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2019-2020
OFFICERS/DIRECTORS
President
Don Cole
Vice President
Brown and Caldwell
Virginia Beach, Virginia
President-Elect
Phillip J. Koetter, P.E.
Operations Management Administrator
Department of Public Works
City of Virginia Beach, Virginia
Immediate Past-President
Steven J. Yob, P.E.
County Eng/Director PW
Henrico County, Virginia
Vice-President
Scott A. Smith, P.E., L.S.
Coastal Resilience Manager
Department of Public Works
City of Norfolk, Virginia
Secretary
Amy Linderman, Engineer II
Department of Public Works
Environmental Services
Fairfax County, Virginia
Treasurer
Fred Whitley, P.E.
Senior Project Manager,
AECOM
Newport News, Virginia
Chapter Delegate
Judith L. Hines
Assistant Director of Public Works
City of Newport News, Virginia
Historian
Dawn V. Odom
Planning and Investment Manager
Virginia Department of Transportation
Suffolk, Virginia
Directors
David Bradshaw
Principal
Clark Nexsen
Harold Caples
Engineering Manager
Virginia Department of Transportation
Richmond, Virginia
Jennifer Caples
Whitman, Requardt & Associates, LLP
Richmond, Virginia
Sherry B. Earley, P.E.
Senior Project Manager - Transportation
Clark Nexsen
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Gaynelle L. Hart
Director of Public Works
City of Lynchburg, Virginia
Mark Jamison
Transportation Division Manager
City of Roanoke, Virginia
Joe Kroboth, III, P.E., L.S., PWLF
Director, Transp. and Cap. Infrastructure
Loudoun County, Virginia
James W. Long, III, P.E., DBIA
Project Manager, Transportation
Rummel, Klepper & Kahl, LLP
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Kelly Mattingly, LEED-AP, CRM
Director of Public Works
Town of Blacksburg, Virginia
Denise Nelson
Environmental Engineer
The Berkley Group
Juan Reyes
Assistant Director of Public Works
Fairfax Co
unty, VA
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President's Corner
By Don Cole,
ENV SP,
Brown and Caldwell
 Building 2 - a name that is about as straightforward as can be. On May 31st, it became synonymous with tragedy, when 12 innocent people lost their lives to a shooter in Virginia Beach. Many of us who live and work in Virginia Beach have spent plenty of time in Building 2 as an employee, contractor, consultant, citizen or in some other capacity. It housed Public Works, Public Utilities, Planning, and Information Technology. Lifetime friends and colleagues worked here. Some of them were lost, others sustained injuries and are recovering. Families are forever impacted.
As City employees return to work, they are trying to resume a sense of normalcy. Folks are in offices spread throughout the City; room has been made in buildings, wires run, computers setup, and the important work of public service continues. This normalcy is relative - there are people missing in our lives.
As president of the chapter, I've struggled with how we should respond to this incident. Not so much in the short term, there are several ways to support the City and those impacted. Many people have stepped up and donated to the fund to support the families of those lost or injured - thank you. What I'd like to do, as the organization representing the people of public works, is look for ways we can
thoughtfully take actions for change at a deeper level. Are there programs, processes, resources, training or other actions that APWA can take? I'd like to hear from chapter members - please email me at
[email protected]
with your thoughts and ideas.
In closing, we will remember those we lost. Virginia Beach Strong.
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Alexander Mikhail Gusev
Christopher Kelly Rapp
Herbert 'Bert' Snelling
Joshua O. Hardy
Katherine Nixon
Laquita C. Brown
Mary Louise Crustinger Gayle
Michelle 'Missy' Langer
Richard Nettleton
Robert 'Bobby' Williams
Ryan Keith Cox
Tara Welch Gallagher
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Don Cole
Chapter President
APWA Mid-Atlantic Chapter
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Special Announcement from APWA
APWA Members,
On behalf of APWA we wish to express our deepest condolences to the families, friends, and communities of the victims in the recent Virginia Beach shootings. While these senseless shootings are always an atrocity, this one touched our APWA family and public works community. Know that we will band together to recognize these fallen heroes.
How you can help
Many of you have inquired about ways in which you can assist the families of the Virginia Beach shooting victims. We asked our colleagues at the City of Virginia Beach what would be most helpful, and they explained the best way for people to assist, was to make donations to the Virginia Beach Tragedy Fund through United Way. 100% of the funds raised will go to victims affected by this tragedy.
When making your donation, we encourage you to include "APWA" in the Company field on the fund's web page. This will allow us to work closely with the United Way to measure the impact of your contributions, and ultimately report back to our members the ways in which their donations are assisting the families.
