Georgia Public Works Issue 1 – July/August 2020

Georgia PUBLIC

THE OFFICIAL STATE PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION | ISSUE 1 – JULY/AUGUST 2020

WORKS M A G A Z I N E

IER M E R P E ISSU

APWA and the State of Georgia, Working Through a

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Pandemic Inside

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Table of Contents

ISSUE 1 – JULY/AUGUST 2020 APWA GEORGIA CHAPTER 4915 Chase Lane Cumming, GA 30040 www.georgia.apwa.net PRESIDENT Ms. Shirley Stevenson PRESIDENT ELECT Mr. Chris Rotalsky PAST PRESIDENT Mr. Lawrence Jeter, Jr

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APWA Georgia Chapter Equipment Show

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DeKalb’s “No FOG, No Clog” Campaign

VICE PRESIDENT Mr. Christopher Cox SECRETARY Mr. Patrick S. Collins, PE DELEGATE Mr. Lenardo Owens TREASURER Ms. Becky L. Kinsey ALTERNATE DELEGATE Mr. Terrence Simpkins Georgia Public Works is published by:

Tel: 866-985-9780 Fax: 866-985-9799 www.kelmanonline.com Managing Editor: Cole Kelman Marketing Manager: Rod Evason Design/layout: Kristy Unrau Advertising Coordinator: Stefanie Hagidiakow All rights reserved 2020. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express consent of the publisher.

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Railroad Preemption at Signalized Intersections

DPW Heroes Collins Named ASCE Fellow Celebrating Our Partnership COVID-19 Facts 2020 Top Five Trending Leadership Topics in Public Works How 5G Networks Can Benefit and Affect Your Community

DEPARTMENTS 7 8 9 25 26

President’s Message Past President’s Message Branch Reports APWA Leadership News Advertiser Information Center

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President ’s Message

GREETING FELLOW PUBLIC WORK PROFESSIONALS S HIRLE Y S TE V EN SO N , APWA G EO RG IA CHAP TER PR ESI D EN T

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t is with great anticipation and excitement that I write this message today. Like many of you, my professional and personal routines have changed due to COVID-19. During this global health crisis, we each have altered the way in which we interact. While these changes may remain with us for some time, as your president, I am extremely humbled to have this opportunity to share some facts about our Georgia Chapter.

Currently we have over 600 members throughout our state branches.

The Executive Committee has entrusted me to serve as your current president.

It is indeed an honor to be given this opportunity to inspire and lead our chapter. It is my hope that this will be a successful year for both our chapter and our national organization.

This year we began with our chapter’s winter Public Works Officials Executive Management Certificate

Program Conference and enrolment Overall, our goal and mission for 2020 was outstanding. This bi-annual event is to increase membership, adhere to provided technical, leadership and our strategic goals and work plan which management training, from qualified aligns with the APWA’s national values. public works practitioners, that will prove Furthermore, we will continue our beneficial for today’s local governments advocacy through government affairs. and agencies.

In addition, it is with our annual Equipment Show great pride that the Georgia Chapter will award is continuing twelve students with financial assistance toward a to grow more successful each college degree, in all public works service areas. year. I would like to give a special thank you to our vendors We also intend to expand our outreach the support us yearly. I would like to also with the Young Professionals and absorb recognize those vendors and volunteers new trends within the industry. This also that’s been with us for thirty-five years. includes keeping abreast of the cuttingThrough our academic initiative, it is edge emerging technologies and products. with great pride that the Georgia Chapter As your new president, I am ready for will award twelve students with financial this year and look forward working with assistance toward a college degree, in all you to in moving the Georgia Chapter to public works service areas. the next level.

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Past President ’s Message

A LETTER FROM YOUR PAST STATE PRESIDENT

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L A W R E N C E J E T E R , 2 0 1 9 P R E S I D E N T, A P W A G E O R G I A C H A P T E R

he work of Public Works professionals often goes unnoticed before, during, and even after an event or crisis.

Why is that so? It is because we do our jobs so well that the customers we serve consider it second nature and most times a reflex action. I want to say “Thank You” to all Public Works professional for their service, given the current medical crisis with COVID-19. Our Public Works professionals are clearly in the “line of fire” showing up to work day-in and day-out, knowing that exposure to the virus comes with potentially dangerous outcomes for themselves and their family members. We should not take the commitment of these Public Works professionals lightly. We will survive and get through these trying times, by practicing social distancing recommendations and wearing face coverings not only for ourselves but for our love ones.

In 2019, the Georgia Chapter of the American Public Works Association (APWA) achieved several major accomplishments and milestones. Our winter Educational Conference, held on the campus of the University of Georgia in January, hosted approximately 134 attendees. Our annual Equipment Show held in Perry, GA, during February hosted 985 attendees; included 126 vendors; and raised onehundred and twenty-two dollars for our ongoing operations and initiatives. We also hosted our annual golf tournament in June that raised over $11,000 for our scholarship efforts. Our Annual Meeting and Conference was held in July, at the Jekyll Island Convention. The event included 216 attendees, as well as, 40 vendors and equipment suppliers. Combined these activities set records for the Association both in attendance and revenue. We also held our 5th Annual Awards Program on Jekyll Island where we received 27 award and recognition submittals and presented 10 recipients with the coveted Certificate of Public Works

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Management (CPWM). APWA Georgia Chapter concluded the year by awarding $18,000 in direct scholarships to twelve college students. In addition, we awarded a $20,000 graduate assistant scholarship that provided critical information on the benefits of Assessment Management.

