• Georgia Breaks Tourism Record for Second Straight Year • “Fixin’ To” Put on a Great PWX in Atlanta, APWA Georgia Leans In
ROADS LEAD TO WHAT’S IMPORTANT.
It’s not just about getting from Point A to Point B. It’s about having the freedom to get out there, live your life, and make memories happen.
At Ergon, we’re proud to deliver the right paving, preservation, and maintenance and solutions designed to keep your road networks safe and strong. Because you have places to go and people to see. Don’t let inferior road conditions get in the way of life’s adventures.
THE SOUTHEAST’S LARGEST & MOST TRUSTED REFUSE DEALER THE SOUTHEAST’S LARGEST & MOST TRUSTED REFUSE DEALER
YOUR GEORGIA SALES TEAM
BIRMINGHAM MOBILE SHELBYVILLE ATLANTA
TACKLE TOUGH REMOVAL JOBS FAST
SMITH SPS10 DCS Scarifier
SMITH's SPS10 DCS High-Production Scarifier is ideal for removing tough pavement markings and leveling trip hazards. The SPS10 DCS builds on the proven capability of the SPS10 by adding SMITH's electronic DCS Depth Control System, which allows operators to precisely control their cut depth with the push of a button.
¡ Ideal for removing markings, trip hazards, and inlay grooving
¡ Remove paths up to 10 inches wide
¡ Electronic DCS Depth Control System for precise cut control
¡ Wide variety of cutters available, including PCD shaving drums
¡ Reliable 13 HP Honda® Gasoline Engine with electric start
QuikCut PCD Shaving Drum
APWA GEORGIA CHAPTER
4915 Chase Lane Cumming, GA 30040 georgia.apwa.org
Q: I want to start out with some of the nuts-and-bolts stuff. How did you get into public works?
A: Probably like everybody else, my boss said we’re going to a meeting. I was at the Town of Hempstead, in the Sanitation Department about a year and a half, and a gentleman named Dick Ronan was my commissioner. He became president of the Long Island Branch of APWA. I actually call him my “Government Father” because, as a young person just starting out in government, he was a great mentor, and I learned so much from him. The meetings were an enjoyable time. We’d go to lunch, we’d meet people. I had the opportunity to learn about our business, and I haven’t stopped.
Q: How did you get into APWA leadership?
A: Working with APWA, someone always says, “Can you do this?” and, in true public works fashion, we just do some work and get it done. Eventually, I became secretary and treasurer of our branch on Long Island. I went through the chairs of the branch, the chairs of the New York Metro Chapter, and eventually became chapter president in 2013. I became a delegate when Harry Weed became the Region II Director on the national board. He was our chapter delegate, and our board gave me the opportunity to represent the New York Metro Chapter in this role. When Harry completed his term as director, I again followed him in role on the national board.
Q: You became president-elect in an unusual way upon the passing of Lisa Rapp. What made you throw your hat in the ring?
A: I will tell you I had no intention of ever running for president of APWA. We were just coming out of COVID, and many issues arose during that time which
caused the board and staff to take a hard look at our financial structure, operations, offerings, etc. We have a phenomenal staff who are always looking to improve APWA for its members. This “look” led to things such as the restructuring of our fiscal reserves. This included a New Initiatives Fund that gives our members an opportunity to get seed money for new ideas. The new Association Management System (AMS) will provide so many opportunities for our chapters to grow and prosper. We managed to form a foundation to be there for our members and families at the same time. These are just a few of the things I had the chance to work very closely on with our board and staff. When we lost Lisa, it was a major loss for us. Her dedication, knowledge, hard work, and true love of our profession made her a perfect leader and role model for everyone involved in our profession and APWA. It’s always difficult for any organization to switch gears when something unexpected like this happens, and I was honored and truly humbled by the fact that several board members approached me at this time of loss and asked that I seriously consider taking on this role. Like any family, we band together and move forward. I know we will continue the legacy that Lisa built and, together with each member, build, improve, and strengthen our APWA family.
Q: What sort of plans do you have that you would like to achieve in your tenure?