Please feel free to share these links with your public works colleagues. We will continue to work with our colleagues in Virginia Beach to discuss other ways APWA may help in the very near future.
Sincerely,
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David L. Lawry, PE
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Scott D. Grayson, CAE
APWA Executive Director
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Fredericksburg Stands Strong for Virginia Beach
My heart goes out to all the families and coworkers who lost loved ones and friends. Such an unimaginable loss for the Virginia Beach community. As a fellow public works professional I wish to extend my prayers that those in need of comfort will find it and those in need of help will receive it. Twelve who made a positive impact on their community, whose shining light was extinguished much too soon. We will miss them all dearly.
My sincere condolences,
Dave King
Director of Public Works,
City of Fredericksburg, VA
Prince William County Public Works Bake Sale
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Prince William County Public Works came together to host a bake sale to raise funds to support the Virginia Beach Tragedy Fund. We wanted our colleagues in Virginia Beach to know we care and have them in our thoughts and prayers. There was an outpouring of support, donations and good wishes from Public Works and other departments in Prince William County
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ESOL Students Learn About Water Quality on Floating Field Trip
Released by Fairfax County Government Communications Office
On Wednesday, May 8, 2019, Centreville High School ESOL Environmental Science Students joined outreach staff from Fairfax County's wastewater treatment plant on the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's boat to learn about the watershed and resource protection. This was the first time the ESOL students have been provided the opportunity, which is normally only offered to the school's advanced placement classes.
The goal of the program is to introduce participants to the wonders of the watershed
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Centreville High School ESOL Environmental Science students pose onboard Chesapeake Bay Foundation's boat.
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and to heighten sensitivity, increase knowledge, and empower citizens to take positive action toward the Bay's restoration. During the field trip, the students participated in water quality testing, examined fish and mussels caught using a trawl net, and watched osprey and eagles catch fish in Belmont Bay.
Juan Reyes, assistant director, Department of Public Works and Environmental Services, greeted the 29 students at the dock and addressed them in Spanish. He explained what they would experience on the boat and described how science helps the department assess and solve problems. Only two of the students said they had plans to attend college after graduation, one citing the high cost as a barrier.
Reyes said, "I told them, almost 50 years ago I was like them, but with hard work, perseverance and a willingness to learn, I built a professional career and that they could do the same, and if not, that the county offers opportunities to build a career in the trades and they should look us up after graduation."
"I cannot thank everyone enough for how special today was for our students!" said teacher Jean Cole-Kleitz. "Being able to bring the classroom to life and give these students the chance to be out in the field really made their day. They all had so many "favorite" parts of the day. Seeing their excitement, hearing their reactions, and watching them make connections to content from the classroom is a teacher's dream!"
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Prince William County Celebrates Public Works Week
Deb Oliver, Prince William County
 The Prince William County Department of Public Works celebrated National Public Works Week with a special event for elementary students. We visited the children at Loch Lomond Elementary School in Manassas, Virginia. Students learned about some of our work, including protecting water quality, maintaining vehicles, managing recycling efforts, controlling litter, controlling pests and protecting useful insects, caring for County buildings and grounds, as well as the other services we provide to the community and other County employees. According to Joy Greene, the Assistant Principal, "The students had a blast and really enjoyed the day. They all looked cute wearing their hard hats as they left school for the day".
This is the second year that Public Works has  visited a school to celebrate National Public Works Week. Our goal is to raise awareness about the many services we provide to protect, preserve and
enhance our community and support our fellow County employees.
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Baltimore City DPW Celebrates National Public Works Week
Award-winning agency crowns its annual Employee of the Year, as Director Chow named 2019 APWA Top Ten Public Works Leader
Baltimore City Department of Public Works
The Baltimore City Department of Public Works (DPW) commemorates National Public
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Employee of the Year, Raquel Robbins
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Works Week each year by crowning one employee as its DPW Employee of the Year. At a ceremony on May 23, American Public Works Association (APWA) officials joined DPW Director Rudolph S. Chow, P.E., and a standing-room only crowd to announce the winner, Community Liaison Raquel Robbins.
APWA President William "Bill" Spearman, P.E., then President-Elect, delivered the keynote address for the event. Kenneth M. Eyre, P.E., Past-President of the APWA Mid-Atlantic Chapter, also spoke to the employees, guests and dignitaries on hand.
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| Director Chow, 2019 APWA Top Ten Public Works Leader |
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President Spearman presented Director Chow with an award in recognition of his recent selection as a 2019 APWA Top Ten Public Works Leader. This is one of the most coveted and prestigious awards presented by the public works industry. Top Ten leaders are selected annually from the public and private sectors across North America. Top Ten individuals are recognized for their excellence, professional expertise, and personal dedication and contributions to the industry and the communities they serve.
