9226 build champions for your public works department with ...public works overview and trip to one...
TRANSCRIPT
8/4/2014
1
Anne Beierle – Deputy Director Environmental/Utilities
Dan Hartman – Public Works Director
When do people notice Public Works ?
When the water goes off
When the sewer backs up
Streets don’t get plowed
Drainage fails causing a flood
Trash is not picked up
Traffic Control failure
Traffic jam
Accidents
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The Changes in the Public Works Profession
Equipment ‐ Three men, and a truck
Mapping ‐ Survey Crew – GPS/GIS
Standards ‐ Environmental, Water Quality, Flood Protection, Highway Safety
Respond/React – Manage and Plan
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Public Works is often overlooked asCritical Services Providers
Safe water
Safe Streets – Traffic – Structural Design
Emergency Access – Floods, Blizzards
Health – Sanitation
Wastewater treatment
Sanitation – trash removal
Land fill
Truths about Public Works Modern Public Works Departments are filled with technology and very professional people
We do things for very good reasons that are not always obvious to the public
The more successful we are the less we are seen
Historically the public works industry has been bad at communication
We are competing for public funds
What we do is “Critical” Think about what your community would be like without the infrastructure we provide
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What is a Citizens Academy?
It is an in‐depth introduction to Public Works that included:
What we Do
Why we do it
Why it is important
What it means to them
The classes included;
Public Works Overview and Trip to one of the city’s Reservoir
Water Treatment Plant tour
Environmental Services and Stormwater tour and demonstrations
Water Distribution trip and treated water storage tank visit
Water Collection and Asset Management
Streets demonstrations, sweeper and plow rides and Pavement Management
Graduation at Council Meeting
How did we promote the Academy?
City news letter
Program Flyer
Community Center, Farmers Market, City Hall, Visitors Center and the Public Works office
Web page
City Council blogs
Face Book and Twitter
i‐neighbors
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Important things about conduction the Academy
Minimize lecture time
Get in the field
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Show dirty movies
Look for lots of questions
Let your folks strut their stuff
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Take lots of tours
Construction site are good
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How did it work
Great feedback
Two council candidates took class and were elected
Advocates in the community
Class is recruiting for this years class
Morale
“I was blown away by the talent and dedication”
“It was so refreshing to see our tax money so well spent!”
“This is so cool”
“Forget Fire and Police if you don’t have roads in an emergency you are toast”
“The nuance involved with everything they do escapes the average person, they have great
reasons”
Questions ?