A: APWA is always growing, evolving, and ever improving. The changes during my tenure on the board will provide a solid future for all involved in our profession. My goal is to build and strengthen our APWA family through improving what we offer to our members. This has several
prongs to it, coinciding with our strategic plan and initiatives. This includes Value, Voice, Education and Credentialing, Membership and Chapters, Visibility, Workforce, and DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion). This may seem to be an abundance of areas to cover, but all are intertwined together and provide the guide that we use to create our programs, educational material, advocacy positions, and overall plans to give our members and associated professionals what they need to perform their jobs to the best of their ability. Very simply, I want to make certain everyone knows APWA is “THE RESOURCE, THE GO-TO, THE ONE STOP YOU NEED” for everything public works. You will see this at PWX, and going forward, it’s going to be Family. Build that strength, build that family. It’s not just about increasing membership. It’s about making sure the members of the public works profession have what they need and get recognized for what they do. We will
President Longobardi with his wife and children.
I became mayor in 2017, exactly 30 years to the day after my uncle became mayor. It was a wonderful time for me serving on that board. It taught me so many things, and the best part was being able to carry on my family’s legacy of doing things that will create a better future for those around us. That’s why I look forward to being president of our APWA family this year.
work together to ensure that what APWA offers will give anyone entering the public works profession who wants to be part of the APWA family the things they need to build and prosper in a rewarding career.
Q: I know that you were mayor. How long were you mayor? How did you get into that? How did you get out of that?
A: I don’t think you ever get “let out.” Then again, I truly enjoyed my time as mayor and on the village board. I grew up in a family that was always involved in the village where we lived. I live in a place called Floral Park, New York. It’s a full-service village of 16,000 residents and 1.3 square miles of land. It’s a family community, through and through. From the time I was born, my family was very active in village affairs. My mom’s family all lived close, and I grew up with 12 cousins all raised to do something, give back, and be active in the affairs of our community. When I was younger, my mother’s brother was the mayor, and my mother’s brother-in-law was the head of the local political party. I started getting involved in politics when I was 13, working on local campaigns, visiting neighbors with my
uncle, and getting to know the business of government and politics. When we got married, my wife and I settled back into the community with plans to raise our future family. Those plans eventually led to me running for office as village trustee. I was on the village board from 2009 until I finished being mayor in 2021.
I became mayor in 2017, exactly 30 years to the day after my uncle became mayor. How did I get out? We have an unwritten rule in the local political party that you serve two terms as mayor and move on to keep it fresh. I did my two terms and honored that tradition. It was a wonderful time for me serving on that board. It taught me so many things, and the best part was being able to carry on my family’s legacy of doing things that will create a better future for those around us. That’s why I look forward to being president of our APWA family this year. It is the same thing I grew up with, and even our vision this year of “Advancing Quality of Life for All” is what my family taught us all to do.
Q: What did you most enjoy about being mayor?
A: Very simply, you get to help people. 99.9 percent of the time, we tried to provide what our residents and businesses needed and wanted. I would be lying if I said everyone got what they needed or wanted. Planning had a lot to do with everything we did, and I was truly blessed with very dedicated and caring public servants around me who gave so much in a very selfless way to our village. Very much like the people who are the staff and members of APWA. Selfless service to others is a hallmark of everyone in the public works profession. As mayor, you worry about everything. I spent most
of my 34-year government career in or associated with public works daily, and it helped prepare me to be mayor. Let’s face facts, public works handles just about everything society needs on a daily basis. From the moment we wake up and brush our teeth to the time we go to bed and brush them again, public works is involved. Water, wastewater, utilities, roads and highways, trees, parks, emergency management and first responders, and so much more. Every decision you make as a mayor affects the lives of so many people. The ability to work with and the collaboration among so many wonderful people to help improve the lives of those you serve is what makes it so great. I was very lucky to have that during my tenure as mayor, and I know I have that with those involved in our APWA family.
President Longobardi and some of his family members gathered for this photo at his outgoing mayoral dinner.
President Longobardi and his wife, Denise, met in their sophomore year of college. Their first date was at a Halloween party at Fordham University on November 2, 1984.
Q: Who is someone you personally admire, and why?
A: My father and mother. They had nothing, and they gave us everything. They really did. My father is a Marine Corps Veteran and was a repairman for Sears Roebuck. My mother was a housewife. They taught us love of country, religion, and love of others. They didn’t
have money or fancy things. We didn’t go on any elaborate vacations or shopping trips, but they always did for us and others and taught my brother, sister, and I to do everything we could for other people and not worry about needing anything or wanting anything. I truly believe this was one of the greatest things I could have ever had. I started working and had my
Tame Nature Naturally
Corn, soy beans, oranges and petroleum are all derived from Mother Nature. When used according to Nature’s Plan, we all benefit. Asphalt binder is a natural derivative of petroleum. Exposure to the natural environment damages a binder’s maltene components through oxidation. The natural remedy for repairing that damage is Maltene Replacement Technology using Reclamite® asphalt rejuvenator.
first paper route when I was nine years’ old. You were allowed to have six papers to deliver to somebody’s house at that time. It turned into doing much larger paper routes and cutting our customer’s lawns. I went to work at a candy store when I was 15 and stayed there until I was 19 and worked all through college at other jobs. We were taught the value of hard work, managing money, working for what you want, etc. More importantly, we were taught the importance of family and friends and giving to others. If this didn’t prepare me for the public works profession or to be part of the APWA family, I don’t know what would have. I was beyond blessed to have these two parents and the life they gave us.