These scholarships provided real world work experience by funding two summer internships, one for the City of Decatur and the other for the City of Dalton.

Although 2020 has seen most our initiatives postponed or severely downsized, due to COVID-19, this will in no way stifle our efforts and commitments for 2021 and beyond. We will adapt to the changing times and emerge to continue our upward trends, by providing more quality educational and scholarship opportunities. I was proud and humbled to serve as the Association’s President in 2019 and I remain committed to its future success.

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In closing, I sincerely pray that we remain mindful and vigilant of the current racial climate in the country today. “Peaceful Demonstrations” for social change/justice will make this a better country for all of us. I can recall my high school graduation speech, in which I highlighted the fall of most great nations. They were not destroyed from outside forces. They fell from forces within their own borders. I never would have imagined that 40 years later that could be a possibility for the great nation that we live in today. I remain hopeful and proud that the demand for change is not just an issue for my black and brown brothers and sisters but is a concern for all my brothers and sisters regardless of color. “I Can’t Breathe” when I see the willful disregard for a life on full display in the 21st century as if it doesn’t matter.

“All lives can’t matter until Black Lives Matter!” Please Let Me Breathe!

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Branch Reports

METRO ATLANTA BRANCH S H A U N C E Y B AT T L E - W I L L I A M S , M E T R O AT L A N TA B R A N C H P R E S I D E N T

The branch is eager to start community focused endeavors and monthly meetings, once it’s safe to do so.

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he Metro Atlanta branch of Georgia APWA consists of over 13 counties branching north, east, south and west from Atlanta, Georgia. The branch hosts monthly lunch and learn sessions covering topics from new and improved techniques for asphalt paving, and even sessions on savings and investing opportunities for Government employees.

Most monthly meetings have an average attendance of nearly 40 participants.

The branch year in 2019 culminated with the induction of new board members: President - Shauncey Battle-Williams Vice-President - Adisa Aarons Secretary - Bradley Klinger and Tanya James Special Coordinator - Godfrey Stephens Although the 2020 year came to a halt amid the International Pandemic, the branch is eager to start community focused endeavors and monthly meetings, once it’s safe to do so.

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Branch Reports

NORTHEAST GEORGIA BRANCH TO D D B EEB E , NO RTH E A S T G EO RG IA B R AN CH P R ESI D EN T

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he winter branch meeting was held on Tuesday, February 18th and hosted by the Athens Clarke County Landscaping Division.

This was the first meeting with our new officers in place and we are looking forward to continuing the success of the Northeast Branch in the future.

Guest speaker, Caroline Dickey, gave a presentation on ‘Asset Management for Small Communities.’

Caroline’s presentation was her

thesis work for her master’s degree from the University of Georgia. The Georgia Chapter of APWA assisted in sponsoring her work on the thesis and you may have heard her presentation at the CPWM. Keep an eye on the Georgia APWA website as her thesis with be available soon.

During the meeting, we also recognized a member who has been highly involved at the Branch, State and National level of the APWA. Stan Brown, City Manager of Oakwood GA, is retiring from his position after 16 years. The good news is, Stan is

going to continue his participation in all levels of APWA. In fact he announced at our branch meeting, he has been nominated for the President Elect for National. So please watch for the elections, and remember to vote as Stan would love to have your support!

Our next meeting will be in May in the Gainesville area, so be on the lookout for more information and plan on attending as we would love to see you there!

NORTHWEST GEORGIA BRANCH J EREMY B RYSO N , NO RTHWES T G EO RG IA B R AN CH PR ESI D EN T

We had a record setting year in 2019 and can’t wait to see

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what 2020 has in store.

reetings from the Northwest Branch of the APWA GA Chapter. We had a record setting year in 2019 and can’t wait to see what 2020 has in store.

Here is a peak at what happened last year, and where we are heading in 2020.

• The branch held four quarterly meetings and averaged 43 attendees per meeting. That is roughly double the previous year.

• We had four sponsors for our lunch and learns and would like

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to thank the following sponsors for their support: • 1st quarter Sponsor RoadBotics • 2nd Quarter Sponsor Mow Max • 3rd Quarter Sponsor WasteBuilt • 4th Quarter Safety Products Inc & GDOT District 6 Staff • Last Meeting was held November 13 at the new GDOT District 6 Office in Cartersville • We had 50 attendees and Safety Products Inc was the meal sponsor • Carol Kalafut GDOT’s Office of Bridge design gave a presentation on low impact bridge replacement options and other bridge replacement funding available to local jurisdictions • Carla Hamm the District 6 LMIG

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Coordinator spoke to the group about the new online format for submitting LMIG applications.

