Celebrate Leadership NPPW

APWA’s Top Ten Leaders of 2012 are being celebrated in their home jurisdictions. It is an honor for me to present the award and share the significance of the award with their colleagues and elected officials. These are men and women who are passionate about their career in public works and give back equally to their communities and employees. APWA started this award in 1960 so there are now 520 individuals that personify excellence in serving the public interested through outstanding performance in the field of public works. Our membership is over 28,000 and growing so just think – 10 out of 28,000 is 0.4% of our membership and a much smaller percentage of the total public works population.
The purpose of the award is to inspire excellence and dedication in public service by recognizing the outstanding achievements of public works professionals. Just think of the number of PW professionals that you know that fit this description, yet only 10 will be recognized nationally by APWA.
That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t recognize your public works leaders. Many chapters recognize their leaders. Check out this you tube video from a famous public works son!

Celebrate Awareness -NPPW

Part of my “job” as president is to increase awareness of public works. So last week I was interviewed by thirteen radio stations or services. The idea was to talk about our celebration of National Public Works Week and to answer their questions about public works. Information was provided to them in advance about APWA and public works. I was prepped in advance, educated on the brevity of radio news and warned that I could be asked questions from left field.
The first interview was with the Associated Press. The interviewer opened up with a statement about the collapse of the bridge in Minneapolis a number of years ago. Since then, the economy has taken a tumble. I was worried about the path I was being led down. Pulling it back to where I wanted it to go, we do have an aging infrastructure and public works is constantly out there inspecting our systems to avoid catastrophic failures. Fortunately, the interviews got better and I got better interview after interview.
Most all the interviewers asked about our aging infrastructure and what were we doing about it. I got to brag about our public works professionals from all across North America who work 24/7 with available resources and plan, build, maintain and operate our infrastructure systems. It is all about the quality of life for our citizens.

We all have a responsibility to increase awareness about Public Works.  There isn’t a better week than National Public Works Week. I am celebrating in Springfield, MO, Kansas City and Baltimore.  What are you doing?
If you heard me on the radio, let me know!

On the Road again…

last week, I got to spend the day with my Mid-Atlantic Chapter (first day of the new name!) friends at their annual conference. My APWA career started here and being here reminds me of the value of these friendships. My good friend, Chuck Henley, took the helm as Chapter President today and I am sure he will lead this chapter to new levels.
As with all volunteer associations, the success is contingent on the time commitment of its volunteers. Everywhere I go, there are so many public works professionals giving so much time. I sat through great educational sessions on stormwater and sustainability. There is no better way to learn than from the experiences of each other. At lunch, I sat with Bob and Dana from Herndon, VA who are just embarking on their accreditation self assessment and I introduced them to fellow members from two different municipalities who have gone through the process. They now have a resource to call when they need help.
We talked about our new member benefits rolling out on July 1. I believe, overwhelmingly, our Mid-Atlantic members are excited about the availability of more educational opportunities. They are excited about accessing training and education when they have the time and without the onetime download cost.
As the current President and #1 advocate for APWA, my job is really easy. There is so much good stuff going on in APWA at all levels that it is great to be a member.

Snow Fighting in May?

I have had the privilege of spending time this week with snow fighters from across the world, sharing knowledge at the 2012 APWA North American Snow Conference. I thought I would share an excerpt from my remarks to this great group of public works professionals.

“I want to ask you… how was your winter of 2011-2012? I’m going to guess that most of us would say it was a mild winter, or an easy winter, or even “The Winter That Wasn’t.” But remember, when it’s easy for you, someone else is often suffering. While much of the US and Canada saw a mild winter, other places had a different experience. It was a very cold and snowy winter in parts of Alaska and Europe, with snowfall and temperature records shattered. And remember Snowtober, the deadly storm that barreled up the East Coast just before Halloween, burying towns in snow, taking down trees, and leaving more than 3 million customers without power? Just this past week, the same area saw a freak Spring snow storm too, and again the trees and power lines came down. Over the past couple of years, haven’t we all heard newscasters and politicians using words like Snowmagedden and Snowpocolypse and Snozilla?