More
importantly, we were taught the importance of family and friends and giving to others.
If this didn’t
prepare me for
the public works profession or to be part of the APWA family, I don’t know what would have. I was beyond blessed to have these two parents and the life they gave us.
Q: What makes you tick?
A: The ability to help somebody do something. I really don’t have a lot of hobbies. I don’t play golf that well; it’s not that I go bowling or fishing. But, you know, someone says, “Hey, we need help doing this. We need help doing that. Or can you run this for us? Or can you help with this event?” Being with people and bringing them together, watching them enjoy themselves and helping make that happen is the best. Life is short and there are so many good things. Helping people get to experience those good things in life gives me the ability to persevere and push forward.
INTERACTIVE EDITION available online
With print and electronic communication operating hand-in-hand you can take advantage of the fact that Georgia Public Works is also available online in a highly interactive format.
Mobile, iPad, iPhone versions included!
1 A realistic reading experience – This digital edition looks and feels like a real book: flip-through pages, the sounds of turning pages, and even shading along the spine all enhance your reading experience. This is the world’s first full html5 solution on the market giving you the same interactive experience as the flash version. In addition to the book layout, you can also select a presentation view that presents single pages rather than the traditional double page layout.
2. Mobile, iPad, iPhone compatibility – The html5 resizes the publication automatically so that you can view the magazine on most mobile devices.
3. eReader output – The eReader output option allows you to download ‘eBook’ files so that you can read the magazine on the growing number of eReaders such as Kindle, Nook and iBooks.
4. Thumbnail view – You can select to show a thumbnail-style navigation panel that allows you to view the entire publication at once.
5. A share feature – You can share the digital publication with friends and colleagues via social networks, including Facebook and Twitter, or via email or google.
6. Active hyperlinks connect you with all websites and emails contained in the publication.
7. Active links connect you to specific stories from the front cover and contents page.
8. Active links connect you to advertiser websites from their ads and the ad index.
9. Searchable and zoomable content allows you to search the entire issue for specific words, phrases, subjects, etc.
10. You can make Georgia Public Works’ content even more valuable by adding your own personal notes and bookmarks throughout each issue.
MUNICIPAL EQUIPMENT SOLUTIONS
HYDRO-EXCAVATION
Contractors all over the world trust X-Vac to locate underground utilities, expose broken water lines, clean out potholes and vacuum a wide range of materials safely and quickly.
Day Lighter Trucks | 6 to 10 Cubic Yards
X-8 | 8 Yard Hydro Excavators
X-10 | 10 Yard Hydro Excavators
X-13 | 13 Yard Hydro Excavators
X-15 | 15 Yard Hydro Excavator
Trailer-Mounted Hydro Excavators
REFUSE & RECYCLING EQUIPMENT
CDL & Non-CDL Rear Loader Refuse Trucks
CDL & Non-CDL Grapple Trucks
Leaf Vacuum Trucks
Roll-off Trucks
COMBINATION TRUCKS
(SEWER & STORM-DRAIN CLEANING)
The Aquatech B-Series Combination Sewer Cleaner is ideal for any size municipality, water and sewer district, or contractor who is cleaning storm drains, catch basins and or sewers.
B10 | 18” Blower Combo Trucks
B10 | 27” Blower Combo Trucks
O’Brien Trailer Water Jetters
Bucher Easement Machine
USB-USA Sewer Nozzles
PIPELINE INSPECTION & LOCATING TECHNOLOGY
Mainline | Sprinter Van
Lateral Launch | Sprinter Van
STREET SWEEPERS
Proteus Mainline Portable Cube
Push Camera Systems
The sweeper product range extends from narrow, agile compact sweepers to heavy-duty truck-mounted sweepers designed for wide surfaces.
