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2017 - 2018 OFFICERS/DIRECTORS
President
Ken M. Eyre, P.E., Senior Associate
Greeley and Hansen LLC
Alexandria,
Virginia
President-Elect
Steven J. Yob, P.E., County Engineer/Director of Public Works
Henrico County, Virginia
Immediate Past-President
Dawn V. Odom, Planning and Investment Manager
Virginia Department of Transportation
Suffolk, Virginia
Vice-President
Don Cole, Office Leader
Brown & Caldwell
Richmond, Virginia
Secretary
Amy Linderman, Engineer
Department of Public Works & Environmental Services
Fairfax County, Virginia
Treasurer
Fred Whitley, P.E.
Senior Project Manager,
AECOM
Newport News, Virginia
DIRECTORS
Robert K. Bengston, P.E.
Director of Public Works
City of Roanoke, Virginia
David Bradshaw, P.E., Principal
Clark-Nexsen
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Harold R. Caples, P.E.
Engineering Manager
Virginia Department of Transportation
Richmond, Virginia
Sherry Earley, P.E.
Engineer Manager
City of Suffolk, Virginia
Gaynelle Hart,
Director of Public Works
City of Lynchburg, Virginia
Phillip Koetter, P.E.,
Operations Management Administrator,
Department of Public Works
City of Virginia Beach, Virginia
Scott Smith, P.E.,
Office of Resiliency
City of Norfolk, Virginia
Kelly Mattingly, LEED-AP CRM
Director of Public Works
Town of Blacksburg, VA
James W. Long,
Project Manager
Rummel, Klepper & Kahl, LLP
Ed Crockett, Assistant Director
Department of Public Works
City of Newport News, Virginia
DELEGATE
Judi Hines,
Assistant Director
Department of Public Works
City of Newport News, Virginia
HISTORIAN
Sharyn L. Fox,
Municipal Program Manager
Whitman, Requardt and Associates LLP
Newport News, Virginia
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President's Corner
Good day colleagues, friends and fellow professionals. Whew, the WRX conference in Fredericksburg is over. Many, many thanks to all who worked so hard to make it an outstanding success. I heard very positive reviews all the way around. A few things bear mentioning.
Our membership really came through on the technical sessions. We had so many great topics that Kelly Mattingly, technical program chair, suggested a 5th technical track. There was something for everyone. From Millennials in the Work Place to Working Bee Hives and from Flooding to a Sustainability Hike, we had it all. There was so much wonderful stuff to learn that I was conflicted on where to spend my time!
The Roadeo went off without a hitch and we finished at lunch time, great turnaround for such an event. Many thanks to Ray Bass of Baltimore County and his staff for setting things up and running it so smoothly. Thanks to Matt Villareale of Prince William County for his quarterbacking the equipment donations and gift cards. The winners were pleased with their cash prizes! And they deserve recognition so here they are:
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Event
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Place
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Name
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Employer
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Backhoe
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1
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Mike Mills
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Western Virginia Water Authority
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Backhoe
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2
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Jeremy Snyder
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Blacksburg
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Backhoe
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3
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Nate Plonski
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Arlington
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Bucket Truck
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1
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Jordan Mooney
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Fredericksburg
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Bucket Truck
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2
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Chris Stone
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Fredericksburg
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Bucket Truck
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3
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Jason Ogle
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Fredericksburg
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Front End Loader
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1
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Donnie Rowan
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Western Virginia Water Authority
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Front End Loader
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2
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Lou Richards
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Newport News
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Front End Loader
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3
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Jermain Patterson
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Washington DC DOT
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Knuckle Boom
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1
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Candido Rivera
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Chesapeake
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Knuckle Boom
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2
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Tony Wharton
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Newport News
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Knuckle Boom
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3
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Richard Kelly
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Virginia Beach
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Refuse Truck
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1
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Luther Owens
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Virginia Beach
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Refuse Truck
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2
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Paul Springe
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Newport News
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Refuse Truck
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3
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Marvin Thomason, Sr.
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Roanoke
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Snow Plow
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1
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Mike Kinette
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Fredericksburg
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Snow Plow
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2
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Bryan Palmer
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Maryland DOT
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Snow Plow
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3
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Thomas Paine
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Fairfax
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Street Sweeper
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1
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Jeff Nolan
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Roanoke
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Street Sweeper
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2
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Monysco Davis
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Virginia Beach
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Street Sweeper
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3
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Kenneth Jackson
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Washington DC DOT
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The Awards ceremony went well and Travis Davis of Arcadis did a stellar job putting them together - the trophies looked great too! We also had a great slate of scholars to give some money to, they are our future leaders. Best of luck to each of them in their studies.
