The Municipal September 2020

The Premier Magazine For America’s Municipalities

September 2020

Crisis Management

INSIDE: 1-800-SWEEPER Partnering during adversity Bolingbrook, IL Permit No. 1939

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Redding Water Utility recounts Carr Fire operations

People Helping People Build a Safer World

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SEPTEMBER 2020 | THE MUNICIPAL

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Contents

September 2020

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VOL. 11 No. 6

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www.themunicipal.com

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17 Focus on Crisis Management Shutterstock photo

Focus on Crisis 28 18 Management: Partnering through a pandemic

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Focus on Crisis Management: Fire departments partner to share resources in light of COVID-19

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Focus on Crisis Management: Coastal areas react to king tides with help from citizen scientists

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Focus on Crisis Management: Redding, Calif., water manager recounts battle against Carr Fire

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Focus on Crisis Management: Storm shelters promote safety precautions in a safe space

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Public Safety: Jail To Jobs boosts young offenders and their communities

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Building & Construction: From small town to large industry center: How Deltona, Fla., put itself on the map

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Public Works: Storm and wastewater tank construction project underway in Lima

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Streets, Highways & Bridges: Snow fence program eases winter headaches

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Streets, Highways & Bridges: Water under a troubled bridge: Capri Isles Bridge is replaced

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Maintenance & Operations: For crises and crisis prevention, communication is the key

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The Premier Magazine For America’s Municipalities

ON THE COVER Since 2011, 1-800-SWEEPER has brought together power sweeping companies from across the U.S. under a unified marketing and purchasing structure. The organization offers the tools, connections and resources to successfully outsource or streamline street sweeping operations. Learn more on page 10.

September 2020

Crisis Management

INSIDE: 1-800-SWEEPER Partnering during adversity

www.themunicipal.com

4

THE MUNICIPAL | SEPTEMBER 2020

Redding Water Utility recounts Carr Fire operations

Departments

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

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

8

Editor’s Note: 2020: A crash course in crisis management

10

clears a path to power sweeping

editor SARAH WRIGHT swright@the-papers.com

resources

12 publication manager CHRIS SMITH chris@themunicipal.com

senior account executive REES WOODCOCK rees@themunicipal.com

account executive Lalanya Bruner lalanya@themunicipal.com

graphic designer MARY LESTER mlester@the-papers.com

business manager CARRIE GORALCZYK cgoralczyk@the-papers.com

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

From the Cover: 1-800-SWEEPER

Unique Claims to Fame: Hearst Castle San Simeon, Calif.

14 36

City Seals: Gulfport, Miss.

City Profile: Rio Rancho is a city with a vision

58 59 60 62

Conference Calendar Product Spotlights News & Notes Top 10: Best states for working from home

65

Advertiser Index

mail manager KHOEUN KHOEUTH kkhoeuth@the-papers.com

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

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THE MUNICIPAL | SEPTEMBER 2020

The Municipal does not knowingly accept false or misleading advertising or editorial content, nor does The Municipal or its staff assume responsibility should such advertising or editorial content appear in any publication. The Municipal reserves the right to determine the suitability of all materials submitted for publication and to edit all submitted materials for clarity and space. The Municipal has not independently tested any services or products advertised herein and has verified no claims made by its advertisers regarding those services or products. The Municipal makes no warranties or representations and assumes no liability for any claims regarding those services or products or claims made by advertisers regarding such products or services. Readers are advised to consult with the advertiser regarding any such claims and regarding the suitability of an advertiser’s products. No reproduction of The Municipal is allowed without express written permission. Copyright © 2020.

Editor’s Note

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2020:

A crash course in crisis management Sarah Wright | Editor

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 has been a crash course ın one type of crisis management after another. From a global pandemic to nationwide protests to murder hornets to — as I write this editorial at the end of July — mystery seeds from China, it’s been one heck of a year with one punch after another. I am fully onboard with a meme currently making its rounds on Facebook: I’m not going to stay up to watch 2021 come, but rather to make sure 2020 leaves.

Cities are juggling each turn to the best of their abilities, rolling with the almost hourly COVID-19 changes while also preparing for any other crisis that might occur. They are also facing the reality of reduced budgets in light of pandemic-impacted income and sales tax revenues. Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland policy economist Stephan D. Whitaker estimated revenues would decline

8

THE MUNICIPAL | SEPTEMBER 2020

by $54 billion in fiscal year 2020 in his May 2020 article, “Estimates of State and Local Government Revenue Losses from Pandemic Mitigation.”

Whitaker added, “Depending on the speed of the recovery over the next fiscal year, another $25 billion to $137 billion of revenue may be lost. If states split their rainy day funds between FY20 and fiscal year 2021 (FY21) to offset these revenue declines, the shortfalls would be reduced to $21 billion in FY20 and $4 billion to $78 billion in FY21.”

As another potential challenge, those on the East Coast and along the Gulf must have on their minds it is still hurricane season.

Natural disasters, of course, don’t stop because there is an ongoing pandemic, and so municipalities are adapting their emergency plans to account for the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. Writer Nicholette Carlson shares how Sebastian County, Ark., and Bradley County, Tenn., are prepping their shelters for severe weather while being mindful of COVID-19.

Partnership in times of adversity is also a reoccurring theme in this issue of The Municipal. Writer Denise Fedorow spotlights

several instances where cities are working in cooperation with private entities to benefit their communities during trying times, particularly through the COVID-19 pandemic.

They are also working with other cities, too.

Lauren Caggiano is highlighting a partnership between six small-town Massachusetts fire departments to ensure they have access to the equipment and resources they need during the pandemic.

As noted earlier, disasters don’t neatly wait until another is done. In southern California, more than 7,000 people have been evacuated due to the ongoing Apple Fire — as of press time. In recent years, the state has been grappling with an increasing number of wildfires, and in this issue, we are looking back at the 2018 Carr Fire. Writer Amanda Demster relays Redding, Calif., water utility manager Matt Watkins’ experiences during the Carr Fire and how the utility maintained pressure throughout it.

With so many incidents coming out of left field, it’s hard to say what else 2020 will bring.

One can only plan for the worst and hope for the best.

Until next time, stay well.

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From The Cover

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1-800-SWEEPER clears a path to power sweeping resources

By SARAH WRIGHT | The Municipal

B

udgets are beıng constrıcted across the U.S., particularly as the COVID-19 pandemic reduces tax revenue. When seeking ways to lower costs and stretch those budgets, street sweeping could be a prime candidate for change and cost savings, by outsourcing some or all of it. Sweepers are costly not only in the labor to operate but to purchase and maintain. A cooperative network of independently owned and locally operated sweeping companies, 1-800-SWEEPER offers the tools, connections and resources to successfully outsource or streamline street sweeping operations.

“Street sweeping is one of the most visually appealing services a city performs for its citizens. People recognize when it’s done and when it’s not,” Mike Lucht, founder of 1-800-SWEEPER and president of Progressive Sweeping Contractors, Inc. said, noting a good sweeping program delivers benefits both politically and environmentally. “It’s an environmental activity with an aesthetic value, by keeping litter, unsightly debris and 10

THE MUNICIPAL | SEPTEMBER 2020

poisonous contaminates out of the streets and our waterways.”

Since 2011, 1-800-SWEEPER has brought together power sweeping companies from across the U.S. under a unified marketing and purchasing structure. For many of its Partners, the organization strengthens their ability to bid on municipal street sweeping contracts, to complement established offerings of parking lot sweeping, construction site cleanup and other services. The organization also combines purchasing power with strategic vendor partners to create exclusive price offerings on parts, supplies, equipment, fuel and services that their Partners can take advantage of to strengthen their business within their respective local markets.

“Partners of the organization have an edge by getting discounts on numerous items routinely purchased, and they pass that savings onto customers while still being profitable,” Lucht said, adding, “1-800-SWEEPER is gaining traction and recognition in the industry amongst contractors, vendors and buyers of power sweeping services.”

Partners share their experience so they can individually orchestrate each job with the utmost attention to safety, best practices training, proper material handling and disposal.

1-800-SWEEPER provides them the resources and access to the intellectual capital to ensure they have the support, manpower and equipment to deliver the services required to meet customer expectations. These resources help minimize, or completely eliminate, rookie mistakes.

A common misconception that might deter municipalities from outsourcing their street sweeping operations is a loss of control or an inability to ensure quality; however, Lucht noted, “When you hire a contractor, they don’t get paid until the job is completed according to the specification. A municipality actually gains more control and greater accountability for their dollars dedicated toward sweeping.

If the job is not done, a check isn’t being cut.”

Contractors are not impacted by a city’s emergencies that divert labor resources toward more pressing tasks, such as clearing storm debris, dealing with water main breaks

LEFT: Contractors are not impacted by city emergencies, meaning streets remain clean in a timely fashion. (Photo provided) RIGHT: 1-800-SWEEPER, a cooperative network of independently owned and locally operated sweeping companies, offers the tools, connections and resources to successfully outsource or streamline street sweeping operations. (Photo provided)

and other disruptions. Contractors do not have that added responsibility; instead, they are completely and solely focus on the task of sweeping without interruption, ensuring timely completion and tidy streets.

Additionally, since sweeping is a contractor’s sole focus, they are often more efficient when operating street sweepers and have a firm grasp on equipment maintenance and all line item costs — something a city’s public works manager may not have a complete accounting of. Because these direct expenses may be missing, city executives and managers may not have a full picture of the total cost of their sweeping programs.

Lucht suggested cities with in-house sweeping programs might want to consider creating a competitive environment by contracting a portion or sections of their city and run them in tandem to evaluate and improve productivity and equipment utilization. “There are a lot of creative options to consider,” he said.

All 1-800-SWEEPER’s Partners are vetted, by being referred by an existing Partner or meeting with either the organization’s executive director or Lucht while also completing a four-page questionnaire to ensure they are aligned as a company with the cooperative’s mission and values. From there, each candidate must be approved by 1-800-SWEEPER’s board of directors. Lucht emphasized the importance of having a cultural alignment within the organization, and noted that all of the organization’s Partners are members of the North American Power Sweeping Association, or NAPSA. Even if municipalities choose to self-perform their street sweeping, 1-800-SWEEPER can help them sweep smarter with its experience.

“Use us as a resource,” Lucht said. “If they have problems, consider learning from a contractor and using our tools.”

He noted 1-800-SWEEPER has access to technology that can improve productivity and

reporting of street sweeping operations. Eagle Eye Software — eagleeyetracking.com — offers a web-based tracking platform, which inventories every curb and reports what has been swept each day or throughout any time period.

“It saves time on inspections and communication while minimizing time spent on reporting. As areas are assigned to operators, you know that what say they are doing is what they are doing,” Lucht said. “Before you would have to physically spot check areas to see what’s been done.”

Additionally, the technology allows for the operator and manager and/or customer to be constantly on the same page through the interactive reporting dashboard that can be easily accessed from the field by a tablet. Additionally, if a complaint is received about a missed curb, a manager can check the program and see if the street had been missed, a vehicle was blocking the curb or leaves and/or debris had been raked to the curb after the street sweeper passed through.

1-800-SWEEPER has also developed its own technologies. A virtual training tool, the SweeperSIM™, which is a sweeping simulator with realistic operating conditions that allows Partners to train new parking lot sweeper operators in a simulated sweeping environment and measures their performance against best-practice benchmarked criteria. The simulator helps to screen, test and validate new driver’s aptitudes and develop their skill sets before putting trainees behind the wheel of a real sweeper. Additionally, it has also rolled out the 800App that allows customers to request service, or simply send a message,

directly to one of 1-800-SWEEPER’s Partners with the touch of a button.

“We build relationship bridges that are mutually beneficial between the buyer of our services, our Partners and our vendors selling goods and services. We currently have 38 vendors who offer our Partners discounts on everything they need to maintain and run their businesses, from tires, brooms, fuel, equipment, parts and services,” Lucht said. “There is a lot of support and networking. If you have a question or problem, you spend very little time waiting for an answer or getting help.”

Finally, the Sweeper Summit and Equipment EXPO is a 1-800-SWEEPER sponsored event that is exclusive to the power sweeping industry and has proven to be an impactful relationship building annual event for the attendees. Each year 1-800-SWEEPER Partners, vendors and invited guests gather to meet for three days and share ideas, network, attend industry-related educational programs as well as attend an outdoor equipment show with all the industry’s leading sweeper manufactures on display.

“The Sweeper Summit is always the highlight of the year,” Lucht said. “We’re not your typical trade show and municipal employees are always welcome. If you’re looking to learn about contract sweeping or purchase a sweeper and want to demo it, the Sweeper Summit is the place to be every November.”

For information, visit www.1800sweeper.com.