Compact Sweepers
Truck-Mounted Sweepers
Daily, Weekly & Monthly Rentals
Special Truck-Mounted Sweepers
Airport Truck-Mounted Sweepers
New Equipment & Financing Options
All Makes, Parts & Service
Rental Purchase Options
Mobile Field Service
Camera Repair Services
Hydro-Excavation Product Training
Combination Truck Training
Tennessee
GEORGIA APWA BRANCHES 2024 BRANCH PRESIDENTS
CENTRAL SAVANNAH RIVER AREA
Ron O. Lampkin rlampkin@augustaga.gov
COASTAL BRANCH
Keith Page bkpage@chathamcounty.org
METRO ATLANTA BRANCH
Metro Atla nta Branc h
Bradley Klinger bklinger@fayettecountyga.gov
Sha uncey Battle-W illi ams sba ttle-will iams@Atla ntaG a Gov
Branches
Georgia APWA Branches 2021 Branch Presidents
Georgia APWA Branches Branch
Georgia APWA Branches 2021
Branch Presidents
Georgia Branch Presidents
2021 Branch Presidents
North Carolina
MIDDLE BRANCH
Scott Sullivan wssullivan@spaldingcounty.com
NORTHEAST BRANCH
Coastal B ra nch Kei th P age bkp age@c hatham county or g Northe ast Bra nc h
Todd Beebe tbeebe@gainesville.org
Tod d B eebe tbeeb e@gain esvi lle org
NORTHWEST BRANCH
Northwe st B ran ch
Eric Sexton eric.sexton@floydcountyga.org
Jerem y Bryson jerem y bryso n@cato osa com
SOUTHEAST BRANCH
Anthony Vincent avicent@glynncounty-ga.gov
SOUTHWEST BRANCH
Sou thwe st Br an ch
Angela Bray akbray@valdostacity.com
Em anuel Hai re EHai re@colqui ttga org
WEST CENTRAL
West Cen tral Bran ch
Jam es Man g jma ng@c olum bus ga org
BECOME A MEMBER OF APWA APWA Membership has its privileges
Memberships are extended to both current or past public works employees as well as to private company employees who interact with the American Public Works Association.
Membership comes with the opportunity to share common goals, challenges, and solutions with Public Works professionals throughout North America.
As a member, you’ll participate in local Chapter and Branch programs meetings – often at reduced pricing; gain exposure to more than 30,000 Public Works professionals; save money on the best education and training programs in Public Works, covering all disciplines with ability to receive CEUs and PDHs; gain free subscriptions to many infoNOW electronic networking communities and resources, including the APWA Reporter Magazine; receive free access to the Resource Center and registrations for live Click, Listen & Learn programs; and pay reduced pricing for books, videos, construction, water resources and more.
As a member, you’ll save up to 42% on registration for PWX, the NORTH American Snow Conference and most nationally sponsored workshops and e-learning programs; earn your professional certification credentials; have networking opportunities at the national, local chapter and/or Branch level; and receive discounts on advertising opportunities in the APWA Reporter Magazine and exhibitor space at the annual PWX* (*Corporate Crown Level Group Memberships only ).
APWA is your primary resource for public works-related knowledge.
Become an Individual or Group Member of the APWA
Individual APWA membership automatically includes a one-year membership to your local APWA or CPWA Chapter.
Individual Membership is available to:
• any official or employee (active, retired, or life) of a government agency, manufacturer, supplier, contractor, student, or consulting firm who is actively engaged in the field of Public Works.
Group Membership is available to:
• Student Groups,
• Public Agency Groups,
• One-Call Center/System Groups,
• Corporate Groups,
• Prestige Corporate, and
• Crown Corporate.
To learn more about APWA’s membership groups and how to become a member, visit www.apwa.net
Membership comes with the opportunity to share common goals, challenges, and solutions with Public Works professionals throughout North America.
Thank you for visiting us at the Public Works Expo!
Learn More about our New Machines! DTL35
DX 100W-7
SCAN HERE SCAN HERE
DEVELON equipment can help drive efficiencies in your infrastructure, construction, utilities, snow removal and sustainability projects.
APWA KICKS-OFF PWX ATLANTA 2024 AT THE GEORGIA WORLD CONGRESS CENTER
This year’s PWX conference rolled into Atlanta in a big way, as Mayor Andre Dickens welcomed attendees during the general session. APWA President, Dominick Longobardi and Past President W. Gary Losier help to usher in APWA’s new executive leadership. The opening session was hosted by Tripp Crosby and featured keynote speaker Pandit Dasa.
The general session also included a moving tribute to honor APWA’s President, Elect Lisa Ann Rapp, following her passing on December 3, 2023.