Thanks as well to Doug Fawcett of Fredericksburg and Don Cole of Brown and Caldwell for organizing the golf tournament, the golfers looked tired, sunburned and happy with the event. Many thanks to Jennifer Sanford-Caples of Whitman Requardt Associates for helping with marketing, to Dave King and Diane Beyer of Fredericksburg for local logistical help, to Chief Tweet Denise Nelson and to Past President Ken Eyre of Greeley and Hansen for mentorship during the organization of the event. And of course, thanks to Jennifer Cook of Association Builders for working tirelessly at the front desk.
We were very honored to have Ms. Jennifer Mitchell, Director of the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation give our keynote address. Ms. Mitchell's agency has a manifest responsibility to provide and enable us to provide public transportation throughout the commonwealth. It is a very big job and the packed house listened attentively to her presentation. There is lots of work to be done, and together with our partners at the Department of Rail and Public Transportation and VDOT, we will get it done.
Our chapter is devoted education and advocacy for our profession and these are valuable services to our members. We provide many opportunities including Continuing Education Credits for licensed professionals, Lunch and Learn sessions, the Public Works Academy and advocating for our work with elected officials and our regulatory agencies.
A couple of recent and upcoming events should be highlighted. We just held the third version of "The Year Ahead" in Henrico County. Attended by 55 members, all heard from Public Works and Public Utilities Agencies throughout central Virginia on the next year and what it holds. Thanks to Jennifer Sanford-Caples and Tracy Fee of Brown and Caldwell for doing a great job organizing the event and lining up guest speakers. By show of hands, those in attendance voiced their support for this to continue as a yearly event.
Coming up on June 21, Dr. Brian Deifenderfer will be speaking in Hampton on Green Paving practices. Dr. Deifenderfer is an expert in this area and works for the Virginia Transportation Research Council in Charlottesville. I know you won't want to miss this one.
On the advocacy front, I attended the Baltimore City Public Works Employee of the year awards ceremony last week. Together with the Mayor's office and other luminaries, I was able to help recognize the winner. It was a great event put on by Director Rudy Chow and his staff. The winner, representing his 2,800 employee agency, is Rollin Weeks. Rollin has been Sanitation Worker for 20 years and is active in his community and his church. He takes enormous pride in keeping his city clean. If that is not enough to warrant his award, he and his crew saw a lady in distress, apparently contemplating leaping from a bridge on to the Baltimore Washington Parkway. Rollin talked the lady down from the bridge. He and his crew comforted her and prayed with her until help arrived. When I heard this story, it brought a tear to my eye and Rollin was equally choked up when he made his acceptance speech. He clearly is proud of his career keeping his city clean.
There are many great stories like Rollin's that happen every day. I wish that I knew them all. Time however does not allow all the unsung heroes and heroines to be recognized so let me say ... thanks. Thank you all for making civilized life clean and safe for everyone.
Society depends on you.
Steven J. Yob
Chapter President
APWA Mid-Atlantic Chapter
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2018 Mid-Atlantic Awards 
At the Awards program May 3rd, 2018, the Chapter recognized award recipients throughout the Mid-Atlantic region at the 60th Annual Conference and Equipment Show in Fredericksburg Virginia. Click the following link to see a summary of each award and this year's recipients.
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2018 Roanoke Regional Equipment Rodeo Results
By Nell Boyle, LEED AP BD+C, Sustainability Coordinator for the City of Roanoke
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| Backhoe participant uses the bucket to carefully drop the pin into the safety cone for a successful round. |
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The Roanoke Regional Public Works Academy hosted the annual Roanoke Regional Equipment Rodeo on April 11, 2018. The event was held at the Berglund Center and had 90participants. T
he following organizations participated in this year's rodeo; City of Roanoke, City of Salem, City of Lynchburg, Roanoke County, Town of Vinton, Town of Blacksburg, Town of Christiansburg, the Western Virginia Water Authority, and the Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport. The highlight of the event was the Executive Challenge, where the executive managers of the different organizations competed on the mini-excavator.
