The public works department is a multifaceted, ever-evolving municipal department that few fully understand. It is responsible for the planning, construction, operation and maintenance of a city’s infrastructure, including its roads, transportation system, bridges, water, waste disposal, pest control, etc. … Continue reading →
Shawn O’Leary, Norman, Okla., director of public works, joined the team in 2007 and his primary goal was improvement of his department. “I was looking for a tool to help me fix that,” he explained. He had been watching the … Continue reading →
An innovative internship program is working to address gaps in the city of Moline, Ill.’s, public works workforce, and it could serve as a model for other cities looking to address similar issues. Students will soon get real-world experience through … Continue reading →
On Oct.11, 2020, Greensburg, Pa., fire chief Thomas Ball responded to a late-night alarm coming from the community’s public works building on South Urania Avenue. As he drove the three-and-a-half minutes to the garage, Bell wasn’t overly concerned. He expected … Continue reading →
Richard Hardy is a natural leader. After a 33-year military career and six years as the director of public works for the city of Valdosta, Ga., he was named a deputy city manager to the community’s current leader Mark Barber. … Continue reading →
After years of steady growth, the city of Greeley, Colo., decided to place matters of its public works department’s development into someone else’s hands. In May 2020, the Greeley Public Works Department finished its first-ever external analysis, following the human … Continue reading →
Erie, Pa., Public Works employee Pat Fleming hasn’t been running for long, but he knows how to make every stride count. In March, he completed a 50-mile run across the county to raise funds for Erie’s small downtown businesses that … Continue reading →
Finding qualified employees for any job can be difficult, and public works is no exception. With this in mind, Grand Rapids Community College in Grand Rapids, Mich., has teamed up with municipalities and other entities in the surrounding area … Continue reading →
A suburb about 30 miles north of Chicago, Buffalo Grove, Ill., is a relatively young United States village with a population of a little more than 40,000. It was incorporated in 1958. Thus, much of its infrastructure is just over … Continue reading →
As technology rapidly advances and environmental requirements become stricter, cities must constantly work to keep up. With this in mind, public works departments throughout the country are designing and building new facilities that not only boast the latest technology but … Continue reading →
In March, the city of Chattanooga, Tenn., decided to send a public works crew to assist Mt. Juliet with cleanup efforts after it experienced a tornado. But, representatives of Chattanooga had no idea that a little over a month later, … Continue reading →
