58 Municipal Management: From vacant to vibrant: Kokomo infill program rebuilds neighborhoods and community spirits
A growing number of cities, counties and states have found that Frost Solutions’ Mini-Weather Station is changing the way public works departments handle storms. One, Dale, a highway supervisor in Wisconsin, said, “I can save $20K per hour in the winter with Frost Solutions’ forecast!” Pictured are Dale, plus residents who benefit from his department’s work, Mike and MJ Kirsh. See the article on page 10.
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Moving to
Trash is a fact of life. In 2018, the total generation of municipal solid waste was 292.4 million tons or 4.9 pounds per person per day, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. That figure has likely ballooned following the pandemic and Americans’ shopping habit changes aka the increase of online ordering. Despite the daunting tonnage, many cities are striving for zero waste, diverting as many items from the landfill as possible.
Pittsburgh, Pa., is one major U.S. city that aims to be zero waste by 2030 through citywide participation from all sectors. To guide this effort, Pittsburgh coordinated with 100 Resilient Cities, Regions 20 Regions of Climate Action (R20) to create the “Roadmap to Zero Waste” document, which is accessible on the city’s zero waste webpage.
This document covers many approaches to achieve the city’s goals, from enforcing source separation requirements to building a center for hard-to-recycle materials.
Another example is Boulder, Colo., which is aiming to reach 85% waste diversion, but it’s not stopping there. On its website, the city notes, “While achieving zero waste is an important part of tackling the climate crisis, it is only one piece of the puzzle. Our community is working to build a circular economy, a holistic rethinking of how we produce, buy, use and discard materials. Circularity reduces our reliance on landfills and recycling by building systems that do not create waste in the first place.”
Municipalities are getting creative to address the finite space in landfills and the often harmful waste products that need properly disposed of, as The Municipal readers will see in this issue of the magazine.
E-waste presents massive challenges, especially with the prevailing upgrade culture and e-waste’s hazardous nature if disposed improperly. Writer Denise Fedorow connected with Lynchburg, Va., and Salina, Kan., to learn more about these two cities’ efforts to capture as much e-waste as possible. Both have found e-waste collection days beneficial, though
they continue to evaluate additional methods to keep e-waste out of landfills.
Speaking of collection days, writer Nicholette Carlson spoke with Renton, Wash., about its targeted recycling events that have collected 27 types of materials. This year marked the first time the city has collected arts and crafts supplies. Definitely check out how Renton’s collections have evolved over the years!
Also related to cities’ zero-waste efforts is the growth of composting programs. In this issue, writer Beth Anne Brink-Cox spotlights Missoula, Mont.’s, composting program while Jennifer Barton shares Tuscon, Ariz.’s, program. Both share a similar goal: Keep food waste out of the landfill and instead divert it where it is useful, such as into landscaping. However, both programs go about this goal in unique ways.
Finally, writer Julie Young shares Pinellas County, Fla.’s, unenviable task of clearing debris following two back-to-back hurricanes. The county’s public works deputy director, Paul Dean, gives some sound advice for managing such as task.
As we enter the dog days of summer, be sure to drink plenty of fluids and don’t forget to recycle that container!
Sarah Wright | Editor
Smarter Storm Response:
Moving Winter Operations from
Reactive to Proactive with Technology that pays for itself
When winter weather rolls in, cities and counties across North America brace for logistical challenges that can stretch resources and budgets to their limits. But for a growing number of cities, counties and states, Frost Solutions’ Mini-Weather Station is changing the way public works departments handle storms. Compact, affordable, and intelligent, these innovative pole-mounted units are delivering real-time data, visuals and industry leading forecasts that help crews respond faster, safer, and at the right times.
Precision That Pays: A Budget-Saving Solution
For public agencies, every decision made during a storm event has a cost. Overtreating roads with salt and chemicals or sending out patrols too early can drain limited budgets. Conversely, waiting too long risks public safety
and adds to post-storm clean-up costs. That’s where the Frost Mini-Weather Station shines.
Mounted on existing streetlights or utility poles, these solar-powered stations roll together hyperlocal data updated every minute, location specific atmospheric conditions and pavement forecasts, photo assessment using AI, alerts, and unmatched
ABOVE: Frost Solutions forecast and site specific observations are a huge cost saver and efficiency driver.
reliability to provide an easy to use tool to give winter operations leaders the information they need. That precision translates directly into better timing for material application and crew deployment.
“Most cities see a return on investment after just a few snow events,” said Mike Bott, owner of Frost Solutions. “It’s a visible tool that not only saves money, but also shows the community that their local government is being efficient and proactive.”
And the numbers speak for themselves. One Department of Defense customer noted, “We have been using the Frost Mini Weather Station for three snow seasons, and it has been a game changer for us. These systems
Article and photos submitted by Frost Solutions
allow us to monitor weather and pavement conditions remotely, enabling us to deploy teams just in time. As a result, we have reduced our costs by approximately 39%.”
From large counties to small towns, the savings add up quickly. “Winter operations cost the county around $20,000 an hour,” shared Dale, a Highway Supervisor in Wisconsin. “Being able to strategically deploy resources with the help of Frost units has led to significant savings.”
Enhancing Safety with Smarter Tools
Reliable and timely data isn’t just about saving dollars it’s about keeping people safe. In rapidly changing weather, having access to current conditions at multiple points across a city or region can mean the difference between timely intervention and missed opportunities.
The Frost Mini-Weather Stations are built for these challenges. With visual feeds and AI-driven condition alerts, supervisors can assess road safety without sending teams out into hazardous conditions.
“Having Frost sensors deployed in multiple foothills locations in Colorado has allowed for quicker decision-making during critical weather events in some remote locations,” said Mike Chapman of the Colorado Department of Transportation. “This has improved both safety of our personnel and efficiency of our operations along those rural highways.”
The stations come equipped with an AI system trained on thousands of road images. It can now detect conditions like snow, slush, or ice in real time triggering alerts automatically, without the need for constant human oversight.
“Our AI can recognize conditions and send notifications without human input,” said Bott. “It allows supervisors to stay focused until an action is really needed.”
This shift from reactive to proactive response also helps prevent accidents. Knowing precisely when roads start to ice or when visibility begins to drop gives municipalities a critical edge in maintaining safe travel conditions for the public and for their own crews.
A Greener Way to Fight Snow
Beyond budgets and safety, there’s a growing concern about the environmental toll of winter operations especially the heavy
“By using the Frost Mini-Weather Station, we have reduced our winter weather costs by 39%.”
Frost’s Mini-Weather Station.
use of road salt. According to Wisconsin Salt Wise, just one teaspoon of salt is enough to permanently pollute five gallons of water. With most municipalities applying salt by the ton, the risk to local water sources and ecosystems is substantial.
Frost Solutions’ technology helps agencies dial in the most effective, environmentally responsible application rates. By closely monitoring pavement temperature and road surface condition, crews can apply just enough material to keep roads safe without overdoing it.
“Between stepping up our salt brine program and using the Frost Solutions cameras, we’ve been able to cut salt usage by nearly 20% about 10 tons less per route,” said Jacob Dodge, Deputy Director of Public Works in Bath, Maine. “Checking road temperatures and leveraging live visuals from the cameras has made a big difference in how we manage storms and direct crews.”
This kind of targeted approach not only prevents salt runoff into local waterways but also reduces wear on roads, bridges, and vehicles. That’s a win for sustainability and long-term infrastructure health.
From the Snow-Belt to the Sun-Belt
Not in a snow-belt state? Throughout the southeast, Mini Weather Stations provide early forecasts about when a bridge or road is going to ice over and should be closed. Without the trucks, plows and salters typical to states with regular snowstorms, public works leaders
in sun belt states have turned to these cost effective tools to keep their residents safe.
“Frost Solutions allows our operations dollars to go farther and capture more data than the traditional model of owning fullscale Road Weather Information Systems,” said Brett Sellers of the Alabama Department of Transportation. “The alert features are beneficial in freeing up our focus until our thresholds are met, and the ability to ingest the data into other operations platforms helps to get the data in the hands of users across multiple platforms.”
That interoperability is key for agencies that use other management software. Frost’s platform is designed to integrate easily into existing systems, putting critical weather and pavement data exactly where it’s needed when it’s needed.
Ready for Whatever Winter Brings
Winter storms will always be a fact of life. But with Frost Solutions’ Mini-Weather Station, municipalities now have a tool that brings clarity, speed, and intelligence to every decision. Whether it’s saving on salt, protecting waterways, reducing labor costs, or preventing accidents, these compact units are proving that big results can come from small packages. M
To learn more about how Frost Solutions is helping municipalities weather the winter more wisely, visit frostsolutions.io.
In search of Tom and Huck: Mark Twain’s Hannibal, Mo.
By JULIE YOUNG | The Municipal
Located 100 miles north of St. Louis along the shores of the Mississippi, Hannibal, Mo., has a storied history. The former stomping grounds of American humorist Mark Twain, Hannibal is the town that inspired two of the most beloved characters in literature: Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.
Adventure awaits
Visitors looking to follow in the footsteps of Tom and Huck do not have to go far within Hannibal to find traces of the dynamic duo: They can tour Mark Twain’s Boyhood Home Museum and properties to learn more about the famous author and how he turned his childhood friends into timeless characters. Not only will guests see period pieces and memorabilia from Twain’s life in this National Historic Landmark, they will also have the chance to visit the Becky Thatcher House, the Huck Finn House, the J.M. Clemens Justice of the Peace Office, Grant’s Drug Store, museum gallery and the Interpretive Center, all for the price of admission.
Beyond the museum, adventure awaits as folks snap a selfie at the Tom and Huck statue on Main Street, scale the 244 steps up Cardiff Hill to view the Mark Twain Memorial Lighthouse, or enjoy a cruise on the Mark Twain Riverboat. The Mark Twain Riverboat was built in 1964 and has been a fixture on the Mississippi for over three decades. Offering both one-hour narrated sightseeing tours as well as two-hour dinner cruises, visitors say it is a great way to experience the mighty Mississippi up close.
Recreate the iconic Tom and Becky spelunking scene from the book by visiting the Mark Twain Cave Complex, the state’s newest and oldest show caves. The Mark Twain Cave is a popular, 60-minute trek that is easy walking and electrically lit while also capturing the geology of the region. Be sure to check out Mark Twain’s name that was handwritten on the walls of the cave 170 years ago but only discovered a few years ago.
Cameron Cave is also an easy 90-minute walking tour that is about a mile in length. Those looking for something a little more physically challenging can book a Cameron Cave “Wild Tour” in which they will climb and crawl through the deepest recesses of the cave.
“We recently finished reading The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, so we brought our girls to Hannibal to make the book come alive,” said Lynsey Lawson Kern, a homeschooling mom from Harrisonville, Mo. “The cave tour was by far their favorite part.”
Jim’s Journey
Open seasonally, Jim’s Journey: The Huck Finn Freedom Center is Hannibal’s newest museum, and it is a must-see for everyone.
The Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn statue in Hannibal, Mo., celebrates Mark Twain’s beloved literary characters whose stories are based on Twain’s hometown. (Photos by Julie Young)
The Mark Twain Memorial Lighthouse atop Cardiff Hill is not only where many of Tom and Huck’s adventures take place, but it is also a great spot to look over downtown Hannibal, Mo., as well as the mighty Mississippi River.
Highlighting one of Twain’s most complex and underrepresented characters, the Freedom Center spotlights the African American experience in Hannibal and the nation’s first memorial to Jim-prototype Daniel Quarles.
Born a slave to Amos Quarles in Caroline County, Va., in 1798, Daniel eventually became the property of John Quarles, who was three years his senior and a favorite uncle of Samuel Clemens, aka Mark Twain. When Quarles relocated to Florida, Mo., in around 1827, he was a wealthy man who owned 30 slaves, including Daniel and his eventual wife, Hannah. Clemens considered the couple his aunt and uncle and spent many evenings listening to the two share stories, superstitions and music whenever he visited the Quarles property.