The rodeo offers many benefits, including recognition of our equipment operators, exposure to best practices, experience with different equipment, emphasis on safe equipment operation, enhancement of driving and operation skills, and a boost for employee morale. This popular event encourages comradery and a great appreciation for the professional skills of the employees!
2018 Winners:
Refuse Side Loader
1. David Howell - City of Roanoke
2. Marvin Thomason - City of Roanoke
3. Joe Evans - Roanoke County
Refuse Rear Loader
1. Jason Hoke /Chad Clement - City of Salem
2. Chris Poff /Ryan Steele - City of Salem
3. Corey Hash /Larry Jones - City of Roanoke
Zero Turn Mower
1. Doug Huff - Town of Blacksburg
2. Josh Tyree - Western Virginia Water Authority
3. Zach Barton - City of Salem
Snowplow
1. Jeremy Snider - Town of Blacksburg
2. Marty Kessinger - City of Salem
3. Zach Barton - City of Salem
Backhoe
1. Taft Beasley - Western Virginia Water Authority
2. Mike Mills - Western Virginia Water Authority
3. Kenny Sledd - Town of Vinton
Street Sweeper
1. Chad Schmidt - Western Virginia Water Authority
2. Jeff Nolan - City of Roanoke
3. Chris Acree - City of Roanoke
Knuckleboom
1. Gordon Parker - City of Roanoke
2. Barry Custer - Town of Vinton
3. Carolyn Altice - Roanoke County
Front End Loader
1. Donnie Rowan - Western Virginia Water Authority
2. Sam Martin - Roanoke/Blacksburg Regional Airport
3. Joseph Rowan - Western Virginia Water Authority
Mini Excavator
1. Taft Beasley - Western Virginia Water Authority
2. Mario Jones - Western Virginia Water Authority
3. James Price - Town of Blacksburg
Executive Challenge - Mini Excavator
G
ary Robertson - Western Virginia Water Authority
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New Showcase of the Good Works of Public Works
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L to R: Eastern Pump Station, site of The Public Works Experience; Placard promoting the capital campaign and Baltimore Mayor Catherine E. Pugh giving welcome at the April 17th reception.
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Where can you take friends, family and school groups to learn more about Public Works and their service to a community? Try The Public Works Experience located at the former Baltimore Public Works Museum.
Local and regional leaders were invited to a campaign kick-off on April 17, 2018 to announce a commitment to provide a new and improved public works showcase that is both enjoyable and interactive. To demonstrate support for the exhibit, the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of APWA has agreed to serve as a founding member.
The Public Works Experience is
THE
place to learn about public works infrastructure.
For additional information:
Rachel Ellis,
Executive Director
The Public Works Experience
443.924.4671
www.PWExperience.org
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Dynamic Stormwater Duo Empowers Young Girls
Two engineers from Fairfax County, Virginia's Department of Public Works and
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Suzy Stasulis and Amy Linderman lead an activity at STEM4GIRLS. |
Environmental Services - Suzy Stasulis, Stormwater Planning, and Amy Linderman, Maintenance and Stormwater Management - participated in STEM4GIRLS on March 10 in Virginia Beach.
They spoke with young girls about pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and math. This was the fourth annual STEM4GIRLS event run by the Virginia Beach branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW). Stasulis and Linderman's hands-on activity "Stormwater: The Sky is Falling!" utilized the Enviroscape model and was a hit with students.
"When my mom told me about this program last year, I was excited to participate and share my experiences and knowledge with girls growing up in the same area I did," Stasulis said. "My first job was in a maritime-themed science center and museum in Norfolk, so teaching kids like this is more or less old hat."
Stasulis' mother is a longstanding member of AAUW, a nonprofit organization advancing equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy, and research.
"I really enjoyed working with the girls," said Linderman. "They were enthusiastic to learn more and jumped to help with our experiments about infiltration and run off.
They were so enthusiastic that we ended up digressing to talk about erosion and sediment controls on construction sites and how to fix the increase in impervious land caused by houses. Even at 11, when they realized that impervious land and contaminants were a problem, they were ready to try and find a solution."
"The timing of this event is especially fitting, as each year it falls between International Women's Day and Pi Day," said Stasulis.
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In Memory of William F. Clark
William F. Clark, a 1967 Past President of our APWA Chapter passed away on Thursday,  March 29, 2018, surrounded by his loving wife, children and grandchildren after a brief yet valiant battle with Lymphoma. He was 81 years old.