• She gave helpful tips to prevent issues with the process she has seen from other agencies.

• The Northwest Branch did participate in the Chapter President’s fundraiser challenge at The Rome Braves Game • We successfully raised $500 • The Northwest Branch would like to thank CTI Engineers Inc and Blount Construction Company for sponsoring the event and making it a success.

• Our first quarter meeting of 2020 was March 18 in Fort Oglethorpe.

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APWA Georgia Chapter Equipment Show E

2020

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ach year in February, the Georgia Chapter of The American Public Works Association hosts a trade show for Public Works related equipment, services, and other products. The sole purpose of this event is to keep our Public Works membership, as well as all Public Works associates, up to date on the best and latest equipment and services in our industry. First held in 1985 in a small barn at Macon’s Central City Park, our Trade Show celebrated its 35th Anniversary.

The Equipment Show leadership team considers it a personal challenge each year to break the number of exhibitors from the previous year. In fact, 2020 was another record-breaking year, with 110 vendors to exhibit at our one-day event. Our entire 60,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space was used and we were literally turning vendors away.

Conveniently located in Perry, GA, at the Georgia National Fairground and Agricenter, our attending guests travel from Public Works agencies throughout the entire state.

This year’s event was held on Tuesday, February 11, 2020 and we celebrated even larger cash prizes and more door prizes.

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Railroad Preemption at

Signalized Intersections

By Peggy Vonsherie Allen, Deputy Director, Public Works, DeKalb County, GA

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PEGGY ALLEN pvallen@dekalbcountyga.gov

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eKalb County Georgia is a thriving metropolitan area. It encompasses more than 268 square miles and has a population of 700,000. A small portion of the County lies within the limits of the City of Atlanta. The County Government has 6500 employees. The DeKalb Traffic Engineering Department maintains and operates 604 traffic signals, 50 intersection beacons and 210 school flashers. Traffic Engineering manages its’ traffic operations from a specially designed and fully functional Traffic Control Center. Two thirds of the County’s traffic signals are in coordinated systems and are connected to the Traffic Control Center with dozens of miles of fiber optic cable. Among the more than 600 traffic signals are fifteen (15) signalized at grade railroad crossings. After a recent presentation at the annual meeting of the Georgia Section of the Institute of Transportation Engineers, the question was asked, “How safe areyour crossings?”

That question ignited a full-blown analysis of every signalized grade crossing within the jurisdiction of DeKalb County and the following report documents our findings.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation named four

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causes of the accident. Failure of judgment – the initial cause of the crash was attributed to the failure of the bus driver, to properly judge the distance between the railroad tracks when the vehicle stopped at the traffic signal, this failure left part of the back of the bus hanging over the train rail.The crossing was of inherently dangerous design, in that a long vehicle could be trapped partly on the crossing while held by a red light at the intersection. If the driver had realized the danger, she would still have been forced to pull through a red light to clear the track when the warning bells sounded.

We have been able to improve Maintenance/Safety on at grade rail crossings. Recent news stories about rail crossing safety was the catalyst for this research. Coordination between different authorities, CSX railroad were some of the implementation challenges that we had to overcome. The success came in improved safety! We were able to have a positive outcome but it took more time to accomplish. Our staff had some key takeaways mainly related to safety. When safety is at stake, it is important to take the time to do a thorough job.

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DeKalb’s

“No FOG, No Clog” Campaign changes behavior

By Brenda Winston

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s the utility arm of the county, DeKalb’s Department of Watershed Management (DWM) proactively address sewer drain protection. To best inform the community, DWM forged partnerships with civic groups, libraries, school districts and senior and recreational centers. Our aim was to provide information on protecting our sewer drain via a “Fats, Oils and Grease” (FOG) Campaign.

Once DWM discovered 60% of DeKalb County sewer clogs were Fats, Oils and Grease (FOG) related, the “No FOG, No Clog” campaign was launched. DWM educated the community on the composition of FOG; which is made of animal and vegetable fats and oils used to prepare food. We also explained how FOG enters the sewer system through kitchen sinks and toilets. FOG coats the interior of pipes and later causes sewage overflows after excess grease accumulates in the system.

Our FOG outreach touched 48 schools and nearly 8,000 students. We also shared our message with five libraries, six senior centers and eleven recreation centers to meet with over 2,350 senior and youth residents. The “No FOG, No Clog” message was also shared on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and the DWM Website. Additionally, we deputized “Green Ambassadors”, who attended our presentations, received promotional items and agreed to share the message with their family and friends. Through our proactive measures, grease clogs in DeKalb’s Sewer System were reduced.

Our concern for the environment is more than just talk

This publication is printed on Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) certified paper with vegetable oil-based inks. Please do your part for the environment by reusing and recycling.

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COLLINS NAMED

By ASCE Staff

ASCE FELLOW

Patrick S. Collins, P.E., F.ASCE, director of the Engineering Department and city engineer at the City of Valdosta, Georgia, has been named a Fellow by the ASCE Board of Direction.