SEPTEMBER 2020 | THE MUNICIPAL 11

M

Unique Claims To Fame

Hearst Castle San Simeon, Calif.

By RAY BALOGH | The Municipal

ABOVE: The curtilage of the Hearst Castle includes more than 160 elegant rooms in the main residence and three guesthouses, built over a period of almost three decades.

(All photos provided by Hearst Castle/CA State Parks)

William Randolph Hearst’s request that architect Julia Morgan build him “a little something” may be classified as one of the greatest understatements of the 20th century.

The end result of the media titan billionaire’s modest proposal is one courtyard,” said Jim Allen, director of marketing and communications of the most spectacular residential showpieces in the world, Hearst for the tourist attraction owned since 1958 by the California State Parks.

Castle, located near San Simeon, Calif., midway between San FranThe architecture and furnishings reflect the character of the man. cisco and Los Angeles.

“Hearst Castle contains design elements and influences from more The curtilage, now a museum that attracts 650,000 visitors a year, than one country, but it was not intended to mimic any particular includes the 115-room Casa Grande — also dubbed “The Enchanted country in its design,” said Allen. “Rather, it was intended to be someHill,” “San Simeon” and “the ranch” — three guesthouses, stately thing entirely original that would delight his visitors and himself. It courtyards, 127 acres of gardens, an outdoor swimming pool, a 7,000- did — and still does today.” tree pine forest and at one time the largest private zoo in the world.

The grounds’ appointments and decor include sculptures from The building project spanned 28 years, from 1919 to 1947, and is argu- Egypt; Art Deco ceilings from Spain, coated with 22-karat gold leaf; ably still unfinished. four original 16th-century tapestries commemorating the military “There were possible plans for more guesthouses, finishing the exte- feats of Scipio Africanus, a Roman general who defeated Hannibal in rior treatment of the north and south wings and enhancing the rear the Second Punic War; a pair of 10-foot-by-14-foot French tapestries 12 THE MUNICIPAL | SEPTEMBER 2020

from the Hunt of the Unicorn series, dating circa A.D. 1500; and thousands of pieces of artwork, some dating more than 600 years old.

The castle’s largest room, the Assembly Room, where guests congregated and mingled while awaiting dinner in the adjoining dining room, measures 2,498 square feet, about the size of an average home nowadays. Guests could communicate by phones placed at either end of the room, rather than walk across the room to chat.

“This originality reflects Mr. Hearst’s approach to business and life.

Mr. Hearst was a builder of not just fabulous estates, but he also built and developed many businesses through consistent hard work and a positive attitude. One famous quote credited to him was, ‘You must keep your eye on the objectives, not the obstacles.’”

Hearst routinely subsisted on four hours of sleep a night. Thus his bedroom is surprisingly small, with a get-in-and-get-out pragmatic functionality. During the construction of the castle, Hearst slept in a narrow bedroom in one of the guesthouses.

Hearst was also known for his prodigious real estate holdings. He owned all the land between his castle and Junipero Serra Peak, a mountain 34 miles to the north. At the peak of his acquisitions, Hearst owned 250,000 acres, including 14 miles of coastline. His 390 square miles of land ownership today would slot him in 15th place on the list of America’s largest cities in land area.

Guests of the Hearst Castle, originally by invitation only via phone call or handwritten note, included Charlie Chaplain, Clark Gable, Calvin Coolidge and Winston Churchill.

“There was an old saying in Hollywood that there were two groups of stars,” Allen said. “The ones who had been to Hearst Castle and the ones who said they had been to Hearst Castle.”

As of this writing, public guided tours of the grounds have been suspended due to coronavirus pandemic restrictions. When tours resume, visitors will have a choice of grand experiences. Participants are encouraged to wear comfortable shoes, as some tours entail walking close to a mile and involve upward of 750 stairs.

• Grand Rooms Tour, recommended for first-time visitors. The tour includes five of the grand social rooms, the Assembly Room, refectory, morning room, billiard room and theater.

• Upstairs Suites Tour, which embarks up a winding staircase and proceeds through the Casa Grande’s upper levels. Features include Hearst’s Gothic study, main library and Celestial Suite.

• Cottages and Kitchens Tour, embracing visits to two of the subsidiary mansions, the estate’s wine cellar and sizable Casa Grande kitchen.

• Julia Morgan Tour, featuring an in-depth look into the life of Hearst’s architect, as seen through architectural drawings, family photos and Morgan’s personal items.

• The Art of San Simeon Tour, a semi-private, art-focused excursion.

• Evening Tour, highlighting nightlife at the estate. Volunteers regaled in 1930s regalia enhance the experience, which concludes with a vintage newsreel in Hearst’s private theater.

The museum also hosts holiday and accessibly designed daytime and evening tours.

Hearst Castle is located at 750 Hearst Castle Road, San Simeon, Calif.

For more information, call (800) 444-4445 or visit www.hearstcastle.org or www.facebook.com/hearstcastle.

The Assembly Room of Hearst Castle is larger than the average four-bedroom, three-bath home.

The outdoor pool at Hearst Castle holds 345,000 gallons of water, heated by an oil-burning system. The basin is lined with Vermont marble.

The Italian hand-cut glass tiles lining the walls of the indoor pool room took five years to install.

SEPTEMBER 2020 | THE MUNICIPAL 13

City Seals

M

INT

ING

UC

D RO

Gulfport, Miss.

PORTABLE

The city seal of Gulfport, Miss., population 72,670, leaves no doubt about the significance of the city’s southern border: the Mississippi Sound in the Gulf of Mexico.

The striking circular seal, splashed in sea green and a complementary robust blue, features ocean waves in two of its four quadrants depicting important aspects of Gulfport’s history and commerce.

Emblazoned across the middle of the seal is the welcoming salutation, “Gulfport, where your ship comes in.”

The four images, clockwise from the upper left, represent: • The city’s shipping industry. Gulfport’s deepwater harbor is well noted for accommodating shipments of bananas.

Before the devastation visited by Hurricane Katrina, Gulfport was the nation’s leading banana import harbor. The port is making its way back to its former prominence, with the Mississippi State Port Authority recently signing a 40-year lease with Chiquita.

• The Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport, which “connects the city to the world through the air,” according to LaShaundra McCarty, the city’s public information officer.

• The tourist industry, depicted by a sailboat skimming across the waves. Gulfport also features one of the world’s longest man-made sand beaches, which extends 26 miles from Pass Christian through Gulfport to Biloxi.

• Grass Lawn, also known as the Milner House, a two-story antebellum home built in 1836. The original structure was destroyed in 2005 by Hurricane Katrina, and a replica was built and dedicated on July 20, 2012. The building, owned by the city since 1973, can be rented for weddings, receptions and other events. The city’s visitor center is situated on the same property.

Absent from the images is any depiction of a railroad, which figured significantly in the city’s founding.

Gulfport was founded in 1887 by Capt. William H. Hardy to serve as the terminus of his Gulf and Ship Island Railroad, which connected inland lumber mills to the coast. His successor, Capt. Joseph T. Jones, helped develop the city and in 1902 dredged the harbor.

The city was incorporated on July 28, 1898, and shares with Biloxi the designation as county seat of Harrison County.

The waters teem with hundreds of species of fish, allowing for a vibrant commercial shrimp industry and opportunities for recreational anglers to snag king mackerel, trout, flounder and redfish.

For more information, visit www.gulfport-ms.gov.

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THE MUNICIPAL | SEPTEMBER 2020

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SEPTEMBER 2020 | THE MUNICIPAL 15

Focus on: Crisis Management

Focus on: Crisis

MANAGEMENT

40,000 The number of people evacuated from the Redding, Calif., area during the 2018 Carr Fire. During the fire, Redding’s water utility managed to maintain pressure.

$346 Billion

From 2016 to 2019, Atlantic hurricane seasons have resulted in damage totaling this much in the U.S., according to estimates compiled by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Environmental Information. This is more than the gross domestic product of Ireland.

Read more about Redding’s actions on page 28.

Source: https://weather.com/safety/hurricane/news/2020-05-28-us-hurricane-s tretch-since-2016-death-toll-damage

250,000 Fort Worth Now had this many masks in the hands of its local small businesses as part of a “mask strike.”

59 The total of tornadoes that were estimated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Storm Prediction Center in May, the fewest in any May since the 1950s. In June only 50 tornadoes were estimated by the SPC, the fewest since the early 1950s.

Find out how cities are partnering with private entities to navigate the ongoing pandemic on page 18.

Source: https://weather.com/storms/tornado/news/2020-07-16-tornado-drought-since-may

60% The American Red Cross plans to adhere to new guidelines based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s social distancing standards, which would cut shelter capacity by this percentage.

Source: https://www.npr.org/2020/07/22/893286668/u-s-disaster-response-scramblesto-protect-people-from-both-hurricanes-and-covid

2,000 The number of shirts Terrill Haigler, a Philadelphia, Pa., sanitation worker, has set out to sell in order to raise funds to secure N95 masks, gloves and cleaning supplies for his fellow sanitation workers. As of a July 30 article on WHYY, a Philadephia region public media organization, Haigler had reached onefourth of his goal.

Source: https://whyy.org/articles/ meet-the-trash-man-working-to-solve-phillys-trash-woes-with-ppe-and-instagram/

SEPTEMBER 2020 | THE MUNICIPAL

17

M Focus on: Crisis Management Reenactors depict life from Virginia’s Colonial era along the Duke of Gloucester Street where restored or recreated buildings from the 18th Century are featured. Colonial Williamsburg is the world’s largest living history museum encompassing 301 acres. The city of Williamsburg was once the capital of Virginia. (Photo provided)

Partnering through a pandemic

By DENISE FEDOROW | The Municipal

This year with COVID-19 seemingly not wanting to loosen its grip on the U.S., many municipalities are becoming creative to help their communities in these challenging times. For many, that has meant looking to the private sector to create partnerships to fill in gaps or help hurting businesses.

In Williamsburg, Va., the city has partnered to create a fund for local businesses to quickly access funds to help them stay afloat. The program is called the Greater Williamsburg Small Business Relief Fund.

Von Gilbreath, director of Greater Williamsburg Partnership, a regional economic development corporation in the commonwealth of Virginia, said, “When COVID-19 hit, we were trying to absorb what was happening in our community.”

The Greater Williamsburg Partnership serves the city of Williamsburg, York County and James City County.

She said Michele DeWitt, economic development director for the city of Williamsburg, and City Council Member Barb Ramsey had a conversation about what could be done to bring relief to small businesses, and from there, DeWitt brought the ideas to Gilbreath, saying they felt it needed to be a regional effort.

“I took on the challenge from that point to identify partners,” Gilbreath said. “I approached Nancy Sullivan of the Williamsburg Community Foundation and told her I’d like to set up a small business relief fund.”

She was told the WCF required $10,000 in seed money to establish the fund, and the glitch was she could collect the funds, but the foundation wasn’t set up to distribute funds to for-profit entities. Gilbreath said she thought, “There’s got to be a way.”

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THE MUNICIPAL | SEPTEMBER 2020

At the same time they were working on this, Pete Snyder, an alumni of William & Mary and Virginia technology entrepreneur, started the VA 30 Day Fund with his wife, Burson, using $100,000 of their own money to provide quick access to funds for small businesses to help save jobs. He continued to grow private donors, and while he served all of the commonwealth of Virginia, Gilbreath heard of him because he had helped businesses in the Williamsburg area.

Gilbreath’s first order of business though was to come up with the seed money, so she approached each of the three economic development authorities and asked them to contribute $3,333.34.

“Now we needed a plan to distribute funds,” she said.

She contacted Snyder and said, “I have this idea — you have the fund up and running already to give small business capital. Can you treat GWP as a donor using public monies?”

The funds would be given through the community foundation and distributed to the businesses by VA 30 Day Fund — a neutral entity.

Snyder agreed to the plan.

“I think we were his first public donor,” she said.

Ramsey contributed $6,000 and challenged the community to match those funds. Chesapeake Bank came in as a bank partner contributing $10,000; it was already helping small businesses get the SBA loans, but had told Gilbreath, “We believe in this relief fund; it fits with our mission and is something we can support.”

Trustees of the Williamsburg Community Foundation donated $7,500 to the fund, so when it officially launched May 4, it had $33,500.

Two weeks later, James City County Board of Supervisors loved the work the fund was doing, according to Gilbreath, and gave a special allocation of $500,000 of Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security money, but with a further restriction, the $500,000 must go to James City County businesses. Over a 30-day period, the core fund nearly doubled with the WCF collecting funds totaling $63,000.

Gilbreath said 21 businesses have received $3,000 forgivable loans each and 63 James City County small businesses have received $3,000 forgivable loans for a total of $189,000 thus far.