After his emancipation on Nov. 15, 1855, Daniel continued to work as a field hand on
The Huck Finn Freedom Center showcases the African American experience in Hannibal while highlighting the man who inspired the character of Jim, Daniel Quarles.
the Quarles farm for the next 10 years until he moved to Hannibal in 1870 with his new wife, Catherine, and his four children. Daniel died in Hannibal around 1880, but his descendants remained in the area until at least 1912 before migrating to Iowa, Texas, California and Illinois.
Jim’s Journey: The Huck Finn Freedom Center contains over 600 artifacts ranging from the pre-Civil War era to the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. There are a number of historic photographs, vintage items and personal belongings that have been donated to the museum and that are thoughtfully displayed to encourage questions and understanding.
The Molly Brown Birthplace and Museum is temporarily closed, but its existence still celebrates the “unsinkable” heroine of the Titanic disaster, who was one of Hannibal. Mo.’s, notable residents.
Local businesses embrace the Twain connection in Hannibal, including Becky’s Ice Cream Parlor
“If you are visiting Hannibal to learn about Samuel Clemens, Mark Twain, Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn, Becky Thatcher — Jim’s Journey is a critical part of the storied tour — don’t miss this opportunity,” said Susan Ikazakiy on the center’s website. “It’s Northeast Missouri’s only Black History Museum. Don’t let the size of the building deter you: It’s packed full of great history. It’s a gem of a visit.”
While visiting all of the Mark Twain-related sites in Hannibal, don’t forget to stop by the Molly Brown Birthplace and Museum at 400 N. Main Street.
Long before she became the “unsinkable” Molly Brown following the Titanic disaster in 1912, she had her humble beginnings in Hannibal, and although the museum is temporarily closed, the exterior is still visible to tourists and worth a stop. More can be learned about Brown’s rags-to-riches story and her humble beginnings in Hannibal by stopping in at the Mark Twain Book and Gift Shop, which carries a wide range of Twain-related volumes as well as local authors and other Hannibal notables.
4,115 tons
Between 1997 and 2024, Renton, Wash.’s, recycling events have collected 4,115 tons of material from over 25,980 vehicles.
3,000
Tucson, Ariz.,’s the FoodCycle At Home, a food waste collection and composting program, has more than 3,000 households enrolled. The program is operated by the environmental services department.
Learn more about this program that is diverting food waste from the landfill on page 34.
644,953 cubic yards
Pinellas County, Fla., Public Works hauled 644,953 cubic yards of debris as a result of hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024.
$7.5 million
The threat of repeat flooding in Lakewood Ranch, Fla., and other cities in Mana tee County was minimized in June after the Manatee County Commission allocated an additional $7.5 million to finish cleaning out local waterways after Hurricane Debby hit in 2024. Prior approval for $2 million had already been given.
Over the last five to six years, Salina, Kan., has spent $9,500 on its annual e-waste collection events.
2 years
Within two years, waste management will be an uninsurable industry, predicts one extended producer responsibility expert, because of lack of proper end-of-life management for lithium-ion batteries. The batteries tend to ignite when crushed or bent, endangering curbside collection, recycling facilities and the environment.
It is hoped that at least 50 local entities will participate in an expanded compost program in Teton County, Wyo., that gives restaurants, grocery stores and schools 50% off of monthly composting fees. The program diverts the food waste from local landfills
Read more about Renton’s efforts to achieve zero waste on page 24.
Several cities offer e-waste collections for residents
By DENISE FEDOROW |
With our increasing use of gadgets, as well as constant encouragement to upgrade our phones, laptops and tablets, our electronic waste is piling up in our homes and businesses. According to the World Health Organization, in 2022, an estimated 62 million tons of e-waste was produced globally, and that number has increased each year since 2014 when e-waste data started being collected. Only 22.3% of e-waste was documented as being formally collected and recycled.
E-waste contains a mixture of valuable materials that could be reused if properly recycled and toxic materials like lead, mercury and cadmium dangerous to humans, animals and the environment. Countries that generate the most e-waste, according to www. theroundup.org, are China, the United States and India. Europe tops the list for having the highest percentage of recycling e-waste. Aside from benefits to the environment, recycling e-waste is reportedly a lucrative market because it contains scarce and valuable raw materials like gold, silver, copper and iron. According to an article on www.theroundup.org, titled “Latest Global E-Waste Statistics and What They Tell Us,” the market was valued at $49,880 million in 2020 and is projected to almost triple to $143,870 million by 2028. The article stated recycling just 1 million used cellphones could recover as
much as 772 pounds of silver, 35,000 pounds of copper, 75 pounds of gold and 33 pounds of palladium. And cellphones are in a lower category of recycled e-waste items.
The good news is that many cities across the U.S. offer e-waste collection programs, and both cities The Municipal talked to said they wished they could do more because the need and the demand exists. Director of Public Works for the city of Lynchburg, Va., Gaynelle Hart, said the city has been offering e-waste collections along with hazardous waste collections since 2000, about 25 years.
Hart said, “At the time we started, we had our own landfill and solid waste division so there was a safety and environmental person that took charge of it, so that’s how it was created.”
Now the city of Lynchburg has three household hazardous waste and e-waste collection
ABOVE: A container is filled with old laptops and tablets during Salina’s e-waste collection. (Photo provided by Salina, Kan.)
days in April, June and October. She said the city collects the waste for about a half day, and it usually takes about 15 employees to set up and handle the traffic flow. Lynchburg has one lane for those dropping off e-waste, one lane for hazardous waste and one lane for those who need to pull over and fill out forms. Employees unload the e-waste and hazardous waste while the customers stay in their vehicles.
Hart said when it comes to e-waste they tell residents, “Anything with a cord vacuum cleaners, laptops, etc.”
Lynchburg has a contract with a company that recycles the e-waste, so they place the items in dumpsters, and the contractor comes and hauls it away. Hart said with the three collection dates, the city services about 700 to 750 people annually, including both e-waste and hazardous waste. She said the e-waste collection days are “very well received by the citizens.”
Hart said, “If I could do best practices, we’d have a convenience center where residents could bring their waste on a regular basis, but we don’t have the resources.”
Lynchburg has a convenience center for household waste and brush, and it is open
The Municipal
Tuesday-Saturday. “Ideally, it would be great to have it for e-waste, but we don’t have the staff or the space,” she said.
Hart offered this piece of advice to those thinking of starting e-waste collections. “Start small what your staff can handle. Maybe start with once a year. There are plenty of contractors out there to help you get rid of the waste, so shop around.”
Salina, Kan.
Salina has a population of about 46,800 people, and the city has been offering an annual e-waste collection for 17 years. According to Brent Curtis, the environmental, education and enforcement coordinator also known as E-3 coordinator the program started in 2009.
“It was something the city of Salina was looking into and then a neighboring county received a grant, and they needed a partner and asked if we wanted to partner with them, so the first three years, it was done with a grant,” he said. “After that, we had enough of a positive response from the public we decided to take it on ourselves and keep it going by funding it ourselves.”
Salina generally holds the e-waste collection from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the first Saturday in May, and it sends out requests for bids with local recyclers and the lowest bid gets the contract. Curtis said this year was “unique as they didn’t charge us anything. The only expense we had was advertising the event, so it was about $1,800.”
Over the last five to six years, he estimated the city paid about $9,500. Curtis said the city works with a local company called Teknix Solutions out of Manhattan, Kan., and it takes all the materials to its facility and sorts it. The company takes out what it can reuse like computer parts and any precious materials. Teknix Solutions sends unusable materials to another recycler. Curtis said Salina averages 23 tons of e-waste in four hours.
“We open at 9 a.m., and they started lining up at 8 a.m.,” he said. “It goes pretty steady the first three hours and then there’s another rush right before we close, so it goes pretty quick.” As an added touch, Salina also accepts food donations for the Salina Emergency Aid Food Bank.
While Salina collects a lot, it wants to collect even more.
“We’re not satisfied. We’re currently investigating doing it year-round. We get enough
The city of Salina uses an old airport as its e-waste collection site as it offers plenty of room for semis to load the collected items in and for residents to quickly unload their items and be on their way. (Photo provided by Salina, Kan.)
requests from the public saying they wish we’d do it more often. We are always getting calls weekly. So, we’re looking at feasibility.”
For the city’s regular recycling program, it has a drive-through facility that is singlestream. Three employees operate it from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Residents drive through without getting out of their car, and the employees unload the items. He said if workers can’t accept the material, “We educate them as to why not. Most people are in and out within five minutes.”
He said Salina usually collects 700 to 800 tons of regular recycling in a year.
If Salina had an e-waste facility, Curtis said, “Anything we do would be city run. That’s why we’re looking at feasibility for e-waste. Maybe we’d do the initial collecting and contract out the sorting, but we’re in the very early stages.”
Curtis said the city tells people, “Anything with a cord or batteries is e-waste hair dryers, toasters, microwaves all the way up to air conditioners and refrigerators,” but because of the size of those items, not every place takes them.
Media like compact discs and old cassette tapes are not e-waste, nor are light bulbs, but those can be disposed of as hazardous waste. “We have ways of getting rid of
Cars line up in Salina, Kan., to drop off e-waste at an annual collection the city offers. (Photo provided by Salina, Kan.)
anything if we can divert items from the landfill, we do our best to do it,” he said.
He also shared when people call with questions about their items, the first thing workers ask them is: “Does it work? If so, then donate it to Goodwill or Disabled Veterans someone can use it. If it doesn’t work, then recycle it.”
Curtis had this advice for other municipalities. “If you’re doing a one-day event, make sure you do it someplace where you have a lot of space.”
Salina used an old airport to handle the traffic, and it allows workers to collect the items easily and quickly. If you don’t have that space, it could really slow things down, especially with unloading larger items.
He also advised to work with a company that is R2 certified, ensuring that they will properly recycle the items and protect data. If the initial contractor isn’t R2 certified, make sure their downstream partner has that certification.
“We used to use a company out of Kansas City, Mo., who was R2 certified, but it also made them more expensive, so if their downstream partner has the certification, that might help it be less expensive,” he said.
RIGHT: “Anything with a cord” is considered e-waste, according to city officials in Salina. This pile of cords was collected during an e-waste collection event. (Photo provided by Salina, Kan.)
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Employees help unload e-waste from resident’s vehicles during a recent e-waste collection in Salina, Kan. (Photo provided by Salina, Kan.)
Surviving the storms: Pinellas County, Fla., completes hurricane cleanup
By JULIE YOUNG | The Municipal
When hurricanes Helene and Milton hit the state of Florida last fall, residents in the unincorporated areas of Pinellas County braced for the storms’ impact and the resulting damage. Like snowflakes, no two hurricanes are exactly alike, and neither is the cleanup process. However, thanks to a solid plan that could be modified to fit the need, the county could complete the debris collection by the end of January and begin preparing for whatever comes next.
Back-to-back events
According to Pinellas County Public Works Deputy Director Paul Dean, MPA, the two hurricanes were unique storm events. Not only did they make landfall within 13 days of each other, but they impacted the county in very different ways. Helene made landfall as a category 4 storm in the Big Bend region of the state, causing a coastal storm surge off
the Gulf of Mexico, while Milton, a category 3 storm, brought with it the wind and rain typically associated with a hurricane event.
“When you combine two storms that hit back-to-back like that, there wasn’t an area of the county that was spared from damage,” he said. “If it had only been Helene, we could have focused on the coastal areas. If it had only been Milton with the wind and the rain,
ABOVE: Pinellas County, Fla., workers move debris from Hurricane Helene at one of the county’s debris management sites. (Photo provided by Pinellas County, Fla.)
that affected more of the inland areas. But because it was both, it meant that we were doing recovery throughout the entire county.”
The volume and variety of the subsequent debris brought on by both storms was also significant. Helene’s surge caused sand to flood the streets and pile up in the hotels and condos along the beachfront properties, while also resulting in infrastructure failures and water damage that could not be remedied by the time Milton came along, bringing additional vegetation and commercial debris.