It seems there’s no such thing as a “normal winter” anymore. Snowfighters must be prepared for anything. You have to keep looking at the big picture and keep planning for the unknown.”

I have heard challenges such as what to do with the extras salt supplies, how do you keep the attention of your elected officials in budgeting for next year when you have had an “easy” year. What is your biggest winter maintenance challenge and, if you aren’t in Milwaukee, don’t you wish you could be here to talk to your fellow public works professionals? Next year – Charlotte, NC !

Finding Good Partners

APWA has a number of good partners, collaborating together to spread the public works message. This week, I had the honor of signing a partnership agreement with the Federal Highway Administration along with Victor Mendez, FHWA Administrator. We agree “to promote greater coordination of efforts to improve the Nation’s infrastructure by providing a quality, cost-effective and safe transportation system for our customers”. Administrator Mendez spent a few minutes talking to members of the Transportation Technical Committee about his vision about project delivery, performance management and safety. He shared his challenge to work with the regulations, versus changing the law, based on a concept of being innovative and practical. This shared vision is getting projects built, thus creating economic opportunities and building needed infrastructure. As with any large organization, culture change doesn’t happen overnight but he is committed to making the change.
Performance Management is important to him as it is with all of us. FHWA is committed to improving the performance of the highway systems and is working on the metrics, using data, to determine performance measurement.
The creation of the Every Day Counts initiative by this administration focuses on improving the delivery of projects. Administrator Mendez understands the economics – investing in the infrastructure and creating jobs. Every day does count. There was some discussion about the buy-in by sister agencies, such as the EPA or US Army Corps of Engineers, who are obviously important since there reviews impact schedules.
Safety is very important to Administrator Mendez. Towards Zero Deaths. FHWA is stressing the need to focus on improving the safety of our facilities. LTAP/TTAP program staff is working with the Centers to increase the use of Roadway Safety Audits (RSA) to identify ways to improve the safety of our roads and highways.
We have lots to do to make an impact and we can certainly make more progress by working together. Thanks to the FHWA for your willingness to be our partner.

Envision the future…..

Last week, I participated in a press conference for the launch of Envision™, the Sustainable Infrastructure Rating System. Envision is a comprehensive tool which provides a first ever holistic, cost effective framework for evaluation and rating the community, environmental, and economic benefits of all types and sizes of infrastructure projects. The tool was developed through a strategic alliance and collaboration of ISI (Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure) and the Zofnass Program for Sustainable Infrastructure at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design. ISI was founded by the three leading public works, engineering, and infrastructure organizations – APWA (Woohoo!), ASCE, and ACEC. “The new sustainable infrastructure rating system will evaluate, grade and give recognition to infrastructure projects that provide progress and contributions for a sustainable future. Its purpose is to foster a necessary and dramatic improvement in the performance and resiliency of physical infrastructure” said ISI Executive Director Bill Bertera (former APWA Executive Director). You can find more information about Envision™ on the ISI website at www.sustainableinfrastructure.org as well as information on how to become a member and the ISI Credential and Training Program. Membership in ISI for government agencies and public utilities is complimentary.
The whole point behind creating these tools is to encourage a different way of thinking as we address our infrastructure challenges. Using evidence from economic research, the full value of infrastructure would be captured and aligned with credits and points across various infrastructure characteristics. Good policy decisions must consider the complete picture since resources to fund infrastructure doesn’t come close to matching the need. As public works professionals, we must use these tools in developing our infrastructure investment strategies based on the limited resources we have. Our communities are becoming savvier and expect us to make good sustainable decisions.
As the conversation about infrastructure investment continues at all levels of government and for all types of infrastructure, I encourage you to check out this video from Chicago. Mayor Rahm Emanuel and former President Bill Clinton announced last month that part of a $7billion plan to overhaul the city’s infrastructure would be funded by the newly formed Chicago Infrastructure Trust, a public private partnership. I hope that their use of these funds to invest in the infrastructure will be done in a sustainable way. Maybe they should try using Envision™?