“We’re close to helping almost 100 businesses. We’ve made a positive impact with this fund,” she said. “So many businesses were trying to adapt and address COVID-19 with operating costs — social distancing measures, PPE (personal protective equipment), payroll and health care insurance.”

She said a lot of the businesses the fund helped were in the Federal Drug Administration PPE loan process, “but it wasn’t happening very expediently. The great thing about our fund is they apply, give general information, a quick video clip and, once selected by the VA 30 Day Fund, receive those funds within three days.

“It’s a $3,000 forgivable loan; they don’t pay it back, we just ask them to pay it forward if things get better. While they’re waiting for their SBA loan, they need to make payroll now. This fund helps them do that,” Gilbreath said.

The VA 30 Day Fund has volunteers from William & Mary’s Business School to review the applications and business people to review on the second go-around to get the money out the door, according to Sullivan.

Gilbreath said she’s always believed the best way to serve the business community is through public-private partnerships. When asked if she sees this fund continuing to be in place if there’s another catastrophe, she responded, “That’s my vision. I would like to see it continue. If we lived in a perfect world, we’d distribute all the funds and there’d be no other crisis; however, I think there’ll always be a need for a small business relief fund.”

According to Gilbreath, economic development agencies are “the first responders to the business community. That’s what we strive to be, and when businesses are hurting like this, they don’t need to be tied down by bureaucracy. That’s when you bring in private partners, and who wins is the businesses.”

Sullivan also shared about the program. “I always look for bright spots and this has definitely been a bright spot.”

She said the VA 30 Day Fund founders were able to get their 501c3 “under an expedited process because of the crisis and disaster,” and Snyder had the contacts and the experience to evaluate the businesses and know the criteria for eligibility.

Sullivan said it “made sense that we were all doing the things that we’re good at and we all feel we’re making a difference for struggling businesses. We’re a tourist town so it’s had a big effect on us.”

The different entities all decided to waive any fees for all programs.

Of the partnership, Sullivan said, “I think it’s been a great learning experience. It took a little time and effort, but we can all benefit from it and how quickly we made things happen. I hope as we go forward the bonds we created will help us as we continue to serve our community.”

Chef Travis Brust, executive chef and food and beverage director at The Williamsburg Inn, is shown serving customers. Restaurants and inns have been hit hard through the pandemic. (Photo provided) Fort Worth Now A similar initiative was recently launched in Fort Worth, Texas, to not only help businesses recover but to also grow and attract businesses to the city.

Mayor Betsy Price said Fort Worth Now is intended to be a one-year initiative to help small and large businesses get on their feet while also positioning Fort Worth for anticipated relocations to the city.

“We’re calling it a strike force instead of a task force,” she said. “We’re expecting relocations from New York and California, and we want to be prepared to strike while the iron is hot, so to speak.”

The strike force is co-chaired by Elaine Agather, president of Chase Bank, and John Goff, real estate developer, “neither of whom typically do this sort of thing,” Price said. “It was a real vote of confidence for them to step up and chair the committee and to get actively involved.”

Fort Worth Now has a 24-member committee comprised of mainly chief executive officers of businesses but also members of local government and universities. Price said the city wanted very high level people making the calls to craft needed connections.

The city started the initiative in May and then launched it June 1, with Goff putting in $100,000 of his own money and challenging the rest of the business community to do the same. Within 10 days, $450,000 in private donations had been raised.

Fort Worth Now launched a website as an online resource hub to help businesses of all types. Price said the idea was for this to be a “very quick, very nimble organization — unlike how city-run task forces can sometimes get bogged down in details.”

The city took $40 million of CARES grant money for small businesses, and Fort Worth Now is administrating those grants. It handles the operation and recruitment. It also hired Jarratt Watkins as the director, with his salary being paid by those private donations.

“They’ve done amazing things. I’m really pleased with the momentum they’ve built,” Price said.

SEPTEMBER 2020 | THE MUNICIPAL 19

continued from page 19

One of those impressive things was a “mask strike.” She said Fort Worth Now used CARES money as well as its own donations to buy masks and deliver them to small businesses, which would have been hurt by the extra cost.

“We had 250,000 masks in the hands of small businesses in two and a half hours. We advertised on Friday and distributed them on Tuesday,” she said, adding they were delivered in groups of 200 masks.

Local companies are also being creative in responding to the pandemic. Price said companies are innovating by making PPE on the side like Alcon and TX Whiskey, which are making hand sanitizers. She added they had recently learned of a brand-new company making face shields and masks.

The initiative, according to Price, is “designed to network. I think there are more golden opportunities for start-ups like that.”

Price said this crisis, in particular, has created an awakening to the reality that we’ve been relying too much on imported products. “I think you’ll see fundamental changes in business and changes in the supply chain.”

The mayor admitted that often the public government sector tends to be reactive when it comes to economic development while the private business sector tends to be proactive. “I think there’s a lesson to be learned there for both sides,” she said.

Aside from providing funding, Fort Worth Now also seeks to provide mentorships for businesses. So if someone is looking for a grant, there is an application, but if they’re looking for a mentor, they can call Watkins to help connect them with someone who can help with their particular need. There’s also discussion about having a business summit with topics like how to fill out a grant application or profit and loss statement.

Even though Fort Worth Now is supposed to be a one-year initiative, Price believes it could be continued. She said CEOs are realizing they need to step up to help their communities and they have a great interest in doing so.

“Things can be done quicker on the private side, and that’s often where the connections are,” she said. “Fort Worth has always been blessed to have great private-public partnerships, maybe more than others. I encourage every city to not think the government can do this but that private (sector) can do it and we can help facilitate it. Talk to your businesses, find out what they need and get them matched up and get it moving.”

As a small business owner and entrepreneur herself before taking public office, Price said, “I’m a firm believer in sharing resources. Why reinvent the wheel over and over? I think this is an exciting chance to bring everyone together and make great progress.”

Partners on the move Several cities have partnered with ride-hailing companies like Uber and Lyft during the pandemic to fill in gaps of low ridership routes or to get essential workers back and forth to work.

According to a May 6 article in Reuters by Tina Bellon, cities such as Indianapolis, Ind.; Livermore, Calif.; Des Moines, Iowa; and Columbia, S.C., are some of the cities who have made such arrangements.

In South Carolina, the Central Midland Regional Transit Authority serves the city of Columbia, Richland County, Lexington County and the city of Forest Acres. The regional transit authority calls its system The Comet.

Executive Director of The Comet John Andoh said the transit authority was created in 2000 and officially took over service in 2002. The transit 20 THE MUNICIPAL | SEPTEMBER 2020

Pictured is a colorful bus on The Comet transit system. The Comet is a regional transit authority servicing Columbia, Richland County, Lexington County and Forest Acres, all in South Carolina. In 2018, the transit authority began contracting with van and ride-hailing companies, a service that has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo provided)

authority first began contracting with van pool companies like Enterprise and ride-hailing companies like Uber and Lyft in 2018.

He said with the current pandemic there’s been an increase in ridership. In the case of Uber and Lyft, it’s “because of the single occupancy nature for rides to the grocery store or nighttime trips and the van pool for rides to work.”

He suggested groups of co-workers ride together to work and that feels safer than riding with a busload of strangers. The Comet also reduced bus service at night so those riders shifted to ride-hailing.

Andoh said they subsidize ridership by paying up to $5 for eligible rides, which are to grocery stores or rides between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m. in The Comet service area. They also pay up to $500 toward the rental of a van, and eligible van trips are to and from work in The Comet service area.

Andoh said it’s been a great partnership. “It’s been working great for us. Additional ridership helps us to continue to show we’re effectively moving people.”

There has been a cost savings to the cities and towns serviced. As for how these partnerships work in other crises, he said, “I noticed we had to retool our services during other crises and come up with creative ways to move people when traditional transit doesn’t work as well — especially in those areas significantly impacted by the disaster.”

Andoh said he thinks such a partnership would work in a single city transit system, too.

“I’d encourage them to do so. It allows public transportation operations to be more of mobility managers and identify creative ways to still move people from point A to point B.” He said, “Partnering with these entities — the van pool companies, taxi cabs, etc. — is not difficult and they’re always looking to partner with public transit agencies.”

Whether it’s helping small businesses, transportation or recruiting growth in your city — especially during disasters — public-private partnerships are proving to be a winning solution for everyone.

20_1709_The Municipal_SEP Mod: August 6, 2020 2:40 PM Print: 08/06/20 3:34:41 PM page 1 v7

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M Focus on: Crisis Management

Fire departments partner to share resources in light of COVID-19

By LAUREN CAGGIANO | The Municipal

A spirit of putting collaboration over competition has been key to helping six small-town Massachusetts fire departments respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The towns of Newburyport, Salisbury, Amesbury, West Newbury, Merrimac and Newbury joined forces this spring to ensure they all had enough equipment and resources to fully meet the needs of residents while meeting CDC guidelines.

Think surgical masks, gloves and the like, as well as devising strategies to cope with staffing shortages in the event of exposure or sickness.

22 THE MUNICIPAL | SEPTEMBER 2020

Merrimac’s Chief Larry Fisher, who has been in his current role for two years, said the small and often under-resourced nature of the fire departments necessitated this move. He credits Salisbury Fire Chief Scott Carrigan — who he calls a “progressive thinker” — for turning the idea into a reality.

Building on a preexisting agreement that took into accounts an exchange of information, like best practices for training, he said

the departments were able to better leverage their resources to benefit the partnering entities.

“We analyzed the processes and challenges that each of us had,” said Fisher. “This was pretty early on. And we basically built out a process. So we assigned a weekly assignment for an incident commander. Those duties were shared between two of the teams. And then Chief (Scott) Carrigan did the planning component with the assistance of (people like) me.”

For example, Fisher said he handled all of the logistics and data tracking, such as the

LEFT: In Massachusetts, fire departments in the towns of Newburyport, Salisbury, Amesbury, West Newbury, Merrimac and Newbury are strategizing together to find the best way to manage personal protective equipment and cope with staffing shortages in the event of exposure to COVID-19 or sickness. (Photo provided)

number of personal protective equipment items given out. He said as infection case counts continue to lower in his state, the need becomes less, but no one knows what the future holds.

This comes as, according to the International Association of Fire Fighters’ July data, more than 23,000 members had been exposed and there were 11 reported deaths.

Medical calls before COVID-19 have always presented a communicable disease risk to firefighters who respond to them. But the nature of this highly infectious disease makes wearing PPE a necessity, not a luxury, to prevent contamination and the spread of the pathogen. Firefighters must strike a balance between providing effective patient care and minimizing risk at the same time, which is no small feat.

Fisher and his chief peers are well aware of that reality and they have responded accordingly.

“As supplies came in, I would track them on a master spreadsheet,” he said. “So if some area fire department was getting low and there wasn’t anything available in the state, one of us could supplement so there would always be (enough) PPE.” As of press time, police, fire and emergency medical services personnel continue to face shortages of PPE. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is taking the lead on increasing the availability, but it still needs to be distributed somehow.

That’s where Fisher and his team come into play. He said that can-do spirit is not unusual in the fire service. While tensions related to territory do arise in departments across the country, that’s not his concern at the moment.

“I think it’s relatively safe to say that it’s not the case here,” he said. “We play well together. We understand that we’re better together than we are (alone).”

Salisbury, Mass., Fire Chief Scott Carrigan’s progressive thinking brought the partnership between six fire departments into reality. (Photo provided)

Fire Chief Larry Fisher with the Merrimac Fire Department is one of the Massachusetts fire chiefs involved in a partnership to best manage resources in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. He noted the often under-resourced nature of fire departments makes such a partnership necessary. (Photo provided) On that note, navigating and responding He goes on to explain that necessity no doubt plays a role and makes a case for to such an unforeseen crisis as COVID-19 collaboration. makes the partner departments more resil“In the fire service, that’s how we survive ient individually and collectively. Fisher said big events,” he explained. “It’s no different he has no doubt they could handle another than if I had a three-alarm structure fire and disaster, drawing on their success with this I called on those communities for help. They initiative as well as past efforts.

“We have the framework in place,” he said. would support me, as I would support them.

So, it’s no different. It’s just a different set “So, now let’s say tomorrow we had some sort of circumstances, something that we don’t of natural event of some sort,” he said. “We typically face. And obviously, no one’s ever would by default be able to gather, formulate dealt with anything like (COVID-19) before.” and execute. That’s how we operate.”

SEPTEMBER 2020 | THE MUNICIPAL 23

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M Focus on: Crisis Management

Coastal areas react to king tides with help from citizen scientists

By MAGGIE KENWORTHY | The Municipal

When it comes to dealing with the rising sea level, organizations have discovered that they can be much more productive with help from the public. Coastal organizations in both Oregon and Rhode Island have turned to citizen scientists to help gather photographic evidence of king tides.