APWA PAYS TRIBUTE TO DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
In recognition of the life and civil rights work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the American Public Works Association (APWA), in coordination with the Georgia Chapter of APWA and The King Center, dedicated wreaths to commemorate Dr. King’s support of public works employees.
This ceremony occurred at The King Center on Thursday, September 5, 2024, in advance of the PWX 2024 conference. Xernona Clayton, (pronounced Zer-known-nuh) a key aide to the Dr. King, highlighted the significance of his life’s work as it relates to the public work sector.
On April 3, 1968, the night before Dr. King Jr.’s assassination, he gave his final speech, “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop,” at the Bishop Charles Mason Temple in Memphis, Tennessee. This speech was in support of striking sanitation workers. Many believe the speech’s final passage prophesied his death.
PWX BOARD RECEPTION
ROLLING OUT THE RED CARPET
Members of Georgia PWX Host Committee welcomed attendees to PWX Atlanta 2024. APWA Board Members were treated to an engaging evening at Atlanta’s High Museum for an evening reception and the official start to this year’s conference.
“We’re Back!” PWX MAKES ITS MIGHTY RETURN TO THE EMPIRE CITY OF THE SOUTH
This year’s Host Conference Planning Committee pulled out all the stops to make PWX Atlanta 2024 one to remember! After a 20-year absence, and little under a year to plan, conference attendees returned to a city much different than it left back in 2004.
Mayor Andre Dickens, an Atlanta native and the 61st Mayor of Atlanta warmly welcomed back attendees, during the conference’s opening session at the Georgia World Congress Center. Once dubbed “The City Too Busy to Hate,” Mayor Dickens encouraged attendees to absorbed as much as the city had to offer.
Below is a transcript of Mayor Dickens welcome address.
Good morning, everyone. It is a pleasure to welcome members of the American Public Works Association back to Atlanta. We welcome your return to our
great city… after a 20-year absence. You stayed away so long; we were starting to feel “a type of way” about that.
But you’re back now, and it’s all good! We are thrilled to showcase the transformation and progress Atlanta has undergone since you last convened here. Especially since so much of it involves our public works professionals.
This year’s theme “Advancing Quality of Life for All” echoes one of the pillars of my administration – making Atlanta a “city of opportunity for all.” In the 20 years since your last visit, the city has experienced incredible growth and development.
That has led to increased prosperity and upward mobility. I want to make sure that all Atlantans share in this.
As you get out and about, you will see that we have been quite busy since you were last here. Twenty years ago, the Atlanta Beltline was just a grad student’s thesis. Now it is one of the greatest examples of public/private partnerships in this country.
The Beltline has helped us address our affordable housing goals and helped to dismantle past infrastructure projects that divided and segregated communities and allowed us to create a more connected city. It also helped spur economic development by turning neglected areas into innovative public spaces.
By the end of this year, we hope to have 85% of it either completed or under construction. Twenty years later, the Atlanta Beltline stands as a symbol of this city’s ongoing and aggressive commitment to mobility, sustainability, and inclusion.
As you maneuver through the city, you may also see some new and familiar logos on buildings. In 2004, most of the Fortune 500 companies based here were homegrown, companies that were founded here. Twenty years later, we are one of the Top 10 US cities with the most Fortune 500 companies.
We are proud of the continued success of those homegrown companies as well as the success of the many companies that have relocated here.
RECAP
This year’s theme ‘Advancing Quality of Life for All ’ echoes one of the pillars of my administration – making Atlanta a ‘city of opportunity for all.’ In the 20 years since your last visit, the city has experienced incredible growth and development.
As you might expect, we have also experienced incredible population growth since you were last here. And we anticipate that growth continuing. People continue to be drawn to the opportunities and quality of life that Atlanta offers. It means greater demands on infrastructure and public works.
We are rising to meet the challenges by continuing our investment in modernized infrastructure and prioritizing the services that are the backbone of a thriving city.
So, whether it means utilizing our Vision Zero Plan to make our roadways safer for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians.
Or investing in roadwork that includes resurfacing, upgrading intersections and signals and landscaping.
Or investing millions to replace pumps at water treatment plants and make water draining improvements.
We are doing the work now to ensure Atlanta is not just a functional city, but a place where residents, businesses, and visitors can thrive.
I am also delighted to see so many of our City of Atlanta staff here today because much of the work we are doing depends on our ability to recruit and retain the talented men and women who keep our Transportation, Watershed, Public Works and other departments operating efficiently.