Born in Cottage City, Md., Bill enjoyed music, sports and summers on the Chesapeake Bay at his grandparent's summer home on Chesapeake Beach. He attended the University of Maryland, where he studied civil engineering and was a member of the SAE Fraternity. He served in the Naval Reserves.
Bill relished in opportunities to serve and had a long and rewarding career in local government with the City of Roanoke and Roanoke County. Starting as civil engineer at the CIty of Roanoke, he held several positions including Assistant to the City Manager. Bill attended the University of Pittsburgh in 1970, earning his Masters in Public Works administration. Bill was the Roanoke County Administrator from 1973 to 1981. He had a short stint at Hayes Seay Mattern and Mattern before returning to the City of Roanoke as the Director of Public Works. Bill retired from the city in 1999.
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New Ties to West Virginia
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| Scenes (L) of the exhibit floor at the 2018 West Virginia Expo,held in Charleston, WV each March and (R) copy of the Expo program |
The West Virginia Local Technical Assistance Program (WV LTAP) invited members of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter to attend their annual meeting. The meeting is held every March in Charleston, WV in conjunction with their West Virginia Construction Expo. Chapter President Ken Eyre attended on behalf of the Chapter.
Ken was met with a very warm welcome. Ken and other members of APWA attending the meeting and expo were encouraged to participate in the education programs offered as part of the continued professional development.
Pat Parsons, Executive Director of the West Virginia Asphalt Pavement Association was especially vocal and expressed his pleasure in having APWA represented. As it turns out, Ken met up with several APWA members. Kim Carr and Andrew Morgan are part of the LTAP administrative staff that operate out of West Virginia University and are APWA members. Dave Lanham, City Manager, City of Fayetteville, WV is also an APWA member. He also serves on the WV LTAP Board, and was the last Treasurer for the West Virginia Chapter before they became part of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter. We collectively look forward to continuing to engage our West Virginia public works colleagues!
Ken gave a presentation to the WV LTAP about the educational venues and opportunities to volunteer through APWA. Ken was also given a chance to share information about APWA membership. It was well received. Ken invited the WV LTAP to attend the Chapter's 2018 Fredericksburg WRX.
Harold Caples and Jeff Wilkerson, members of the Chapter Board of Directors have expressed their willingness to coordinate Chapter efforts with the other West Virginia APWA members and WV LTAP. Stay tuned for more information on this partnership in the future. For more information about WV LTAP, you can visit their website
HERE.
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'Boatloads' of Pollinator Plants Installed at Prince William Landfill
Roger LeBlanc,
Prince William, VA, April, 2018
When you imagine a flower garden, do you picture planting in canoes and old car tires?
 That's exactly what several environmental leaders envisioned when they designed the plan to transform a half acre site at the Prince William County Landfill into a beautiful pollinator garden. Repurposed canoes, pallets, and tires were used to create raised garden beds, a native bee hotel, and a walking path through a pollinator-friendly meadow. These upcycled goods will support the health of native bees, honeybees, insects, and other wildlife for years to come.
The project was a joint effort that brought several community organizations together. Keep Prince William Beautiful secured $20,000 from a Keep America Beautiful/Lowe's Community Impact grant to fund the project. The Prince William County Solid Waste Division, Bees in Schools, LLC, the Prince William Conservation Alliance, and George Mason University's Potomac Environmental Research and Education Center all worked together to make the undertaking possible. Volunteer planting days open to the community were held on April 14 and April 21 in celebration of Earth Day.
"Our whole goal is attracting pollinators to a spot where we know there are very few right now," said Dr. Cynthia Smith, Associate Professor at George Mason University, as she thanked the crowd of 101 volunteers on the first work day, "In three hours we took a field with some mulch and now we've got a pollinator garden with seeds installed, before the rain tomorrow. We could not have done this without your help."
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Hands-On Learning Stations All About Public Works
Deb Oliver,
Prince William County Public Works
 To celebrate Public Works Week, the Prince William County Department of Public Works reached out to a local elementary school to host a special education event. We coordinated with Featherstone Elementary School to offer learning stations to demonstrate all the services we provide to the community. On a Friday morning near the end of the school year, staff visited with the students to celebrate Public Works in the community and the students' hard work in their studies. We are not sure who was having the most fun, but everyone had an amazing time.