“Every year in early winter, high tides in Oregon are higher than usual,” explained Meg Reed, coastal shores specialist of the Oregon Coastal Management Program. “These extreme high tides, commonly called king tides, occur at a few specific times during the year when the moon’s orbit comes closest to the Earth, the Earth’s orbit is closest to the sun, and the sun, moon and earth are in alignment, thereby increasing their gravitational influence on the tides.”

While tides are a natural occurrence, their increasing encroachment on coastal lands is causing many problems. High water levels can lead to increased erosion on beaches, create vulnerable structures and infrastructure and produce dangerous beach areas.

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Some coastal communities also experience flooding during king tides.

“The city of Nehalem experiences frequent flooding along their downtown corridor, which impacts travel and access to the main highway, Highway 101,” explained Reed. “Agricultural lands along the Coquille River or Tillamook Bay also experience frequent flooding during high tides or heavy rains.”

King tides play a very special role in research in the future. These tides show proof of which areas are vulnerable to flooding, which could occur regularly in the future due to rising sea levels. What occurs as seasonal flooding now, may be the norm in years to come.

“The goal of this citizen science project is to encourage Oregonians and visitors to submit photos they take of the king tides to help track

ABOVE: This is one of the many photos captured by citizen scientists for the Oregon King Tides Project. Photos like this are used to show how rising sea levels could impact the state in the future. (Photo provided by the Oregon King Tides Project) sea-level rise over time and its impacts on the Oregon coast,” said Reed. “Anyone can participate by taking a photo during peak king tide with reference to a man-made structure or natural feature and submitting that photo through our website (www.oregonkingtides.net).”

These photos allow everyone to see the change in coastal areas during king tides. In addition, the photos provide a sneak peek at what the rise in sea level may look like in the years to come.

“Oregon’s king tide photos have been used by agencies and researchers to ground truth important scientific models that are used to estimate where the high waters will reach and how they will impact the places we love,” said Reed. “This helps build trust and validate our understanding of what our coast will look like under changing conditions. A picture is worth a 1,000 words, and king tide photos highlight

This promotional banner shows how three different areas in Oregon are impacted during king tides. (Photo provided by the Oregon King Tides Project)

how a rising sea or increased storm surge may themselves to take and submit photos of the impact familiar places in our communities.” high tides in their area.

When it comes to municipalities doing their The Rhode Island Coastal Resources Council part to react to king tides and flooding, Reed can then access photos along with the embedstresses the importance of land use regulations. ded metadata, which includes tide height, “Land use regulations are an important weather, wind speed and direction. From there, component to decrease impacts to coastal this information is compared to STORMTOOLS development, such as appropriate oceanfront data, which provides insight on flood risks. or riverine setbacks, moveable development “This gives us a way to ground truth the sea and stormwater management,” said Reed. level rise inundation models,” said Freedman.

“Additionally, protecting open space, vegeta- “In addition, it helps identify areas that are at tive buffers and migration zones for wetlands risk and develop coastal resilience or adaptaare also important considerations for areas par- tion plans targeting these places.”

Municipalities in the Rhode Island area are ticularly prone to flooding or erosion and other climate change impacts. Planning for coastal encouraged to use the MyCoast website to see hazards and sea-level rise impacts now will where the flooding is in their community. They help to decrease haphazard and reactionary can also encourage their citizens to get involved management decisions in the future.” with the initiative, to provide useful photoThe Rhode Island King Tides Initiative is graphic evidence of the local effects of flooding. a similar program being conducted on the “It is a glimpse into the future that hopefully opposite side of the country. The Rhode Island will give them time to plan for a more resilient Coastal Resources Management Council coast,” said Freedman. created the MyCoast app in 2014 when the When it comes to taking the information and Northeast Ocean Council received a grant doing something to counteract the flooding, from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric communities could look into elevating roadAdministration. ways, assessing wastewater treatment facilities “With the app, we have lots of eyes on the or moving structures out of the areas that will ground when a high tide event is predicted,” be permanently flooded in the future. explained Janet Freedman, coastal geologist Freedman acknowledges that all these for the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Man- actions take a large amount of funding, but the agement Council. “This gives us a look at what MyCoast data could be used to show that these areas actually flood and under what tide con- steps are necessary. ditions. It also gives us a glimpse into what will “These all take time and money so a sneak be happening much more frequently as sea preview could be helpful for planning and comlevels rise.” munity buy-in,” said Freedman.

And thanks to the hard work of citizen scienNotices are sent out through the app and its associated website when king tides are tists throughout the coastal states, there’s plenty predicted. From there, citizens can prepare of photographic evidence available to help back up the need for these changes.

When a king tide occurs, it highlights the threat posed by rising sea levels to local infrastructure, including homes. Using this information, municipalities can better plan for the future. (Photo provided by the Oregon King Tides Project)

This photo was taken eight minutes after a king tide. Underneath the flood water is the intersection of two roads, South Shore Avenue and Coldwell Street in Warwick, R.I. (Photo provided by Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council)

Spadina Avenue in Warwick, R.I., becomes inaccessible to residents during a king tide that occurred 14 minutes before this photo was taken. (Photo provided by Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council) SEPTEMBER 2020 | THE MUNICIPAL 27

M Focus on: Crisis Management

Redding, Calif., water manager recounts battle against Carr Fire

By AMANDA DEMSTER | The Municipal

Battling a wildfire is no simple task. The flames can burn for days, depending on conditions. If they reach city limits, diverting enough water to battle them can be taxing on a city’s water utility, which must provide sufficient water while keeping the pressure up.

When the 2018 Carr Fire blazed into Redding, Calif., the local water utility was able to keep the hoses running without ever losing significant pressure.

The fire began Monday, July 23, 2018, when the mechanical failure of a vehicle caused sparks. Because of dry conditions, flames kindled and quickly spread.

Several days later, by the time all was said and done, the Carr Fire destroyed 1,079 homes and a total of 229,000 acres. Eight lives were lost, including four area residents and four responders.

Initially, there were few concerns that the fire would reach Redding.

“We have fires here all the time that are nearby,” city of Redding Water Utility Manager 28

THE MUNICIPAL | SEPTEMBER 2020

Matt Watkins said. “We even have fires around Whiskeytown Lake, where this fire started, and they stayed in the forest more than this one.”

Nature, however, had other ideas. By Thursday, July 26, the winds had shifted and the flames entered city limits. At that point, one of the utility’s top priorities became protecting its facilities, which supplied the much-needed water for fighting the fire.

“My water treatment supervisor got a phone call Wednesday night, early Thursday morning, from the Shasta County Sheriff ’s Office,” Watkins said. “They were evacuating the area where we had one of our surface water treatment plants, the Buckeye treatment plant.”

The plant also houses chlorine gas used to disinfect water. Measures were quickly put

ABOVE: During the 2018 Carr Fire, Redding, Calif.’s, local water utility kept the hoses running without ever losing significant pressure. (Photo provided) into place, which included wetting down the building and surrounding area and cutting away as many branches as possible.

All seemed to be going smoothly at the plant until some time Thursday, when its power was cut off. Watkins was not sure if a pole had burned or if electricity had been shut down for firefighters’ safety. He did know, however, that loss of power to the plant meant loss of pressure to the pipes underground.

To further complicate the matter, the backup generator did not kick on as it was supposed to.

“We had to send out operators to troubleshoot that,” Watkins said. “It was a pretty easy fix. They just had to start it manually, and once that generator was back on, our treatment plant was up and running again.”

A loss of water pressure could have been disastrous in more ways than one. According to Watkins, when water pressure drops during

Buildings and the surrounding area were wetted down at the Buckeye treatment plant, which was in the path of the Carr Fire.

Branches were also cut away. (Photo provided)

a fire, hot gasses can be pulled into the pipes, creating toxic chemicals like benzene.

This had happened the year before, during a fire that burned in Santa Rosa, Calif. Later in 2018, during the Camp Fire, another city had experienced depressurization in large parts of its system. Hot gasses were sucked into the plastic pipes, creating harmful byproducts.

“They had a hard time flushing out the line and getting the water to where it was safe to allow customers to drink it again,” Watkins said.

Because workers had cleared away the branches and other combustible materials, the Carr Fire burned around the Buckeye plant, but did not get near enough to cause damage.

The winds picked up Thursday evening, fanning the flames and allowing them to jump across the Sacramento River into several neighborhoods and subdivisions.

“It devastated entire streets,” Watkins said.

About 40,000 people were evacuated and traffic jams formed.

“You’re just right in the middle of it and you really don’t know what’s going to happen next, but we just knew we had to keep the treatment plants running and we had to keep water in the water tanks,” Watkins said.

Around that time, a “firenado” formed, equivalent to an EF-3 tornado made of flames.

Approximately 350 Redding homes were destroyed. Friday morning, water utility workers went into the devastated areas. They found many places where water mains had been burned, but the water was still on and spraying into the air.

“We knew we had to shut off all of those service lines or else we would never be able to keep up with all of that water demand,” Watkins said.

Throughout the entire ordeal, the city’s water mains never lost significant pressure. After the fire was out, testing revealed no toxic chemicals in Redding’s water.

“The main thing is, if you keep pressure in the water lines, you’re not going to have that chemical composition change where you’re creating a harmful byproduct,” Watkins said.

Saving Redding’s water system began long before the Carr Fire.

After the fire, Redding’s water was tested, revealing that no toxic chemicals were present. (Photo provided)

“Part of that is the efforts that have gone into building our entire water system and having enough water storage tanks so we didn’t run out of water,” Watkins said. “… Part of it was our preparation in building a robust system and, honestly, part of it was luck. If the fire had lasted longer and if more houses had burned, at some point we were not going to have enough water.”

Redding is in the northern part of California and has a long dry season. According to Watkins, rain stops falling in May and does not usually start again until October. Because of this, the threat of wildfire is a day-to-day reality.

“Because of the number of homes and the magnitude of the damage and the impact of the fires over the last four years, it is really something that is on everybody’s mind, what are we doing to make sure we have enough water supply?” Watkins said.

Once the fire was out, the next concern was how the burned areas would affect the area’s natural water supply.

“The biggest fear we had was, because we get a lot of our water from Whiskeytown Lake, that entire watershed burned. It touched everything,” Watkins said.

Case studies of similar situations had shown that, depending on the amount of rain received in the year following a fire, mudslides and debris flows can wash into lakes and rivers, causing a dramatic increase in what is known as turbidity.

During the water filtration process, organics and anything else suspended in the water are filtered out. Chemicals are added to help the particles coagulate and fall to the bottom of the sedimentation tank as sludge, which is later removed.

“We were anticipating that if the turbidity got high enough to where we were producing so much sludge, it would limit the amount of water we could run through the plant and get out to the residents,” Watkins said.

Fortunately, that did not happen.

“We had some spikes in turbidity, but it wasn’t as bad as what we thought was possible,” Watkins said. “We got pretty lucky.”

SEPTEMBER 2020 | THE MUNICIPAL 29

continued from page 29

With this in mind, Redding has added a new pump station, known as the Cypress Pump Station. In the event that both Whiskeytown Lake and the city’s other major source of water, the Sacramento River, both experience high turbidity, water can be drawn up from underground wells.

“The idea was, in a worst-case scenario, we would be able to take that well water from the east side of the city to the higher elevations on the west side if we couldn’t treat our water because of turbidity,” Watkins said.

Protecting its facilities in the case of future fires is also a top priority, and a lot of trees and other combustible materials have been removed in a wide radius around each building and pump station, to keep flames at a distance.

Watkins does not see the Redding Water Utility’s efforts as heroic, but as simply doing its duty.

“Everybody really stepped up and did what needed to be done to make sure we were delivering water, especially for the firefighters,” he said. “If they don’t have water coming out of the hydrants, they really can’t do much. At all costs within reason, we had to keep water in our tanks and the water moving throughout the system.”

As for evacuated residents waiting to hear news of their homes, Watkins gave the county GIS department kudos for keeping everybody informed.

“They did a lot during the fire,” he said. “It was up to nine or 10 days that some people were out of their home, so this information that the GIS department put together was some of the best people had that, ‘Hey, our house made it.’”

30 THE MUNICIPAL | SEPTEMBER 2020

At one point, power was lost at the Buckeye treatment plant and the backup generator did not kick on. To remedy this, operators were sent to troubleshoot the problem, which was an easy fix. (Photo provided)

Other departments and utilities worked just as hard, keeping the lights on or cutting power as needed, cleaning up debris and other postfire work.