These are often Atlanta’s unsung champions who ensure our roads are clear, our water supply is clean, and our public structures and facilities are safe.
So, to my City of Atlanta colleagues here today, please know that your roles are indispensable to us and the work you do each day enables us to keep moving Atlanta forward.
To the American Public Works Association, please don’t let it be another twenty years before we welcome you back to our great city. Have a wonderful and productive conference; and make sure you get to experience everything that Atlanta has to offer.
Thank you!
Take Charge of your Fleet
PWX NIGHT AT THE AQUARIUM
PWX Atlanta 2024 made a big splash in Atlanta as conference attendees were treated to a night at the Georgia Aquarium – the country’s largest aquarium. Throughout this event attendees feasted on some of Georgia’s famous regional delights; all while roaming the aquarium’s multiples attractions and dancing to the beats of a live DJ the sounds of “The New Royals!”
ATLANTA’S CITY HALL HOSTS THE 2024 PWX INTERNATIONAL RECEPTION
Just when attendees thought PWX 2024 couldn’t get any better – it did! International attendees found themselves in the heart of Atlanta city government, as the Atlanta City Hall atrium served as the perfect backdrop for this festive evening. Attendees were greeted by various departments within the City of Atlanta government and toured the one of the operational facilities of Department of Public Works and significant areas within city hall.
A SUITABLE SENDOFF
What better way to cap off the conclusion of an amazing conference than with an official chapter dinner. As expected, the Georgia APWA Chapter hosted its final official evening event with a sendoff to attendees. Held at the Southern Exchange Ballroom, members of state chapter executive board and PWX Atlanta 2024 Planning Committee expressed their appreciation to is partners for making this year’s conference a success.
Providing comprehensive CDL training and certification for over 60 years
Retain Your Drivers and Grow a Quality Fleet
Our training programs are designed to enhance the scale and quality of your driver fleet. Boost productivity, expand your operations, and retain your drivers with essential CDL training.
Access Flexible Training Options and Curriculum
We offer FMCSA approved ELDT Theory online or in-person, Class A, Class B, Passenger, School bus and Hazmat Endorsement Trainings on schedules that meet your needs.
Rely on an Experienced and Trusted Partner
In business for over 60 years, The CDL School has certified over 30,000 commercially licensed drivers –adopting the latest equipment and standards of the industry to produce safe, high-quality drivers.
We Bring Quality Instructors to You
The CDL School provides 3–4 week on-site training for Class A and B Commercial Drivers.
Training programs are tailored for corporate clients with multiple drivers like municipalities, community colleges, or freight/delivery fleets.
Our curriculum fulfills FMCSA's Theory, Range, and Road requirements, allowing drivers to test for their CDL right after completion.
PWX ATLANTA 2024 CHASTAIN PARK GOLF TOURNAMENT
Golfers attending PWX Atlanta 2024, teed off at the Chastain Park Golf Course – one of Atlanta’s premiere courses. This annual PWX event helps to raise scholarship dollars for the organization.
CANDACE M. STANCIEL HEADLINES PWX ATLANTA 2024 DEI BRUNCH
Each year, PWX organizers make a concerted effort to address diversity, equity and inclusion events at its annual conference. This year follows in that suit. Brunch attendees heard from Candance M. Stanciel, the Chief Operating Officer for the City of Atlanta.
Candance joined the city from serving as the Founder and Principal at The Common Good Agency. There, she was Lead Consultant for government, higher education and non-profit organizations focused on diversity, equity and inclusion. Previous clients include the City of Boston, City of Decatur, Columbia University and multiple US Congressional Offices. She has also served as Adjunct Faculty at Emory University since 2020, teaching Identity Development and Social Change — a course advancing equity practice in the sustainable development field globally.
Stanciel has also served as Director of Event Strategy and Implementation
at Morehouse School of Medicine, Experiential Marketing Manager at United Way of Greater Atlanta and at the Office of the President at the University of Georgia. She also designed and lead the inaugural equity strategy for New Profit — one of the nation’s first venture philanthropy firms.
The APWA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee advances diversity and inclusiveness issues throughout the association, placing value on all individuals and the different perspectives of those individuals, and promoting the process for all to feel included as part of the whole. For the committee’s deliberations, the word “diversity” includes race, gender, creed, age, lifestyle, national origin, disability, personality, educational background, and income level. Members of the committee participate in monthly conference calls and an annual faceto-face meeting, typically at PWX.