Collins has been in his current position for nine years, and has been employed in the engineering profession in both the private and public sector for 32 years. He specializes in municipal and county government infrastructure, management and operations, including state governmental agency operations and infrastruc-ture, largely in Florida, Tennessee and Georgia.

In addition, he has been continuous in his ASCE membership for 32 years.

Immediately prior to his current role, Collins was the director of the Planning, Zoning and Engineering Department for the City of North Port, Florida, and previously he served as the city engineer at the City of Venice, Florida.

In 1996 he was selected by his engineering peers in local, state and federal government across Florida as the Government Engineer of the Year.

In the early 1990s, while serving at Sarasota County Government, he negotiated and implemented the very first NPDES MS4 Permit issued in the nation

by EPA, Region IV, and many in the stormwater community at the time sought his direction on NPDES issues.

Collins has been actively supporting the profession through published articles and his current or past participation in leadership roles within the Florida and Georgia Chapters of the American Public Works Association, the Florida Stormwater Association, and the Florida Engineering Society.

“Collins has been actively supporting the profession through published articles and his current or past participation in leadership roles.”

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CELEBRATING

OUR PARTNERSHIP

UGA and American Public Works Association – Georgia Chapter

UGA Public Service and Outreach and the Carl Vinson Institute of Government are proud and grateful to partner with the Georgia Chapter of the American Public Works Association on programs that improve the lives of Georgians and the leadership development of UGA students. APWAGeorgia Chapter’s support has enabled CVIOG to serve in small, often underserved communities. In the most recent example, the chapter’s gifts to support graduate assistants have led to remarkable new opportunities. We hope you’ll enjoy reading about Angela Nguyen and her work, and join us in feeling pride in what the partnership between APWA-Georgia Chapter and UGA has meant to our communities and young people.

WALT MCBRIDE HONORED FOR LONGTERM ACHIEVEMENTS, INCLUDING LEADERSHIP OF PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMS Walt McBride, a senior public service associate with the Institute of Government and the Institute’s representative to the state in the area of governmental education, has been honored with the 2020 Walter Barnard Hill Fellow Award for Distinguished Achievement in Public Service and Outreach. The Walter Barnard Hill Fellow Award is UGA’s highest award in public service and outreach and is comparable to a distinguished professorship.

It recognizes sustained, distinguished, superb achievement, and contributions to improving the quality of life in Georgia or elsewhere. The selection committee considers long-term achievements, special projects having extraordinary impact and collaborative efforts. The creativity, impact, and superb nature of a Hill Fellow’s achievements greatly exceed the normal accomplishments of a productive faculty member. McBride’s collaborative work with the Georgia Chapter of the American Public Works Association had a significant role in his winning this award, particularly the professional development programs and student engagement he directs.

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UGA Partnership Helps Georgia Communities Manage their Infrastructure A

ngela Nguyen has been sheltering at home since March, but the UGA College of Engineering graduate student is still hard at work researching how to help Georgia communities – specifically smaller communities – better care for their bridges.

Nguyen is the second graduate assistant from the University of Georgia to work with the American Public Works Association (APWA) Georgia Chapter in as many years, thanks to a partnership with the Carl Vinson Institute of Government, the UGA College of Engineering and two charitable gifts from the chapter. The program, developed by Walt McBride, a senior public service associate at the Vinson Institute, partners an engineering grad student with the APWA Georgia Chapter to help Georgia communities address infrastructure challenges they may not be able to handle on their own.

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“This program is important because we’re able to get research conducted that benefits our underserved communities,” McBride said. “Larger communities can pay for their own research or have their own engineers, but underserved communities with limited resources just don’t have access. Finding ways to connect these underserved and rural communities, that’s the land-grant mission. That’s what we’re here to do.”

Nguyen didn’t see herself in this situation as she moved closer to finishing her undergraduate work last year. The daughter of a Vietnamese immigrant and the first in her family to go to college, she felt that graduate school was too expensive and instead had her eye on the workforce once she had her civil engineering degree in December.

But Stephan Durham, professor and assistant dean for student success and

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outreach with the College of Engineering, suggested Nguyen stay in school, earn a master’s degree from UGA, and work as a graduate assistant with the APWA Georgia chapter –a year-long arrangement that Nguyen considered a “no-brainer.”

“I never really thought of doing grad work, because it was always a financial issue,” she said. “Dr. Durham said that I would really fit with his program and that the topic of the research would interest me, because I am interested in bridges and that sort of infrastructure. Also, it would only take a year, I’d be doing great work, and it would also be funded by APWA [Georgia Chapter].”

Nguyen’s research is focused on developing an asset management plan specifically for bridges, with the aim of creating an easy-to-follow guide for communities to use. The goal is to help municipalities learn how to better monitor the status of their bridges and become more proactive in their maintenance – something that would help prolong the structure’s life and ultimately save taxpayers’ money.

The project builds upon the work of Caroline Dickey, a 2019 Double Dawg who served as the APWA Georgia chapters first grad student in 2019. Dickey focused her research on the larger umbrella of asset management, a need many APWA members mentioned as a top priority.