“It was a citywide effort,” Watkins said.

SEPTEMBER 2020 | THE MUNICIPAL 31

M Focus on: Crisis Management

Storm shelters promote safety precautions in a safe space

By NICHOLETTE CARLSON | The Municipal

As cities, towns and states work to decide the best ways to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, those in public safety are also working on guidelines for emergency storm shelters.

Emergency management personnel in many cities and towns are promoting the continued use of shelters in times of severe weather such as storms, tornadoes and hurricanes.

However, it is also recommended to take extra precautions to keep your family safe, including wearing masks and keeping 6 feet apart. Health and safety guidelines such as not touching your face, washing hands frequently, not touching commonly used areas and removing clothes and shoes before reentering your home are also recommended to protect your family.

When preparing to evacuate in a severe weather emergency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests creating a “go kit” with personal items, including those that will help keep you safe in a pandemic such as a face covering, soap, disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizer. It is also recommended to check the local shelter to ensure it is open and the location has not 32

THE MUNICIPAL | SEPTEMBER 2020

been changed due to COVID-19. Individuals should also check with the local shelter regarding pet policy. The CDC states those who are evacuating should follow all safety precautions and guidelines when traveling and while at the shelter.

While staying at the shelter, individuals are recommended to cover coughs and sneezes, wash hands often, wear facial coverings and avoid sharing food and drink when possible. Specific shelter policies to help protect those at a higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19, such as older adults and those with underlying medical conditions, should also be followed. Handrails and other frequently touched surfaces should be avoided.

Individuals who touch these surfaces should wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol immediately, as recommended by the CDC. Frequently touched items, such

ABOVE: Shelters in most cities and towns are staying open, though all shelter locations may not be opened. With only one location open to the public, Bradley County in Tennessee saw more numbers than usual at the shelter during a tornado, despite more safety precautions in place from the pandemic. (Shutterstock.com)

as toys, electronics and phones, should also be cleaned and disinfected often.

Travis Cooper, Sebastian County, Ark.’s, Department of Emergency Management and Public Safety deputy director, is ensuring the storm shelters stay open for those who need them while maintaining the guidelines set forth by the governor, state health department and CDC. Cooper is sharing the information and guidelines passed down and encouraging everyone who utilizes the shelters to practice social distancing, wear a face mask and use hand sanitizer.

As long as social distancing can occur, Cooper stated they are not limiting the number of people in the shelter. Earlier this year, he commented, “Due to severe weather, the shelters were activated when the sirens

Families who choose to evacuate to a storm shelter during threats of severe weather must now wear masks and practice more stringent health and safety measures set forth by state health officials and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Shutterstock.com)

went off, although the population did not use them as much as in the past.”

For those who are experiencing symptoms or have tested positive, Cooper asks they understand the requirements and suggestions of health organizations.

In times of severe weather, he said, “We advise that anyone who is able to shelter in place in the inner most part of the home or structure to be safe, please do so.” However, he also stated, “Storm shelters do not discriminate the safety of any one person.” Many health and safety precautions are taken in the shelter, but the ultimate goal is to keep as many people safe as possible.

When severe weather season hit in the spring, Bradley County in Tennessee initially only had one emergency storm shelter location open — a school that had been unoccupied for approximately a month and provided the safest options for individuals wanting a safe place to weather a storm. Troy Spence, the director of emergency management for Bradley County, Tenn., stated that all individuals evacuating to the shelter were supplied with masks, gloves and hand sanitizer, which they were required to wear and use at all times during their stay in the shelter.

Since only one shelter location was open to the public, Spence emphasized that the city was watching weather patterns very closely.

When severe weather was coming April 12, the city was able to send out an early warning system notice even prior to the weather service so those who needed to evacuate had ample time. That evening, a little before

While it’s not uncommon for many schools, gymnasiums and community centers to act as shelters in times of severe weather, due to the COVID-19 pandemic cities are taking a few more precautions. When sheltering from severe weather, individuals are now typically required to wear masks, social distance and use hand sanitizer. (Shutterstock.com)

With more health and safety precautions in place, the CDC recommends allowing extra time to pack a “go kit” in times of emergency weather situations. While normal preparedness items should be included, individuals should also remember to pack items to keep themselves and their families safe during the pandemic. (Shutterstock.com)

midnight, a tornado struck the area. With the early warning, Spence stated there were approximately 70 people safely sheltered at the school. This was a slightly higher number than normal, which he believes was due to only one shelter being opened.

Now, as cities and states are beginning the process of gradually reopening, all of the

shelter locations will be open to the public should severe weather threaten to strike again. However, the procedure for staying in a shelter will remain the same with masks, gloves and hand sanitizer in use at all times.

“We’re ready in the event we have any tornadic activity or high winds,” he emphasized.

SEPTEMBER 2020 | THE MUNICIPAL 33

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City Profile

M

Rio Rancho is a city with a vision

By ANDREW MENTOCK | The Municipal

Rio Rancho Estates was a large housing development with distant mountain views established in the 1960s to serve families looking to escape Albuquerque, N.M., in favor of a suburban lifestyle.

About 20 years later, in 1981, Rio Rancho, N.M., was incorporated as a city, and this once small suburb is expected to eclipse more than 100,000 people once the 2020 census results are in — an incredible rate of growth.

Today, Rio Rancho, known as the City of Vision, is listed as the third-largest city in the state.

Rio Rancho’s youth also means that, unlike many popular Southwestern destinations, the city has very little to offer in terms of history or landmarks. But what it lacks in antiquity, the budding metropolis more than makes up for it in quality of life.

Based on indicators such as unemployment rate, crime, education and access to restaurants and entertainment, Rio Rancho was named the 27th best place to live, according to a list of “America’s 50 Best Cities to Live,” which was produced by online publication 24/7 Wall St. in 2016.

36

THE MUNICIPAL | SEPTEMBER 2020

“Quality of life in Rio Rancho has always been recognized nationally,” said Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull. “We really boomed very early on, because we were more or less a bedroom community outside of Albuquerque but quickly had the desire to really develop our own identity.”

A key component in establishing this change in identity was encouraging major corporations to set up shop in the border so residents didn’t have to leave in order to find gainful employment.

Some of the largest employers in Rio Rancho include Intel Corporation — which opened a location before Rio Rancho incorporated in 1981 — U.S. Cotton and a number of customer contact centers, otherwise known as call centers.

“Those provide anywhere from entry-level to management-level jobs, so those are kind of across the gambit,” Hull said. “There’s quite a few of those here within the city of Rancho. The nice thing about

LEFT: Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull stands in the Campus Park construction site. The park will be a centerpiece for the city, featuring spaces for outdoor gatherings, concerts and more. (Photo provided) RIGHT: Pictured is an overhead view of the planned Campus Park, which highlights its closeness to Rio Rancho City Hall, the Santa Ana Star Center and HP. (Photo provided)

“Quality of life in Rio Rancho has always been recognized nationally.” the customer contact centers is that they’re low resource users. They don’t consume a lot of water.

“We’re in a desert, and if you’re a manufacturer, you’re looking for a place to go and your process requires a lot of water, sometimes that becomes a drawback to them locating in Rio Rancho or even sometimes in New Mexico.”

But even with the job growth Rio Rancho has added in recent years, Hull said about 60% of the working population still leaves the city for their job, traveling to nearby Albuquerque or even to Santa Fe, 56 miles northeast.

To make Rio Rancho an even more desirable place to live or establish a business, Hull has spent much of his six years in office improving the city’s infrastructure.

“We’ve made some good strides in replacing and fixing infrastructure,” Hull said. “When I first came into office, the roads and the water systems were pretty major problems. We worked really hard to focus on upgrading and updating infrastructure to make the city, you know, more efficient and to look a lot nicer as well.”

In order to fund these projects, the city looked for federal and state money, applied for grants and reallocated the city budget via costcutting and more frugal spending.

Another major development on the horizon is the development of Rio Rancho’s new city center area titled the Campus Park Project.

According to the city’s website, this project will cost just over $3 million and consist of several spots for outdoor gatherings, concerts and performances and more.

“That’s going to be a really neat centerpiece for the city,” Hull said.

“In the same area, we’re also moving forward with the development and construction of a new senior center. That’s going to add a couple more quality of life features. Then the college campus that we have here in town. They’re expanding their services into the orthopedic realm. They’ll be building a new orthopedic campus here in Rio Rancho in the new city center area.”

Will all these new changes equate to the job growth the city desires?

It’s hard to say, especially given the negative impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on economies throughout the world.

That doesn’t mean Hull or the other city officials will give up. Rio Rancho has a history of wildly exceeding growth expectations.

Pictured is a rendering of what Rio Rancho’s Campus Park will look like once completed. (Rendering provided)

Pictured is Rio Rancho City Hall, which was built as part of the city center project. (Photo provided)

Santa Ana Star Center is a 7,000-seat multipurpose arena in Rio Rancho. It is a part of a larger city center project. (Photo provided) SEPTEMBER 2020 | THE MUNICIPAL 37

M

Public Safety

Jail To Jobs boosts young offenders and their communities

By ANDREW MENTOCK | The Municipal

An early prison sentence can often become the first step to a lifetime of trips in and out of the United States justice system. In fact, most people convicted of a crime will become a repeat offender, creating a vicious cycle where 2.3 million people were incarcerated in 2016, according to PrisonPolicy.org.

Saulo Cooper, Jail To Jobs chef and chaplain, left, works with one of the nonprofit’s employees in the culinary program, Food Cooked with Love. (Photo provided)

38 THE MUNICIPAL | SEPTEMBER 2020

This amounts to more than 20% of all prisoners in the world, yet the U.S. only contains about 4% of the world’s population.

This is a systematic problem that those who run Jail To Jobs, a nonprofit organization based in Cedar Park, Texas — about 25 miles north of Austin — are working to eradicate in their own communities.

In addition to seeing hundreds of kids each year fall into this cycle, most of the people who work there have also experienced this disruptive lifestyle first hand.

“As an organization, we love to hire formerly incarcerated staff members,” said Eddie Franz, the Jail To Jobs Williamson County director. “I think every one of our supervisors, every one of our coordinators and every one of our directors has been to prison. Our founder, Chris Haskins, has a felony on his record, right.

“We kind of understand that society looks at people without experiences and says, ‘You’re no good because you made a mistake.’

Instead, we look at that as ‘I made a mistake, but I didn’t let that stop me. Here’s how I became successful.’”

Jail To Jobs has existed in one form or another for nearly a decade. At first, it was an in-person prison mentorship program, working with kids in the system but over time, those heading the nonprofit realized that no matter how much someone wants to return to become a “productive member of society,” it’s rarely that easy.

Once someone goes to jail, especially if this results in a felony conviction, those individuals will be fighting an uphill battle for a long, long time — maybe the rest of their lives. To put it simply, a felony makes it nearly impossible to find a job, plus most of the kids Jail To Jobs works with do not have the support

Jail To Jobs understands the challenges faced by those who have been incarcerated when reintegrating into society and has sought to aid them with employment, mentorship and hands-on training.

Pictured are a group of men employed by Jail To Jobs working on a fence. (Photo provided) system required to keep them off the streets or that comes with the transportation needed to get to work, even if they’re able to find employment.

Three years ago, Jail To Jobs decided to employ people themselves by offering a service to anyone between the ages of 14 and 24 who have been to jail. Once employed, those young men and women will receive hands-on training and supervision in a variety of fields, including construction, landscaping and culinary arts — all while earning a wage above what’s minimally required.

Jail To Jobs partners with local businesses that are willing to support the mission and provide the at-risk youth with a job. But instead of employing them directly, the business owner subcontracts the workers through Jail To Jobs, which does not take a cut of the wage, but instead assumes the risk of employment and provides additional benefits such as health insurance.

This way, if someone struggles to show up to work on time at first or doesn’t work out at a particular job site, Jail To Jobs doesn’t have to fire them. They can simply move them to a different job site as they adjust to becoming a productive member of society.

Thus far, Jail To Jobs has proven to be rather successful in breaking the cycle.

“Out of the 448 that we employed, the recidivism rate on those young men and women is less than 20%,” Franz said. “Anywhere from 18 to 20, depending on the year. The national recidivism rate is 75%. Employing these kids … and then helping them get a full-time job, once they complete the program, cuts the recidivism rate by 66%.”

Of those employed by Jail To Jobs, the recidivism rate is less than 20%. The national recidivism rate is 75%. (Photo provided)

But the program is much more than that. It has also supplied more than 60,000 meals to at-risk youth and given them more than 8,000 rides to and from work, which has allowed it to serve more than 14,000 kids in its communities in addition to the ones it employs.