Georgia Breaks Tourism Records for Second Straight Year
FROM THE OFFICE OF GOVERNOR BRIAN KEMP
SAtlanta, GA – Governor Brian P. Kemp joined the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) in announcing that the state broke tourism records for the second year in a row and maintained its No. 5 market share ranking among all 50 states and Washington, D.C., for the fourth consecutive year.
peaking at the annual Georgia Governor’s Tourism Conference, Governor Kemp shared that the state welcomed 5 million more visitors last year than in 2022, reaching a new high of 171 million domestic and international visitors. These travelers spent $43.6 billion on Georgia’s hotels, restaurants, transportation, and other local businesses, eclipsing the previous record set in 2022 by nearly $4 billion.
“Georgia continues to grow as a top destination for travelers and businesses alike,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “We’ve seen unprecedented visitation across all regions of the Peach State over the last couple years, a testament to the unique attractions, natural resources, and cultural institutions that make Georgia such a desirable place to visit. We’re grateful for all our tourism partners statewide who support jobs in communities in all four corners of Georgia.”
In total during 2023, Georgia travel and tourism generated a $79.7 billion statewide economic impact and supported more than 463,400 jobs, an increase of more than 20,000 jobs over the prior year. The tourism industry also generated a record $5 billion in state and local tax revenues, a $300 million or 7.2% increase over the previous record set in 2022.
“Tourism is one of Georgia’s largest economic contributors, supporting jobs and generating tax revenues that benefit local communities from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Golden Isles,” said GDEcD Commissioner Pat Wilson. “These numbers are the latest confirmation that our partnership approach to economic development across all industries – including tourism – is putting Georgia on travelers’ minds like never before. I’m proud of our tourism industry’s commitment to excellence and innovative strategies that drive economic benefits to every corner of the state.”
Presented by Explore Georgia, GDEcD’s tourism office, the three-day Georgia Governor’s Tourism Conference is the premier annual event for the state’s travel and hospitality industry. Drawing 400 attendees from across the state each year, the conference serves to inspire excellence and elevate the state’s tourism efforts to raise national and international awareness of Georgia as a business and leisure destination, with diverse landscapes and experiences that span county lines and industries, from arts and film to sports and agriculture.
“Georgia’s tourism economy has never been stronger!” said GDEcD Chief Marketing Officer Mark Jaronski. “Thanks to the leadership of Governor Kemp, our General Assembly, Commissioner Wilson, Tourism Foundation Board of Directors, statewide tourism team led by Director Jay Markwalter, and the collective efforts of the entire industry, Georgia is seeing record visitation, a double-digit increase in visitor spending, and a total economic impact equivalent to hosting the largest sporting event in history – the 2026 FIFA World Cup – 160 times in one year.”
This year’s conference was held at the Georgia World Congress Center’s (GWCC) new signature hotel, the Signia by Hilton Atlanta, to showcase first-hand one of the state’s premier convention destinations. The “meetings and conventions segment” of travel that include events like those held at the GWCC complex generates billions of dollars annually in direct visitor spending and supports hundreds of thousands of jobs across the state. In 2023, 16.4 million business-related travelers to Georgia drove $4.3 billion in spending, marking an increase of nearly 10 million business-related travelers and more than $1 billion in spending compared to 2022.
Our concern for the environment is more than just talk
As we continue to deliver valuable information through the pages of this magazine, in a printed format that is appealing, reader-friendly and not lost in the proliferation of electronic messages that are bombarding our senses, we are also well aware of the need to be respectful of our environment. That is why we are committed to publishing the magazine in the most environmentally-friendly process possible. So enjoy this magazine... and keep thinking green.
We’re here to serve Georgia Water Pros.
Since 1997, Fortiline Waterworks has been making the tough jobs look easy.
As a leading supplier in Georgia, we’ve provided thousands of water, sewer, and storm utility products to customers just like you. And with over 25 years of knowledge and experience, you can breathe easy, knowing your job is in good hands.
Contact your local branch for your next job, no matter how tough. Get your job started today! info@fortiline.com
“FIXIN’ TO” PUT ON A GREAT PWX IN ATLANTA, APWA GEORGIA LEANS IN
Hosting APWA’s annual Public Works Expo (PWX) is the largest public visibility project for any chapter.
There are meetings within the chapter, meetings with APWA headquarters’ meetings department, meetings with stakeholders, meetings with convention center officials, requests with public officials at all levels (and meetings with their staff), promotional events (and meetings to schedule and plan the events), fundraising efforts (and meetings to organize these efforts), and virtual calls to go over things from prior meetings and plan future meetings.