For her final project, she put her thesis into practice and created a step-by-step asset management guide specifically for Washington County, a UGA Archway Partnership community. The experience opened her eyes to an area of engineering she hadn’t considered.

“I’ve been able to use my experience from that in the job that I’m doing now, which has been really cool,” said Dickey, who works at the Kercher Group

in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she helps municipalities across the country manage their assets. “I feel like now I’m in a supporting role for local governments, to be a consultant with them…I really took my experience in grad school as sort of a springboard into what I wanted to do.

I didn’t really know that I could do asset management as a job.”

The APWA Georgia Chapter was impressed enough with Dickey’s work to fund a second graduate assistantship this year, and plans to continue for a third year if its budget allows.

“I think it’s been a win-win,” said Stan Brown, APWA Georgia Chapter board member. “It’s been great for the students.

It gives them something that they can have a point of pride in, knowing that they’ve done something that will help cities and counties in Georgia. And at the same time, it’s given us something that we can use.”

Still in the early stages of her study, Nguyen hopes to produce a similar guide for a Georgia community in need. While working at home with her mother and two younger sisters, she has remotely surveyed and interviewed several Georgia communities – large, medium, small, and rural – and has begun compiling a list of potential cities and counties to serve as test subjects for her work.

“For us, it’s exciting to be able to go and test it and see the potential impact of this work on communities throughout Georgia while partnering with other Public Service and Outreach units,” Durham said. “That’s broadly what UGA wants to do, serve the state, and that’s what we’re doing with this.”

“I never really thought of doing grad work, because it was always a financial issue. Dr. Durham said that I would really fit with his program and that the topic of the research would interest me, because I am interested in bridges and that sort of infrastructure. Also, it would only take a year, I’d be doing great work, and it would also be funded by APWA (Georgia Chapter).”

We thank the APWA-Georgia Chapter, its members and Executive Committee for its continuing investments and collaboration. Together, we are making a difference in Georgia.

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Writer: Aaron Cox, aaron.cox@uga.edu, 417-483-5919 Contact: Walt McBride, mcbride@uga.edu, 770-503-4474 I s s u e 1 – J u l y/A u g u s t 20 20 | G EO RG I A P U B L I C WO R K S

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What you need to know about

CORONAVIRUS DISEASE 2019 (COVID-19) Q: What is COVID-19?

A: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness that can spread from person to person. The virus that causes COVID-19 is a novel coronavirus that was first identified during an investigation into an outbreak in Wuhan, China.

Q: How does COVID-19 spread?

A: COVID-19 spreads the same way the flu and other respiratory diseases spread,through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

Q: What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

A: Patients with COVID-19 have mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms of fever, cough and shortness of breath. In severe cases, patients with COVID-19 have developed pneumonia in both lungs.

Q: Is there a vaccine for COVID-19?

A: There is currently no vaccine to protect against COVID-19.

The best way to prevent infection is to avoid being exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19.

Q: Who can be infected with COVID-19?

Q: How can I help protect myself from COVID-19?

A: The best way to prevent infection is to avoid being exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19. The same measures that are urged to prevent the spread of any respiratory virus are increasingly important for all Georgians: • Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.

• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.

• Stay home if you’re sick.

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

• Get a flu shot!

• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Q: How is COVID-19 treated?

A: There is no specific antiviral treatment recommended for COVID-19. People with COVID-19 should receive supportive care to help relieve symptoms. People who think they may have been exposed to COVID-19 should call their healthcare provider before going to any provider’s office, emergency department or urgent care.

A: Diseases can make anyone sick regardless of their race or ethnicity. People of Asian descent, including Chinese Americans, are not more likely to get COVID-19 than any other American.

Help stop fear by letting people know that being of Asian descent does not increase the chance of getting or spreading COVID-19.

FOR MORE INFORM ATION dph.georgia.gov/novelcoronavirus cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

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Heavy Equipment Procurement Program A Cooperative Purchasing Program that Provides Competitive Pricing on Heavy Equipment – Available to all City and County Agencies.

North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association

Post Office Box 20049 • Raleigh, North Carolina 27619 www.ncsheriffs.org/procurement • (919) 459-6471

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“

We need to see leadership as something that is just as important as that latest and greatest project management software that everyone is talking about.

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Top

By Rogelio ‘Roy’ Flores, II

Trending Leadership Topics in Public Works

Empowering and recognizing future public works leaders of today and tomorrow.