Jail To Jobs also provides a service to the rest of the communities it serves. It costs anywhere from $31,000 to $60,000 per person each year to keep someone incarcerated, according to the Vera Institute of Justice. That’s why if the cycle is broken early, it benefits everyone.

Both the youth and taxpayers.

This was what inspired the city of Round Rock, Texas, to partner with Jail To Jobs. The mayor saw that, over time, paying youth workers is cheaper to his community. Now Round Rock employs a number of Jail To Job workers, who help set up and breakdown equipment for events, work at the city’s recycling center and more.

Because Jail To Jobs also offers optional spiritual services and guidance, it does not receive federal or state funding and thus relies on donations for much of its funding. But those who work at Jail To Jobs realized a long time ago that the key to this mission was actually paying the youth to develop their necessary skills and to work. Thus far, that’s made all the difference.

“There are so many programs out there that come alongside these youth and help them, and they’re great, but they don’t really answer specific immediate needs,” said Saulo Cooper, the chef and chaplain at Jail To Jobs. “A lot of the kids we deal with here are impoverished beyond what you would think. Money changes their situation. It gives them hope.”

SEPTEMBER 2020 | THE MUNICIPAL 39

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Building & Construction

M

From small town to large industry center:

How Deltona, Fla., put itself on the map

By AMANDA DEMSTER | The Municipal

A decade ago, Deltona, Fla., was a small city with few jobs and 250 acres of seemingly useless undeveloped land nearby.

Today, that piece of land has transformed into the Portland Industrial Park, which has attracted major companies like Amazon, which is building a 1.4-million-square-foot distribution center that is putting Deltona on the proverbial map.

Getting there was not easy. The 250-acre tract is owned by the Portland House of Companies out of Australia, and until now, they have not been interested in selling any of it for development.

In January 2011, Deltona hired Jerry Mayes as manager of economic development and ecological sustainability and tasked him with creating jobs in Deltona.

“We were just on the brink of looking at coming out of the Great Recession,” Mayes said. “We had not had a commercial building permit in almost two years. We had very, very few residential building permits.”

Mayes was successful in bringing in Epic Theatres and a few other businesses, but ultimately, he had an eye on the Portland tract. He 42

THE MUNICIPAL | SEPTEMBER 2020

ABOVE: Health care was an important component of Deltona’s economic development plan. Previously, residents would have to travel for medical care, but now the city has attracted health care providers. Picture is Halifax Health UF Health Medical Center of Deltona. (Photo provided)

began meeting with a representative of the company twice a year, trying to get them to commit to developing the property, which they had owned since 1973.

“He told me, ‘It’s a family-owned company, they meet four times a year in August,’ and he said, ‘With everything they have going on, this just never rises to the top,’” Mayes said. “So I said, ‘What’s it going to take to get it to rise to the top?’”

As it turned out, the Hains family, which owns the company, has a heart for philanthropy. If Mayes could prove that developing the land would benefit the people of Deltona, he would be much more likely to convince them to sell the land.

Mayes had his work cut out for him. Deltona was founded in 1962 as a retirement community. As such, it did not require a large job market. A handful of small neighborhood retail stores and a pharmacy suited residents’ needs.

“It’s hard for a city to maintain itself just on residential, especially in the state of Florida, where they have homesteading, where roughly 50% of it you don’t pay taxes on,” Mayes said.

By the late 1970s and early 1980s, major theme parks like Disney World and Universal Studios made the greater Orlando area a desirable tourist destination.

“When companies were looking to come into the greater Orlando area, they said, ‘Where is your workforce housing?’” Mayes said.

Though a small city, Deltona had the workforce. However, even with business booming in the surrounding area, it still lacked jobs. It remained this way for the next several decades.

“Our workforce before COVID was about 45,000,” Mayes said. “Better than 90% of it left the city every day. We were the place jobs went to sleep at night. We knew we had to change that.”

Mayes knew developing the Portland property was the way to go, so he began looking into ways to make Deltona more desirable for business. First, he looked at local education. Daytona State College has a campus in Deltona with a few hundred students. However, at the time, it focused largely on one major, cosmetology.

“We got them to recognize we needed job training here,” Mayes said.

The college listened and is looking to expand its nursing program to Deltona.

“It’s one of the top-rated nursing programs in the U.S.,” Mayes said.

With cooperation from the state and from the local school board, plus local support, Deltona State College also opened a manufacturing academy in one of the city’s high schools.

“The really neat thing of it is, we have kids who, while they are in high school, can get two years of college at Daytona State College,” Mayes said. “This is the kind of thing we have in the city to grow a workforce, and that’s one of the things you have to have to bring in large companies.”

Cookman College has also expanded its Daytona Beach campus into Deltona, adding even more workforce training options.

With workforce training in place, Deltona next turned to health care.

“The city had almost no doctors,” Mayes said. “If you got sick, you had to leave the city or the county and go get medical help.”

Mayes began visiting different hospitals and medical groups, including Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla. They put him in touch with Parrish Medical Group.

“They gave me the tutorial on how to recruit,” he said.

Through Mayes’s efforts, several hospitals and medical groups expanded their services to Deltona. Doctors’ offices opened, as did labs, clinics, urgent care facilities, emergency rooms and a hospital.

Halifax Health built a high-tech emergency facility and plans to add a teaching hospital.

“So we’ve had a big spurt in medical services,” Mayes said.

With all of this under his belt, Mayes was ready to approach the Portland House of Companies again.

“With this in mind, they agreed they would be willing to sell the property,” Mayes said. “Up until now, they refused to discuss it.”

The company contracted with its local representative, Redevelopment Management Associates out of Pompano Beach, Fla., to develop a five-year strategic economic development plan for developing the site.

Securing the land was just the beginning. Now it was time to start recruiting industries to build there. Deltona was not alone in this. In

Pictured is an overhead shot of Deltona’s Portland Industrial Park.

(Photo provided)

Epic Theatres is one business that now calls Deltona, Fla., home after the city made a concentrated effort to bring in jobs. (Photo provided) Volusia County, where Deltona is located, there are numerous entities working together to attract jobs.

The Team Volusia is a public-private group focused on recruiting, while the Volusia County Department of Economic Development is purely public money, Mayes said. Then, there was the CEO Business Alliance, a nonprofit group of businesses in Volusia County that operates on private funds.

“They are able to spend money on the wining and dining,” Mayes said.

RMA contracted with Seefried Development Group out of Atlanta, Ga. It was through these combined efforts that Deltona was able to attract Amazon.

“Team Volusia brought Amazon to Volusia County, RMA brought it specifically to the city of Deltona,” Mayes said. “So, it’s everybody working together, a team putting it together.”

As of July, the Amazon facility was just 60 days away from opening.

Another 1-million-square-foot development is in discussion, though at the time, the name of the company had not been announced.

There is still room in the Portland Industrial Park for another million-square-foot development or several smaller ones.

“I guess the lesson is never give up,” Mayes said.

To learn more about Deltona’s business recruitment efforts, visit www.deltonameansbusiness.com.

SEPTEMBER 2020 | THE MUNICIPAL 43

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Public Works

By BARB SIEMINSKI | The Municipal

Storm and wastewater tank construction project underway in Lima When cities undertake big projects, part of the endeavor is eagerly anticipating the glorious finished outcome, often within a few days, weeks or even months: A new animal crossing bridge; rerouting a street for lighter neighborhood traffic; building a new river park for residents and tourists to enjoy year-round; constructing a new firehouse; holding fundraisers for an animal shelter addition; and so on.

TOP: Pictured is the interior of Lima, Ohio’s, underground tank, which has multiple channels inside one basin. (Photo provided) BOTTOM: An electrical building was built north of the combined sewer overflow basin.

Here, workers lower electrical panels inside before the roof is put on.(Photo provided)

46 THE MUNICIPAL | SEPTEMBER 2020

The residents of Lima, Ohio, will have to wait for several years before they can fully appreciate the largest public works project in its history. With a population of 36,862, the municipality has been working on a federally mandated storm and wastewater tank construction project, which several cities are also having to do.

The $40 million, 13-million-gallon underground tank was ordered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to assist regulating combined sewer overflows in dumping raw sewage into the Ottawa River during heavy rainfalls and stay within the city’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit. More than 200 feet wide by 400 feet long and 45 feet in depth, the huge tank was built at the site of a former landfill where more than 75,000 cubic yards of concrete have been poured to construct the holding tank. The initial groundbreaking took place in May 2018.

Emily Kerber, utility operations manager of the city of Lima, was not a part of this project from the beginning as she has been in her position for just less than a year.

When asked how her city was approaching a project of this scale, she listed two ways.

“First, we negotiated integrated planning into our consent decree, and second, as a part of our sewer bill, we have a specific portion that is for unfunded EPA mandates,” said Kerber.

“This project was part of our consent decree and getting to a final resolution on our consent decree was a long, drawn-out process. So that was an initial struggle.”

She added, “Honestly, this project has gone very well. There have not been very many struggles, and both our engineers from Stantec in Cleveland and our contractors from Peterson Construction Company in Wapakoneta did a great job. The only two things I can really recall were when we initially started digging for the basin: There was some contaminated soil of which we had to dispose. Then during the 2018-19 winter, we have had some freeze-thaw issues that caused some of the rock to start to collapse. Our contractors had to fix this to maintain safety to keep working, and much of our success is attributed to our general Peterson contractor, Mike Fritchie.”

In addition to the underground tank, the project also included a new pump station rated for 30 million gallons per day; a 30-foot-by55-foot-deep wet well; a diversion structure; 90,000 cubic yards of earthen excavation and 75,000 cubic yards of rock excavation; yard piping — 96-inch sewer and 42-inch force main; pipe bridge over Ottawa River; underground gate structure improvements; electrical and instrumentation; approximately 35,000 cubic yards of concrete and over 3,000 tons of rebar.

The project started in May 2018 and has a completion date of sometime in September 2020. As of press time, the project will be completed approximately six months ahead of schedule and under budget.

Project challenges included a tight site; contaminated soil/groundwater treatment; shoring, including 1,600 linear feet earthen shoring with tie backs; rock excavating/blasting; installing a new cast-in-place diversion structure around existing 108-inch sewer that was 32 feet deep; and a pipe bridge over the Ottawa River.

“Also, PCC held a prior meeting with Hull & Associates LLC of Dublin, The basin is backfilled. (Photo provided) Ohio, to assess the environmental aspect of the project,” said Fritchie, adding the former brownfield site, according to the Ohio EPA field investigative report, was also an early gravel quarry.

“Historic records indicated that the quarry was filled in between 1935 and 1955 with a variety of materials, including soil excavated during the construction of a local school, waste material from a local foundry and potentially additional unknown sources,” noted Fritchie.

“To supplement the limited amount of assessment that was completed so far, Hull and PCC installed additional test pits in order to further characterize soil conditions visually and by collecting representative samples for lab analysis. As a result of excavating approximately 135,000 tons of soil during the construction activities, it was established that approximately 31,200 tons of soil and former fill material was determined unacceptable and disposed of off the property.”

Hull developed a sampling and management plan by constructing a 60-foot-by-60-foot sampling grid over the proposed excavation area Workers begin to lay the floor of the basin. (Photo provided) completing test pits within each grid location.

What was done to fix the freeze-thaw issues and how long did that take?

“This work took approximately one week to implement and regain “PCC met with our shoring contractor and came up with the follow- stabilization so that we could continue working safely on the construcing plan to address this unforeseen issue to stabilize the South wall,” tion of the CSO tank,” concluded Fritchie. said Fritchie.

Funding for the project was attained by borrowing funds from That plan included: the Ohio Water Pollution Control Loan Fund, which is administered 1. Installing another layer of welded wire mesh, with the second through the Ohio Water Development Authority. Thirteen million layer of mesh being placed vertically since the first layer was origi- was at 0% interest, and the blended rate for the entire project is 1.48%, nally installed horizontally. The welded wire mesh was offset so there according to Kerber. Also, city utility residents had an EPA fee tacked would be a 2-inch-by-2-inch spacing in lieu of 4-inch-by-4-inch spac- onto their monthly bills. ing, which was originally specified.

“The total loan was for approximately $39 million,” noted Kerber, 2. Relieving all of the loose fractured rock that had fallen away from “and of that loan $13 million was at 0% interest. The remaining $26 milthe south wall into the original installed welded wire mesh by cutting lion was at a rate of approximately 2.22%. When you combine those a small section out of the bottom of the mesh and allowing loose frac- weighted rates together is how we come up with a blended rate of tured rocks to drop to the bottom of the tank.

