TIRED OF
Local Option:
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OGS MINI BID CONTRACT PC68946
National Option: SOURCEWELL CONTRACT #060920-NVS
Volume 49, Number 536, May 2025
INSIDE
Highway Superintendent Matt Mustico and the Town of Elmira..........................................................9 Lots of news, products and services throughout!
NEW YORK STATE STAFF
President/Publisher Edwin M. McKeon Jr.
Editor In Chief Craig Mongeau
Sales Manager Kent Hogeboom
Production Mgr. John Pinkerton
Controller Judith Nixon
Circulation Mgr. Cathy Printz
Sales/Admin. Asst. Deby Hogeboom
Trade Show Manager Amanda Hogeboom-Guilfoyle
Consultant Bob Buckley
Shoemaker Road
NY 13407 Phone 315/866-1423 E-Mail - khogeboom@cegltd.com
PRODUCERS OF THE ANNUAL NEW YORK STATE HIGHWAY & PUBLIC WORKS EXPO
Amanda Hogeboom-Guilfoyle: General Manager of the NYS Highway & Public Works Show 518-396-7659 email: aguilfoyle@cegltd.com OCTOBER TBD 2025 • SYRACUSE, NEW YORK
Mailed 11 times a year by name, to every Town, County, Village and City Highway Superintendent, Public Works Director and D.O.T. official in NY State.
Subscriptions are available to all interested persons at a cost of $25.00 per year within the USA. To subscribe, send your check, voucher or money order for $25.00 to the address above. Single issues $3.00 each With the exception of Highway Superintendents, Public Works Directors & D.O.T. Officials, material may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher.
For the past several decades, there’s been no question that attracting young people to traditionally blue collar jobs has been extremely challenging, particularly technicians. Going to college is fine, but often, it seems the decision to attend is based on a fear that if you don’t go to college, you’ll never have a well-paying job. Perception truly is reality, though, even if that viewpoint is ultimately wrong. Changing this perception is key to addressing this problem and the AED Foundation has been ramping up efforts to get young talent in the pipeline.
While college debt looms large for many, the AED Foundation’s Vision 2025 initiative is quietly building something transformative — one technician at a time. The Associated Equipment Distributors (AED) launched the program in 2020, which aims to make careers in equipment technology more appealing to young people and build a flow of skilled workers for the heavy equipment industry.
But growing the next generation of qualified technicians means changing perceptions about what a career in this field looks like and that starts with a grass roots effort. With support from dealers and manufacturers, Vision 2025 is working to hit ambitious benchmarks by 2027— 120 accredited college programs, 200 recognized high schools, 10,000 new technicians and 5,000 certified techs through the Foundation’s program. You need to reach the kids when they’re young and still trying to figure out what they want to do; you also have to reach the parents and guidance counselors.
AED Foundation’s path includes on-the-job training, no student debt and earning potential, according to AED. And while the industry has long struggled to attract young talent, Vision 2025 is making headway — nearly 6,000 technicians have entered the workforce through its efforts so far.
From high school outreach and internships to equipment demos and mock interviews, Vision 2025 is sparking interest where it counts and we need more of this type of work across the country from other organizations, as well. And not just with equipment technicians, but also other trades including plumbers, electricians, HVAC, landscapers and more. Things break and AI isn’t going to physically fix it. You need a human for that, and we need a lot of them. P
Craig Mongeau
www.superintendentsprofile.com • May 2025
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THE POWER OF
FOA M
Winter r Challenges
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road maintenance
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HBy Ruksana Hussain PROFILE CORRESPONDENT
Highway Superintendent Matt Mustico and the Town of Elmira
Elmira in Chemung County, this year is one for the books — 2025 marks more than 25 years he has worked at the town’s highway department, starting there as equipment operator in 1999 and being promoted to superintendent by the town supervisor in 2003. This year, he also is president of the New York State Association of Town Superintendents of Highways.
His tenure as superintendent has been dotted with both milestones and challenges, and he has learned over the years to take everything in stride.
“A week after I was here (as superintendent), we had some bad flooding — five inches of rain in two hours, so FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) got involved,” said Matt, who was born in Elmira and raised in Horseheads, calling the area home for more than 50 years. “That was probably my worst nightmare, but I got through it. There were enough superintendents around that I got advice from, so it all worked out.”
That same can-do attitude and practical outlook witnessed Matt, and his team, overcome another major hurdle in 2012.