From left to right at the PWX 2018 Awards Ceremony, honoring the graduates of the Emerging Leaders Academy: APWA Past President Bo Mills; Rogelio ‘Roy’ Flores, II, Program Manager, Pima County Project Management Office, Tucson, Arizona; former APWA Board member Sue Hann; APWA Past President Diane Linderman; and Steven Johnson, Public Works Operations Manager-Sewers, City of Des Moines, Iowa

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rom my perspective, lately within public works it seems a trending topic of conversation is focused around technology and how we as public works professionals can incorporate these technologies into our organizations that will allow us to improve our work productivity/ efficiency with the ultimate goal of being better able to serve the communities we live in. Now, I’m not saying technology is bad or I’m some luddite or yearn for the days when construction plans were drawn by hand. In fact, I love using computer spreadsheets daily to crunch numbers, having our infrastructure assets mapped in GIS is awesome, and utilizing a drone to capture photos/videos of a construction project’s progress is amazing – I even fall into that sometimes-infamous group known as ‘millennials.’ I just think there is a topic that everyone knows about, has an opinion about, has probably been to some training about but is often missing or at least not part of the greater public works conversation. Well, you probably guessed what the topic is based on the title of the article: leadership.

In my opinion, leadership and its role within public works is something that is assumed to just happen or something that is not as important as making sure mayor and council approves our next fiscal

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year budget. We need to see leadership as something that is just as important as that latest and greatest project management software that everyone is talking about.

So, I’m going to do something bold with the intent of fostering meaningful conversation, critical thinking, and debate on what it means to be a leader in public works. Here are my 2020 Top Five Trending Leadership Topics in Public Works as I see it from my view.

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1. TRANSPARENCY Where is your team, group, division, department, or organization going? Are we all trying to just get through the day, or do we have a clear direction we are all working towards in our respective public works agencies? As a leader in public works, your task is to set the goals/mission/vision so that others (fellow public works team members) know what it is you’re trying to accomplish and how you plan to achieve those goals.

In other words, by being transparent it will allow others to not have to guess what is coming next or why a decision was made that drastically changed the organization such as a reorganization or implementation of a new policy or procedure.

Being transparent not only entails being open about where the organization is going, but there should also be opportunities for others to provide some feedback. This feedback can occur via a townhall forum, anonymous survey, brown bag lunch, or a one-on-one setting. It is important to remember that as leader you need to listen and respond to others’ feedback, so they feel like their voice is being heard.

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2. COMMUNICATION There has never been any other time in history – at least that I am aware of – where we in public works have a plethora of ways to communicate with one another and in such an immediate way. There are many ways to communicate other than a phone call or face-to-face interaction, for example: we can text, email, video chat, video message, voice message, instant message, two-way radio, voicemail, and even send letters in the mail. However, it appears that sometimes these alternative

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communication tools become a crutch for us when having a face-toface conversation or picking up the phone would solve an issue or answer a question more quickly than writing a lengthy email. Now, I know that putting things in writing serves a purpose, but when speaking to someone on the phone or in person we are able to pick up on non-verbal communication such as tone of voice, posture, hand gestures, etc. in addition to cultivating a more personal relationship with the people we work with in our profession.

Sometimes people need a little nudging to get them to take on new roles/responsibilities or become comfortable making decisions on their own without having to consult the boss. As the next generation of public works employees enter the workforce, it’s our job as leaders to mentor them, provide direction, and teach them the skills to become successful within our organizations and communities.

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3. SERVICE At its core, public works is a service profession. We are the men and women responsible for building and maintaining the infrastructure in our communities that keep us safe, healthy, and afford us the opportunity to have fruitful lives. As leaders in our organizations, not only do we serve the communities we live in, but we also serve those we work with every day.

‘How can I help? should be the first thing that comes to mind when a superior, coworker, or one of your direct reports approaches you with a question, problem, or issue that needs to be addressed. Oftentimes, we may be quick to dismiss those coming to us for assistance because ‘it’s not my problem’ or ‘I don’t have time’ or ‘what I’m working on is more important than your trite circumstance’ but these responses are counterproductive to building strong working relationships with our peers.

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4. EMPOWERMENT I believe everyone possesses some leadership qualities within them whether they believe it or not. If you fall into the non-believer category, I am here to tell you that yes, you can be or currently are a leader in your organization. Leadership can take many different forms within an organization (supervisor, moral support, mentor, etc.) and it’s not just the person who is the head of the organization giving commands which is generally what people think of when they think of a leader.

5. SELF-REFLECTION Who are you? From time to time I believe it’s a good idea to check in with ourselves and see how we are doing as leaders in our organizations.

We may ask ourselves questions like ‘Am I an effective leader?’ or ‘What are areas that I can improve on to better serve those around me?’ Whatever internal questions you may ask yourself, make sure your responses are honest and sincere.

We all have strengths and weaknesses as leaders, but before we can strengthen our strengths and weaken our weaknesses, we need to know what they are. It’s possible to identify these traits ourselves but our responses may be biased because we are all perfect…right?

A better approach, if you are up to the test, is to solicit your superiors or direct reports to share – whether directly or anonymously – their thoughts on your leadership areas that need improvement and areas where you excel.

CONCLUSION So, there you have it, my 2020 Top Five Trending Leadership Topics in Public Works.

Do you agree with these leadership trends or my interpretations? Do you think there is a leadership topic that I missed or should replace one of my top five? I challenge you to have a conversation with your fellow public works colleagues to get their take on what they see as the current leadership trends as we move forward into the next decade.