1.48%. Also, the bid price for the endeavor was $36.5 million but an 3. Installed No. 2 stone in the areas where cavities had been formed extra $4 million was added to the cost for the removal and appropriate in the face of the rock wall behind the two layers of welded wire mesh disposal of contaminated soil from the site. to stabilize the wall again. Also, installed shotcrete in some of the larger “The integrated planning in our project allows us to do all the voids with weep holes — pipe drains — to allow the water to get out. required improvements to our system over a period of time to be able 4. Retightened all of the rock dowels to the face of the rock wall, to spread out the financial burden,” said Kerber. which pulled the two layers of welded wire mesh back tight to the wall.

This also allows Lima the opportunity to delay projects if they are not financially feasible at the time they are required to be completed.

SEPTEMBER 2020 | THE MUNICIPAL 47

continued from page 47

The basin’s roof is being poured. (Photo provided)

Pictured is the underground CSO tank site as the hole is dug.

(Photo provided)

“So far we have rehabbed one of the 54-inch diameter mainline sewer pipes coming from our Baxter Street pump station and completed a roughly $30 million improvement project to the headworks of our wastewater treatment plant, which allows us to treat peak wet weather flows up to 70 MGD. This basin is almost complete at $40 million.

“Then, we have to do upgrades to some of our lift stations, force mains and install new relief sewers in seven areas. Those upgrades do not start until 2027 and have until 2038 for completion on the current timetable. Integrated planning gives that timetable some flexibility.”

Getting to a final resolution on its consent decree took years of negotiation between the city and the EPA — both U.S. and Ohio — said Kerber.

“In lieu of paying higher fines associated with the violations of our NPDES permit, we implanted a supplemental environmental project.

We spent the money we would have paid in fines to improve areas of the riverbank along the Ottawa River upstream of the WWTP.” After completion of the overflow tank, the site will be reverted to a green space, which could include parks, ball diamonds or other recreational uses.

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Streets, Highways & Bridges

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Standing corn traps snow, preventing it from reaching the roadway. In the spring, farmers will be able to harvest the corn.

(Photo provided)

Snow fence program eases winter headaches

By BARB SIEMINSKI | The Municipal

Picture it: blue-shadowed snow covering gently sloping mounds and painting country roads white-onwhite with nearby forests covered to the hollow. It all makes for a lovely winter scene for artists, but for the Iowa Department of Transportation, the panorama turns into busywork.

Effectively slowing down blowing snow and drifting, which causes traffic problems, closes roads, isolates driveways and farmsteads, is the modus operandi of the Iowa crews on the highways and byways. Plow trucks with salt continue doing their much-needed part and thanks to a proactive program something more is being done to make communities a little safer and more accessible in the winter.

For at least 20 years, the Iowa DOT has been promoting its Cooperative Snow Fence Program, according to Craig Bargfrede, winter operations administrator, Iowa DOT Office of Maintenance.

“This idea originated from our field maintenance staff as a way to help reduce blowing and drifting and increase visibility, especially in known trouble areas that are prone to blowing and drifting,” said Bargfrede.

In a nutshell, this win-win program draws in landowners who agree to construct and maintain corn row or standing hay bale snow fences that reduce the weather’s blast, in exchange for $1 per linear foot of fence in annual payments for up to 15 years if they agree to plant two rows of trees or a combination of trees and shrubs along with a 75- to 100-foot buffer of native grasses.

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THE MUNICIPAL | SEPTEMBER 2020

Benefits to the public include: • Reduces blowing and drifting snow on roadways.

• Stores snow at low cost.

• Reduces the accident rate during snowy, windy conditions.

• Creates safer travel conditions and improves visibility.

• Decreases freezing and thawing effects on the roadway.

• Lowers snow removal cost.

There are also benefits to landowners: • Improves access to farmlands and rural areas.

• Helps reduce soil erosion.

• Provides a service to the community.

• Conserves wildlife.

• Can increase yield by retaining moisture and reducing drying effects of the wind.

The Strategic Highway Research Program testifies to the success of the CSFP, saying, “National research has found that it costs 100 times more to plow snow than to trap it with snow fence.”

Three types of snow fences are implemented: structural, either permanent or temporary; standing corn, which can be field corn or

Without windbreaks, snow can drift and close roadways, which requires more resource usage by the Iowa Department of Transportation. The DOT’s Cooperative Snow Fence Program, however, is helping keep roads in good condition during winter while saving money in the long run. (Photo provided)

Pictured are corn snow fence testing poles. (Photo provided)

hay bales; or living, utilizing deciduous trees, shrubs, tall grasses or a combination thereof.

A temporary snow fence is usually 4 feet tall and usually made of plastic fencing. It is placed on private land during the icy months and can be installed by either the landowner or DOT. A permanent one is typically 6 to 8 feet tall, wood frame with plastic fence attached to the face. Standing corn snow fences leave eight to 12 rows of standing corn after the harvest, in which the landowner is paid for the corn but able to harvest the corn in the spring.

“There are many options. Some farmers combine or harvest the corn in the spring,” said Bargfrede, “and other farmers donate the corn to a local 4-H or FFA chapter, and that group handpicks the corn and sells it as a fundraiser for their respective organization.”

These barriers slow down wind and blowing snow by forcing them to go around the structure, which causes the wind to lose energy and speed. The height of the fence is a factor — any standard size fence will work, but the taller the fence the more snow will be trapped. According to Iowa DOT’s CSFP, one row of 8-foot fence is recommended for maximum efficiency. Multiple rows of shorter fence can also be used; however, one 8-foot fence can trap as much snow during an average to above average snowfall year.

Fences should contain 40-50% open space to be most effective. Horizontal gaps are the preferred design. A gap of 6 to 8 inches is needed between the ground and the fence to reduce the tendency of fences to become buried in drifts. The length of the snow fence determines the maximum amount of area that can be protected from blowing and drifting snow, and snow storage at the ends of a barrier is significantly less than near the center.

There are agreement lengths for each type of fence. Permanent structural fences have a renewable five-year minimum. Temporary

structural fences are from fall to spring, and standing corn is also from fall to spring. A living snow fence, which consists of two or more rows of trees, shrubs or a combination thereof with a 75- to 100-foot native grass buffer, should run from 10 to 15 years, per the Conservation Reserve Program’s guidelines.

Also, the degree of separation should be considered: The windbreak fence should be placed away from the road at a distance 35 times the height of the fence. The height of the fence depends on how much snow needs trapped and how much snowfall is common for the area. One row of a 6-foot fence is recommended for maximum efficiency. Positioning is important; the fence should be placed as parallel to the road and perpendicular to the prevailing wind direction as possible.

“This program is funded through our operating budget. Our standing corn price is established on Aug. 1 each year. At the close of business on that day, we calculate what the average statewide cash price per bushel is for corn. We then add $2 per bushel to that price to establish our standing corn price for the coming winter season. The standing bales, permanent and temporary fences, we have established a set price of $1 per linear foot.”

Bargfrede is pleased with the CSFP and invites The Municipal’s readers who want to learn more about the program and benefits of snow fences, to contact their local DOT maintenance office or to contact him directly at (515) 290-2713 or email him at Craig.bargfrede@iowadot.us.

“This is a very successful program that augments our entire winter operations program,” said Bargfrede. “It is a win-win for us and the farmer/landowner as the farmer gets an extra incentive for leaving the corn plus the benefit of helping out his neighbors in reducing the blowing and drifting snow. It benefits the DOT as it allows us the ability to get these sections of road to return to normal winter driving conditions sooner and with fewer resources.”

On the Web YouTube has several videos on snow fences: what they are, how they work and how to install one. An introductory one is “How a Snow Fence Works,” which is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fr4ngJzN5NU.

SEPTEMBER 2020 | THE MUNICIPAL 51

Streets, Highways & Bridges

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On June 26, a red Kia had the honor of being the first vehicle to cross the new Capri Isles Boulevard Bridge in Venice, Fla. (Photo provided)

Water under a troubled bridge: Capri Isles Bridge is replaced

By JULIE YOUNG | The Municipal

After a half-century of carrying vehicles across the Curry Creek, the Capri Isles Boulevard Bridge in Venice, Fla., was in need of an extreme makeover. Although there were no signs on the surface that anything was amiss, it was another story below the concrete deck.

Workers with Zep Construction Inc. place concrete for the Capri Isles Bridge. (Photo provided)

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THE MUNICIPAL | SEPTEMBER 2020

The bridge, which had been built in 1971, was showing its age. It had exceeded its 30-year lifespan by nearly two decades and was found to be structurally obsolete in 2018. According to Venice city engineer Kathleen J. Weeden, PE, CFM, LEED AP, it did not meet current road standards for width, multi-modal facilities and more. “It was determined that bridge replacement was the better, although more expensive option,� she said.

The new Capri Isles Bridge also provides full pedestrian and bicycle facilities.

(Photo provided)

Rerouting traffic Located on Florida’s Gulf Coast in Sarasota County and with a population of 23,000, Venice is a 16.6-square-mile seaside municipality known for its snowbird population and its high quality of life. Venice draws a wide range of residents who are engaged, informed and do not mind making an investment in those things that keep their community on solid ground. Safety is the number one priority.

That doesn’t mean that everything was smooth sailing for those living nearby. In order to keep the Capri Isles Boulevard Bridge operational while Zep Construction Inc. and American Consulting Professionals planned and designed its replacement, weight limits were put in place, which meant that fire trucks and larger vehicles were not permitted to cross. When construction of the new bridge began in January of this year, traffic was diverted on a long detour around Pinebrook and Auburn Roads. Local traffic was allowed up to the bridge location on both sides, but thru traffic could not be completed due to the demolition of the old bridge and the installation of the new one. During that time, the bridge was also closed to boat traffic.

This had an impact on nearby residents and businesses, including the Capri Isles Golf Club, which is right next door to the bridge. Members looking to hit the links had to reach the clubhouse via alternative routes. In February, Michael Cummings, general manager of the club, said although he sees the need for the project, it came along right at the start of their busy season and caused a lot of initial confusion for those trying to get around.

“Complete construction of a roadway with an extensive detour is always challenging to the public, and fortunately, the construction

and engineering team were able to expedite the project to minimize the impact on the public,” Weeden said.

A sound investment Of course paying for such a structure does not come cheap and funding for the $2.2 million project came from a $1 million Florida Department of Transportation grant coupled with a voter-approved referendum road bond. Weeden said the bond provided for the restoration and rehabilitation of roadway infrastructure throughout the city.

“Upgrading the city’s infrastructure has been a high priority for our city council and residents, and the replacement of this structurally deficient bridge was an important goal to be achieved,” she said.

It was a goal contractors ultimately exceeded. While the contract promised the bridge would be opened by June 30, 2020, with the final project to be completed by Aug. 26, 2020, Zep Construction Inc. finished the whole project nearly two months ahead of time and was able to open the bridge to vehicular traffic June 26. A red Kia was the first car to use the bridge after it was completed.

Although Venice would have liked to have held a small commemorative celebration for the grand reopening, the COVID-19 pandemic placed large public gatherings on hold. Still Weeden said residents of the community are content to have the bridge open and that some aspects of life have returned to “normal.”

“Response from the public has been very complimentary. The Capri Isles Bridge now provides full pedestrian and bicycle facilities along with a fully functioning bridge,” Weeden said.

SEPTEMBER 2020 | THE MUNICIPAL

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54 THE MUNICIPAL | SEPTEMBER 2020

Maintenance & Operations

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For crises and crisis prevention, communication is the key

By TROY KIDDER | TROY ... Pure Blue Creative LLC

Whenever and wherever people gather, there is a strong potential for an unfortunate incident that may soon become a full-blown crisis, especially in a town or city with all the activity that goes on every day.

With the proper communication strategy in place, municipalities can weather numerous types of crises, preventing long-lasting damage to their brand. (Shutterstock.com)

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THE MUNICIPAL | SEPTEMBER 2020

Utilizing newsletters, a polished website and regularly updated social media accounts, cities can keep residents up to date on city happenings. No matter the medium, it is key to understand your audience even while maintaining consistent thematic goals and dispersing information wanted and needed by the community.

(Shutterstock.com)

So it’s not a matter of if but when some kind of incident or crisis may occur in your municipality … please keep in mind that often crisis is simply an incident that was handled poorly and with sound communications, could have been avoided. And remember, you can’t win a crisis but it can be managed well. The bottom line: Whether crisis prevention or crisis management, communication is the key.

The first project should be a quarterly newsletter. This should be no more than four-pages in length, printed in four-color on glossy paper. Photos should be large and taken professionally and articles should be short, well written and well edited. The publication should go out to all taxpayers; however, if your town is too large and/or budget will not allow, print as many as possible and distribute them all around the town: stores, post office and schools to name a few.