Students in kindergarten through second grade visited:
- Recycling hosted by the Solid Waste Division
- Litter hosted by the Neighborhood Services Division
- Build and Grow hosted by Buildings and Grounds
- Bugs hosted by the Mosquito and Forest Pest Management branch
- Touch a Truck hosted by the Construction Services branch
Students in the third through fifth grades enjoyed sessions:
- Designing with furniture hosted by the Property Management Division
- Baseball in years gone by hosted by the Historic Preservation Division
- Designing buildings with the Facilities Construction Management Team
- How cars go with the Fleet Management Division
- Pollution Prevention with the Watershed Management branch
Donning their own hard hats in bright shades of yellow, pink and purple, the students
 rotated through each station to learn about some of the services Public Works provides to the community. Members of the Public Works team were given a chance to not only spotlight our work, but perhaps even pique interest in the students to pursue careers available in a Public Works department.
"Our school was grateful to Public Works for visiting our students," noted Ms. Joy Greene, administrative intern for Featherstone Elementary. "It was so cute seeing all of the students leaving in their hard hats on Friday! They all thoroughly enjoyed the day. We appreciated Public Works hosting such a special and interactive event for my wonderful students to end the school year on a fun note."
Matt Villareale, Assistant Director of Public Works added, "We serve the community daily, but our efforts take place in the field, at the landfill or behind the scenes. Typically, we are not seen by the public. So, for us, it is nice to have an opportunity to showcase what we do for some of our youngest citizens."
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Rollin Weeks Jr., DPW Bureau of Solid Waste Worker, Captures the 2017-2018 Employee of the Year Award
Baltimore City Department of Public Works (DPW) Director Rudolph S. Chow, P.E, announced the selection of Rollin Weeks Jr. as its 2017-2018 DPW Employee of the Year. The awards ceremony was held Thursday morning, May 24, in the War Memorial Building in downtown Baltimore.
Mr. Weeks is a sanitation worker in the Bureau of Solid Waste's Southwest Quadrant with more than 20 years of job experience. Mr. Weeks takes pride in his work and mentors his new colleagues.
While working his route last year, Mr. Weeks spotted a woman on the ledge of the Waterview Avenue Bridge that overlooks the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, just as he and his crew were driving across the bridge. He sprang into action, jumping off the truck to approach the woman and talk her down from the bridge. The rest of the crew joined him and calmed the woman with kind words and prayer. When emergency crews arrived they saw Mr. Weeks and his crew praying with and comforting the woman. Rather than intervene, the emergency crews kept their distance while the DPW crew spoke with the woman, later telling them that they had handled the situation well.
"In addition to displaying dedication to their jobs, many DPW workers show equal dedication to improving their communities and the lives of their fellow citizens," DPW Director Chow said during the ceremony. "Our workers volunteer with local churches and non-profits and help with the United Way giving campaign here at work. They lead and serve on the boards of professional and community-based associations. They help Baltimore City school children improve their reading skills."
DPW established the Employee of the Month program in May 2011 to recognize and encourage high quality work and service to Baltimore City residents and customers by Public Works employees. Every month an employee is honored from the Bureaus of Solid Waste, Water and Wastewater, and DPW Administration (Office of the Director). From these employees, six finalists were nominated for the Employee of the Year Award. An employee committee reviewed the nominations, interviewed the candidates and ranked them. The criteria include customer service, relationship with co-workers, and contribution to the community.
DPW holds its annual Employee of the Year Ceremony during National Public Works Week (May 20-26) and features a keynote address from an American Public Works Association (APWA) representative. At today's ceremony, Steven J. Yob, P.E., president of the American Public Works Association Mid-Atlantic Chapter and Director of the Department of Public Works in Henrico County, Va., delivered remarks.
"All of the great civilizations had people doing the jobs that we do," Yob said, adding that delivering drinking water, managing waste water, and collecting trash make "life more bearable" for society.
In addition to Mr. Weeks, the Employee of the Year finalists were:
Eloise Black, Bureau of Water and Wastewater; Steven Hoover, Bureau of Water and Wastewater; Abbigail Jones, Bureau of Solid Waste; Kristin Oldendorf, Office of the Director; and Paul Taylor, Office of the Director.
The Employee of the Year winner receives three days paid leave, an engraved clock, one night's stay at the Lord Baltimore Hotel, a $250 gift certificate to Gertrude's Restaurant, tickets to the Orioles and the Maryland Zoo, and $500 in cash. Gifts were donated and/or paid for by members of DPW's executive staff.
