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2018-2019
OFFICERS/DIRECTORS
President
Steven J. Yob, P.E.
County Eng/Director PW
Henrico County, Virginia
President-Elect
Don Cole
Vice President
Brown and Caldwell
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Immediate Past-President
Kenneth M. Eyre, P.E.
Senior Associate
Greeley and Hansen, LLC
Alexandria, Virginia
Vice-President
Phillip J. Koetter, P.E.
Operations Management Administrator
Department of Public Works
City of Virginia Beach, 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
Mark Jamison
Transportation Division Manager
City of Roanoke, Virginia
David Bradshaw
Principal
Clark Nexsen
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Harold R. Caples, P.E.
Engineering Manager
Virginia Department of Transportation
Richmond, Virginia
Ed Crockett
Assistant Director Public Works
City of Newport News, Virginia
Sherry B. Earley, P.E.
Assistant Director of Public Works
City of Suffolk, Virginia
Gaynelle L. Hart
Director of Public Works
City of Lynchburg, Virginia
Joe Kroboth, III, P.E., L.S., PWLF
Director, Transp. and Cap. Infrastructure
Loudoun County, Virginia
Kelly Mattingly, LEED-AP, CRM
Director of Public Works
Town of Blacksburg, Virginia
James W. Long, III, P.E., DBIA
Project Manager, Transportation
Rummel, Klepper & Kahl, LLP
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Scott A. Smith, P.E., L.S.
Coastal Resilience Manager
Department of Public Works
City of Norfolk, Virginia
Jennifer Sanford-Caples
Whitman, Requardt & Associates, LLP
Richmond, Virginia
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President's Corner
By Steven J. Yob, P.E., Director of Public Works, and Conner M. Jorgensen
[1], Acting Director of Public Works
As noted in my last column, this has been a challenging year. Excessive rain, changing weather patterns, rising sea levels, hurricanes and many disasters have been topics of intense conversation.
For this President's Corner, I wanted to expand my view for the future while sharing my experience as a seasoned engineer. Logically, I took advantage of the time and conversations I spent with a local high school student. After all, he will be one of the leaders who will soon take on the challenges of the future. Working with him, I discovered this Gen Z'r, is eager to assume his role in shaping our collective future and someone trying to fix some of the sins of the past. We worked together to share a compelling message to our colleagues and fellow stakeholders on this great planet.
We face many challenges. Humankind frequently has not taken the long view. Some of today's challenges are the direct result of ignorance or shortsighted decisions we have made in the past.
Our elected officials have been besieged this year with requests for service. We have risen to the challenge and restored roads, fixed dams, cleaned up debris and unplugged storm water systems. We are feverishly working to replace our aging infrastructure.
Some of our problems today are due to a lack of consideration for our impact on the environment. In some cases, 'you don't know what you don't know' and we did things without knowing the consequences. When we allowed homes in floodplains, we did not provide for adequate drainage or anticipate the resiliency we would need in our construction projects. We did not know then what we know today.
Today, we must face those issues. It costs a lot to retrofit and repair. It is far easier to build with an eye toward what can happen than it is to make a repair later. I recall a commercial for auto repairs that used to say, "you can pay me now or you can pay me later". Later always costs more.
What is the answer?
How do we avoid the mistakes made by the Easter Islanders, for example, who consumed their resources and a thriving society died out? Potential issues and hazards need to be considered, then we need to inform our elected officials and residents of the consequences of some of our actions.
Only through fully thought out and informed decisions can we plan for our future. The problem is not in fixing problems when they occur, but eliminating mistakes that cause those problems. I encourage you to read about W. Edwards Deming who based a career on this subject. I offer this quote from him:
"It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory."
So, what to do?
It is always easier just to patch a problem than to get to the root of it. History has shown us that patches tend to lead to more problems later, often far worse than the original concern. For example, the Chernobyl incident in 1986 was completely preventable. The incident occurred from applying minor solutions to some major problems at the plant. Without taking the right steps, there was great loss of life and massive amount of resources spent trying to clean it up. Clean up continues to this day.
Most problems we face here are not as severe as Chernobyl, but the lesson is the same. It is always better to face problems sooner rather than later.
Another serious problem in our nation is flood plains, which can leave people at risk. Consideration of flood plains should not be put off in the hope that something bad will not happen. This year has shown us it happens. Problems should not be given the cheapest fix that may work for a few years but could require another fix in the future. While it might be tough to pay the extra money now, a long-term, well-conceived fix will help reduce the chance it will be a concern again in the future.