Perhaps, we’ll see a trending leadership bracket challenge in the near future.

BY ROGELIO ‘ROY’ FLORES, II, PE, MPA, Program Manager, Pima County Project Management Office, Tucson, Arizona; member, APWA Emerging Leaders Academy (ELA) Class XI, Leadership and Management Committee Knowledge Team, and APWA ELA Subcommittee.

Rogelio can be reached at 520-724-9302 or rogelio.flores@pima.gov.

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5G

HOW NETWORKS CAN BENEFIT AND AFFECT YOUR COMMUNITY

By Eric J. Labelle, PE, PWLF, Senior Engineer, Main-Land Development Consultants, Inc., Livermore Falls, Maine; Delegate, APWA Maine Chapter; Member, APWA Government Affairs Committee

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ireless technology has come a long way since Guglielmo Marconi invented the wireless telegraph network in 1896. Today, we are constantly hearing about the race to establish 5G networks.

2020s: Fifth Generation/5G. It is anticipated the network will be 1 to 20 Gb/s and be more reliable. 5G carriers claim cellular data connections will be 100 times faster. A two-hour movie which would previously take six minutes to download would take on 3.4 seconds in 5G. According to Global System for Mobile Communication, at the end of 2018, 5.1 billion people subscribed to mobile services, accounting for approximately 67% of the world’s population.

And the world continues to move into Internet of Things (IoT), meaning the interconnectivity of health devices, equipment, appliances, vehicle-to-vehicle, to name a few.

ECONOMIC IMPACTS In 2017, IHS Economics studied the economic impacts of 5G on the global economy and our domestic economy.

Here are the group’s key findings: • In 2035, 5G will enable $12.3 trillion of global economic output (2016 dollars). That is nearly equivalent to US consumer spending in 2016 and more than the combined spending by consumers in China, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, and France in 2016.

Delay Autonomous driving

1ms

Tactile internet

Augmented Reality

Virual Reality

10ms

Disaster alert

Real time gaming

Bi-directional remote controlling

Automotive ecall Device remote controlling

100ms

Multi-person video call

1,000ms Monitoring sensor networks

<1Mbps

First responder connectivity Personal cloud

1Mbps

Video streaming

10Mbps

Wireless cloud based office

100Mbps

Services that can be delivered by legacy networks

Fixed

Services that could be enabled by 5G

M2M connectivity

Nomadic

>Gbps

Bandwidth throughput

On the go

Figure 1: Bandwidth and latency requirements of potential 5G use cases.

Source: GSMA Intelligence.

HISTORY OF G 1980s: First Generation/1G Analog technology allows the first wireless conversations from across the globe. No texting.

1990s: Second Generation/2G Short Message Service (SMS) provides text messaging capabilities. Able to collect and transfer information. Initially slow rate of 9.6 Kb/s and improving to 56 Kb/s.

2000s: Third Generation/3G Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) is developed allowing devices to send photos and video. Initial speed is four times faster than 2G with speeds of 200 Kb/s and improving to speeds of 7.2 Mb/s.

2010s: Fourth Generation/4G LTE can utilize high-speed networks.

Still has a great deal of growth potential. Provides speeds of 100 Mb/s.

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3.5G/DC-HSPA+

42.2 Mbps

4G/LTE

100 Mbps

4G/LTE Cat. 4

150 Mbps

4G/LTE Advanced

5G

Maximum theoretical downlink speed by technology generation

1,000 Mbps

1,000 Mbps

Figure 2: Maximum theoretical downlink speed by technology generation, Mbps (*10 Gbps is the minimum theoretical upper limit speed specified for 5G).

Sources: GSMA Intelligence, National Conference of State Legislatures.

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WHO'S THE BOSS? So far, 20 states have preempted localities by enacting legislation that streamlines regulations to facilitate the deployment of 5G small cells.

Small cell law No state law

• The global 5G value chain will generate $3.5 trillion in output and support 22 million jobs in 2035. This figure is larger than the value of today’s entire mobile value chain. It is approximately the combined revenue of the top 13 companies on the 2016 Fortune 1000 – a list that includes Walmart, State Grid, China National Petroleum, Royal Dutch Shell, ExxonMobil, Volkswagen, Toyota, Apple, Berkshire Hathaway, and Samsung.

• The 5G value chain will invest an average of $200 billion annually to continually expand and strengthen the 5G technology base within network and business application infrastructure; this figure represents nearly half of the total U.S. federal, state, and local government spending in transportation infrastructure in 2014.

• Moreover, 5G deployment will fuel sustainable long-term growth to global real GDP. From 2020 to 2035, the total contribution of 5G to real global GDP will be equivalent to an economy the size of India, currently the seventh largest economy in the world.

In an effort to expedite the permitting process, communication companies have been working with state legislatures to pass laws to limit fees and provide utilities rights to install infrastructure within the rights-of-way and on municipal infrastructure such as streetlights and traffic infrastructure.

This has led to the clustering of cells on utility poles. The placement of cells on municipally owned infrastructure also raises the question of liability. While not always discussed, aesthetics is also a factor.