One of those industry and community contributions is DPW's award-winning YH2O mentoring program for young people looking for career opportunities in the water industry. Director Chow started the program - operated with the City's Office of Employment Development and the private industry partners - after realizing the need to replace hundreds of retirement-eligible employees could be met by training some of the young adults in Baltimore seeking career opportunities. Dozens of young Baltimore men and women have found jobs with DPW or other businesses in the industry over the past five years. Employee of the Year winner Robbins is herself a product of the YH2O program.
Director Chow has been at the helm of the Baltimore City Department of Public Works since 2014. Prior to that he served as the agency's Deputy Director and head of its Bureau of Water and Wastewater. He oversees approximately 2,800 employees and a capital and operating budget of over $1 billion. The agency is crucial for the health, environment and economy of Baltimore and the region by providing customers with safe drinking water and keeping neighborhoods and waterways clean.
Among the many other agency accomplishments under Director Chow, the agency was cited as being one of only 12 entities in nine states invited to apply for credit assistance under EPA's Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program. Baltimore was approved for $202 million in WIFIA funding in late 2018 and will use the money to help pay for a critical upgrade to the Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant, the same place where the Employee of the Year event was held. DPW will save about $40 million over traditional borrowing costs by using the WIFIA funding vehicle.
Mr. Chow led the Department of Public Works to modify the City's wastewater consent decree. The modified decree, entered in 2017, builds on the extensive work already accomplished, and provides for a system that will capably serve the City and protect the environment for generations to come. In January 2019, DPW held its second annual public meeting on the modified consent decree. There, Director Chow rolled out a new online interactive map for real-time data on sanitary sewer overflows.
Under Director Chow, DPW has been extremely busy rehabilitating crumbling drinking water lines at a rate of 15 miles annually, and with work to enclose our finished drinking water lakes in secure, underground tanks. In addition, major stream restoration projects continue, along with the massive Headworks project at Back River - the most important environmental construction in Baltimore in 100 years.
The event was held at DPW's Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant, the largest such facility in Maryland. E
nhanced Nutrient Removal (ENR) project upgrades at the plant received the Grand Award, a top engineering award from the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC). This work also received the outstanding civil engineering achievement award for major construction from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Maryland section.
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West Virginia Construction & Design Expo
Charleston, WV
Jeff Wilkerson and Ken Eyre
 The Chapter was well represented at this year's West Virginia Construction & Design Expo, held at the recently renovated Charleston convention center. Additionally, the during the West Virginia LTAP Board meeting, the Mid-Atlantic Chapter was recognized for the ongoing support and participation in this annual gathering of public works, engineering and construction professionals. Jeff Wilkerson also gave a presentation regarding the Mid-Atlantic Chapter's activities. Stay tuned for notices regarding next year's event.
SAVE-THE-DATE!
Oct. 21-23, 2019 Roadway Management Conference (RMC) Hosted at Turf Valley Resort
Sponsored by: Maryland T2 Center; Delaware T2/LTAP; WV LTAP; PennDOT; UVA Transportation Training Academy
This year's Roadway Management Conference (RMC) will take place October 21-23 in Ellicott City, Maryland at the Turf Valley Resort,
2700 Turf Valley Road, Ellicott City, Maryland 21042
. Visit HERE for information, including registration fees, lodging information, and more. Additional information will be available as we get closer to October. Registration is open by visiting the RMC website.
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I-95 Landfill Complex is Spring Migrant Hotspot for Birders
Erin Abrahams, environmental specialist, I-95 landfill complex
On April 20, 2019, I had the pleasure of joining the Audubon Society of Northern
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Audubon Society birders look for spring migrants atop closed landfill
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Virginia's Birding by Ear 1, Early Spring Migrants class on a trip around the I-95 landfill complex. The Society loves to stop at our site for some unique birding experiences. At this time of the year we see a few species of birds in abundance that are not found in other parts of the county as frequently or at all: the American kestrel, Eastern meadowlark, and grasshopper sparrow.
The American kestrel is the smallest falcon in North America and finds plenty of nourishment in the well-established meadows at the landfill complex. The meadow habitat also provides resources for the Eastern meadowlark and small grasshopper sparrow to establish breeding territory.
The methane gas extraction wells on the former landfill provide great perches for many birds. There are many other species of birds that frequent the landfill throughout the year to include turkeys, hawks, eagles, gulls, and vultures, to name a few.
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Regional Approach to Glass Recycling Leads to Creation of the Purple Can Club
Joint Press Release; City of Alexandria, Arlington County, Prince William County
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The City of Alexandria has four glass recycling drop-off sites.