Gathering the garbage
Although the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) supports cleanup efforts in places affected by a natural disaster,
incorporated and unincorporated areas in Pinellas County have their own recovery plans and work independently of each other. Prior to the storms, the county public works department designated and permitted several disaster debris management sites (DDMS) where materials could be deposited once collected.
“Looking for and finding those open areas that you can have designated as DDMS sites is a great preparation tool and the more you have, the better,” Dean said. “If you don’t have to use them or activate them, that’s even better, but I will say that due to the debris that was developed from this disaster, we ended up having to add DDMS sites so that was one lesson we learned from this storm: the more DDMS sites you have, the better.”
Using various forms of communication, including flyers, the county website, social media announcements and broadcast notifications, the county let residents know when they could place their debris in the right-ofway on the street so that it could be collected by contractors and delivered to the DDMS sites. Citizens could check online to find out who was in charge of their area’s recovery efforts and, in the case of the unincorporated areas, the status of the collection routes. Dean said that workers typically made two passes throughout the unincorporated portion of the county and arranged for additional pickups in those areas that had more damage than others.
“We also set up two citizen drop-off sites for those people who didn’t have a lot of damage and wanted to be able to load their items into a truck or trailer and be done with it,” Dean said.
Once the materials were collected, they had to be sorted by type. Vegetative debris, such as tree limbs and other natural materials, were placed into one pile while commercial and demolition debris including drywall, fencing, siding and appliances were placed into separate piles to be compacted and hauled away. The vegetation was ground into mulch for use by farmers and others or burned, provided that the burn pit was far enough away from residential areas and the smoke would not cause any harm. Care was also taken to ensure that those burn sites could be returned to their prior status with no lasting damage.
“Part of the FEMA process is that they want to see how everything is handled from cradle
to grave as far as collection is concerned, and according to our website, it shows that we hauled away 644,953 cubic yards of debris from this event,” Dean said. “We had the vast majority of it picked up by Dec. 31, but we do have some residents who do not live here full time so we were still picking up some debris in early February.”
Because each storm is different, Dean said improving the county processes is an ongoing effort.
“You plan ahead as much as you can, but then sometimes, you have to pivot depending on how a storm plays out so we are always refining those processes, but it’s always easier to pivot rather than come up with a new plan for every situation.”
Cars line up to drop off debris following Hurricane Helene. A sign shares what the county will accept. (Photo provided by Pinellas County, Fla.)
Pinellas County workers clear sand along Gulf Boulevard after Hurricane Helene. (Photo provided by Pinellas County, Fla.)
Recycling events help Renton, Wash., move forward with zero-waste plan
By NICHOLETTE CARLSON | The Municipal
In 1990, the city of Renton, Wash., began its future in recycling collection by holding a collection event for metal, tires and oil. Today, the city holds recycling events three times a year for King County residents, with each event focused on specific materials. As a suburb of Seattle, Renton has plenty of various recycling options available for residents in the area. The city’s goal for recycling includes education on nearby recycling sources that can be used anytime throughout the year and recycling events for other items that residents would be more likely to dump.
Throughout the history of the collection events, there have been 27 material types collected, including concrete, textiles, tires and used motor oil. Only eight of these materials are now accepted at current recycling events. These are automotive tires, bubble wrap, cardboard, mattresses and box springs, paper or shredding, styrofoam, scrap metal and donated food. These items were chosen based on how
often the city sees them illegally dumped and what other options there are locally for recycling the items. No longer accepted items include appliances with refrigerants, batteries, bicycles, bulky yard waste, used motor oil, clean wood, concrete, hazardous waste, household goods and textiles, plastic bags, plastic containers, plastic plant pots, phones and porcelain. For the items that are no longer accepted, the city
ABOVE: Recycling events are funded through the King County Waste Reduction and Recycling grant so that drop-offs are free, except for a small charge for mattresses and box springs. Last year alone, the recycling events collected over 24 tons of solid waste from over 900 vehicles. (Photo provided by the Renton, Wash., Public Works Department)
is focusing on educating residents on the multiple other locations throughout the city that accept the items throughout the year so they can take the items any time they wish and not wait for collection events.
In May, Renton collected styrofoam and metals. This is also the first year they collected arts and crafts supplies.
“We’re always looking for something different,” Meara Heubach, solid waste program manager, stated, “and we came across the idea for arts and craft supplies. We’re always willing to try something out and see how it works out.”
Renton began recycling collection events in 1990, starting with metal, tires and oil. Items collected have changed over the years based on what is most likely to be dumped and other collection options available around the area. For items no longer accepted at collection events, the city educates residents on other locations that accept the items throughout the year. (Photo provided by the Renton, Wash., Public Works Department)
In June, the city collected mattresses and box springs, cardboard, styrofoam and tires. The last event of the year in September is styrofoam and shredded items. Residents can also send in photos of used furniture to see if it will be accepted for recycling. At each event, donated canned goods are also accepted, though it is not a requirement. Previously, the city would hold two events in the spring and fall, and it would get between 600 and 700 cars. Now the events are held three times a year, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and are significantly more manageable than the larger events. Between 1997 and 2024, these recycling events have collected 4,115 tons of material from over 25,980 vehicles. In 2024 alone, the three recycling events collected over 24 tons of material from over 900 vehicles.
These events are funded through the King County Waste Reduction and Recycling grant. This allows the recycling drop-offs to remain free for residents, except for mattresses and box springs, which have a fee of $30.
These free drop-off events are limited to King County residents, so contractors and businesses cannot drop off items. The city mails
The city of Renton has weekly food waste and yard waste collection, but collect city waste every other week. They are also working with commercial customers to get them set up with recycling and composting in accordance with new organics management laws. (Photo provided by the Renton, Wash., Public Works Department)
flyers to eligible residents with their utility bills, including those in the unincorporated county area. At the larger events, the city did have a challenge with some businesses attempting to bring items, such as concrete or tires.
However, the city is hoping to get commercial customers and businesses to recycle more. Goals are to get them signed up for food waste collection service based on organics management laws to separate organic waste. Currently, the city has low participation from commercial businesses and offices in recycling and composting. The city is dedicated to helping get them set up and successful, particularly with the new organics management law. It is working with a consultant to assist in outreach to the commercial customers and how to best help them participate more in recycling and separating food waste.
Between 2005 and 2019, Renton also held a Stop and Swap event. This acted as a free yard sale where residents could bring unwanted reusable items, and other residents could pick them up for free. It acted as a great way for residents to get rid of bulkier items, such as couches and dressers. At the end, charities would come and get
the pick of the items and anything left over would be taken to the landfill. Last year, the city partnered with the Furniture Repair Bank to collect 75 pieces of damaged furniture. The Furniture Repair Bank then refurbished the furniture and donated it to families in need. Seattle Recreative will also teach the volunteers how to refurbish furniture and reuse the art supplies.
“We are always looking for other organizations who would want to partner together with the city for recycling,” Heubach emphasized.
While Renton has weekly food waste and yard waste collection, it began collecting city waste every other week in 2009 and is one of only three Washington cities to do so. Each week residents can also set out cardboard, chopped up trees or leaves for no additional cost. This moves the city toward its zero waste draft plan that is currently out for community comment and will hopefully be adopted by the end of the year. Implementation would then start next year.
RIGHT: This year Renton, Wash., held three recycling events for styrofoam, metals, arts and crafts supplies, mattresses and box springs, cardboard, tires and shredded paper items. The city also collects donated canned goods at these events. (Photo provided by the Renton, Wash., Public Works Department)
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Missoula updates its compost facility
By BETH ANNE BRINK-COX | The Municipal
Missoula, Mont., has been composting for some time now, but generous funding from the American Rescue Plan Act, in the amount of $4.7 million started a new phase. The city council approved an $8.6 million contract to update the city’s compost facility — Garden City Compost. When three project bids came in over the estimated $6.7 million, Western Municipal Construction worked with the city to decrease the bid as needed. State revolving funds were set to cover the remaining costs. Garden City has been working in a transitional facility since 2017 when it acquired EKO Compost; the improvement project will bring everything up to comply with state standards.
Some scheduled improvements include new composting bays, a concrete working area, mechanical and electrical controls, biofilters and stormwater runoff controls. Residents had been concerned about PFAS widely used and long-lasting chemicals, also known as “forever chemicals.”
Jason Duffin, compost facility manager at the department of public works and mobility/resource recovery facility/Garden City Compost, said, “It began before the city of Missoula bought the compost facility from a
private owner back in November 2016. Odor control and aeration were issues that needed to be handled better. The city’s goals were to keep costs down to dispose of treated biosolids locally and put them to a beneficial reuse while improving the facilities infrastructure. We needed to improve the composting process while updating to local DEQ regulations of composting on impervious surfaces to collect all leachates from the first stage of the process and keep any possible contamination
from getting into the aquifer prior to the next stage of composting.”
Duffin added, “After receiving approval from the DEQ, we immediately changed over from negative aeration to positive aeration while beginning construction on what we called the ‘transitional facility.’ This made a vast difference in odors and our complaints went down drastically from people living and/or shopping in the area. We started doing research on securing funding to upgrade to a final facility design.
Composting bays are where new layers of organic material is added to older layers that have already begun breaking down. ( Photo provided by Missoula, Mont.)
Thankfully, we were able to grasp an opportunity and were granted $4.7 million in ARPA funding through the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation back in 2021-22. That money needs to be spent by the end of 2025; with that we are required to provide matching funds, which we were approved for through the Montana Clean Water State Revolving Fund or SRF loan in the amount of $5.4 million dollars, for a project total of $10.1 million.”
With this funding, Missoula can continue diverting not just treated biosolids from the landfill but also other organic materials, such as yard waste, deconstructed lumber, sawdust, residential and commercial wasted food, and Biodegradable Products Institutecertified compostables, or materials that will break down completely.
Duffin continued, “We also take in soil from big and small projects, such as sod from building a garden or soil being hauled out of a construction site, and put that to use as well. While doing this, we are putting all the above to beneficial reuse like I mentioned earlier and also continue to fulfill our city’s adopted initiative called ZERO by Fifty Missoula.”
This initiative is in keeping with the goal of being Montana’s first zero-waste community, which Missoula is on track to do.
“The city of Missoula worked with a local sustainable nonprofit called Home Resource and many others to get this initiative adopted and are keeping it moving to this day,” he concluded.
As for the bays and biofilters, Duffin said, “Composting ‘bays’ are the way to differentiate what stage your compost is in. This way, we can monitor our temperatures to ensure proper breakdown of the organics while following all recommended and mandated composting practices, such as the Environmental Protection Agency 503 Regulations of the Process to Further Reduce Pathogens or PFRP. On a large scale, we need to do this for efficient monitoring of temperatures so we can take cooked material into the next stage of screening and curing.”
Duffin noted this is something that should be done even in backyard composting. “I typically recommend having two piles in the yard; one that you’ve added everything to and is actively breaking down and the second to put fresher product into. This helps you eliminate pathogens and break down weed seeds effectively, while ensuring that the compost
you are using is healthy for your soil and growing needs.”
Duffin then explained, “Biofilters are used to filter pollutants from air, water and other similar applications using a biological process. In composting, we use chipped wood waste and moisture to create an environment for the appropriate microorganisms to capture and break down any volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are captured during the first stage of the composting process. This is present anytime you are using aeration for composting.”
Two types of aerations are used. He said, “Our current system is positive aeration, where we are blowing air into the piles. This means that here, we are piling already broken down compost onto the top of the pile to capture the VOCs. We are using front-end loaders to do this, but you can use telehandler stacking conveyors as well, or fabricated covers that capture it and cycle it out through the leachate and back into the pile.”
This will change once the facility is finished. Duffin said, “Our new system will be negative aeration where we are sucking air into and through the piles. In doing this, we capture the air more effectively and increase our odor control by up to 70% more while also collecting the moisture or leachate and sending that
back over to the treatment plant for further processing.”