A professional publication can also drive traffic to your website and social media. Speaking of websites, once again, pictures should be professional quality and large. Content should be short and well written. Also, sites should be easy for patrons to navigate — invoking the seven-second rule … meaning that folks should be able to find what they want or need within just seven seconds.

All the above regarding newsletters and websites, send a powerful message that you and your town are organized, have a strategy for everything and can be trusted; all of this is invaluable for crisis prevention and crisis management — and even marketing, branding and image for your town/city.

Finally, regarding social media, just because you are on Facebook or Twitter, does not mean it’s of any value to you or your community.

First, once again, all images need to be positive and professional and posted consistently — that’s at least three to four times per week. Although it’s the trend of social media to butcher the language, for the sake of image and clear messaging, you must refrain and use proper English.

No matter what medium you use, and hopefully all three mentioned, everything must be communicated with a strategy that understands the audience while being consistent with thematic goals and giving the community what it wants and what it needs.

With all this so important to the safety and function of a community, remember you can contract professionals to help with day-to-day communication strategies and function; they can also provide crisis prevention and crisis management that even offers a 24/7 hotline to a crisis expert.

“When communication mediums are consistently and clearly sending positive messages from your municipality to the patrons, your community is friendlier, safer and even thrives economically.

And if or when, that occasional incidence or crisis does occur, there is already a relationship of trust between the town managers and the town itself. As a result, incidences are solved quickly and crisis is managed well.”

Troy Kidder is a former assistant town manager, former school teacher and a communications and PR professional. He serves communities across the country with communications and public relations solutions.

His website is www.kiddercrisiscommunications.com, or contact him by email at troy@kiddercrisiscommunications.com with communications, public relations and crisis prevention/crisis management solutions.

SEPTEMBER 2020 | THE MUNICIPAL 57

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Conference Calendar EDITOR’S NOTE: In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, readers are encouraged to verify their conference’s status. The Municipal has updated entries’ statuses with information available as of press time; however, as the situation is still fluid, plans may change rapidly.

SEPTEMBER Sept. 1-4 League of Arizona Cities and Towns Annual Conference (CANCELLED) Glendale, Ariz. http://www.azleague.org/103/ Annual-Conference

Sept. 23-25 Nevada League of Cities and Municipalities Annual Conference Elko, Nev. nvleague.com/site-page/ annual-conference

Sept. 14-16 Missouri Municipal League Virtual https://mocities.site-ym.com/ page/AnnConf

Sept. 24-25 North Dakota League of Cities Annual Conference Virtual www.ndlc.org

Sept 14-17 NAFA 2020 Institute & Expo Virtual www.nafainstitute. org/2020Home.aspx

Sept 24-26 Illinois Municipal League Annual Conference (CANCELLED) Hilton Chicago, Chicago, Ill. https://conference.iml.org

Sept. 14-25 Midwest Green Transportation Forum & Expo Virtual www.cleanfuelsohio.org

Sept. 28-Oct. 2 Vermont League of Cities & Towns Virtual Town Fair 2020 Virtual www.vlct.org/event/town-fair

Sept. 15-17 Oklahoma Municipal League Annual Conference Cox Convention Center, Oklahoma City, Okla. https://www.omlconference.org Sept. 21-25 Twenty-eighth Annual Emergency and Municipal Apparatus Maintenance Symposium (CANCELLED) Ohio Fire Academy, 8895 E. Main St., Reynoldsburg, Ohio oaevt.org Sept. 23-25 Utah League of Cities and Towns Annual Conference Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, Utah www.ulct.org

Sept. 30-Oct. 2 Michigan Municipal League Convention Virtual www.mml.org Sept. 30-Oct. 2 Ohio Municipal League Annual Conference Virtual/Webinars www.omlohio.org

OCTOBER Oct. 5-9 WEFTEC Virtual Conference & Exhibitor Showcase Virtual weftec.org

OCTOBER Oct. 6-9 South Dakota Municipal League Annual Conference (CANCELLED) Holiday Inn Spearfish Convention Center, Spearfish, S.D. https://www. sdmunicipalleague.org Oct. 7-8 Virginia Municipal League Annual Conference Virtual www.vml.org Oct. 7-9 League of California Cities Annual Conference & Expo Virtual www.cacities.org Oct. 7-9 Florida Association of Governmental Fleet Administrators Fall Event TradeWinds Island Grand Resort, St. Pete Beach, Fla. www.flagfa.org Oct. 10-12 The League of Kansas Municipalities Annual League Conference (VIRTUAL: TBA) Wichita, Kan. https://www.lkm.org Oct. 11-14 IEDC 2020 Annual Conference (VIRTUAL: TBA) Dallas, Texas www.iedconline.org Oct. 14-15 League of Oregon Cities 95th Annual Conference Virtual www.orcities.org

Oct. 14-16 Texas Municipal League Annual Conference Grapevine, Texas https://tmlconference.org/ Oct. 18-21 ARTBA 2020 National Convention Pinehurst, North Carolina www.artba.org/training-events/ Oct. 19-20 NAPO’s 42nd Annual Convention Cleveland, Ohio (MOVED: Marco Island, Fla.) www.napo.org Oct. 26-28 Fire Department Training Network Live-Fire Training Camp Indianapolis, Ind. www.fdtraining.com Oct. 27-29 NRPA Annual Conference Virtual www.nrpa.org/conference/

N OV E M B E R Nov. 2-3 Wildland Urban Interface Virtual www.iafc.org/events/wui Nov. 6 F.I.E.R.O. Regional Fire PPE Workshop (TENTATIVE) Detroit area, Michigan www.fieroonline.org Nov. 12-15 VOCS Symposium in the Sun Hilton Clearwater Beach, Clearwater, Fla. www.iafc.org/events/vcossun/ home

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

58 THE MUNICIPAL | SEPTEMBER 2020

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News & Notes Registration for the 2020 NRPA Annual Conference: A Virtual Experience, Now Open ASHBURN, VA. — Registration for the 2020 NRPA Annual Conference: A Virtual Experience, or NRPA Virtual, is now open. The conference, which will be the first all virtual conference hosted by the National Recreation and Park Association, will be held Oct. 27-29 and feature more than 60 education sessions, a virtual exhibit hall and plenty of networking opportunities. Glenn Harris, president of Race Forward, will kickoff the conference during the opening general session on Tuesday, Oct. 27. Harris has more than 25 years of experience working on race and social justice issues with community groups, foundations and government agencies to build a more just and democratic society.

“While the COVID-19 pandemic caused us to pivot from an in-person event to a virtual one, we are proud to deliver an experience that will be timely and relevant for park and recreation professionals and the vital role they continue to play in their communities’ responses to the pandemic,” said Kristine Stratton, president and CEO of NRPA. “Further, we are thrilled to bring top experts in race equity and social justice issues to this year’s conference, as the field of parks and recreation looks to create more fair and just access to the essential infrastructure and services we provide.”

In addition to daily general sessions, there are 12 education tracks that attendees can choose from, including advocacy; aquatics; conservation; employee and volunteer management; health and wellness; leadership and management; planning, design and maintenance; professional development; public relations and marketing; recreation and sports programming; research and evaluation; and revenue and customer service.

Attendees will have the option to attend live education sessions as well as be able to access the recordings of all 60-plus sessions. In addition to dynamic keynotes and education sessions, attendees can participate in unique networking opportunities, an exploration-worthy exhibit hall and more. Attendees will also have the option to sign up for a virtual 5K and receive a limitededition medal for an additional cost.

While the conference will not be occurring in Orlando this year, NRPA remains committed to its annual Parks Build Community project where the association works with industry partners to refurbish or build a park in the conference host city. This year, NRPA is working with generous donors to revitalize Grand Avenue Park in Orlando, Fla., and plans to unveil the project during NRPA Virtual.

Stertil-Koni continues support of New York-based Bailey’s Cafe with additional $5,000 donation STEVENSVILLE, MD. — Stertil-Koni, the leader in heavy-duty bus lifts and truck lifts, has continued its support of Brooklyn, N.Y.-based Bailey’s Cafe, a 501c3 nonprofit organization, with an additional $5,000 donation.

The funds are targeted to support a collaborative, creative and enriching summer program that engages young people — and the surrounding community — to focus on positive intergenerational interaction involving important touchstones that include service, arts education and inclusion.

As Bailey’s Cafe founder and director, Stefanie Siegel, noted, “We deeply appreciate Stertil-Koni’s willingness to support a small, grassroots organization in Bedford-Stuyvesant Brooklyn for so many years, especially in these difficult times. We are honored to have you as part of the Bailey’s family.”

In making today’s announcement, Dr. Jean DellAmore, president of Stertil-Koni, stated, “Stertil-Koni is very proud to partner with Bailey’s Cafe in its mission to develop artistic talent and foster community inclusiveness through the arts. Its mission to provide a place of healing and belonging, and welcome all with an open heart, acceptance and community, is inspiring. Bailey’s helps us all strive to build a better world.”

In-stock and ready to work DIXON, ILL. — With current build-times for truck packages lengthening due to the global pandemic, it can be hard to get the equipment you need, when you need it. Bonnell knows that your essential work can’t wait and have a selection of in-stock trucks available and ready to roll.

Choose from Freightliner Kenworth, Mack and Ford with a great selection of specs and upfits available. Stock is limited, so contact Bonnell today to secure your choice. Visit its website to get more information or call (800) 851-9664 to discuss pricing.

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

60 THE MUNICIPAL | SEPTEMBER 2020

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TOP 10 Best states for working from home COVID-19 has reshaped the workplace for countless Americans, with many now finding their new office spaces located within their own homes. This has presented challenges in some locations. To find the states that provide the best conditions for working from home, WalletHub compared all 50 of them and the District of Columbia across 12 key metrics.

“Our data set ranges from the share of workers working from home before COVID-19 to internet cost and cybersecurity,” the site wrote. “We also considered factors like how large and how crowded homes are in the state.”

Delaware took the top spot with a total score of 68.17. In the individual categories, the state ranked second in “Work Environment” and seventh in “Living Environment. The rankings are below:

other

1. Delaware

68.17

2. Washington

64.08

3. New Hampshire 4. Colorado

63.96 63.80

5. Georgia

62.70

6. Arizona 7. Utah

62.45 62.23

8. Oregon

61.84

9. North Carolina

61.40

10. South Dakota

61.20 Source:https://wallethub.com/edu/best-states-for-working-from-home/72801/

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B BendPak Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Bonnell Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Buyers Products Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

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I Icom America Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 International Code Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

K Kidder Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 KM International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

L Land Pride . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Lube-A-Boom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

M Midwest Sandbags LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Mile-X Equipment Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

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CBI Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

National Construction Rentals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Clearspan Fabric Structures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Nightlock Door Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Composite Access Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

O

Ctech Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

1-800-SWEEPER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover, 10-11, 34

Curbtender Sweepers, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Custom Products Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

D

Omega Industrial Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

P Pep Boys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

R

das Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Rapid View LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BACK

E

S

Ebac Industrial Products Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

F Fences 4 Less. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Fluid Control Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 FSI North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

G Global Environmental Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Sign Guardian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

T Tech Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 TrafFix Devices Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

U Uline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Unique Paving Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

W Woodland Power Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

H

Z

Henderson Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Zoll Medical Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

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

SEPTEMBER 2020 | THE MUNICIPAL 65

ON INTERSTATES & ON COUNTRY ROADS & ON CONNECTING BRIDGES...

SALTDOGG ® HYDRAULIC MUNICIPAL CONVEYOR SPREADER

SNOWDOGG ® 42" FULL TRIP MUNICIPAL PLOW

...WHEREVER WINTER GOES WE'RE ON IT.

NOTHING WORKS LIKE A DOGG®

MAD E

Call 440-299-5011 or email munisales@buyersproducts.com for a quote OHIO IN

PORTABLE, HI-DEF MANHOLE

INSPECTION

Capture incredible 4K imagery and geometric ® data in minutes with the new PANORAMO SI 4K Mobile system. The new battery powered drum, and easy to maneuver mobile platform means you have the ability to get into hard to reach areas behind houses and in easements.

When you are finished off-road, fold the wheels up on the cart and mount it into a vehicle for onroad inspections, or quickly unclip the drum from the rack and install in our optional, integrated vehicle mount.

Capturing PANORAMO® SI 4K data is quick and easy as....

1 Set up over the shaft.

2

3

Lower camera down to bottom of shaft.

Raise camera back up.

*Final product may differ from photo.

360º Perspective

Unfolded View

Geometric View

Push | High Def | Mainline | Lateral Launch | 3D Mapping | PANO 4K Scanner | Rehabilitation | Software

(800)-656-4225 | www.rapidview.com | Past Proven. Future Ready.

IBAK Inspection Equipment Manufacturing is Certified ISO 9001:2015 and ISO14001: 2015.