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Today, Fairfax County, City of Alexandria, Prince William County, and Arlington County announced a new strategic partnership to recover and recycle glass. In Northern Virginia, glass collected in curbside recycling bins is sent to recycling facilities where it eventually ends up in landfills. During the transportation process to the facility glass is broken and becomes mixed with recycling residue (small bits of plastic and paper) as part of the sorting process, making it unrecoverable. To tackle this challenge, these jurisdictions have committed to collecting glass via purple glass-only drop-off containers and bringing it to Fairfax County's "Big Blue" processing plant, where it will be recycled for use in a variety of projects.
"Fairfax County is proud of this partnership and is looking forward to continuing the growth of true glass recycling in Northern Virginia. By using the unique purple color we are hopeful that our residents will easily be able to identify glass recycling locations throughout NOVA." John Kellas, deputy director of Public Works and Environmental Services.
For partnering jurisdictions, all colors of emptied glass bottles and jars are acceptable materials for glass drop-off. Food residue from jars should be rinsed out before placing glass in the bins. Items that are not accepted include food, plastic bags, lamps or light bulbs, ceramics, porcelain, mirrors, windows, and glass sheets.
Residents of the partnering jurisdictions who bring their glass recyclables to purple can locations can be sure their glass will be sent to the Big Blue plant for responsible recycling.
In the City of Alexandria, purple glass-only drop-off bins have been placed at the city's
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Arlington County delivers its first load of glass to Fairfax County's glass processing plant.
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four
recycling drop-off centers, which are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The city continues to accept glass as part of its curbside collection.
"We are thrilled to be working with our neighbors in Fairfax County to find creative, innovative ways to improve recovery of glass," said Alexandria City Manager Mark Jinks. "This effort shows the Northern Virginia region's dedication to sustainability and its commitment to healthy, thriving communities."
Arlington County's two recycling drop-off centers, located at Quincy Park and the Trades Center, now feature glass-only containers for residents and small business owners operating within the county.
"We are excited for this opportunity to partner with our neighbors and find a regional solution to this issue that helps support our goal to build a sustainable community," said Erik Grabowsky, Arlington County's Solid Waste Bureau chief.
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Big Blue crushes glass into sand and gravel for use in a variety of projects.
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Once glass is brought to Fairfax County's processing plant at the I-95 landfill complex, machinery recovers any metal (such as bottle caps), crushes the glass, removes labels and other detritus, and then screens the product into various grades of sand and gravel. The plant is capable of crushing 20 tons of glass per hour and pulverizes glass bottles and jars into sand and gravel that can be used for paving, construction, and landscaping. The crushed glass can also be used in different drainage and stormwater control applications.
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Glass collected by the Purple Can Club is crushed into gravel-sized pieces.
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The Purple Can Club currently includes four jurisdictions: Fairfax County, Arlington County, Prince William County and the City of Alexandria. The Purple Can Club is committed to exemplary sustainable solid waste management practices and encouraging its residents to reduce, reuse, and recycle.
For more information about recycling in Fairfax County,
Click Here
Click here for more information about recycling in the City of Alexandria
Click here for more information about recycling in Arlington County
Click here for more information about recycling in Prince William County
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APWA Mid-Atlantic Chapter Reception @ 2019 PWX
APWA Mid-Atlantic Chapter Reception
Seattle PWX
Tuesday, September 10, 2019
6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Kell's Irish Restaurant and Bar
1916 Post Alley,
Seattle, WA 98101
Attendee Cost:
None to Chapter members attending the Seattle PWX.
Attendees must show their Seattle PWX name badge.
The Chapter is hosting the reception, with appetizers provided the first hour. No reservation needed. Participants are responsible for transportation (
Kell's Irish Restaurant and Bar is within easy walking distance of the Washington State Convention Center), drinks and entrees. Beer and wine will be available the first hour. Food ordered by attendees after the first hour is the responsibility of attendees.
Cocktail orders are the responsibility of attendees.
Questions?
Contact
Erica Trout,
[email protected]
,
Phone : (804) 615-1676
We hope you will take advantage of this great opportunity to meet with
your fellow APWA attendees and colleagues for a most memorable evening.
See you there!
****Please note this registration is for SPONSORS
ONLY****
Sponsorship Opportunities
Event sponsorship is $150. Each sponsor will have their logo advertised on the Chapter weekly works notifications as
(Get your sponsorship in early to take advantage of the exposure each week!)
well as being printed on a display board and will be announced during the event. Each sponsorship includes up to two guests to attend. Sponsor names, payment, and logos must be received by close of business September 3, 2019. Sponsorship payment must be paid in advance, with names and logos received by COB no later than September 3, 2019. For sponsors to receive a refund, cancellation must be in writing, sent and received by the Chapter,
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Solid Waste Helps Capital Facilities Dispose of 785 Tons of Contaminated Dredge
Released by Fairfax County Government Communications Office
Solid Waste and the Maintenance and Stormwater Management Division recently helped Capital Facilities' Utilities Design and Construction Division complete an aspect of a developer default project in the Sully District.