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Student Design Teams Move On to International Stage
Matt Doyle, Wastewater Design and Construction Division, Capital Facilities, Fairfax County Dept. of Public Works and Environmental Services
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| The future of wastewater design is in good hands with these bright, young all-stars. |
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George Mason University's Wastewater Student Design Team and the Environmental Student Design Team earned first place in the state competition sponsored by the Virginia Water Environmental Association.
The Wastewater Design Team was led by Fairfax County Dept. of Public Works and Environmental Services employees Jigme Tenzin and Badana Mohamadi. They were successful in beating two other major engineering colleges in the state of Virginia. The team will go on to compete on the international stage at WEFTEC this fall. Their project provided plans to expand the Roanoke, Va., wastewater treatment plant to 57 MGD.
The Environmental Design Team was led by DPWES employee Michael Schindler. They ran uncontested and proved to VWEA that they had what it takes to compete at the next level. They will go on to compete on the international stage at WEFTEC this fall. Their project included an aerial sewer crossing and how it was resolved by using stream restoration. Stormwater Management staff members Catie Torgersen and Charles Smith helped the students learn about stream restoration tactics.
This is a great learning experience for the students.
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A Picture is Worth a 1000 Words!
Roanoke Celebrates the Arts and Stormdrain Inlets
By Nell Boyle, LEED AP BD+C, Sustainability Coordinator, City of Roanoke
Creative partnerships make the best programs - this is what motivated Roanoke's
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The People's Choice Award, titled "Downstream Dependants" by Ned Savage |
Stormwater Utility to team up with Roanoke's Arts Commission (RAC) on an educational public art project. This year RAC is celebrating ten years of public art. To commemorate the milestone, the team launched a design competition for street murals to highlight stormwater awareness. Unfortunately, few people realize that litter, trash, and other pollution sources like sediment, bacteria, oils, and yard waste left on city streets wash, untreated, into the nearest creek, stream, or the river. The project was a creative way to engage the citizens in an art competition to design murals that would educate the community in the importance of reducing litter and pollution in the stormwater system and to improve water quality.
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Seven year old Aleks Bratic and his mother Kim, collaborated on "Squidding Me"
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After the criterion was established, the RAC published a Call for Entries and
the competition was launched in the late fall of 2017.
The commission assembled a selection committee, with members from the stormwater team, local artists and RAC members. Candidates provided simple sketches to give a sense for the concept and content of the message. After reviewing the submissions, the committee selected six finalists. The artists received their stormdrain locations and were asked to create a more detailed design prior to the actual creation of the artwork.
There were six stormwater inlets identified for the murals, five artists were selected with one artist receiving two locations. There was a diverse pool of winners included a local college student, a seven year old boy and his mother, a teacher, and two local artists. It resulted in a wonderful cross section of perspectives. The murals ranged from the young boy's depiction of an adorable squid objecting to his polluted waters to the People's Choice favorite "Downward Dependents" images of wonderful water inhabitants that are affected by pollution. Each winner depicted a very different theme but all supporting the same message. All the finalists were given a $400 honorarium plus all the necessary supplies to complete the project. The first and second place People's Choice winners received an additional award of $200 and $100 respectively.
All the murals were completed by Earth Day.
Social media was used throughout the campaign to showcase the contest. However, the primary marketing tool was Facebook, which was the online platform for voting in the People's Choice Award. The People's Choice Award received over 3,200 votes.
Following the completion of the competition, Roanoke's stormwater team reached out to Ride Solutions, a local non-profit to co-host bike tours of the various stormdrain locations.
The bike tour "Drains to Streams" was a social bike ride series where participants covered the city on bikes visiting five of the colorful stormwater art locations.
The public works arena often calls us to communicate to the community about important issues that can be complex. Creative thinking and public engagement can leverage outside forces that can propel the message into new arenas. This beautiful art is educational, thoughtful and enhances the public space and hopefully will keep our water ways clean and clear.
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2018 APWA Chapter Distinguished Service Award - Sharyn Fox
Judi Hines, Chapter Delegate and Past President & Fred Whitley, P.E., Chapter Treasurer and Past President
Each year the Mid-Atlantic Chapter Board of Directors honors one Chapter member for distinguished service to the chapter. The 2018 Distinguished Service Award was  presented to Sharyn Fox, Associate with Whitman, Requardt & Associates, LLP, at the Awards Ceremony in Fredericksburg on May 3, 2018.
