical Corps.
Robin Anderson, president and CEO of the Mason City Chamber of Commerce, and Steven VanSteenhuyse, development ser vices director, shared details.
History on the move
Anderson said, “This was a huge under taking, and not one part went smoothly. The group that took this project on was com prised of five volunteers, and they all had full-time jobs. We did not have the necessary expertise and had no future need for the les sons learned to save this historic structure. But to avoid demolition it had to be moved,
Most of the potential sites didn’t involve crossing the bridge, and further study con cluded that based on truck information such as loads and axle spacing, the bridge was too old to withstand it. The other most likely route involved avoiding railroad underpasses and moving the house sections through resi dential areas. But any route bypassing the Carolina Bridge would increase the moving costs up to 40%, far beyond the budget for the project. So, a plan was devised to redistribute the weight of the house and cross it.
The process hit another snag. Plans had been considered to repair the seam where the house would be split, as well as for the interior layout of the new basement level. But when the foundation excavation began, trouble became apparent. The contrac tor encountered shallow limestone, which meant chiseling through 3 feet of rock rather than digging a hole in the dirt.
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Mason City had devised a program through which it would move historic homes to save
With that problem solved, along came another. Mason City had planned to host more than 20,000 bike riders and their sup port personnel July 23, 2014, on an overnight stop for the Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across America. The riders would camp across the river and across the street on cleared buyout space, so it was decided to leave Egloff House on its foundation until the RAGBRAI riders left town and then lift the structure and move it into the street. Then the final demolition occur that would make the lot open-space compliant. RAGBRAI came and went without incident, and the plans continued for moving.
But the bridge terminates at the south with a sharp incline, and the 92-foot beams on which it was proposed the house would
“Mason City lost 163 homes in that 2008 flood, second in Iowa only to Cedar Rapids,” he continued. “To provide architectural context and save additional housing stock, we purchased and moved three additional homes from the Park Place neighborhood and relocated them along the Architectural Walking Tour in the new Egloff House neigh borhood. This necessitated purchasing a bunch of crack houses that were already either white-tagged by the city or otherwise uninhabitable.”“Ourarchitecture is important,” VanSteen huyse added. “We have the only remaining hotel designed by Wright, plus a prairie-style house. His work was unique and very impor tant, and we didn’t want it to be destroyed. Egloff House was significant enough to be moved. And we got tax credits beginning just as the 2008 recession started.”
what is irreplaceable once lost, and those credits were a big part of it.
travel would not allow the load to clear the incline. The mover’s engineer developed a plan to utilize temporary reinforcing on top of the Carolina Bridge, which would transfer some of the load weight to the underlying bedrock and ease the incline.
Moving took on a whole new meaning for the Egloff House. Half of its structure is up on support beams and ready to move, as it fills the entire street. (Photo provided by The Egloff House)
and due to its enormous size, it had to be cut into two pieces with diamond blade saws and moved it to its new location. Then, en route, it would need to cross a historic bridge that could not withstand the weight, so it became necessary to build a ‘bridge over the bridge’ just for the move.”
Because the house is so large many careful preparations had to be done before it could hit the streets. One of those was trimming trees away from the targeted path. (Photo provided by The Egloff House)
But, Anderson said, “We learned not to trust cost estimates that were provided to us prior to taking on this project. Everything was complicated, cost more and took longer than we had been told it would. We faced many difficult issues and some of them are yet to beChiefresolved.”among the challenges was that bridge over a bridge. The Egloff House Move Feasibility Study had not considered the issue of crossing the 100-year-old Carolina Avenue Bridge, which carries major water and sewer lines within its structure.
“In the end, I think we’re proud that we accomplished our goal of saving this house and transforming a neighborhood. We’re proud of coming up with an adaptive repurpose that is filling a community need, but it was expensive. It was difficult. To any other city consid ering a project such as this, I would make sure the property is truly significant and worth the effort, because these projects do not always make financial sense.”
Moving the other houses purchased at the same time served as a sort of dress rehearsal for the Egloff House move. There was care taken with utilities in the area, which could not be off for other residents for any lengthy period. Those houses were moved in what had been planned for a single day, but actually took several more. Then the move of Egloff House was delayed by heavy rains, which created slip pery surfaces. Three days passed before everything was dry enough to proceed safely.