As part of the Virginia Department of Transportation's street acceptance process for the 38,000 square-yard roadway system, VDOT required Fairfax County to remove sediment deposits from a 250-foot-long triple box culvert under Trinity Parkway before the state agency could inspect the culvert's structural integrity.
ECS, the Utility Design and Construction Division's consultant, took samples of the
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Contaminated sediment was removed from the culvert
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sediment and found that the material was contaminated with petroleum byproducts, which created a disposal challenge. Solid Waste Management Program staff reviewed the material test reports and offered to accept the material at the I-95 landfill complex in Lorton for a fixed fee. The price was significantly less than the cost of hauling the material to a private disposal facility. Between April 1 and May 10, UDCD's contractor delivered 61 loads of dredge to the complex's lined ash pit, for a total of 785 tons.
On several occasions, Maintenance and Stormwater Management Staff lowered the stormwater pond below the culvert elevation so that the dredging work could be performed. On one occasion, MSMD provided a six-inch pump to lower the water elevation while clearing a blocked valve that was preventing the pond from draining. This effort eliminated a potential change order request from the contractor for delays and additional costs.
VDOT representatives came out on several occasions to inspect the culvert as sediment removal progressed. "Special thanks to VDOT for being flexible on those inspection requests," said Tom Cutler, project manager.
Noting the benefits of the team effort, Chris Meoli, senior engineer III, Solid Waste Management Program, said, "A shout out to our fine scale staff, operations (disposal) team and site manager for partnering with CAP to help reduce costs, road miles and greenhouse gas emissions!"
"It was nice to see multiple Fairfax County agencies collaborating to achieve project success," said Cutler. "These efforts ultimately contributed to savings of time, money and the environment on some level. My sincere appreciation goes out to all who contributed at Solid Waste, MSMD, EQR, ECS and VDOT."
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Ideas and Resources Were Flowing at the Stormwater+Litter Workshop
Clay Morris, Prince William County, Department of Public Works
On May 28, over 50 enthusiastic participants gathered to share, learn and brainstorm ideas to address litter concerns for our waterways at the Second Annual Stormwater+Litter Workshop. The workshop was held in Prince William County, Virginia at Veteran's Park in Woodbridge. It was sponsored by Prince William County Department of Public Works, Clean Virginia Waterways (CVW), Virginia Coastal Zone Management (VCZM), Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).
Frank Principi, Woodbridge District Board of County Supervisor in Prince William County welcomed the attendees to Woodbridge. Supervisor Principi shared his first-hand experience with litter and plastic pollution during cleanups of the estuary at Veterans Park. He gave his commitment to support efforts to find solutions to marine litter.
Morning presentations covered a myriad of pollution issues, potential solutions and available resources. Topics included:
- The impact of marine litter and debris, particularly micro-plastics on the Atlantic Ocean
- Details on the insufficient funding to local litter control programs because the Virginia's statewide litter tax has not increased since the 1970s (a mere $10 annual fee)
- An overview of the Federal Government's Marine Debris Program grants to help localities to mitigate litter in local watersheds, particularly where sensitive marine habitats exist
- A plan outlining future trends and practices presented by the American Chemical Council to slow (and possibly reverse) the impact of global marine debris and plastic pollution
- A presentation on recent scientific research on micro-plastics and its impact on marine life
- The winning results of local retail, property managers and volunteers working together to reduce litter in streams and watershed impacted by urban stormwater litter
- A presentation on the success of retail bag fees and beverage container deposit laws in minimizing litter in states that have those fees and laws in place
After lunch, participants learned about new products to intercept and minimize stormwater litter using traps, guards for storm drains and in the water systems for gathering the debris. The participants then broke into small groups to discuss a variety of topics and growing concerns with litter. They shared ideas, experiences and goals for resolving litter issues in their community waterways. All participants walked away with new ideas, incentives and resources to tackle those concerns.
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Special Day to Recognize Trash and Recycling Collectors
Proclamation issued by Prince William Officials
Deborah K. Campbell, Prince William County, Dept of Public Works
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Rain or shine_ Solid Waste staff members celebrate recycling collection employees with lunch snack and safety message treats on National Garbage Man Day. |
June 17 is National Garbage Man Day. Annually, communities across the nation are encouraged to take a moment and show appreciation for the men and women in the solid waste management industry and particularly, their trash collectors, for "Keeping You and the Environment Safe"!