That we have not already taken these measures most likely comes down to not having enough money to put changes into place. While it may be true that there isn't much money to correct these issues, it will be far less expensive to fix things now than it will be for future generations that have to face a crisis and deal with all its ramifications. We take these steps not for ourselves, but for those who come after us.
From two of your fellow stakeholders in this great nation, a Gen Z'r and an experienced engineer, let us all have the courage to consider how our actions can effect those who have yet to have their turn. Let us all agree today to do our jobs for the benefit of our future leaders. We can do great things. Let us all rise to that challenge.
[1] Senior at Glen Allen High School participant in the 62nd Annual Henrico County Student Government day
Steven J. Yob
Chapter President
APWA Mid-Atlantic Chapter
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Re-Imagined Annual Conference
Announcing our Keynote Speaker
- Rear Admiral, Ann C. Phillips, US Navy (Retired). Ann is the Special Assistant to the Governor for Coastal Adaptation and Protection for the State of Virginia. Prior to joining the administration, she worked to address sea level rise and climate impact on national security at the regional, national and international level, and chaired the Infrastructure Working Group for the Old Dominion University.
- The conference will be held in beautiful downtown Norfolk, VA at Hilton Norfolk The Main hotel (book your discounted room here)
- The opening reception will be held a day earlier, on Wednesday. It will be held
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Look for this guy at the Conference!
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on board the historic USS Battleship Wisconsin! Guests are encouraged to wear all-white clothing (yes, you can wear white before Memorial Day!). Enjoy great food and a special conference cocktail while listening to live music from the Latin Jazz Conspiracy! Space is limited so register for the conference now!
- On Thursday night, "Brew Night" will be happening in the exhibit hall. Enjoy featured local craft beers and hors d'oeuvres while mingling with exhibitors and other conference attendees.
- Check out our new WRX of Art Gallery, also in the exhibit hall. Walk through the gallery to check out unique items found and contributed by chapter Public Works agencies and vote for your favorite. Contact Karen Rudd to submit your "art." Watch local artist Larry Bage sculpt live the APWA logo from recycled metal and other materials supplied by Norfolk Public Works in the gallery during exhibit hours.
- Cruise along the Elizabeth River on the new Bike Tour, being offered just for conference attendees! Enjoy the gorgeous views of downtown Norfolk while riding along the new Elizabeth River Trail. The best part? A pit stop at Smartmouth Brewing Company.
- Take a stroll on the new Walking Tour and explore the downtown seawall and pump station that help keep Norfolk a resilient city.
Resiliency
is this year's conference theme and we will focus on all the things we do as Public Works professionals to keep our communities resilient. Some of the best Public Works professionals in the Mid-Atlantic will be presenting in our Technical Session! Although we advanced the due date of abstracts this year, we received a record number of high-quality presentations, which have undergone a rigorous peer review process. If you are a professional requiring continuing education, your attendance at the conference will allow you to complete most (if not all) of your CEUs!
 The
ROADEO
will be held at Harbor Park, home of the Tides, Norfolk's minor league baseball team. Watch skilled operators compete in street sweepers, backhoes, loaders, and more. Part of the ROADEO will be a Touch-a-Truck event, where Norfolk Public School students will learn about the equipment that helps maintain the city they live in!
Tee up at the Golf Tournament on Wednesday! It will be held at Sewell's Point Golf Course, designated a Virginia historical site, having been established in 1927.
The conference planning committee has worked hard to bring more value to our exhibitors and sponsors. Without you, we couldn't have a conference! The exhibit hall has been reworked, with more activities inside the hall to encourage foot traffic. We have also simplified our sponsorship program and included added benefits. Links to registering as an exhibitor and sponsor are available at the conference web page. Sponsorships and exhibit space are limited, so register your booth today!
Conference Schedule Overview
A detailed conference schedule will be included in our soon to be released conference planner.
Wednesday, May 15, 2019
9:00 am-4:00 pm - ROADEO at Harbor Park
9:00 am-3:00 pm - Golf Tournament Begins
10:00 am-3:00 pm - Exhibitor Set-Up
3:00 pm-6:00 pm - Exhibit Hall Open/WRX of Art Voting
10:00 am-2:00 pm - Workshops at Slover Library
3:00 pm-5:00 pm - Seawall and Pump Station Tour
3:00 pm-5:00 pm - Bike Tour
6:00 pm-9:00 pm - USS Wisconsin Reception
Thursday, May 16, 2019
8:00 am-10:00 am - Breakfast in the Main Ballroom
8:00 am-7:00 pm - Exhibit Hall Open
8:30 am-11:50 am - Chapter Meeting/General Session Welcome in
Paul D. Fraim Center
11:30 am-12:30 pm - Lunch in the Main Ballroom
8:00 am-3:00 pm - WRX of Art Voting
12:30 pm-2:20 pm - Technical Sessions Pt. 1
3:00 pm-5:00 pm - Technical Sessions Pt. 2
5:00 pm-7:00 pm - Brew Night in the Exhibit Hall
Friday, May 17, 2019
8:00 am-10:00 am - Breakfast in the Main Ballroom
8:00 am-10:00 am - Exhibit Hall Open
8:00 am-9:50 am - Technical Sessions Pt. 1
10:00 am-12:00 pm - Technical Sessions Pt. 2
12:00 pm-12:30 pm - Closing Session in the Paul D. Fraim Center
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Urban Forester Grows Love of Trees at Fairfax County Elementary School
Released by Fairfax County Government Communications Office
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Hugh Whitehead helps students plant native trees.