HVAC was removed and roof drains were rerouted. Interior finishes were removed, and the interior trim was cataloged in order to reinstall it properly. Precautions were taken to avoid asbestos release, and the garage section had to be rolled forward to provide the space needed to finish the severing of the house from the interior walls of the foun dation. Finally, the openings were all reinforced and the two halves sealed to prevent any weather damage while the house waited to be moved to its new home.
Once the house settled, Anderson said, “We dug an extra-deep basement and finished it as an apartment for an onsite caretaker. The five bedrooms, four bathrooms, kitchen, rec room and first floor laun dry room are utilized as short term furnished housing for students who are assigned to North Iowa as part of their professional train ing student teachers, college interns, medical students, physical therapy students, physician assistant students and so on. In the past, employer pools were limited to students who could arrange their own housing. But Mason City doesn’t have any short-term rental property, and there is not an extended stay hotel a residence inn within a hundred-mile radius. Although we received our occupancy permit in March 2020, coinciding with the pandemic and quarantine, since early 2021 the occupancy has been very strong.
The front half of Egloff house, shown here, had just been rolled forward in preparation for its move. (Photo provided by The Egloff
the original lot, the back half of the house awaited its turn to be relocated to its new home. (Photo provided by The Egloff House)
52 THE MUNICIPAL | OCTOBER 2022 continued from page 51
House)Stillon
The house is now owned by the nonprofit association that took on the work and is managed by the Chamber Foundation.
Although the project received a Judith A. McClure award recog nizing outstanding preservation of a residential property, Anderson said, “We don’t seek awards for this project. We are seeking a future workforce.”“FieldofDreams, cornfields and Meredith Willson we are the ‘River City’ from ‘The Music Man,’” VanSteenhuyse said. “We’re not far from Clear Lake, where Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and the Big Bopper performed their last show. This is a special place, and we are proud of Andersonit.” agreed. “In addition to the Meredith Willson attractions and the Historic Surf Ballroom nearby, our art museum has a won derful collection of American art, including several pieces by Iowan
“This is truly a workforce attraction strategy,” he continued. “These students have a cool place to live, have the opportunity to connect to the community and to each other. And just as we had hoped, they are more likely to accept permanent employment in North Iowa when they complete their course of study. In addition, this is a great model of an adaptive re-use of a historic property. Several of the rooms living room, office, foyer and dining room are finished historically, and the house is periodically open to tours.”
Grant Wood. He sometimes summered in the area.” The museum, she added, also contains the marionettes featured in the puppet scene of “The Sound of Music.” Puppeteer Bil Baird is a graduate of Mason City High School.
The Egloff House finally began its move Aug. 20, 2015, and com pleted it three days later. Trees along the route had been trimmed for the previous three houses to move, but the house section of Egloff House was as wide as the city streets: This made getting around cor ners especially challenging. Height, as well, was an issue.
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Oct. 11-12 ILRWA Northern Conference
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M What’s In A Name 58 THE MUNICIPAL | OCTOBER 2022
The town boomed virtually overnight, attracting a fair amount of charter members such as gamblers, prostitutes, outlaws and gunslingers.
For more information, visit deadwoodalive.com.
Wild Bill Hickok was one of the legendary personalities to settle in Dead wood, looking for fortune. His stay was quite literally short-lived, however, when only a few weeks after arriving, he was gunned down at a poker table while holding the so-called Dead Man’s Hand — two pair, aces over eights.
Deadwood’s population, which peaked at 25,000 in its early days, now stands at 1,134. Its major industry is tourism, and re-enactors offer daily more than a dozen shootouts and other educational performances and stagecoach rides on the half hour during spring, summer and fall.
Deadwood prospector Potato Creek Johnny found the largest gold nugget in the Black Hills. His find weighed 7 3/4 ounces, which would fetch nearly $14,000 in today’s market.
The post was also founded in 1878 and operated as a protective way point for Black Hills miners and settlers and served nearly every cavalry regiment in the U.S. Army. Nightly military retreat ceremonies featured the playing of “The Star Spangled Banner” long before it officially became the national anthem.
Hundreds of thousands of cyclists from around the globe attend the festival, making it the largest annual motorcycle event in the world. Atten dance peaked in 2015 at 739,000 participants, more than 100-fold the town’s population of 7,107.
