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President’s Message
Keeping up with technology
Diane Linderman, P.E., PWLF
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APWA President
ometimes, those of us in the public works profession can take technology for granted. We always want the newest, most efficient, best operating equipment on the market—that new front-end loader that we have called out in our budget, or possibly the vactor truck that we finally convinced our boss to buy. But what about the technology that surrounds our personal and work lives every day and yet goes essentially unnoticed? Have you thought about the advances in communication equipment over just the past ten years? Are you old enough to remember when pagers were the latest and greatest thing on the market? Nowadays they have gone the way of the dinosaurs— nearly extinct.
I am continually amazed at how rapidly communication and media equipment continues to advance and develop. And I’m not sure that we are truly taking advantage of what is readily available to us. People mistakenly think that because we are involved in the operations side of public service, we must be “behind the times” and unable to master all the new options available to us. It is easy to confuse “belt and suspenders” with being technically obsolete. However, I know differently. I have had the pleasure of meeting and talking with some of the most forwardthinking people in our organization. And I know these visionaries are ready, willing and able to utilize all the new technology at their disposal. However, what seems to be happening is that technical advances are occurring faster than we can master them and incorporate them into our work lives. Things seem to be moving at light speed these days so that every time you have a plan to harness the latest technology, you find that it’s been replaced by something newer, faster and better.
We went from walkie-talkies to pagers to cell phones to Blackberries to iPhones to iPads. Remember when 3G was all the rage? And now, we’re up to 4G. A few years ago, everyone thought that “app” referred to a job application. Now there are more apps for our phones than anyone could have ever imagined—apps designed to address every possible specialty and subject around. And yes, there are apps that serve the public works community as well. If you need to convert data, calculate figures, or review information in the world of public works, there is probably an app to meet your needs. We now have cities creating their own apps for citizens to report problems like potholes, burnt-out streetlights, and downed traffic signs. When will this all end?
Hopefully it never will. Despite the challenges associated
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with keeping up with today’s technological advances, I still prefer all these opportunities at my disposal. Society demands that we continue to evolve with the advances in technology and utilize them to the fullest. Our customers were once okay with getting a follow-up call on a complaint a “few” days later. Now in the age of instant communication, texting, and cell phones, people struggle to wait a few minutes for their issues to be resolved. And as our citizenry has evolved in their expectations of instant answers and immediate corrective measures, so must our use and reliance on technology. The best way we can do that is by not trying to be an expert at all the new gadgets and gizmos that come out. Find what appears to be a solution to a situation, master it, and use it. When we stop trying to use all of the latest and greatest items on the market and instead focus on what will really meet our immediate and long-term needs, it all becomes much easier.
When it comes to public works professionals, we’ve all been referred to as a “jack of all trades, master of none” at one time or another. This phrase certainly rings true as we all perform so many different functions under the public works umbrella. But as far as technology is concerned, it actually might be better to just master a few rather than trying to utilize everything at our disposal. Don’t feel pressured to use all of the newest technological advancements—it can become overwhelming. Instead, decide what you need; see what works for you; and use it. That’s when you’ll be of the greatest service to your constituents, your employees, and yourself.
Follow President Linderman’s blog at http://apwapresident.wordpress.com.
Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962), First Lady of the United States (1933-1945); author; speaker; politician; activist for the New Deal coalition
AMERICAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION
Mission Statement: The American Public Works Association serves its members by promoting professional excellence and public awareness through education, advocacy and the exchange of knowledge.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS ADVISORY COUNCIL
PRESIDENT
Diane Linderman, P.E., PWLF Director, Urban Infrastructure and Development Services VHB, Inc. Richmond, VA
PRESIDENT-ELECT
Elizabeth Treadway, PWLF Principal AMEC Environment and Infrastructure Johnson City, TN
PAST PRESIDENT
George Crombie, MPA, PWLF, BCEEM Senior Faculty Member, Public Works Administration Norwich University Northfield, VT
DIRECTOR, REGION I
Rick Stinson, PWLF Director of Public Works Town of Wakefield, MA
DIRECTOR, REGION II
Ed Gottko, P.E., PWLF Town Administrator (retired) Town of Westfield, NJ
DIRECTOR, REGION III
William (Bo) Mills, PWLF Director of Public Services City of Germantown, TN
DIRECTOR, REGION IV
Tommy Brown Superintendent of Fleet Services City of LaGrange, GA
DIRECTOR, REGION V
Linda Petelka, B.Sc., PWLF Manager, Wastewater Program Planning Section The Regional Municipality of Peel, ON
DIRECTOR, REGION VI
Larry Stevens, P.E. Senior Project Manager Howard R. Green Company Johnston, IA
DIRECTOR, REGION VII
Jimmy B. Foster, P.E., PWLF Program Manager Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc. Plano, TX
DIRECTOR, REGION VIII
Ronald J. Calkins, P.E., PWLF Director of Public Works (retired) City of Ventura, CA
DIRECTOR, REGION IX
Doug Drever, P.Eng., FEC Project Director City of Saskatoon, SK
DIRECTOR-AT-LARGE, ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
Patty Hilderbrand, P.E. Program Management & Development Manager City of Kansas City, MO
DIRECTOR-AT-LARGE, ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
Daryl Grigsby Public Works Director City of Pomona, CA
DIRECTOR-AT-LARGE, FLEET & FACILITIES MANAGEMENT
Brian R. Usher, PWLF Director of Public Works City of Largo, FL
DIRECTOR-AT-LARGE, PUBLIC WORKS MGMT./LEADERSHIP
Cora Jackson-Fossett Public Information Director II Public Affairs Office City of Los Angeles, CA
DIRECTOR-AT-LARGE, TRANSPORTATION
Susan M. Hann, P.E., AICP, ICMA-CM City Manager City of Palm Bay, FL
(Past APWA Presidents)
Robert Albee Roger K. Brown George Crombie Nick W. Diakiw Robert C. Esterbrooks Jerry M. Fay Bob Freudenthal Larry W. Frevert Herbert A. Goetsch J. Geoffrey Greenough Ken Haag Erwin F. Hensch Ronald W. Jensen Dwayne Kalynchuk Larry T. Koehle Martin J. Manning James J. McDonough Robert Miller Judith M. Mueller Ronald L. Norris Michael R. Pender Richard L. Ridings John J. Roark Harold E. Smith June Rosentreter Spence Noel C. Thompson Tom Trice William A. Verkest Win Westfall Carl D. Wills
Executive Director
Peter B. King
Executive Director Emeritus
Robert D. Bugher
Editorial Advisory Board
Gordon R. Garner Neil S. Grigg Susan M. Hann Stephen J. O’Neill Kyle E. Schilling
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