As for the transitional facility, Duffin explained, “The transitional space was built after municipal ownership. We will leave a portion of it there just in case we need it for overflow, also for testing other composting feedstocks prior to incorporating into our process. The facility we are building now is our final facility, and from looking at past intake, we project being able to handle growth for at least the next 10 years. We do have room to expand from there, depending on growth in our community and sustainability over the next five years, so we can plan accordingly.”
Duffin noted, “So far, the public response has been positive. People have been very impressed with city ownership of the composting facility, having been able to see all the improvements here, especially the odor and cleanliness through organization. We are very transparent here and give tours all the time to anyone who wants one, including residents, local nonprofit organizations, all educational ages and fields, other facilities and other municipalities.
“Like I mentioned earlier, the city of Missoula is working on the ZERO by Fifty initiative with the community. At the end of the day, my personal dream is to have an
Missoula’s resource recovery facility oversees wastewater treatment and Garden City Compost operations. Its composting efforts have diverted thousands of tons of organic waste from the landfill each year. (Photo provided by Missoula, Mont.)
interactive area here for touring with gardens and such, showing what we here at the resource recovery facility do with everything that goes down the drain and how it is put to beneficial reuse. Hopefully, at some point, we will be doing presentations in classes and have an interactive tour guide on our website, but all that is in the future.”
Duffin would like to see other cities composting, too. He recommends involving local communities and working with the local landfill, if they are open to helping divert green waste to a composting operation. If municipalities can work together with everyone impacted and prove that this is currently the best way to provide a better future for generations to come and do it safely following the science while keeping costs down for transportation and disposal of anything reusable, it will benefit everyone involved.
“Cities should be aware that the composting process produces odor, and it is difficult to completely eliminate it,” he cautioned. It’s a manageable issue, though. “Some cities have provided buckets and other needed materials in the same way that recycling bins have been furnished. But really, it’s boots on the ground. Showcase that this is positive and making a difference. Keep people involved. Find ways to do this, and keep it financially viable while showing that you are doing so. Make sure to be transparent with the positives and negatives.”
The product resulting from composting is also extremely beneficial. Duffin said, “We actively sell our product to multiple outlets. We do sell in bulk here to anyone that would like to purchase it, like reclamation projects, nurseries, golf courses the possibilities are endless. We donate to local nonprofits to help our community. With the composting facility, we are able to help keep not just rate payer fees down for wastewater but also taxpayer costs as well by selling to schools and other departments within our city for lower costs of application, while amending soils to a healthier condition.”
Duffin circled back to transparency, noting, “We are actively providing information on our websites and here at our facility to our consumers about PFAS or forever chemicals. We have signage being made and cards for our receipts for purchasing customers that we know there is a risk of PFAS contamination and we don’t know what that risk fully is yet in a soil application. As you may already
This overlay shows features that will be included in the new facility. ( Photo provided by Missoula, Mont.)
know, PFAS are ubiquitous in our environment, literally in our rainwater and dust. It is on most products we use day to day, such as food packaging, clothing, makeup … the list goes on and on.”
Duffin shared that the EPA just approved a testing method last year for solids that is supposed to be more consistent than previous versions. He added. “Here at our facility, we have been sampling since 2022 and are below application standards for biosolids around the country, but the science is still developing. The uptake into plants is still being studied. Thankfully, here in Missoula, we don’t have the industrial, heavy commercial pollutant contributing factors, such as in locations like Maine. We recently sampled our incoming feedstocks and are awaiting the results to determine where potential pollutants are coming from.”
PFAS detection is occurring in food packaging during transport, some non-BPI-certified compostable packaging and in herbicide residue like what is used on trees and lawns.
Duffin shared one final, serious thought. “Wastewater facilities are passive receivers, and we are getting PFAS contaminants from all commercial and residential wastewater coming in. Some of the PFAS products are being banned by local and national authorities; however, until we get rid of these, our populace is just going to keep contributing PFAS to the system in a never-ending cycle. Hopefully, the ban of PFAS usage increases at a greater speed, with more awareness, current ongoing research and transparency by everyone. The more we know as a community, the more we can stop the contamination as a team.”
Read more on composting in Tuscon, Ariz.
Tucson’s FoodWaste Collection keeps organic material out of landfills
By JENNIFER BARTON | The Municipal
Every week, each household in America rolls a trash can or two out to the curb to await their designated collection day. Rarely do citizens of this country consider what happens to those mounds of black bags once they are tossed onto a garbage truck and hauled away by city sanitation workers. Yet landfills across the country are filling up year after year, requiring new ones to be opened to welcome tons of refuse back into the earth from which much of it came.
The city of Tucson, Ariz., saw that as a problem. As the second-largest city in the state (population roughly 542,000), Tucson’s one landfill could become overfilled if actions are not taken. However, as most of what is thrown away in households is compostable, particularly food waste, the city began the FoodWaste Collection Program to alleviate the problem.
As principal planner for the Environmental and General Services Department, Lisa Rotello spearheads the program, which
began last January. Rotello reported that the city partnered with the University of Arizona Compost Cats for a similar project in 2021 until the compost became so contaminated that the facility had to close.
“So, at that point, the city realized we needed to come up with a solution because we have been collecting this food waste from our commercial businesses,” she said, “so we had to figure out how we were going to process that, what we were going to do.”
ABOVE: Countertop compost buckets collect compostable materials. To date, Tucson, Ariz., has returned more than 700 tons of compost to the community and expects this amount to grown substantially. (Photo provided by Tucson, Ariz.)
In 2022, “in response to escalating climate concerns,” the mayor and city council declared a climate emergency, setting goals to reduce the city’s waste. The city planned to divert 50% of waste from landfills by 2030 and zero waste by 2050.
She explained that while most people realize that zero waste is next to impossible, there are other means of disposal. Rotello’s department conversed with community members “to identify areas that could be diverted from the landfill,” and which the public would engage with, and food waste consistently came to the forefront.
The biggest challenge came in keeping the compostable material from contamination. “Contamination is a lot of different things,”
she stated. In an arid climate like the desert southwest, “things that are accepted in a wet climate … can’t be accepted in our climate because it doesn’t break down the same way.”
With that in mind, Rotello knew they needed to host training sessions for participants. The Compost Cats assisted in this training, rolling their program into the city’s. With two training sessions a month, many of which brought in a hundred participants, this helped tremendously.
Rotello spoke about how the community has embraced food waste collection. “People are just so I can’t believe how responsive they are to the program,” she said, noting that residents are very excited to participate. They can do so by signing up for a training session online, where they learn what can and cannot be collected and will receive a countertop bucket for food waste, though they can use any containers they choose for this purpose. They are also given the combination to the collection bins, which must be kept confidential to help prevent contamination. Rotello even shared how a resident posted a question on the social media site Nextdoor asking about the combination, and everyone who responded said that the original poster must complete training to receive it.
Around 3,000 households currently participate in the program. Once residents learn about it either from social media, the city
website or word of mouth many times they want to join in. Sometimes Rotello receives applause at the end of a training session.
“People understand the importance of it. Forty percent of what goes into landfills is organic material, so that means food waste and green waste. That’s a big percent of what’s in the landfills, so if we can divert that, that’s a big step toward our goals.”
The city started with six bins, four of them manned, two unmanned and locked. “To our surprise, the contamination of the locked bins was minimal.” They now have 15 locked bins throughout the city, with very minimal contamination “the key has been training.” Rotello’s goal is to have one location within every two-mile radius throughout Tucson.
Lisa Rotello, Tucson environmental and general services principal planner, speaks at a training at Reid Park Zoo. (Photo provided by Tucson, Ariz.)
A FoodCycle At Home participant drops off food waste at one of drop-off sites. (Photo provided by Tucson, Ariz.)
A FoodCycle At Home training occurs in a garden. Participants receive countertop compost buckets. (Photo provided by Tucson, Ariz.)
“We also have a commercial food waste program,” she continued. It is small, but businesses can undergo training “and those buckets are actually audited to be sure there’s no contamination.”
Composting sites are not the end of the line for this food waste, either. Environmental Services returns that compost to Community Gardens of Tucson, a partner in the program, schools, city departments and parks and other citizens who can pick up compost from designated sites to use on their own properties.
There is no cost for the program, as the city absorbs those, and the Environmental and General Services Department applied for and received a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for $400,000. Additionally, they have partnered with Tucson Unified School District and a nonprofit called Iskashitaa to expand the FoodWaste Program. Though Rotello submitted it for an Arizona Forward award last year, it did not win, but she hopes to try again this year with the program’s expansion.
Rotello credits the entire team who makes the program possible from the Compost Cats to the drivers, the landfill personnel and environmental scientists. “It’s really a community/city effort.” Mayor Regina Romero and city council members have been very supportive of the program as well.
But mostly the residents keep it going. “If we didn’t have the participants and they weren’t so passionate about it, we wouldn’t be successful.” M
Two women pick up compost to use at their homes. (Photo provided by Tucson, Ariz.)
Foster helps sanitation provide a positive impact in Asheville
By NICHOLETTE
| The
In August 2017, Jes Foster joined the city of Asheville, N.C., as the sanitation division manager — a position that is also known as the solid waste manager — in the public works department. She manages a full-time staff of 44 people, along with several seasonal positions.
Recently, Foster was recognized by the American Public Works Association with an award in solid waste leadership. She was nominated by the sanitation operations manager.
“I think that is really the most important thing to me,” Foster said, “to know that my sanitation team stands behind me and supports me. Our successes are truly a team effort, with so many people giving their all every day to serve our community and to better themselves and our program.”
Her division provides residential trash, yard waste and scrap metal collection services to residents of the city of Asheville. They also service public street receptacles, provide sanitation customer service and execute sanitation-related code enforcement services.
Foster manages contracts for residential recycling and roadside litter collection; there is also a full-time waste reduction program manager who focuses on the waste reduction and diversion programs such as recycling events, food scrap drop-off collection and outreach to the community.
“Our mission is to promote a healthy, safe and sustainable community by providing efficient, reliable and innovative waste management services,” Foster described. “We strive to deliver excellent customer service and are committed to enhancing our community and the environment through the implementation of an effective integrated waste management plan.”
That mission is the backbone of the division’s primary goals, which include on-time collection of solid waste, brush and recycling; enforcement of solid waste ordinances; creation of an engaging and positive work environment for sanitation employees; and exploration of opportunities to improve sanitation efficiency, safety and sustainability as well as reduce generated and landfilled waste.
According to Foster, one of the greatest challenges in sanitation is getting others to understand the work.
“For most people, trash is an afterthought. Waste is something that goes away and most people don’t pay attention to it until something goes wrong,” she said. “As the solid waste manager, staying connected with my colleagues, understanding their work and communicating where our work intersects is critical to ensuring
those who are working in city planning and initiatives consider the impacts of solid waste management on our community. In addition to the environmental and public health facets of our work, waste management and collection intersects with and impacts the planning of housing, businesses, parks, public spaces, traffic, road quality, pedestrian safety and wildlife, as well as noise and quality of life issues. It is also something that touches the lives of every single person in our community.”
Foster has assisted with a variety of projects since joining the city. When she first started, the sanitation division had a 40% vacancy rate, so she worked to restructure the team and recruit with opportunities for advancement. She now has no vacancies and one of the most diverse departments in the city.
Teaming up with the sustainability department, she helped to create the city’s first compost drop-off site and then partnered with the county to expand to more sites throughout both jurisdictions.
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Municipal
Jes Foster, Sanitation Division Manager (Photo provided by the Asheville, N.C., Public Works Department)
In order to reduce plastic waste, she helped the department transition from the collection of yard waste in plastic bags to collection in paper bags or containers. The department also introduced the purple bag pilot program, which distributes purple trash bags to homeless members of the community to help them collect and dispose of waste and reduce litter. The purple color alerts the sanitation staff that it needs to be collected.
Another pilot program is the residential bear cart, which allows the city to test various bear-resistant carts — a necessity due to area wildlife issues.
Two new technology improvements have also been implemented. Rubicon is now used to help improve collection routes and safety using automated vehicle locating, and ReCollect is used to provide better customer service and information to residents.