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Students, teachers, urban foresters and other volunteers planted ten native trees at Fairfax County's Mantua Elementary School in early November.
"I found it magical to have ten, tall, beautiful, native trees in the play yard at the end of the day where before there had been none," said Michele Sullivan, fifth grade teacher, Fairfax County Public Schools. "As a teacher, it was fun to watch the kids planting, learning and enjoying the great outdoors," she said. "It would be valuable and interesting for students to express what it meant to them to participate in a tree planting through visual or language arts, or data collection to track the growth of the different tree species, or start a photographic record of the trees' growth. There are so many ways the trees can be a continuing contributor to the students' education," Sullivan said.
Hugh Whitehead, an urban forester with Fairfax County, selected the trees and led the digging and planting. A grant from the county's Tree Preservation and Planting Fund allowed Whitehead to purchase larger stock trees, including three river birch, two black gum, two white oak, one willow oak and two American elms that are resistant to Dutch elm disease. He helped students plant a half-acre of seedlings last May.
The planting event at Mantua Elementary School is one of many in which subject matter experts from the Department of Public Works and Environmental Services partner with Fairfax County Public Schools to offer experiential learning opportunities to students in grade and high schools.
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Changes Ahead for Recycling Markets
By Keith Walker, Prince William County Communications Office
Significant changes in international recycling markets are trickling down to Prince William County. Countries that once bought material for recycling have tightened their rules and regulations, and those changes are starting to be felt locally.
The first major impact on the recycling industry was in 2017 when China, the largest market that accepted recycled products from the United States, imposed restrictions on plastic and paper waste, specifically excluding glass which contaminates the plastic and paper. China's actions prompted other countries to change their requirements, as well.
As a result of the changes, recycling processing plants are having to find other buyers for the recyclable materials, and recycling processes have slowed due to the higher quality standards, according to Tom Smith, the director of Prince William Public Works Solid Waste Division.
Glass that comes through single-stream, curbside recycling is often unusable since it breaks as it moves through the recycling process. Since there are no facilities in the region to clean and process glass, much of it ends up in the landfill. Glass shards can contaminate other recyclable materials and make them less valuable, said Smith. "When you mix it in with all of the other products, it's very difficult to separate. That's the issue."
As trash and recycling companies throughout the region make plans to halt the curbside collection of glass, the county's solid waste division is looking at alternatives for recycling glass, Smith said. The division is working on a plan to eliminate glass from curbside collection. That plan includes having separate bins for glass at the landfill and Balls Ford Road compost facility and taking that glass to a local glass crushing facility to eventually be used in construction projects.
Solid waste division staff are also working with local recycling processers to evaluate short- and long-term market projections to determine what materials can and should be recycled in Prince William County, considering the markets, overall costs to process material, environmental benefits and Virginia regulations.
In order to make changes, a change in the County Code might be required, Smith said. "It's in the code that we require recycling of specific items. So, we're looking at maybe revising that list, particularly removing glass. We're reviewing our options and will present them to the Prince William Board of County Supervisors in March," said Smith.
Once plans are approved, a new list of required recyclables will be widely disseminated throughout the county, Smith said.
Many surrounding jurisdictions are struggling with similar recycling challenges. The Prince William County Public Works Department is actively in discussions with its regional counterparts, along with private trash and recycling companies to try and find ways to manage issues impacting recycling programs throughout the region.
The department is also working with the private trash and recycling companies to try and find solutions to address the deteriorating recycling market and the rising costs haulers pay to process recyclable materials.
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Fairfax County Staff Tour Completed Stormwater Projects
Released by Fairfax County Government Communications Office
Staff from Fairfax County's Department of Public Works and Environmental Services
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Dwayne Bowman examines a restored stream on a completed projects tour. |
toured completed stormwater management projects on a crisp fall morning last October. The group included engineers, landscape architects, ecologists, environmental techs, and native plant experts.