At a recent board meeting, the
Prince William Board of County Supervisors proclaimed Monday, June 17 as National Garbage Man Day in Prince William County.
The Prince William County Solid Waste Division will recognize National Garbage Man Day on June 17. Trash haulers that come to the Prince William County Landfill will receive expressions of thanks from staff, a special treat and safety tips.
June is National Safety month and according to
Bureau of Labor Statistic
refuse and recycling collection workers rank 5 out of 10 on the list of fatal job injuries. Emphasis is being placed on a special safety campaign, "Five to Stay Alive" by SWANA, which is an appropriate focus year-round for these workers.
 In addition to collecting trash and moving it from one place to another, the employees of the solid waste industry are also pioneers in advancing technologies such as recycling, renewable and sustainable energy, and reduction of our dependence on fossil fuels. Match that with the clear impact on city cleanliness and hygiene, and it seems the modern-day garbage man should be receiving a little more than our garbage every week.
During the week of June 17, there are many ways that residents and businesses can also show support and appreciation for the people doing these dangerous, yet important jobs:
- Slow down and pay extra attention when approaching or passing a collection vehicle.
- Share a wrapped sweet treat or healthy snack
- Offer a cold bottle of water
- Give him or her a tip with a personal "thank you".
- Leave a thank you note.
- Meet your collector at the curb and help them lift your load to show your awareness of their efforts.
- Follow the provided guidelines for size and weight limitations and types of materials discarded in the regular trash.
- Properly dispose of hazardous materials, do not put them in the trash.
- Use more caution when putting harmful items in the trash such as glass or hot ashes.
- Consider ways you can reduce, reuse and recycle the things at home, school and work instead of throwing them in the garbage.
- Give the landfill attendants a "high five."
To learn more about National Garbage Man Day, and how you can show your support, go to www.garbagemanday.org. You can also send your celebration ideas and photos to [email protected].
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Listen to EnviroPod, Our New Podcast About Fairfax County's Environment
Released by Fairfax County Government Communications Office
The first EnviroPod features Juan Reyes, assistant director, Department of Public Works and Environmental Services, who discusses water quality, litter, aging infrastructure, and the department's role in creating economic vitality. Listen here.
In the second installment of EnviroPod, Matt Meyers,
chief, Watershed Projects Implementation Branch - North, discusses Green Streets, cutting edge stormwater management best practices to improve water quality. Listen here.
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Manager of Landfill Operations (MOLO) Certification Course
Released by members of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of SWANA
The Manager of Landfill Operations course is a comprehensive primer on the fundamentals of modern landfills. Topics include operations, site design, regulations, health and safety, cost controls and other issues pertinent to planning, operating, and closing landfills.
The Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) is presenting the MOLO course from Monday September 30 to Wednesday October 2, 2019, with the optional certification exam on Thursday October 3. This will take place at the Cecil County (Maryland) Central Landfill, 758 Old Philadelphia Road, Elkton, Maryland 21921.
Details on pricing and a registration form will be on the SWANA Chapter's website
www.swana-midatl.org.
For more information on the MOLO course,
Click Here
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Rolling Out APWA's New "Infrastructure Report"
Ken Eyre, Julie Hannah, and Kirstin Runberg-Platt
APWA's national Asset Management Committee issued recently policy guidance (complete
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Asset Management Session at Norfolk WRX. Julie Hannah (standing, facing forward) and Kirstin Runberg-Platt (Standing, facing away facilitating group exercises
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with an example template) for agencies to use. At this year's annual WRX Conference in Norfolk, VA, Chapter leaders rolled out the New APWA "Infrastructure Report", which focused on the national APWA approach. The Chapter's Ad Hoc Asset Management (AM) Committee sponsored this session, where a review was given of the basics of asset management
a
llowing members to begin to see the framework and to be able to use these tools and guidance. Breakout group exercises were used for session attendees where they tested their own practices for comparison with the national APWA Asset Management Committee's guidance.
The approach used in this session by the Chapter's AM Committee showed comparisons between the "top down" asset management approach being advocated by APWA National's and the widely-accepted "bottoms-up" practices. Julie Hannah presented a great summary of the City of Virginia Beach's management of transportation assets, comparing the "top down" and "bottoms-up" features. Group exercises followed Julies' presentation. The group exercises were geared toward getting the participants to address elements of each example and then report how their assessment aligned with the policy and guidance suggestions. The designated group exercises featured transportation, work zone and mobility code compliance, possible annexation, drainage and financing. Each of the three work groups worked together to identify the issues and relate the results to the asset management policy and guidance framework. Session facilitators provided the groups oversight during the group exercise, answering questions and giving direction. Overall, in the wrap-up portion after each group had reported their assessments, there was consensus on the need to continue to inform elected officials of the importance to fund AM activities supporting each sector of public works, ranging from transportation, work zone, code compliance, stormwater, building, facilities, parks, fleet, and financing.