Sharyn's 30+ years of service to the Mid-Atlantic Chapter, and to the National APWA organization, is beyond measure. For as long as anyone on the current board of directors can remember, Sharyn has been working tirelessly to promote APWA and to encourage involvement in the organization. Many past and current Board of Director members can attribute their service to urging from Sharyn.
Sharyn has held every office in the Chapter, including President, Vice President, and Treasurer, along with Chapter Delegate, Historian and numerous committee chairs. She is currently chairing the Chapter's Hampton Roads Activities Committee, helping to organize Lunch and Learn events on a regular basis.
Sharyn's keen sense of humor, and her dogged determination to make things happen, has allowed the Chapter to accomplish so much for its members over the past three decades. Many times in Board meetings when policy discussions dragged on, Sharyn would use her powers of persuasion and a no-nonsense approach to help opposing sides cut through the less important details in order to reach consensus. She is not shy about sharing her opinions, but she is adept at keeping her ego in check, and she is a master at making you think a good idea was yours, even though the idea was hers to begin with.
Over her long and distinguished career representing various engineering firms in Hampton Roads, Sharyn has mastered the art of networking and of bringing people together, which is a vanishing social skill in today's "head stuck in a cell phone" society. And with her unmatched extroversion, Sharyn knows everyone and everyone knows her. Fortunately, she uses this "people power" for the good of the APWA organization, as well as for the good of her community, where she serves on numerous charitable and civic boards.
In the past 30 years of the APWA Mid-Atlantic Chapter, no one comes close to matching Sharyn's energy and drive to make things better for all things around her. Congratulations Sharyn on this much deserved award.
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Engineer Delivers Needed Infrastructure to Haitian Community
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Jay Horstman snaps a selfie in Haiti
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Jay Horstman, a senior engineer from Fairfax County, Virginia's Department of Public Works and Environmental Services, recently traveled to Blanquette, Haiti, a small community outside Port-au-Prince, to work on water and solar infrastructure projects that support a church and a 250-student primary school. This was his third trip to Haiti.
He and a mission team from Herndon United Methodist Church returned to Blanquette to provide maintenance and repairs to a water filtration system they had installed in 2011, one year after the Haiti earthquake.
Horstman helped install a new 3,600W solar power system, installed wiring and fixtures in four buildings, and worked with the school's staff to assess future plans.
Pointing out the difficulty in managing water treatment and solar power assets, Horstman said, "As hard as it is to provide these types of facilities, it is even harder to provide for their maintenance, repair, and operation."
The group was in country for one week. Each person covered his/her own travel and lodging expenses, and materials were paid for by donations from Herndon UMC, the First Baptist Church of Metropolis, IL, and the Herndon Rotary Club.
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Local Sustainability Gathering at George Mason Featured in May issue of APWA Reporter
Anne Jackson, APWA's Director of Sustainability highlighted the gathering between the APWA Center for Sustainability (C4S) and our chapter sustainability committee held on March 1st at George Mason University's Potomac Environmental Research and Education Center in Woodbridge, VA. Learn more about the March discussion and the role of sustainability in public works Here
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Participants at the March gathering to discuss the role of sustainability in Public Works.
L to R: Front - Dwayne Kalynchuk, Jennifer Privette (Chapter chair), Kim Lundgren, Denise Nelson, Diane Linderman, Anne Jackson, Lynne Lancaster, Steph Larocque,
L to R: Back - Ken Eyre, Chapter President, Matt Rodrigues, Chair, Center for Sustainability, Michael Johnson, John Parkinson, James Patteson, Bill Spearman, JC Alonzo, John Trujillo
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The May issue also asks members to share stories about their activities to celebrate Public Works Week. Be sure to send our Chapter highlights from your celebrations as well!
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Urban Foresters Plant Trees with Elementary School Students
Hugh Whitehead, Urban Forest Management Division, Fairfax County Dept. of Public Works and Environmental Services
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Second and fifth-grade students plant eight trees at their school.
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Urban Foresters Plant Trees with Elementary School Students
Fairfax County's Urban Forest Management Division continued its tree planting program last week in partnership with Fairfax County Public Schools. UFMD staff Linda Barfield and Hugh Whitehead worked with second and fifth-graders at Dogwood Elementary School to plant eight trees on the school's grounds.
This was the second phase of a planting project for Dogwood, which began last fall. The trees included five river birches planted adjacent to the playground, two American beech trees in front of the main building, and a flowering dogwood at the entrance to the school.