Foster’s work in waste management began when she was a freshman at Duke University. While at school, she worked at Duke Recycles, the student recycling operation. There, she studied environmental sciences and policy.
“I loved my work as a student,” Foster recalled. “I learned to drive a large truck; operate a forklift, baling machinery and glass crushers; and did outreach at community events.”
For a year following graduation, she continued her work as Duke Recycles community education coordinator. She then took a position with Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa, N.C., as the recycling supervisor. There, she ran a crew of 10 to 30 students and helped to establish one of the original campus free stores, helped to build and operate several composting facilities and developed an independent study course on food waste.
She received recognition of her department’s innovative waste reduction measures at the state and national levels. Then, during her last year there, she took on the role of facilities supervisor, which involved overseeing multiple departments, including motor fleet, waste management, landscaping and custodial services.
Foster began work on her Master of Science degree in sustainability at Lenoir Rhyne University and completed it after starting her position with Asheville.
A friend had shared the Asheville position availability, and she applied.
“I didn’t expect to get an interview, and I have to say I was very surprised when I was offered the position. I was excited to accept the role and to have the opportunity to serve the wider community and have a greater impact in our region.”
Her future goals include kicking off the city’s long-term solid waste master planning process.
“We had worked for years to get funding for this project and had finally received support and engaged a consultant to assist us in the process,” Foster said. “Then, in September 2024, Hurricane Helene hit and devastated Asheville and western North Carolina. Most of our projects and goals were put on hold. Since September, I have been almost solely focused on debris removal, coordinating with FEMA, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the state of North Carolina, contractors and numerous other partners to clear debris from our roads, waterways, parks and public and private properties.”
Many of the debris projects should be completed later this year. After that, Foster said, and her goal will be to determine future solid waste management needs and goals.
Jes Foster has helped create Asheville’s first compost drop-off site and transition from plastic bags to paper bags or containers for yard waste. Purple trash bags are given to members of the homeless population to help reduce the waste and litter. Additionally, bear carts are being tested for residences. (Photo provided by the Asheville, N.C., Public Works Department)
Foster leads a diverse department with 44 full-time employees, seasonal staff and zero vacancies. Together, they are responsible for residential trash, yard waste and scrap metal collection services for residents and public street receptacles. They also provide customer service and code enforcement services while managing residential recycling contracts and roadside litter collection. (Photo provided by the Asheville, N.C., Public Works Department)
Blue Envelope program creates safer interactions between officers and drivers with autism
By NICHOLETTE CARLSON | The Municipal
The Massachusetts State Police department recently teamed up with the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, Advocates for Autism of Massachusetts and The Arc of Massachusetts to launch Blue Envelope, a program that helps law enforcement easily recognize drivers who are on the autism spectrum — hopefully leading to a positive interaction.
The blue envelope holds the driver’s essential information, such as his or her driver’s license, registration and contact card. It also contains important communication guidelines to help police officers in their interactions with autistic motorists.
After hearing of a proposed bill to mandate the Blue Envelope program in Massachusetts, the state police decided not to wait for it to pass legislation and began researching it on their own, calculating the number of drivers who were within the possibility of being on the autism spectrum in the state: The number was 18,000.
After looking into the program and realizing it was already being used throughout the country, Trooper Derek Henneberry delved even further.
“I began to collect samples of the envelopes from other police departments and spoke to numerous other departments about how their program is going and the steps they took to get it off the ground,” he explained.
The state police legal department and some of its partners began to work on blue envelope designs before deciding on the one currently in circulation.
“A key feature on our envelope is the QR code,” Henneberry said. “Scanning this code will bring you directly to our website, where more information can be found. And there are tips for both officers and drivers and the ability to request envelopes directly.” The barcode feature also allows the department to update the website whenever necessary.
The program officially launched in April 2024. Special training was not necessary, since officers and troopers already receive a variety of training related to autism.
Officers simply needed to be made aware of what the blue envelope is, which the state police did with a job-wide training bulletin.
Special training was not necessary with the introduction of the Blue Envelope program since officers already receive training for those on the autism spectrum. Officers simply needed to be informed of what the blue envelope was and how it should be used. (Photo provided by the Massachusetts State Police department)
“With just the mailing request alone, through the website, we have mailed out 2,900 blue envelopes since the launch,” he stated. The number does not include envelopes given to state police barracks or local departments.
Envelopes have also been given to autism organizations, driving schools and developmental organizations.
The city of Marblehead recently joined the Blue Envelope program.
“When the Massachusetts State Police announced it last year, I put out a statement in support of it and asked officers to become familiar with it in case they came across one, and they thought that it was a great idea,” Marblehead Police Chief Dennis King explained. “This year I decided to get the school resource officer involved, and we ordered the envelopes from the Massachusetts
State Police to distribute. I also thought the renewed attention would spark interest in the program locally.”
Any Massachusetts police department can join the initiative. It simply requires some communication with the state police and the ordering of program envelopes.
The envelope encourages empathetic communication and patience on the part of officers and offers practical tips to more effectively communicate with those on the spectrum, particularly during high stress situations such as traffic stops. It can also help drivers who are on the autism spectrum feel more confident and prepared, knowing all their documents are in one location and to present it to a police officer during a traffic stop.
Drivers are encouraged to place the documents in a highly visible and accessible location, such as attached to the sun visor. The blue envelopes are provided free of charge to those on the autism spectrum.
“The Marblehead Police Department is always looking to better our service to the community, and implementing the Blue Envelope program is just another way to reach out to those who may benefit,” King said.
In order to train officers on the program, the city police department focuses specifically on roll call training, ensuring officers and dispatchers are familiar with how to handle the presentation of a blue envelope. They discuss the overall goals and objective of the program, so everyone knows its importance.
“Marblehead Police Department officers are trained by the Autism and Law Enforcement Education Coalition, which is ‘first responder autism training targeted to equip first responders with the knowledge and strategies to best serve individuals with autism spectrum disorders in a crisis situation,’” said King. “We also have been part of the Flutie Foundation Police Patch program for several years that raises funds for the Flutie Foundation. The school resource officer is engaging students and staff at the high school to bring awareness to the program.”
The Flutie Foundation is dedicated to helping empower individuals and families with autism to improve their quality of life.
Blue Envelope encourages drivers to remain calm and state, “I have a
One of the key feature on the blue envelope is the QR code, which takes the person who scans it directly to the Massachusetts State Police website for more information, including tips for drivers and officers and the ability to request envelopes. The state police have already mailed out 2,900 envelopes since the launch through website requests alone. (Photo provided by the Massachusetts State Police department)
After learning of proposed legislation for the Blue Envelope program in Massachusetts, the Massachusetts State Police chose not to wait and started with researching other state’s programs and the Blue Envelope program itself. They then designed their own envelope and the program was launched for the state police in April 2024. (Photo provided by the Massachusetts State Police department)
blue envelope” and then slowly present it to the law enforcement officer. Drivers should then listen carefully to the officer’s directions and ask for clarification if he or she does not understand. Drivers should wait until the officer returns and tell them it is fine for them to leave. The officer may have a flashlight or flashing lights, drivers are told.
If the situation becomes too overwhelming, it is recommended that drivers ask the police officer to call their emergency contact.
When officers encounter a blue envelope, their training says it is important to remain patient, communicate clearly and remain aware of nonverbal cues. Officers should speak clearly, slowly and allow extra time for drivers with a blue envelope to respond. If the driver seems overwhelmed, the officer may want to consider ways to deescalate the situation, such as speaking more quietly or turning off the sirens.
“The response is all positive from both officers and the community,” King shared. “Last year, we worked with a resident to develop a new autism awareness patch, which added the affinity symbol of inclusiveness. I see this program getting the same type of positive reaction.”
Henneberry confirmed these positive remarks and added, “We have received such positive feedback from individuals on the autism spectrum, parents and caregivers, about how it makes them feel so much safer while driving. They really appreciate the program.”
The hope is to better communication between the police department and the community in any number of situations.
“I would encourage anybody who thinks the Blue Envelope program may be helpful to stop by the station and pick up a packet,” King said. “The information shared during an encounter can make all the difference in the world. Our goals are in line with that of the program: to ‘enhance understanding
The Marblehead, Mass., Police Department recently partnered with the state police and joined the Blue Envelope program. They ordered envelopes from the state police and have implemented the program in their local department as a way to better serve their community. (Photo provided by the Massachusetts State Police department)
among police officers, reduce anxiety for drivers on the autism spectrum, streamline communications and encourage preparedness.’”
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Miami Beach public works wins awards for infrastructure excellence
By DANIELLE LUND | The Municipal
In a proud moment for the city of Miami Beach, Fla., the public works department has received two coveted Project of the Year awards from the Florida Chapter of the American Public Works Association, highlighting its innovative approach to infrastructure challenges and community-focused urban design.
The department was honored in both the water/wastewater and beautification/landscaping categories, recognizing its critical 41st Street water main replacement and the visually transformative Indian Creek Drive landscaping project. These two undertakings, while vastly different in scope and purpose, reflect a shared commitment to long-term sustainability, aesthetic integrity and community resilience.
The 41st Street water main replacement project was born from necessity. As construction manager Matthew LaPera explained, the existing 20-inch main, a crucial pipeline serving a substantial portion of the community east of the Indian Creek Canal, was aging and in urgent need of replacement. When a Florida Department of Transportation companion project on the canal crossing demanded the old pipe be removed, the city saw an opportunity to innovate rather than simply react.
“This was one of our critical needs,” said LaPera. “It was planned, but ended up getting expedited due to the needs of the FDOT. We didn’t want to just remove and disrupt, at that point: We wanted to make a lasting improvement and investment.”
Rather than tear up the road and waterway, engineers employed horizontal directional drilling technology to install the new pipe beneath the canal. This method significantly minimized surface
ABOVE: Rather than tear up the road and waterway, engineers for the city employed horizontal directional drilling technology to install new pipe beneath the canal. This allowed minimum impact to the traffic flow.
(Photo provided by Miami Beach, Fla.)
disruption and allowed work to be conducted mostly at night, helping the city manage traffic flow along 41st Street, which is normally a key road in and out of Miami Beach. And while the public wasn’t directly involved in the design process, there was outreach and transparency throughout construction, including a groundbreaking ceremony with the mayor.
The entire project was completed in about six months. It came in on time, despite tight deadlines posed by FDOT. The new water main is expected to serve the area reliably for the next 70 to 100 years.
After completing restoration and abandoning the old pipeline, everything is back to normal at this point: Traffic is flowing, the pipe is fully operational, and the neighborhood is better equipped for the future.
“We did a good job managing it all,” LaPera noted. “It’s a major win for the department and the city overall.”
While the water main project addressed the unseen, the city’s beautification and landscaping initiative along Indian Creek Drive transformed the visible. It created a serene, functional and inviting linear park along a particularly busy stretch of waterfront.
This project, led by Assistant Public Works Director Rodney Knowles, was part of a broader roadway elevation and seawall reconstruction
designed to address sea-level rise and coastal flooding. But the city knew from the start that those infrastructure changes would need to be paired with softer, natural elements to ensure the area’s charm remained and flourished, while providing residents with a space that was both practical and pleasing.
The vegetated buffers previously in place served dual roles: They blocked noise and provided visual delight through framed vignettes of the water at various points of the drive.
“Some vegetation had to be disturbed during the work,” Knowles said. “But it was always the city’s intent to bring it back. Not just restore it, but to rethink it and redesign it.”
Before construction progressed, residents began asking what the new space would look like. The city brought in a landscape architect and held discussions with residents from both sides of the waterway to ensure that all community voices were considered during the design stages.
Although there were differing opinions, in the end, a creative compromise was reached. The final design was not a single green wall and not a fully open view, but a series of thoughtfully grouped plantings. The design offers a variety of heights, textures and colors on the west side, which provides a lush backdrop for private properties in the area: The east side remains more open and interactive, allowing greater visual engagement with the water.