Six projects were visited, at which project managers discussed the science and construction of various stormwater management features. Conversations revolved around stream restoration, outfall improvements, flow reduction, floodplains, natural channel design, native plantings, erosion control, stone selection and placement, improved habitat, improved water quality, construction challenges, and working with residents and contractors.
Dwayne Bowman, engineering technician III, Stormwater Planning, coordinated the tour. He said, "The purpose of these tours is to reflect on the pros and cons of each development. By doing so, this helps others plan and prepare for their future projects, by pointing out challenges that each manager faced through construction and design. These discussions allow all of our project managers an opportunity to not only see a facility working and in place."
DPWES Assistant Director Juan Reyes joined the tour for the morning stops. "What I saw was an outdoor classroom where staff shared their experiences, and asked insightful questions to reinforce their understanding about the various projects in a great learning environment, at the completed project sites," he said. "And just as important, I saw firsthand the meaningful work being done to restore stormwater management facilities and receiving streams and the resulting improvements in water quality and ecological health of highly urbanized areas in our county."
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Chapter's
Emergency Management Practices in Hampton Roads Lunch-n-Learn
Co-hosted by APWA and ASCE
April 16, 2019, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
(Registration opens at 11:30)
Holiday Inn at City Center
980 Omni Road
Newport News, Virginia
Complimentary Parking at Hotel
$25.00 for APWA and ASCE Members
$30 for Non-Members
This fee includes lunch & refreshment.
*** 1 PDH Awarded ***
Registration Deadline ~ April 10, 2019
Be sure to choose vegetarian or gluten free when registering.
$25 Members, $30 Non-members
Program Topics & Speakers
Bruce Sterling
Virginia Department of Emergency Management Region 5 Coordinator
"Planning, Practice and Preparedness for Evacuation Procedures"
Q&A PANEL WITH EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT REPRESENTATIVES
Hui-Shan Walker, Hampton EM Coordinator
George Glazner,
Newport News Deputy EM Coordinator
Steve Kopcynski, York County Fire Chief/EM Coordinator
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New Map App Explains Fairfax County Government Center Stormwater Management Facilities
Released by Fairfax County Government Communications Office
A new interactive GIS story map guides Fairfax County residents along a walking tour of stormwater management facilities located at the county's government center campus in Fairfax, Va. The tour describes ponds, a native meadow, a restored stream, bioretention areas, swales, green roofs, and permeable pavers. Anyone enjoying the trails can learn how the overlooked facilities collect runoff to control flooding, encourage detention and infiltration, and improve water quality.
The GIS story map was created for the Chesapeake Bay Commission, which met in Fairfax County last summer. The Commission is a policy leader in the restoration of Chesapeake Bay and serves as a liaison to Congress.
The map can be viewed on smartphones or desktop computers. There are lots of photos, and the facility descriptions are short and sweet.
Photo: New GIS Map
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This year the APWA Mid-Atlantic Chapter is proud to offer two scholarship opportunities:
$2,000 STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS For 2019-2020 Academic Year:
Application eligibility requirements:
- Enrollment or intent to enroll in a full-time undergraduate or graduate degree program at an accredited college or university in the fall term of 2019
- Minimum GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 basis)
- Member or dependent of a member of the APWA Mid-Atlantic Chapter
$750 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SCHOLARSHIPS for 2019-2020 academic year:
Application eligibility requirements:
- Enrollment or intent to enroll in a part or full-time undergraduate, graduate degree program at an accredited community college, college or university in the fall term of 2019
- Member of the APWA Mid-Atlantic Chapter
Preference will be given to those pursuing coursework affiliated with the support of Public Works agencies (i.e., Engineering, Architecture, Interior Design, Construction Management, Graphic Arts, Business, Public Administration, Finance, etc.).
Completed application and transcripts must be emailed and received no later than March 31, 2019. Incomplete and/or unsigned applications will not be considered.
The application is a fillable PDF. Applicants must download and save the PDF in order to fill in the application information.
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Outreach Staff Take Septic System Maintenance Message to the People
Released by Fairfax County Government Communications Office
Staff from Fairfax County's Department of Public Works and Environmental Services joined forces with the Health Department to educate Clifton, Va., residents about the proper preventive maintenance for septic systems. With the majority of homes in the Clifton area on septic systems, the town's annual celebration was an opportunity to educate residents on being good stewards of the environment.
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Registration is open for the American Public Works Association's (APWA) WRX conference! The 2019 conference will be held in Norfolk, VA, May 14-17. The technical program, focusing on resiliency, promises to feature a diverse range of presentations covering the latest solutions to some of the toughest challenges facing public works professionals.
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