Because of the rally’s prominence, Sturgis has recently remarketed itself as the “City of Riders,” and dual nod to the rally and the 4th, 7th and 10th cavalries once stationed at Fort Meade.
Wyatt Earp spent the winter of 1876-77 in Deadwood. All the available prospecting land was tied up in mining claims, so he contracted to purchase all the wood a local logger had cut and sold the firewood to mining camps. He cleared about $5,000, or just over $141,000 in today’s dollars, for the several-month venture.
Other denizens included Seth Bullock, the town’s first appointed sheriff; and Al Swearengen, owner of the Gem Theater, which operated as a saloon, dance hall and brothel. One of the first dancers he hired was Calamity Jane. The Gem’s revenue sometimes reached $10,000 a night, equivalent to a quarter million dollars in today’s money.
Sturgis, the namesake of Civil War Union General Samuel D. Sturgis, com mander of nearby Fort Meade Cavalry Post, was founded in 1878. It was originally known as Scoop Town, supposedly so dubbed because the saloon and brothel proprietors “scooped up” the money paid by cavalry men and miners during its lucrative beginnings.
The economic impact of the rally is impressive. Studies show the event brings more than $800 million into South Dakota, with the city of Sturgis earning nearly $300,000 from selling event guides and sponsorships. In 2019, the rally generated $628,116 for local charities, and the event pro vides 21% of the city’s revenue.
By far the town’s most famous attraction is the annual 10-day Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, which begins the first Friday in August.
Frontierswoman and sharpshooter Martha Jane Cannary, better known as “Calamity Jane,” settled in Deadwood in 1876. She befriended Hickok and is buried next to his grave in nearby Mount Moriah Cemetery.
Future plans include making the town famous worldwide as a mountain biking destination.
When miners moved to the northern Black Hills in search of fortune, they came across a gold-laden stream running through a gulch full of dead trees. They settled, dubbing the area Deadwood Gulch. The name of the town was subsequently shortened to Deadwood.
The rally began in 1938 when J.C. “Pappy” Hoel of the Jackpine Gypsies motorcycle club hosted a dirt track race with nine competitors on Indian motorcycles.Therallyhas been held every year since, except for a hiatus from 1942 to 1945 during World War II.
By RAY BALOGH | The Municipal
For more information, visit sturgis-sd.gov or sturgismotorcyclerally.com.
Two towns in South Dakota, 13 miles apart, are kindred spirits — in their origin, ruggedness and infamous debauchery.
DEADWOOD
STURGIS
Deadwood and Sturgis are both municipal offsprings of the Black Hills Gold Rush in the 1870s, and their initial populations were less than docile and law-abiding.
Deadwood and Sturgis, S.D.
The main thoroughfares become parking lots during the annual 10-day Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, which routinely draws more than half a million visitors. (Photo courtesy of Sturgis, S.D.)
Stagecoach rides are offered every half hour every day during spring, summer and fall. (Photo courtesy of Deadwood, S.D.)
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Millions of Americans enjoy bike riding. Although popularity of the leisure activity has declined among children and teenagers over the last decade, during the same time period it rose among young adults and remained steady in other adult demographics.
The existence of biking trails has proven to increase bicycle use in cities of all sizes. Trails are crucial to encouraging residents to lead active lifestyles, and in mid-size and large cities, they enable residents to consider biking as an alternative form of transporta tion to and from work.
10TOP 1. San Francisco, Calif. 2. Minneapolis, Minn. 3. New York, N.Y. 4. Portland, Ore. 5. Eugene, Ore. 6. Boston, Mass. 7. Denver, Colo. 8. Seattle, Wash. 9. Washington, D.C. 10. Chicago, Ill. Best
The lawn care blog LawnStarter evaluates cities on the ease and affordability of sorts of outdoor activities. In June it compared the 200 biggest ones on 24 indicators of a cyclist-friendly lifestyle, including access to bike lanes and bike rentals, existence of cycling clubs, percentage of bike commuters, bicy cle-related fatalities and the number of bike racers and tours. The following cities placed in the Top 10 overall for those who enjoy pedaling for work or for pleasure. cities for avid cyclists
Source:Source: https://www.lawnstarter.com/blog/studies/best-biking-cities
Streamlight Incorporated
TrafFix Devices
This index provided courtesy of publisher, assumes liability for errors omissions.
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