“We had a localized tornado, and I normally have seven or eight employees but for that whole week, I had 70,” he said. “I called up all these municipalities I know; I had 30 trucks and five excavators come and help me that week to clean up the mess. I called up my supervisor and said we’re going to feed them every day. To get all that cleaned up in a week was quite an accomplishment, and it didn’t cost the town anything.”
But working so closely with other members of the highways departments as well as his own team every day comes with its personal lows, too.
In 2012, Matt and his crew experienced an unexpected blow when their 21-year-old staff member Mike Shaline passed away from a heart procedure, and then again in 2022 with the death of another member of their close-knit team, Gregg Mann.
continued on page 12
Members of the town of Elmira highway department (L-R) include Corey Ripley, equipment operator; Steve Draht, equipment operator; Rob Congdon, equipment operator; Matt Davis, deputy superintendent; and Chad McDonald, equipment operator.
from page 9
At the Office
Together, Matt and his crew of seven serve the 7,200 residents of the municipality. On staff are Deputy Highway Superintendent Matt Davis and equipment operators Steve Draht, Rob Congdon, Jim Watts, Corey Ripley, Chad McDonald and Jim Wagner. There are no part-time or seasonal/contract crew involved. Work shifts are 7 a.m.-3.30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Matt works with a total budget of $1.2 million, and the CHIPS allotment is $239,000. The municipality engineering firm is Hunt, and the highway department is currently in the planning stages with them on a much-needed drainage project.
The highway department facilities include two garages and two salt barns. The original garage was built in the 1950s and then the salt barn was added in 2003. Undercover capacity for salt storage is 3,500 tons. In 2003, a new facility with a salt barn was built on the other side of town.
Equipment and trucks in the fleet, none leased, include: continued on page 18
Highway Superintendent Matt Mustico meets up with Buffalo Bills legend, Thurman Thomas at a recent trade show.
5985 Court Street Syracuse, NY 1320 (315) 437-2611
17 Northway Lane Latham, NY 12110 (518) 220-9500 Road
from page 12
• 2016 930M Cat loader
• 2013 International 10-wheeler
• 2011 International 10-wheeler
• 2006 GMC six wheel
• 2021 Mack six wheel
• John Deere 570 grader
• Dodge 5500 with plow
• 580 Case backhoe
• 2022 Volvo 50 mini-excavator
• 2023 F150
• 2021 Volvo 70 loader
Matt would like to update the equipment range with plow trucks, a street sweeper and a roadside mower. The highway department also shares the cost of a bucket truck with the village of Horseheads. All preventive maintenance for equipment is done in the winter months.
Portable communications used by crew are two-way radios and cellphones. Computers are used for e-mails and the highway department communicates with the residents of the municipality via the town website where updates and announcements are posted.
continued on page 24
Seen here are the basketball courts the department built in fall of 2024.
The town of Elmira highway department constructed two new basketball courts at a park in town.
A local attraction in the area includes Mark Twain’s Summer House, where the author is said to have penned some of his books.
from page 18
The town of Elmira highway department is responsible for one bridge and 90 lane miles of town roads, of which two are gravel. There are five plowing routes, and a normal full loop of all routes takes 3.5 hours. The department does not have any additional responsibilities such as water, sewer, parks, etc., or toward a wastewater treatment plant.
On the Field
All through his tenure as superintendent, Matt has observed the impacts of technology and a dwindling labor force.
“What’s changed is a lot of newer technology in the equipment,” he said. “The workforce has changed, too. It’s harder to get people. When I first got in here, you had to know somebody to get a job at a municipality. And now you’ve got to beg somebody to come here to work. But I’m lucky enough that most of my guys are seasoned employees and have been here longer than I have.”
continued on page 30
NEW in 2025
Electric Single Auger for 550 & 1-Ton
REBUILDS
from page 24
Matt’s previous work experiences in construction as equipment operator and truck driver and buyer at Sysco Foods proved helpful to his role during his early days as superintendent. Learning to work well within a budget and stretch finances far were skills acquired on the job. Since then, he has powered through several projects for the town and now has a drainage project on Fassett Road in the works he plans to see complet-
ed soon.
“It’s a drainage project that’s been in the works for 25 years,” he said. “The town of Elmira is at a higher elevation than the city. In this section of town, all our water drains into a small drainage system that was really under sized at the time, but it was before they built all the houses. Now they finally have money to expand it.
continued on page 40
Crews completed a micro pavement project in town in 2024.
The crew digs out soft spots before paving.
from page 30
“We’re going to start our section this spring,” he added. “It’s two sections because many of the projects in this city, they’re having a contractor do it, but we’re doing our own to save the town money. Ours is a smaller section of it, but we must tie into theirs once theirs is complete. It’s not that big, so maybe a month to complete, weather permitting.”
In the Lead
Matt also dons the hat of president this year with the New York State Association of Town Superintendents of Highways.
The organization provides instruction in highway construction and maintenance to ensure better and safer highways and efficient public
service. It is the largest transportation association in New York State and has more than 1,100 members.
Including the president and four vice presidents, there are 18 members steering the executive committee, and meetings are held quarterly, with a conference in the fall when the new president assumes office. Matt’s first meeting as president was this past October.
As part of his role as president, he was recently at the New York State Legislature Budget Hearing advocating for an additional $250 million for the CHIPS program in the 2025-2026 state budget to address the urgent needs of local town-road repairs as 87 percent of New York’s highways are maintained by local highway departments.
continued on page 48
The department screens millings for upcoming projects.
NYS OGS
from page 40
Matt also will focus on ensuring all members are informed about news across the state and keep the association running smoothly by addressing any questions or concerns in a timely manner.
When at Home
Understandably, there are few times one would find Matt anywhere but at the highway department or out and about town addressing road repairs, plowing and other infrastructure needs.
Time permitting, he volunteers at Horseheads American Legion or indulges in some recreational trap and skeet shooting, a hobby he has pursued for a few years now.
Matt also enjoys visiting his two granddaughters, Madison and Morgan, at Horseheads’ varsity cheerleading competitions.
Matt and his wife, Charlene, have been married 45 years and have two adult sons — Mike, who is married to Stephanie, and Matthew, who is married to Ashley. His oldest works for the town of Big Flats as an equipment operator and lives just four houses away, while his youngest recently retired after 20 years of service in the Navy and lives in Arizona.
continued on page 52
Crews enlarge a creek after multiple flooding events.
MUNICIPAL TRUCKS REFURBISHED FOR SALE
FABTEX OFFERS BUNDLED SERVICES
Available on State Contract
• Welding & Fabrication
• New Truck Bodies
• Swap Bodies
• Refurbishing
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• Truck & Equipment Sand Blasting
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REFURBISHED NEW BUILDS
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DEDICATED MACK 2007MR60010 WHEEL SPREADERS
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2015 MACK LEU 600 SINGLE BIN COLLECTION TRUCKS
• Used Former Municipal Trucks
• Like-new, Working Condition
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• New Paint - Will Paint Your Color
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• Dual steering
• Snow plow (optional)
• 72,000 lb GVW
ON STATE CONTRACT
NO Bidding Needed Call or email for price
About the Town of Elmira
Located in Chemung County, the town of Elmira, surrounded by the city of Elmira on three sides, is considered the entrance to the famed southern Finger Lakes region of New York known for its wineries.
It is located parallel to the Chemung River, offering opportunities for water activities such as fishing, swimming and boating.
The area is known for Pirozzolo Park, a recreational space for the community to gather, as well as the Corning Glass Museum, which is just a short drive away and boasting thousands of objects made from glass as part of its comprehensive collection.
continued on page 58
Seen here is one of the town of Elmira highway department’s two highway barns.
Seen here is just some of the damage in town after a wind storm in summer 2024.
Controlled
DPF, DOC, and EGR Cleaning
Burn Off Oven
Complete removal of paint and grease from your parts and equipment.
Fluid Lines
Hydraulic, including steel, AC and Brake lines
Other Services
Aluminum
from page 52
Other local attractions around the area include Mark Twain’s Summer House, where the author is said to have penned some of his books; Woodlawn Cemetery, where Twain is buried; and the Chemung County Historical Society, which shares the county’s history through a collection of publications, educational programming and interpretive exhibits.
The Arnot Art Museum boasts a grand selection of European and American art in its permanent collection and features temporary exhibitions of global collections as well, all housed in a Greek Revival home that was once the residence of the Arnot family here.
The National Soaring Museum is an aviation museum where the focus is on preserving the history of motorless flight. It is known for its extensive glider collections and offers sailplane rides on-site. P
(All images courtesy of the town of Elmira Highway Department.)
The entrance to the main shop of the town of Elmira highway department.
The entrance to the main shop of the town of Elmira highway department.
Brent & Joan Hacker are announcing their retirement after 51 years.
Hacker's Packers Inc. has merged business with Binghamton Truck Body located at 13 Spud Lane, Binghamton, NY 13904. Binghamton Truck Body will be representing Pak-Mor, Swaploader, Gal Fab, Stellar and all the products we handle. Mike Burr will be in charge of operations. Please contact Mike at 607-693-2064 as the phone number will remain the same.