Kirstin Runberg-Platt and Jackie Stephan, City of Newport News, have a feature article on the City of Newport New's asset management program in the most recent issue of the APWA
Reportermagazine. Be sure to check it out, especially the City's new AM app. Kirstin and Jackie also separately presented the City's asset management program at the Norfolk WRX Conference.
The Chapter Ad Hoc AM Committee includes Ken Eyre, Blue Heron Leadership Group LLC, Julie Hannah, City of Virginia Beach, Kirstin Runberg-Platt, City of Newport News, Matt Stolte, Town of Blacksburg, Michael Johnson, City of Gaithersburg, and Tom Nicholas, City of Virginia Beach.
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2019 Roanoke Regional Equipment Rodeo Results
Nell Boyle, LEED AP BD+C, Sustainability Coordinator for the City of Roanoke
The Roanoke Regional Public Works Academy hosted the annual Roanoke Regional
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Rodeo participant takes the challenge of speed and accuracy with the Street Sweeper.
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Equipment Rodeo on April 10, 2019. The event was held at the Berglund Center and had 90 participants. 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, the Bedford Regional 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!
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First Place |
Second Place |
Third Place |
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Sideloader
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David Howell, City of Roanoke
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Chuck Lawhorn, Roanoke County
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WC Nimmo, Roanoke County
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Rearloader
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Jason Hoke & Chad Clements, City of Salem
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Matthew Hurst & Drew Edwards, City of Salem |
Greg Hash & David Twigg, City of Roanoke |
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Street Sweeper
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Dan Greene, City of Roanoke
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Clay Harlow, City of Roanoke
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Derek McAlister, City of Roanoke
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Knuckleboom
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Sam Martin, Roanoke Blacksburg Regional Airport
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Devin Bledsoe, City of Roanoke
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Steve Dalton, Town of Christiansburg
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Zero Turn Mower
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Doug Huff, Town of Blacksburg
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William Beard, City of Salem
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TJ Sheppard, Town of Blacksburg
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Mini Excavator
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Donnie Rowan, Western Virginia Water Authority
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Ryan Thrasher, Western Virginia Water Authority
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Kenny Sledd, Town of Vinton
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Front End Loader
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Sam Martin, Roanoke Blacksburg Regional Airport
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Taft Beasley, Western Virginia Water Authority
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Dale Lee, Town of Christiansburg
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Backhoe
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Donnie Rowan, Western Virginia Water Authority
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Gary Walker, City of Roanoke
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Sam Martin, Roanoke Blacksburg Regional Airport
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Snow Plow
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Zachery Barton, City of Salem
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James Price, Town of Blacksburg
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Marty Kessinger, City of Salem
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Executive Challenge - Mini Excavator
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Gary Robertson, Western Virginia Water Authority
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Fairfax County's Second Sustainability Project to Use Recycled Glass Underway
Released by Fairfax County Government Communications Office
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Contractors spread crushed glass before a stormwater pipe is placed.
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The Department of Public Works and Environmental Services is using 1,600 cubic feet of crushed glass to support drainage pipes in an upgraded stormwater basin at Lower Potomac Park in Lorton. During rainstorms the reconstructed basin will capture sediment and excess nutrients in runoff from the surrounding 33 acres. This is our second sustainability project to use glass collected from the purple glass-only recycling containers, but the first time that crushed glass is being used in a stormwater project.
When completed, the Lower Potomac Park basin project will provide vegetated wetlands, an extended flow path, 18-inch-deep micro pools, a maintenance forebay, a principal spillway structure to meet current design standards, pervious maintenance access roads, and new storm drainage infrastructure. The project will remove 17 lbs./yr. of phosphorous, 86 lbs./yr. of nitrogen, and 10,547 lbs./yr. of suspended solids from stormwater runoff to Pohick Creek, greatly improving water quality.
The glass will be used as bedding and backfill for 250 linear feet of the new storm drainage infrastructure. The glass used in the project is collected in purple glass-only containers located at recycling drop-off centers around the region. The glass is crushed and stockpiled at the I-95 landfill complex. Using crushed glass reduces the need for crushed stone, which is a limited material that is resource intensive to mine, manufacturer and haul to the jobsite.
The project team is using this opportunity to build familiarity with the use of glass and the process for obtaining and transporting it. "The evidence suggests that as the use of crushed glass increases the fiscal savings and environmental benefits will be significant," said project manager Scott Bishop.
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Public Works Trailblazers; Diversity in Action
Nell Boyle LED AP BD+C, Sustainability Coordinator, City of Roanoke
The 2019 APWA Mid-Atlantic Chapter Conference was the perfect place to conduct a panel discussion around one of the most challenging topics of the times, diversity in the workplace. Public Works can be a leader in the arena, with opportunities for advancement from within the ranks. Three trailblazing leaders from the APWA Mid-Atlantic Chapter discussed the path to success, the obstacles they encountered and the accomplishments they achieved. All of these factors help to shape the future for other minority employees in Public Works.
The Director's Diversity Roundtable invited three guests to share the stories of their
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Rudy Chow, Bobby Vincent, and Gaynelle Hart discuss the changing face of Public Works |
personal path to the Directorship. The panel included Gaynelle Hart, City of Lynchburg; Bobby Vincent, City of Richmond; and Rudy Chow, Baltimore City. All three of the guests achieved their Directorship as a minority employee in a white male dominated field. Nell Boyle, the Sustainability Coordinator for the City of Roanoke, was the moderator of the event.
Each journey is unique, as is each story. Rudy Chow is a civil engineer that pursued his masters in environmental and water engineering. Rudy worked in the water utility before finding his way to Public Works. Rudy is an Asian American and therefore he represents a minority in his department. Landing in Public Works was a surprise to Rudy but he enjoyed the work and navigated the challenges and obstacles he encountered. He has also celebrated many successes and feels good about his career and the future direction of the industry. He is optimistic about the opportunities for young people rising in the ranks, as Public Works grows and changes with the time. "The culture is changing around Public Works, the behind the scenes dedication and hard work of these employees is starting to be recognized, telling our story is the key".
Bobby Vincent, an African American, worked hard to maintain a professional demeanor early in his career. He earned his mechanical engineering degree from Virginia State University. He was fortunate to have caring individuals help guide him along the way. Bobby was determined to be in management and he made sure he had the skills and capabilities to do the job. He is excited about the current focus on the importance of infrastructure, both nationally and on the local level. "People are beginning to appreciate smooth roads. If you give Public Works a million dollars and just watch and see what we can get done, new roads, new sidewalks!...In our industry there is nothing sexier than a freshly marked pavement!" Bobby Vincent is clearly passionate about his work.
As a woman in a man's world Gaynelle Hart has been serving the City of Lynchburg for over thirty years. Gaynelle studied Horticulture at Virginia Tech and she began her career with the city as a Maintenance Crew Leader. After a few years she went on to get her Masters of Business Administration from Lynchburg College. As she rose through the organization, she served as the interim Director twice before being hired. The first time another person was hired as the Director. The second time the position was vacant, once again, Gaynelle was appointed as the interim Director. However, this time she gained the attention and respect of senior management and was finally awarded the position. Gaynelle's attitude and dedication to hard work was recognized. She sees her role as providing a "safe place to work and learn, to build folks up"and help them to develop the skills that they need to move forward in the department.
As experts in their field, the panelists shared some thoughts in closing. Everyone agreed about the importance of building the bench in the community. They recognize the need to actively pursue the next generation of employees by reaching out to young people in high schools and community programs. There is tremendous value to strengthen networks, educating the elected officials and the community about the services provided by the "unsung heroes" of Public Works. Shining the light on the important and rewarding service they perform for the community each day.
The audience enjoyed the fresh and candid dialogue of these experienced professionals whose leadership is cultivating a new generation of Public Works employees, where everyone can contribute and grow.
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Utilities Design and Construction Staff Volunteer on Will Bunn Day of Service
Released by Fairfax County Government Communications Office
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Chris Triolo stands in front of a pile of trash collected at Martin Luther King, Jr. Park.
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Staff from Capital Facilities' Utility Design and Construction Division participated in the third annual Will Bunn Day of Service on April 19, 2019. The service day is held to honor the memory of an Environmental Quality Resources, LLC employee who tragically lost his life. EQR and its partners honor Bunn and his passion for environmental restoration by dedicating a day each year to cleaning up watersheds throughout the Capital Region.
Chris Triolo, David Simpson, and Ken Williams joined EQR and other volunteers from the community at Martin Luther King Jr. Park in the Mount Vernon District to help remove trash and invasive species, plant trees, and help restore the environment that the department works so hard to protect.
"It's wonderful to know we have partners and employees that diligently work together to help clean up our environment," said Carolyn Weber, chief, Stormwater Construction Branch, UDCD.
Triolo said the workday was coordinated with FCPA's Yudhie Brownson to find areas that could use some help.
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