Students learned how to correctly plant a tree and some of the many benefits of trees, such as helping to control stormwater, improved air and water quality, increased property values, and creating habitat and food for wildlife.
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CCTV Crew Discovers Source of Odor Problem at Historic Landmark
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| Repairs were made at night to avoid disrupting operations at the popular tourist attraction. |
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Mount Vernon is one of Fairfax County, Virginia's most popular tourist attractions, welcoming more than one million visitors each year. From a wastewater perspective, that's a lot of flushing toilets. All the wastewater generated on-site is conveyed through pipes to the county's sanitary sewer system, a fact that was only recently discovered when Wastewater Collection Division staff used cameras to investigate the source of sewer odor complaints in late 2017. The force main connection wasn't listed in the county's GIS, so this was a surprise. Addressing the problem caused by aging sanitary sewer pipes required a creative and collaborative approach.
Wastewater Collection Division staff worked with the historic site's facility managers and a contractor to rehabilitate several critical sanitary sewer lines over two days in March, without any impacts to the famous landmark's operations, which include several restaurants.
"It was the collaboration of industry professionals that made this project a success and allowed Fairfax County to put its best foot forward," said Russ Russell, rehab supervisor, Projects and Assets Branch. The team worked around the clock to upgrade the system. The newly lined pipes will ensure reliable service for visitors for many years to come and greatly reduce the risk of environmental contamination from leaks and overflows.
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Chapter Members Share Needs for Storm Water Funding and Water Infrastructure
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L to R: Jeff Wilkerson, Martinsburg, WV Public Works Director, Ken Eyre, Chapter President, Maryland Senator Ben Cardin and Chris Phipps, Anne Arundel County, MD Public Works Director.
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During the National Water Week on the Hill, APWA representatives shared their thoughts on water infrastructure issues facing our nation. Chapter President Ken Eyre, Jeff Wilkerson, Martinsburg, WV Public Works Director and Chris Phipps, Anne Arundel County, MD Public Works Director met with Federal legislative staff and aides on April 18, 2018. Sean Garcia, APWA advocacy staff liaison coordinated the meetings. There was an excellent conversation between Public Works professionals, other professional associations, and national federal legislators about the need for storm water funding and support for water infrastructure.
Meetings with federal representatives are part of our Chapter's initiatives to support and endorse Public Works advocacy. These activities are led this year by Chapter Board of Director Joe Kroboth, Director of Loudoun County's Transportation and Capital Infrastructure. Jennifer Mitchell, Director of the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation has also made a commitment to participate in future congressional visits related to transportation. This will strengthen our efforts to ensure our issues are heard. Ms. Mitchell gave a powerful keynote speech at this year's chapter expo.
The Chapter plans to participate in next year's Water Week on the Hill, as well as other opportunities. If you wish to participate in future legislative visits promoting public works funding and resource commitment or to recommend someone from you staff, please contact Joe Kroboth at
[email protected]
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Wastewater Treatment Employees Find Antique Bottle in Pohick Creek
Julie Fincher, Wastewater Treatment Division, Fairfax County Dept. of Public Works and Environmental Services
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Employees from Fairfax County, Virginia's wastewater treatment plant turned their attention to improving water quality in their local creek. |
Staff from the Noman M. Cole, Jr., Pollution Control Plant rolled up their sleeves and spent a few hours cleaning up the stretch of Pohick Creek that flows past the plant. Their efforts supported the 30th Annual Potomac River Watershed Cleanup.
The creek had recently been restored, so there was much less trash than in previous years. Still, the group collected 15 bags of trash consisting of plastic bottles, beer bottles, and beer cans. Plenty of ubiquitous plastic grocery bags and various paper products that blow in the wind and settle in the woods and stream were recovered. Heavier debris, such as tires and a sofa cushion, were also removed.
One of the more interesting discoveries was a brown glass Clorox bleach bottle. According to a local resident, this type of bottle was used until the 1940s, and some had rubber stoppers.
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Congratulations!
Once again the Chapter was recognized by our regional state and district jurisdictions. Immediate Chapter Past-President Ken Eyre received the proclamations as part of the 2018 National Public Works Week (NPWW) celebrations across Maryland, the District of Columbia, Virginia and West Virginia. The proclamations recognize the role and importance of public works professionals and agencies. Congratulations to our members who celebrated NPWW this year, and we want to hear your NPWW celebration stories!
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| Chapter Welcomes New Members!
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