Thelma and Louise?

Yesterday’s Richmond Times Dispatch had an editorial piece written by Jeff Southard, Executive Vice President of the Virginia Transportation Construction Alliance, entitled Transportation Funding – Inaction takes us closer to the cliff. Our General Assembly is currently negotiating our state budget and once again, all efforts to deal with the funding mechanisms for transportation were left on the table. Apparently the only thing that survived was naming rights for roads and bridges (the editorial actually says “crumbling roads and bridges”) with as estimated revenue of $25 million a year.
He uses the scene from Thelma and Louise when they are sitting in their Thunderbird, 100 yards from the edge of the Grand Canyon with a dozen police officers behind them. They hope the ladies will turn around, do the right thing and face up to the sins of their past. Jeff is asking our legislators to do the same thing – do the right thing, face up and fund transportation. I would say this applies to our legislators in Washington, DC as well. Short term extensions are not the solution.
Are we ready to drive over the cliff?

We Build Arizona

One of the events I attended while visiting Arizona was a networking social with APWA, AGC (Association of General Contractors) and invited state officials. A coalition, called We Build Arizona, has been formed to promote a ballot initiative to create jobs and fund education and infrastructure.  The Arizona legislature has raided $1.5 billion dedicated for highway, road construction and other infrastructure needs.  As with any ballot initiatives, there is always compromise. There are so many funding needs. But success is important and marrying needs to create a program that is a win-win makes sense. Money for education infrastructure and support for teachers together with funding for transportation infrastructure has the potential to be successful when funding for transportation alone might not. I applaud Arizona’s AGC and the members of the Arizona Chapter for their efforts in advocating for infrastructure funding and recognizing the value of relationships among associations as well as with statewide decision makers.

Are there other inititatives in the works?

Outreach in Arizona

It was an APWA week last week! I had the great fortune to spend the time with the Arizona Chapter, Region 7 delegates and the Engineering and Technology (E&T)Technical Committee. What was obvious with all the groups is their commitment to the public works profession!
One discussion at the Region 7 delegates and E&T meeting centered around our need to focus on the business of public works, not just the engineering and technology – although very important. The competition for funds is fierce and we tend to present technical reasons to fund projects and operations but don’t often “sell” projects for social and long-term economic benefits. Dave shared his thoughts – when you drive up upon an accident on a highway, with fire apparatus, police cars and ambulances all around, we feel an emotional support for our colleagues in emergency services. These men and women are helping to save a life. Yet, when we flush the toilet, we don’t feel any emotional attachment to the men and women at the water treatment plant! Without them, the water wouldn’t be flowing. Dave suggested that we need to do a much better job in convincing our councils and citizens that we are a critical service that needs to be funded.
The good news is that many are doing things to reach out and educate our communities so that they do feel the emotional connection and therefore support our programs. Maher shared an outreach Peoria has embarked on – Eye on Public Works. These are 30-minute video programs on a public works topic, with a paid professional interviewing public works professionals. The programs are aired on the community access channel and posted on YouTube with a link on the City’s website. Using the City’s studio, the cost is so reasonable! Peoria PW pays for the time of the program host, costing between $200-300 per program. Take a few minutes to check out an episode. It may inspire you to develop a creative and cost-effective way to influence our decision makers.

International Women’s Day

Even though I have already posted a blog today, I want to recognize the women in our organization on International Women’s Day! Use this link to go to Wikipedia to see the history behind this worldwide celebration. Elizabeth Treadway, APWA President-Elect, joined our members in the Ontario Chapter this week in a day-long event of speakers and camaraderie. I am unaware of any other chapters or branches that have a similar event but it is something to think about for the future.
As the world becomes smaller and APWA continues to look at our global partners to share and learn, understanding foreign cultures is important. This year’s UN theme is “Empower Women – End Hunger and Poverty”. Wouldn’t that be something to celebrate.