Pedestrian accessibility was also considered within the Indian Creek Drive transformation. Although constrained by the canal and seawalls, the team incorporated short pedestrian paths and dedicated crosswalks, making the area not just beautiful, but walkable. What was once a standard right-of-way has been reimagined as a unique linear park experience.
Now complete, the landscaping is thriving. “The shrubbery is growing nicely, beds are knitting together, and the trees, though still young, are taking off,” said Knowles. “We did lose maybe five trees originally, which is to be expected, but they’ve already been replaced.”
Resident feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, especially from those who were initially skeptical. “The east side enjoys a beautiful change in their view,” he noted, “while the west side now has a vibrant natural canvas behind their homes.”
These two award-winning projects are just a snapshot of a city in motion. The public works department currently has over 40 projects under construction and more than 80 in design, including pipeline installation on the Venetian Causeway and a major pump station restoration.
Yet, as Knowles and LaPera emphasized, what sets the 41st Street water main replacement and the Indian Creek Drive landscaping project apart, beyond their engineering and environmental achievements, is their people-centered design. Whether ensuring reliable water service or creating a tranquil urban greenspace, the effortss reflect a new era for Miami Beach; one where infrastructure meets inspiration.
“This wasn’t something we’d done before,” Knowles said. “It was unique. It was challenging. But in the end, it was exciting, and worth it.”
The new water main is expected to serve Miami Beach reliably for the next 70 to 100 years. (Photo provided by Miami Beach, Fla.)
Workers install new pipe. (Photo provided by Miami Beach, Fla.)
RIGHT: Throughout construction on both projects, Miami Beach maintained outreach and transparency. (Photo provided by Miami Beach, Fla.)
Pickleball holds court in Boerne, Texas
By BETH
For anyone who hasn’t heard the term “pickleheads,” it isn’t the same as Jimmy Buffett’s “parrotheads.” But people can certainly claim to be both — at different times and places, of course.
Pickleheads are a part of a growing movement that is bringing pickleball courts to communities around the U.S. In fact, the USA Pickleball court location website, pickleheads.com, now includes 68,458 courts, with 18,455 new courts added in 2024.
Boerne, Texas, contains some of those new courts, having allocated and resurfaced two tennis courts in a city park last March for the purpose of playing pickleball. That brought the city’s number of courts up to eight for this ever-more-popular sport. And that’s just the start.
Breaking ground on an impressive expansion this summer, soon the Northside Community Park in Boerne will feature 12 dedicated pickleball courts. When the construction is completed, the temporary courts will be returned to the tennis courts.
The arrangement resulted from extensive discussion, planning and community input. A meeting in February brought out distinctly differing opinions from residents, most of whom favored pickleball over tennis although tennis still has its following and facilities as well.
Pickleball, for a while now, has been a “thing” and has grown steadily, ever since a family vacation in 1965 on Bainbridge Island in Washington State. Two friends, Joel Pritchard and Bill Bell, returned from playing golf one Saturday and found their families were bored. Since one of the vacation properties had an old badminton court, the men searched for equipment; finding none, they improvised with Ping Pong paddles and a perforated plastic ball. With a ball that light
ANNE BRINK-COX | The Municipal
In this rendering, the pickleball courts are smaller than tennis courts, making it easier to have more play space in the same area.
(Rendering provided by Boerne, Texas)
bouncing easily on the surface, they lowered the net from 60 inches to 36 inches. The following weekend, a third friend, Barney McCallum joined in, and they created rules, never losing sight of the original goal to provide a game the whole family could play together.
By 1972, a corporation was formed to protect the sport, and by 1976, pickleball was being called America’s newest racquet sport. That same year, the first known tournament was held with tennis players who had practiced with wooden paddles and a softball-sized plastic ball. In the 1980s, the United States Amateur Pickleball Association was organized, and by the 1990s, pickleball was being played in all 50 states. No special gear is needed, just ordinary leggings, shorts and athletic shoes will do, and the basic equipment is available everywhere.
More than 13.6 million people played in 2023, which is more than double the year before, and there’s no reason to think this surge is going to cool down any time soon.
Where did the odd name come from? At first, a person wouldn’t be wrong in thinking pickleball is a child’s game. The name pickleball is primarily attributed to Joan Pritchard, Joel’s wife, who named it after the “pickle boat” in crew, the rowing sport, which was a boat made up of leftover or mismatched rowers. Because the game was created with leftover equipment from other kinds of sport, pickleball, as a name, seemed entirely fitting.
Apart from being just plain fun, why is it so popular? Maybe because pickleball can be played by just about anyone of any age, whether they have any athletic skills or not. It’s a fast-moving game but is easy to try out. The biggest challenges are the rules, which some may see as goofy, and the scoring, which takes some time to get used to. One rule says that a player “can’t go into the kitchen,” which is the seven-foot, horizontal zone closest to the net where players are prohibited from volleying or hitting the ball.
Boerne’s leadership knows the wisdom of giving the people what they want, and city officials have worked continually to make residents’ plans and hopes become reality. As one might expect, money was a big part of the decisions and had to be carefully considered. Bond elections were the answer, beginning in 2022. Wisely, they also focused on all the other attributes the project would add to the city park’s attendees: Boerne City Park is home to soccer fields, the municipal pool and more.
Christopher Shadrock, communications director for the city of Boerne, expanded on the amplified pickleball amenities.
“The park is being designed and built to be our next signature park, to accommodate various age groups and activities. Groundbreaking for Phase 1 is expected this summer, tentatively planned for July, with construction taking approximately 18 months,” he noted.
“An equally exciting ribbon-cutting and dedication ceremony will take place upon completion.”
He added that pickleball, specifically in Boerne, has been growing in popularity for the last decade or so. “Since then, the city has taken multiple steps to accommodate the sport’s growing popularity, beginning in 2013 when we included dual-use striping on certain tennis courts at Boerne City Park.”
However, as participation in pickleball has increased in Boerne, so have requests for additional support and amenities.
“As a result, earlier this year the city resurfaced and restriped Courts 7 and 8 exclusively
for pickleball, creating eight dedicated courts. These courts will revert to tennis usage once the Northside Park facilities are operational.”
As the lead public entity in the area providing pickleball opportunities, many of the players are appreciative of the city’s efforts to provide these amenities and are excited about what is to come, Shadrock reported.
“Additionally, we have increased the number of planned pickleball courts, with the new Northside Community Park bond project, from 8 to 12. Just as planning has been underway for several years on Northside Community Park, so too has been the future maintenance of the park. City staff and city leadership have been proactive in planning to ensure the park has the appropriate staff and equipment to maintain our new facility.”
Since pickleball is so popular, what might be recommended for any community wanting to get a court or two going for their patrons?
“For communities looking to expand their pickleball presence, we recommend actively engaging with local players to understand
An overhead view shows the scale of the planned expansion. (Rendering provided by Boerne, Texas)
their needs and passion for the sport. Collaboration is key. That said, it’s important for the city or entity to maintain a leadership role in planning and resource allocation to ensure a balanced, equitable, and sustainable approach.”
According to Shadrock, “cities should remain focused on long-term planning and data-driven decisions, while preserving the broader community’s interests required in parks and recreation planning.”
Pickleball is pretty loud, and courts near a neighborhood often generate complaints something that has made news around the country. There are more players in the same space that a tennis court occupies, but the courts are smaller four pickleball courts can fit into a standard tennis court so the overall noise level of the game exceeds that of tennis.
A cushion court system, made of materials such as rubber or foam, creates a surface that absorbs impact and minimizes sound. There are other solutions, too: Try some of the new equipment available now, such as foam balls and quieter paddles. Sound blocking material can also be installed on fences and has been shown to reduce the noise by up to 12 decibels.
Some parks and courts now limit the hours when pickleball can be played, for the same reason.
“As you see, this new space is a commitment to balancing the needs of all recreation facility users while prioritizing resources for all Boerne residents,” said Shadrock.
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Nothing but fun as far as the eye can see is depicted in renderings of the planned pickleball courts and surrounding pleasures in Northside Community Park, Boerne, Texas. (Rendering provided by Boerne, Texas)
Kearney, Neb., has upped the ante on sports, recreation and community fun with the recent opening of a city-owned and operated indoor complex. The SportsPlex is a 209,000-square-foot recreation center that promises to serve the needs of athletes and community members year-round.
The facility, which opened its doors in April, has been a concept long in the works.
“It’s been on the community’s wish list for years, a place that provides indoor recreation space for all ages,” said Brenda Jensen, Kearney city manager.
Jensen, who has been with the city for six and a half years and took on her current role in January 2024, emphasized the importance of balancing community needs with the city’s growing potential for sports tourism.
Per Jensen, the SportsPlex is designed to be multifunctional, and it boasts extensive amenities. Residents and guests have access to eight basketball courts that can easily convert into 12 volleyball courts, as well as 66,000 square feet of turf complete with drop-down batting cages and pitching machines for baseball and softball. Four standalone pickleball courts cater to one of the fastest-growing sports in the nation. And, as Jensen noted, a 330-meter suspended walking track attracts
ABOVE: Patrons can use the new SportsPlex on an hourly rental or drop-in basis. (Provided by Kearney, Neb.)
a steady flow of walkers and runners across generations.
“There are amenities to fit all interests, from toddlers enjoying playtime to senior citizens using the walking track,” Jensen said. “Everyone is loving it.”
Another draw is that the facility offers structured programming like a popular toddler time, which is an outlet for parents and little ones to enjoy a safe, active indoor space for just less than a cup of coffee.
But the space doesn’t just cater to drop-in activity: The SportsPlex has already hosted major events in its brief two months of operation. That translates to more than 20,000 users and spectators. According to Jensen, the complex has served as a venue for a volleyball tournament with 150 teams. A wrestling camp hosted by the local university brought in 970 campers and more than 100 coaches, showcasing the scale and functionality of the complex.
“We’re tracking usage and continuously looking for ways to enhance operations,” Jensen said. “Events like these are proof of the versatile role this space is playing in our city.”
Kearney City Manager Brenda Jensen
Bringing the idea of a SportsPlex to life required both imagination and funding. The $46-million project was made possible through a blend of public and state funding. According to Jensen, around $17 million came from Nebraska’s state sales tax turnback program, which allows the city to retain 70% of sales tax revenue generated within 600 yards of the SportsPlex. Another $17 million was sourced from Kearney’s existing 1% restaurant tax, extended through a community bond vote spearheaded by a citizen-led committee called “Play on Kearney.”
“We had excellent engagement from the community throughout the planning process,” Jensen said. “This was truly a collective effort, designed to meet a variety of needs while being fiscally conscientious.”
Despite the recentness of its opening, the SportsPlex has already gained recognition as a vital addition not just for Kearney’s 35,000 residents, but for the larger region. In Jensen’s words, “It’s one of the only municipal facilities of its kind, offering such a diverse array of amenities.”
To design a space that met varied demands, Kearney officials toured other facilities and conducted needs assessments. Jensen contended that balance was a key priority, explaining the combination of basketball courts, turf and other features.
“We know it doesn’t solve every issue, like gym availability, but our goal was to create a space that fulfills as many needs as possible,” she said.
Looking to the future, Jensen said the facility is expected to shift into high gear during the fall and winter months, as colder weather increases indoor activity. With that in mind, the city plans to market the facility and diversify the types of events it can host.
Jensen expressed appreciation for the team that brought the SportsPlex vision to life, including director Lauren Brandt. A city leader, Brandt is tasked with ensuring the facility remains both a vibrant community space and a high-functioning event center.
In Jensen’s mind, the SportsPlex represents much more than just a new building. It’s a physical manifestation of a community’s commitment to recreation, fitness and shared experiences.
“This is a facility that belongs to everyone, and it’s only the beginning. We’re excited to see how it will bring people together and help Kearney thrive,” she said.
The SportsPlex in Kearney, Neb., hosts league play, including 3x3 basketball games. (Provided by Kearney, Neb.)
Turf accommodates multiple-sized soccer fields for athletes of all ages. (Provided by Kearney, Neb.)