Not to mention everyone has a full-time day job!
Typically, it takes a chapter two years to organize a Public Works Expo.
Not for last month’s PWX 2024 in Atlanta.
APWA Georgia had a little more than 12 months to meet, plan, and execute.
“I do this voluntarily. I do this for free. I do this all day, every day, you know, for the past year,” said APWA Georgia Member, Shauncey Battle-Williams, ADA Director for the City of Atlanta’s Department of Transportation. “Yeah, second to having a child.”
“It’s like, literally, going from the backseat (of a car) to, basically, driving the
car,” said APWA Georgia Secretary Adisa Aarons, a project manager for the City of Atlanta’s Department of Transportation. “It’s been kind of all-hands-on-deck, a lot of meetings, early mornings, late nights, a lot of scrambling around.”
Aarons and Battle-Williams aren’t complaining, though. Neither is another of PWX Atlanta’s planners: Dougherty County, Georgia, Public Works Director Chucky “Chuck” Mathis.
“When we got into the queue of being the host for 2025, we were excited. We were ready. We knew that in 2023 we would really kick it off, and we would start fundraising and stuff,” Mathis said of his chapter’s feelings in 2023. “But last year, when they said, ‘you guys are it. Step it up,’ we were excited — and we still are.”
Staging a massive public works gettogether at the same time a major political party is holding its conventions puts a premium on show-floor space, not to mention hotel rooms. Even if it’s Chicago.
So APWA switched PWX sites from Chicago to Atlanta this year. PWX Chicago will be August 17-20, 2025.
And now, as you read this, PWX Atlanta has come and gone. But in the reporting
of APWA Georgia’s preparation for PWX two weeks before it opened, despite overall excitement, nerves were real.
“It’s kind of like when you’re throwing a party, right? Maybe, like a sweet 16, is everyone going to show up?” Battle-Williams said, “There’s a little bit of necessary anxiety about all of it.”
“This, actually, might be the prototype for any other chapter,” Aarons said, “Here’s how we did it in less than 12 months, and here’s how you can do it in less than 12 months as well.”
To start, APWA Georgia formed its Steering Committee and created a fundraising plan.
APWA Georgia needed to come up with $150,000 for PWX, so it offered Georgiathemed sponsor levels; you could be a Southern Pine for $2,500 or a Magnolia for $30,000.
Mathis said the chapter was able to collect “a little more than” the $150,000 with the sponsorships plus an array of events, and inperson promotion at the Southeast Cement Conference and the APWA Winter Training Conference in Athens, Georgia.
Aarons said his chapter also relied on the expertise of the meetings professionals at APWA in Kansas City: Director of Meetings
Diana Forbes, Senior Meetings Manager
Brenda Shaver, Senior Exhibit Manager
MARK SHADE, GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS MEDIA MANAGER, AMERICAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION
Lysa Byous, and Conference and Meetings Specialist Maddie Male.
“We knew headquarters wanted success and, from the standpoint of Georgia, we wanted success, but we also want to make sure that we included the Georgia theme so that when people left, they could say that they got the true Atlanta, Georgia, experience,” Aarons said.
They did this without ever stopping normal chapter activities.
“We’re still getting scholarships. We’re still having our annual conferences, our quarterly conferences; we’re still meeting and convening and doing business as a chapter,” Battle-Williams said, “We did everything that we normally do in the course of a year, as well as planning for PWX.”
Mathis, a 46-year veteran of the Dougherty County Public Works Department, likened the planning of PWX to climbing a mountain.
“When you look back down the course that you passed, you look at the pros and the cons, the struggles and the successes, the ones that cheered you on, the ones that helped you out, and the relationships you developed with the ones that ran with you,” Mathis said.
The future of water Begins with Listening
In an industry taught to manage and react, Kamstrup develops tools to listen and learn.
Kamstrup products give a voice to water—for it to be heard, conserved, optimized and understood. In listening to water, we empower utilities to improve financial outcomes, advance sustainability goals, reduce risk, ease operations and engage customers.
What can your water reveal?
Discover how our solutions revolutionized water management for Milcrofton Utility District. Scan the QR code to read the case study at kamstrup.com.
Advertiser Product & Service Center
GEORGIA PUBLIC WORKS MAGAZINE is made possible by the companies below who convey their important messages on our pages. We thank them for their support of the APWA Georgia Chapter and its publication and encourage you to contact them when making your purchasing decisions. To make it easier to contact these companies, we have included the page number of their advertisement, their phone number, and, where applicable, their website.