Currently, there are at least 20 states that have cell laws.

There are some objections to the installation of the small cell based on concerns of radiation and electromagnetic field exposure.

The federal government has not supported the claims to date.

Some communities such as Mill Valley, CA, have taken steps to restrict the installation through local ordinances. Other communities such as Atlanta, Cleveland, Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and New York have already implemented 5G. It appears that many communities don’t object to the expansion of the network but would like a seat at the table. Municipalities have always worked in the best interest of their residents; however, members of our association seem to be indicating the rules are being set for them at the state level.

It is important to keep in mind the importance of our policies as APWA. The APWA Technical Committees work diligently to establish policy priorities to assist in informing all levels of government as to how we all need to integrate to achieve our goals.

5G INFRASTRUCTURE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT CHALLENGES With such potential economic benefits, industry utilities have been in a hurry to begin installing infrastructure. The deployment of the network is dependent on fiber optics and 5G small cells. 5G small cells are small base stations which communicate back to the main towers. As mentioned earlier, they are designed to provide greater and faster data; however, they also have a shorter range. The purpose of the small cells is also to fill gaps in the 4G network.

CTIA, representing the wireless communications industry, predicts 800,000 small cells will be installed over the next few years.

The GAC has been discussing how to advocate on 5G deployment rights and concerns. Local governments were not prepared for the rapid request to install additional infrastructure within the public rights-of-way.

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5G

HOW NETWORKS CAN BENEFIT AND AFFECT YOUR COMMUNITY POLICY PRIORITIES Emergency Management Committee Policy Priority: “APWA opposes unfunded mandates pertaining to federal cybersecurity and telecommunication regulations that may be placed upon state and local governments. State and local governments should be consulted regarding any proposed telecommunication modifications that may impact public right‑of-way.”

Surface Transportation Reauthorization Policy: “Protect state and local level control regarding public works projects, which is key to successfully designing, maintaining, and operating transportation infrastructure.

APWA opposes unfunded mandates and any effort to impede the appropriate use of public right-of-way. APWA strongly encourages the federal government and industry to coordinate with state and local governments on transportation and infrastructure projects.”

5G utilizes higher frequency waves which allows for higher data transfer with significantly less delay (50 times less than 4G) but have a reduced range. Publications imply a small

cell would be required every 500 feet or on every city block.

Concerns are that the higher frequency waves will travel further into the dermis and epidermis as they are in closer proximity.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) did not find any concerns.

However, in 2011, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Agency for Research on Cancer cited cellular radio waves as a possible carcinogen in 2011 and is undertaking a ‘high priority’ study. We will have to wait to see the outcomes of future studies.

With the prospect of economic growth associated with 5G and the pursuit of being the first to implement, there is great support behind the next great innovation. Public works may not have been involved in implementation and development of the upcoming 5G network development; however, not unlike most developments in our jurisdictions, we need to understand the needs of our constituency.

Please reach out to legislators and tell your story and work to have a seat at the table. No one understands our communities’ infrastructure, operations, and challenges as well as you do.

Eric Labelle can be reached at 207-897-6752 or eric.labelle@main-landdci.com.

Over 100 experienced engineers, surveyors, landscape architects, geologists, construction inspectors, scientists and technicians in 10 locations, providing services throughout the United States.

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APWA Leadership News

A MESSAGE FROM APWA LEADERSHIP

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S C O T T D . G R AY S O N , C A E , P R E S I D E N T | W I L L I A M E . ( B I L L ) S P E A R M A N III, C H I E F E X E C U T I V E O F F I C E R

hese are challenging times, and public works professionals are committed to providing essential services to all people, and maintaining critical infrastructure that is so vital to quality of life for all.

In recent days public works professionals have been called upon to assist in other unique ways as the United States experiences widespread civil unrest in response to the tragic death of Mr. George Floyd in Minneapolis, MN. APWA is saddened by this tragedy and the impact to all communities throughout the United States.

Over these past months, Public Works professionals have been called upon to address additional challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic to include continuing sanitation services, increased cleaning procedures and safety precautions in public works facilities, monitoring the safety of water systems, assisting with traffic control at COVID-19 testing locations, and working with our first responder partners to address the unique needs of our diverse populations and communities.

As first responders, and in addition to the complications presented by COVID-19, public works is also helping local and community partners during public demonstrations by providing equipment to establish safe perimeters for those seeking to peacefully demonstrate.

Furthermore, public works is in place following public demonstrations to clean-up, and when needed, re-establish essential services, and rebuilding our communities negatively impacted by demonstrations.

Thank you for your continued commitment to communities throughout the United States.

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Contact Rod Evason to put Georgia Public Works to work for you.

To reach Georgia’s Public Works professionals through Georgia Public Works and its targeted readership, contact Rod at your earliest convenience to discuss your company’s promotional plans for 2020.

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Website

Rod Evason Marketing Manager P 877-985-9710 F 866-985-9799 rod@kelman.ca Published for APWA – Georgia Chapter by

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