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• MASH TL-2 Tested for Redirective Applications.
Portsmouth treads slowly on restoring historic road
By JULIE YOUNG | The Municipal
When it comes to improving the streets of a 400-year-old community, planning is paramount. That’s why the city of Portsmouth, N.H., began preparing for its Islington Street Corridor project more than two decades ago.
“Development on this project literally began in the late 1990s, between the studies that were done originally and how we were going to make everything work for modern times,” said Dave Desfosses, city construction project manager for engineering and operations. “In fact, there were three projects we had to complete in order to get ready for the work on Islington.”
The road to renovation
Named for a neighborhood in London, England, Islington Street is Portsmouth’s main connector road to the outside world and an historic thoroughfare for the city, which was incorporated in 1653. In addition to being home to a number of old buildings and businesses over the years, it is also the main utility corridor for the city and is where the
ABOVE: A vintage postcard shows Islington Street along with the city’s trolley tracks and the grand homes that were built alongside the main thoroughfare. (Photo provided by Portsmouth, N.H.)
original spring-fed, wooden water mains were installed beginning in the late 18th century. Those historic water lines were subsequently paved over in yellow brick to accommodate carriages as they passed through town.
“It’s true, we actually had a yellow brick road in Portsmouth that ran alongside the city’s trolley tracks,” Desfosses said.
As city leaders began envisioning streetscape improvements along the Islington
Street Corridor, they knew they would need to include roadway reconstruction, curbing and sidewalk installation, and landscape improvements. The municipal engineers knew it was also their opportunity to complete a larger underground renovation that would replace the gas, water and sewer lines while creating a stormwater drainage system that the city previously did not have.
That meant that crews had to systematically work on the adjacent roads to install stormwater infrastructure and bring that infrastructure up to Islington, so that when the corridor project began, everything would be in place.
“We had to realign all sorts of utility infrastructure on the side roads before we could even that to build this project,” Desfosses said.
Another reason for the long planning process was to make the project affordable for the folks who live in the area. Situated along the Piscataqua River in Rockingham County, Portsmouth is a city of nearly 22,000 that swells to 100,000 periodically thanks to seasonal tourism, as well as the portion of the Pease Air Force Base that is still in use by the Air National Guard. While Islington Street is used by any number of travelers and commuters, it is the residents who pick up the tab for any improvements, so it was important to public works officials to work incrementally and intentionally in order to get the biggest bang for the buck.
“It’s mainly local money that was funded, using local bonding,” Desfosses said. “I think we are up to about $17 million from soup to nuts at this point, and we have been trying to work in $4-$7 million chunks so that we are not over-bonding ourselves.”
A plan of action
According to the city of Portsmouth, the Islington Street Corridor Project design incorporated the recommendations of several planning studies that were conducted over the years, including the 2009 Islington Street Improvement Action Plan, the 2014 Bicycle/ Pedestrian Plan, and the “character-based” zoning public charette held in 2015. The design effort also included improvements to parking and vehicular and pedestrian uses to determine proper lane widths, sidewalk widths and intersection and roadbed designs, as well as pavement types and thicknesses.
Islington, N.H., is a 400-year-old community whose early utility infrastructure included spring-fed, wooden water mains that were paved over in yellow bricks that ran alongside the city’s trolley tracks. Islington Street is the spine of the community, and according to Dave Desfosses, the upgrade is going to do a lot for the nearly 25,000 people who call the area home. (Photo provided by Portsmouth, N.H.)
Crews work on the Islington Street Corridor project in Portsmouth, N.H. Work on the street includes traffic lights, sidewalks, curbing and infrastructure improvements. (Photo provided by Portsmouth, N.H.)
The work was completed by Severin Construction of Candia, N.H., in two phases across fiscal year 2024 and 2025, with Phase 2B to be finished this summer.
Desfosses said that the work was carried out in discrete sections to limit the impact the project had on residents and businesses alike, while creating a “complete street” that everyone can enjoy.
“Naturally, there is always some pushback, especially when you are working on a main road,” he said. “You have to do things very methodically so that you are not driving out businesses, and you have to communicate with the public to let them know what is going on so that they can plan their travel routes accordingly. We used a lot of thoughtful signage so that people who didn’t want to drive through the construction zone didn’t have to, but at the same time, we didn’t want to discourage them from using their local businesses.”
As the last traffic signals, sidewalks and finishing touches are being installed on the Islington Street Corridor project, Desfosses said it has been a fairly smooth process thanks to the city’s careful planning over the past two decades.
“Thoughtful planning is 90 percent of the process,” he said. “Planning and communication with your residents. You can’t overly communicate with people. When folks know what the plan is and how it will impact them, they are less likely to get anxious about what is happening.”
The city of Portsmouth worked hard to ensure that residents could navigate around construction zones whenever possible. Dave Desfosses said the city also worked hard to let folks know businesses were still open during the construction process. (Photo provided by Portsmouth, N.H.)
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From vacant to vibrant:
Kokomo infill program rebuilds neighborhoods and community spirits
By DANIELLE LUND | The Municipal
Once a symbol of industrial excellence, Kokomo, Ind., is gaining attention for something new — its commitment to rebuilding the community from the ground up. Through an innovative infill program, the city is transforming vacant lots into new homes, which is leading to renewed neighborhoods and developing communities.
The infill program, managed by the Kokomo Community Development Corporation, was launched to address a rising demand for housing and to breathe new life into aging residential blocks. In the past year alone, 33 new homes have been constructed or are underway on previously empty lots across the city, which is an unimaginable accomplishment for a town where some spaces lay untouched for decades.
“The goal has always been to take properties that were holding our neighborhoods back and turn them into something that lifts the whole community,” said Weston Reed, Kokomo director of development. “We worked with the county to clear taxes and liens, and now people can go online, claim a lot and build. There’s no cost for the land, but there’s a shared responsibility to build something that lasts.”
Builders, typically local developers or contractors, can apply for up to three lots at a time, listing six preferred choices. Once those first homes receive a certificate of occupancy, they can reapply for more. The phased process ensures developers are committed and prevents out-of-state buyers from hoarding lots for speculation.
“This is about serving a real need in our community,” said Reed. “We’ve put guardrails in place to make sure the people building here are also invested here.”
Although the lots are free, that does not mean the opportunity is a free-for-all. All applicants must be up to date on property taxes, free of code violations and demonstrate financial and construction capacity. If builders don’t follow through within the agreed timeline, the city reclaims the property.
ABOVE: A bright building mural welcomes residents and visitors to the city of Kokomo, Ind. (Photo provided by Kokomo, Ind.)
Design standards are also central to the program. New homes must include a covered front porch, central air conditioning and 12-inch roof overhangs — all simple touches that elevate curb appeal and preserve neighborhood character. Exposed treated lumber, carports and gravel parking areas are prohibited.
“This isn’t just a land giveaway,” said Tom Tolen, an employee within the department of development. “We’re not cutting corners. We want high-quality, permanent homes that help anchor entire blocks and encourage people to live in our communities.”
The program comes at a time of rapid change and opportunity in Kokomo. In 2022, the city announced a joint venture with Samsung SDI to build electric vehicle batteries, which is an investment expected to bring 3,000 new jobs to the region. This announcement ignited a surge in housing demand, and city leaders responded quickly.
“We’ve got four multifamily housing projects underway to meet different income
Kokomo Municipal Stadium is home to the IU Kokomo baseball team and soccer teams. Opening in 2015, the stadium has been voted one of the best facilities in all of college athletics. The field is an all-turf surface that provides year-round practice and competition space. (Photo provided by Kokomo, Ind.)
levels, a new downtown hotel and conference center opening next year, and developers excited to get in early,” said Reed. “The infill program gives them a significant head start.”
New homes built through the program are typically valued around $174,000, slightly below Kokomo’s median home price of $185,000. They’re affordable, energy-efficient, and provide a high quality of life, which is a key factor in drawing both newcomers and longtime residents to invest in the area.
“With Mayor Tyler Moore’s leadership, we’re seeing homes go up again, not just through this program but in the private sector too,” said Tolen. “It’s all connected. These investments are paying off.”
The city knows this isn’t an overnight project, though. It’s a blockby-block effort to rebuild trust and value. “This is a long game,” acknowledged Tolen. “Our goal is to keep going until there’s no dilapidated property left. We’ve hit a good rhythm now, and it feels like the process is working.”
Reed agreed. “You don’t see it all at once, but the ripples are starting. When homes go up, sidewalks come back, and neighbors start to care more. It sends a message to people that this neighborhood matters.”
The city hopes to keep the momentum going until every neglected parcel has been restored to its full potential.
As Kokomo transforms its physical landscape, it’s also developing a unique identity. The city has quietly become a cultural and culinary destination, with a growing number of Korean restaurants, along with Mexican and ethical food spots that reflect the city’s evolving diversity.
“We’re turning into this low-key foodie community,” said Tolen. “We’ve got everything from fast food to luxury dining, and a big emphasis on local, global flavors.”
Add in expanding trails, concert venues and parks, and Kokomo is becoming a lifestyle destination. Not just an affordable alternative to major metros, the city is now a community people actively want to join.
house is built on East Jefferson Street in Kokomo. The city’s infill program is revitalizing the community by developing housing on formerly abandoned lots like this one. (Photo provided by Kokomo, Ind.)
“We’re not next to Indianapolis. We’re not a suburb,” said Reed. “We are a community. We’re building something here that reflects who we are and who we want to be.”
With every new home built, Kokomo proves what’s possible when a city invests in people, not just properties.
“This isn’t just about filling in gaps on a map,” said Tolen. “It’s about reconnecting a city and making it whole again.”
Whether it’s a contractor pouring the foundation, a family moving into their first home or a neighbor planting flowers along a new sidewalk, the work of rebuilding Kokomo is underway. The spirit of the city has never felt stronger.
KokoGo offers adult and children’s tagalong and tandem bikes as well as trikes, helmets and bike locks. (Photo provided by Kokomo, Ind.)
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things you must know BEFORE buying a STREET SWEEPER
Aug. 2-5 Tennessee Municipal League 85th Annual Convention Chattanooga, Tenn. https://www.tml1.org/
Aug. 5-8 Building Officials
Association of Texas Annual Conference
Margaritaville Lake Resort/Lake Conroe, Montgomery, Texas
https://boatx.org/boatconferences/
Aug. 5-8 National Brownfields Training Conference
McCormick Place, Chicago, Ill. https://gobrownfields.org/
Aug. 6-8 NWRA 2025 Western Water Seminar
Park City, Utah
https://www.nwra.org/events
Aug. 6-9 South Atlantic Fire Rescue Expo
Raleigh Convention Center, Raleigh, N.C.
https://www. southatlanticfirerescueexpo. com/
Aug. 7 & 8 Global Leadership Summit
South Barrington, Ill. https://globalleadership.org/
Aug. 20-22 Indiana Water Environment Association Annual Conference
Indianapolis Convention Center, Indianapolis, Ind.
https://indianawea.org/annualconference/#top
Aug. 22-26 155th Congress of Correction Conference Denver, Colo. https://www.aca.org/
Aug. 25-28 Florida Recreation Parks Association Annual Conference
Orlando, Fla.
https://www.frpa.org/ conference/confgen
Aug. 25-28 National Homeland Security Conference 2025
Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC https://www. nationalhomelandsecurity.org/
Aug. 26-28 KWEA/KsAWWA
Joint Annual Water & Wastewater Conference
Hotel Topeka & Stormont Vail Events Center, Topeka, Kan. https://www.kwea.net/ conference.html
Sept. 9-11 Oklahoma Municipal League Annual Conference
Oklahoma City Convention Center, Oklahoma City, Okla. https://www.omlconference. org/
Sept. 9-12 IPWSOA Fall Golf & Conference
The Rail/Crowne Plaza, Springfield, Ill. https://www.ilrwa.org/
Sept. 14-17 Missouri Municipal League 91st Annual Conference
St. Charles Convention Center, St. Charles, Mo. https://www.mocities.com/ MMLAnnualConference
Sept. 15-17 WaterPro Conference
Ernest N. Morial Center, New Orleans, La. https://www. waterproconference.org/
Sept. 15-19 33rd Annual
Emergency & Municipal Apparatus Maintenance Symposium
SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER
Sept. 7-10 SGFMA Annual Meeting & Equipment Show
Myrtle Beach, S.C. https://www.sgfma.org/events/
Ohio Fire Academy, Reynoldsburg, Ohio https://oaevt.org/events-andnews/
Sept. 16-18 2025 NDRPA Conference
Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Fla. https://ndrpa.com/events/
How Smaller Municipalities Are Punching Above Their Weight in Traffic Safety
Across the country, small towns are managing traffic safety concerns with the same urgency as major cities—but with far fewer resources. Whether the issue is speeding near schools, protecting road crews, or responding to resident complaints, municipal leaders are expected to deliver results with limited staff and budget.
Rather than waiting on additional funding or personnel, many communities are turning to practical traffic calming solutions that require minimal upkeep and deliver fast results.
Maximizing What You Already Have
For towns without a dedicated traffic division, launching a new safety initiative can feel overwhelming. But radar speed signs, solar-powered beacons, and cloud-based platforms offer a manageable, low-lift way to reduce risk using existing infrastructure. These tools are especially valuable in departments where one person might manage signage, road maintenance, and public service calls. Once installed, radar signs help reduce workload by encouraging safer driving and collecting data that supports smarter planning and targeted enforcement.
What Implementation Looks Like in Practice
In Betterton, Maryland, local leaders installed a radar sign in data collection mode after residents raised concerns. The data revealed that speeding was most frequent during midday hours, not during morning or evening commutes. “For the first time we could use analytics to see when drivers were actually speeding,” said Mayor Don Sutton. “That allowed us to better coordinate law-enforcement services when we needed them most.”
A radar speed sign with flashing beacons alerts drivers to slow down in an active school zone, reinforcing speed compliance during critical hours.
In Muscle Shoals, Alabama, the city used a state DOT grant to install a radar sign in a school zone. The results were strong enough that officials expanded to 22 signs over five years. “Radarsign speed signs absolutely contribute to the reduction in speeding and car accidents,” said Mayor David Bradford. The city phased installations across high-priority areas to keep costs manageable while reducing officer time in school zones.
In Dupuyer, Montana, population 33, residents funded two radar signs themselves after grant options fell through. The town sits along a scenic route with heavy seasonal traffic. After installation, speeds dropped quickly, and the Montana DOT increased patrol coverage in response. This grassroots effort showed how community-led solutions can lead to wider support and lasting change.
Managing Safety with Limited Capacity
When staffing and time are stretched, simplicity becomes a key requirement. Many municipalities are choosing tools that are easy to install, operate, and maintain without ongoing IT support or specialized training.
With browser-based platforms, teams can log in to update messages, check power status, and download traffic reports from the
A radar speed sign displays real-time driver speed on a residential road, helping encourage safe driving and improve compliance in a 40 mph zone.
office. These systems help departments stay ahead of issues while keeping operations lean.
A Shift Toward Practical Solutions
Traditional traffic calming methods, like speed humps, are falling out of favor in many areas due to emergency access concerns, noise, and maintenance issues. Radar signs provide a more adaptable solution. They’re easy to relocate, accepted by residents, and effective without disrupting traffic flow.
For small towns with limited infrastructure, choosing flexible tools makes it easier to respond to shifting priorities and growing safety needs.
A Safety Strategy That Scales
Municipalities of all sizes are proving that impactful safety improvements don’t require large budgets or extra staff. The key is selecting tools that align with how small teams operate—simple, effective, and durable.
With the right approach, even the smallest communities can take control of traffic safety and build trust with the people they serve.
To see how other towns are addressing speeding and improving compliance, visit Radarsign.com.
Information provided by Radarsign | Photos provided
Bonnell Industries celebrates the resounding success of the
2025 Equipment Expo
DIXON, ILL. Bonnell Industries is proud to announce the tremendous success of its 2025 Equipment Expo, held on Wednesday, June 11, at the company’s headquarters in Dixon, Ill. The biennial event brought together 47 vendors and welcomed over 1,300 attendees, reinforcing its position as a premier gathering for municipal and public works professionals across the region.
This year’s Expo held special significance as it was dedicated to the late Robert “Bob” Bonnell, former second-generation owner of Bonnell Industries, who passed away in September 2024. Bob’s legacy of leadership, innovation and service was honored throughout the day, with many attendees reflecting on his lasting impact on the industry and the Bonnell team.
“Our 2025 Expo exceeded expectations in every way,” said Joe Bonnell, owner and president of Bonnell Industries. “It was incredible to see so many professionals come together to share ideas, discover solutions, and celebrate the work they do to support their communities. Honoring my father’s legacy this year made the event especially meaningful for our family and team.”
Event Highlights Included:
• Interactive displays showcasing solutions for snow and ice control, street maintenance, and truck equipment.
• Direct engagement opportunities with manufacturers and technical experts.
• Complimentary lunch, coffee, and donuts, along with plentiful networking opportunities.
• Over 100 door prizes awarded throughout the day.
The success of the 2025 Equipment Expo reflects Bonnell Industries’ ongoing commitment to supporting municipalities with innovative, reliable solutions while preserving the values and vision that have guided the company for 65 years.
For more information about future expos or Bonnell Industries’ products and services, contact marketing@bonnell.com.
Honor the Fallen: Register Today for the 13th Annual 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb at Lambeau Field
APPLETON, WIS. Pierce Manufacturing Inc announced registration is now open for the 13th annual 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. Co-sponsored by the Green Bay Metro Fire Department and Pierce Manufacturing, this year’s climb will occur on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025. Open to all who wish to honor the 343 firefighters who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001, all funds raised from the event will benefit the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. Participants are encouraged to register early at piercemfg.com/climb.
“The 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb is a powerful reminder of the courage, sacrifice, and unity which defines the fire service,” said Chief Matthew Knott of the Green Bay Metro Fire Department. “Each year, we are humbled by the incredible support from our community and are proud to honor the 343 firefighters who gave everything on that tragic day. Together, we climb to ensure their legacy lives on and to support the critical work of the NFFF.”
Recognized as one of the largest stair climb events in the nation, the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb at Lambeau Field continues to grow each year. In 2024, nearly 2,300 participants from across the fire service community, their families, friends, and supporters helped raise funds for the NFFF. This year, the Green Bay Metro Fire Department and Pierce Manufacturing teams hope to grow the event to over 2,500 participants.
During the event, participants climb the equivalent of 110 stories the height of the World Trade Center towers on the steps of Lambeau Field. Each climber carries an honor badge displaying the name and photograph of one of the fallen firefighters, symbolically completing the heroic journey. Upon reaching the equivalent of the 78th floor the highest point firefighters reached on 9/11 climbers will ring a fire bell in solemn tribute.
Event details are as follows:
• Registration Fees: $35 per climber through July 11, $40 from July 12 to August 22, and $45 from August 23 through event day.
• Event T-Shirts: Guaranteed for participants who register by August 22. All climbers will receive an honor badge.
• Check-In: Participants can pre-register and check in on Friday, September 19, from 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. near the Kwik Trip Gate at Lambeau Field.
• Opening Ceremony: Kicks off at 9:00 a.m. on September 20, with the Presentation of the Colors, National Anthem, NFFF remarks, and a prayer. Safety guidelines and instructions will follow before the bagpiper procession leads climbers onto the steps.
• Entertainment: Live music will take place near the Kwik Trip Gate for climbers and spectators.
The Green Bay Metro Fire Department and Pierce Manufacturing are proud to support the NFFF’s mission to honor fallen fire heroes and provide assistance to their families through programs such as the Fire Hero Family Network, conferences, workshops, scholarships, and support initiatives.
For more information about Pierce Manufacturing, the NFFF, and the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb, visit piercemfg.com/climb.
EDISON, N.J. From evolving safety technology to the power of welltrained drivers, NAFA Fleet Management Association’s 2025 Fleet Safety Symposium brought together fleet professionals from across 15 states to explore what it takes to build safer, more resilient operations.
Hosted June 2–3 in Austin, Texas, the event marked the launch of NAFA’s all-new Fleet Safety Certificate program and offered attendees a first look at the soon-to-be-released Fleet Safety Guidebook.
Over two days, fleet managers, specialists, analysts and suppliers gathered to engage in forward-thinking sessions on safety policy, driver training, risk mitigation, technology integration and communication. Representing sectors like public works, utilities, government, healthcare, and corporate fleet, attendees came with one shared priority: driving safer outcomes across their operations.
“No one gets safer by doing nothing,” remarked one attendee a sentiment echoed throughout the event as participants explored real-world challenges and shared strategies for creating meaningful change. From panel discussions to networking opportunities, the
symposium emphasized NAFA’s ongoing mission of creating efficient, sustainable, and safe fleets.
“The Fleet Safety Symposium reflects NAFA’s deep commitment to helping fleet professionals reduce risk and improve outcomes in their operations,” said Bill Schankel, CAE, CEO of NAFA. “The launch of the Fleet Safety Certificate is a major milestone in our educational programming, and we’re proud to support the industry with this new credential and the upcoming guidebook.”
Another popular takeaway from the symposium came during a session on driver engagement: “The best technology you can put in the vehicle is a well-trained driver.”
NAFA’s Fleet Safety Guidebook part of the Automotive Fleet Guidebook Series will launch soon as an additional resource for safety-focused professionals.
NAFA thanks the event’s Premier Sponsor, Fleetworthy Solutions, as well as Supporting Sponsors RapidLink and SaverOne for their continued investment in safety and innovation.
To learn more about NAFA’s Fleet Safety Certificate and resources, visit www.nafa.org.
NTEA 2025 Executive Leadership Summit
registration opens
FARMINGTON HILLS, MICH. NTEA — The Work Truck Association will welcome commercial vehicle industry leaders to its Executive Leadership Summit with a full-day program Sept. 23, 2025, and a welcome reception Sept. 22. This year’s event will be held at Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest in Ypsilanti, Michigan conveniently located 15 miles from the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW).
This annual conference addresses marketplace dynamics currently impacting work truck industry companies. During this event, chassis OEMs, economists, data analysts and industry leaders will share targeted information, including key trends, forecasts and insights. Content is designed to further industry knowledge, growth and profitability.
“As the commercial vehicle industry shifts and changes, Executive Leadership Summit dives into the issues and sparks real conversations to help leaders steer their strategy and business plans,” said Jennifer Mitchell, NTEA senior director of content development. Program lineup
• Opening Keynote
• Commercial Vehicle Industry Market Trends
• Driving the Future: Chassis OEM Insights on What’s Next and How We Get There
• Economic Overview and Implications for the Work Truck Industry
• Leading Through Disruption: How Simplicity in Leadership Drives Strategic Growth
• State of Emissions Regulations
Visit ntea.com/executivesummit for registration and housing, a detailed session and speaker schedule, and event FAQs.
IMPLEMENTS TO FIT YOUR LIFESTYLE
Whether you research, plan and buy for an entire fleet, or focus on reliable products to reduce downtime on your own land, Land Pride offers a complete line of laborsaving tractor-mounted cutters and implements to tackle your chores and to fit your lifestyle.
Best states for working from home
In early 2025, many federal government employees who had been working remotely were called back into the office, conferring a negative connotation on the practice of working from home. However, despite this blip, the option remains entrenched in the private sector and among state and local government entities.
According to the website WalletHub, 13% of full-time employees work entirely from home, while another 26% have a hybrid schedule with some time at home and some time at their employer’s building.
How easy it is to work from home can sometimes depend on where the employee lives. As WalletHub notes, the best work-from-home conditions include low costs, reasonable comfort and a high level of security. So, earlier this year, the website compared all 50 states and the District of Columbia across 12 key metrics including internet cost, cybersecurity, size of the home and occupancy of the home to determine in which states conditions are the best for working from home. Those states are:
