The Premier Magazine For America’s Municipalities
December 2021
MUNICIPAL MANAGEMENT
INSIDE: Curb Roller Manufacturing Atlantic City cultivates leadership
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Cities consider reparations
DECEMBER 2021 | THE MUNICIPAL 3
Contents
Shutterstock photos
December 2021 | VOL. 12 No. 9 | www.themunicipal.com
18 17 Focus on Municipal Management Focus on Municipal 22 18 Management: Atlantic City cultivates a solid management team
22 Focus on Municipal
Management: Sister Cities form special relationship
34
36 Focus on Municipal
Management: Elmira embraces creativity by becoming a city of murals
42 Public Safety: Keep the
Wreath Green encourages fire awareness during the holidays
46 Parks & Environmental
26 Focus on Municipal
Services: Parkland conversion creates new opportunities in Murfreesboro, Tenn.
reparation talks into action
48 Parks & Environmental
Management: Cities put
30 Focus on Municipal
Management: Farmington Hills’ budget recognized for the 37th consecutive year
Services: Cities ramp up outdoor fitness offerings
54 Streets, Highways &
Bridges: Illinois repairs farming thoroughfare in record time
48
The Premier Magazine For America’s Municipalities
ON THE COVER With a single-operator curb rolling machine, crews can complete curb and gutter work up to twice as fast as manual methods, pouring and finishing up to 2,000 feet in a single day. Learn more about how Curb Roller Manufacturing has improved efficiency on curb projects on page 10.
December 2021
MUNICIPAL MANAGEMENT
INSIDE: Curb Roller Manufacturing Atlantic City cultivates leadership www.themunicipal.com
4 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2021
Cities consider reparations
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Departments
Meet our Staff publisher RON BAUMGARTNER rbaumgartner@the-papers.com
editor-in-chief DEB PATTERSON dpatterson@the-papers.com
editor SARAH WRIGHT swright@the-papers.com
8 Editor’s Note: Workplaces evolve following pandemic and Great Resignation
10 From the Cover: Roll into increased efficiency: How innovative concrete equipment is bringing versatility to municipalities
12 On The Road Again: PEZ Visitor Center, Orange, Conn.
publication manager CHRIS SMITH chris@themunicipal.com
14 What’s In A Name: Angel Fire and Cloudcroft, N.M.
38 Personality Profile: Mayor Laurie senior account executive REES WOODCOCK rees@themunicipal.com
Gere of Anacortes steps down in early 2022
50 Holiday: Cities seek to brighten holiday spirits
graphic designer MARY LESTER mlester@the-papers.com
business manager CARRIE GORALCZYK cgoralczyk@the-papers.com
director of marketing STEVE MEADOWS smeadows@the-papers.com
56 News & Notes 58 Conference Calendar 59 Product Spotlights 62 Top 10: States with the least amount of credit card debt
mail manager KHOEUN KHOEUTH kkhoeuth@the-papers.com
65 Advertiser Index WWW.THEMUNICIPAL.COM
PO Box 188 • 206 S. Main St., Milford, IN 46542 866-580-1138/Fax 800–886–3796 Editorial Ext. 2307; Advertising Ext. 2505, 2408
6 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2021
The Municipal does not knowingly accept false or misleading advertising or editorial content, nor does The Municipal or its staff assume responsibility should such advertising or editorial content appear in any publication. The Municipal reserves the right to determine the suitability of all materials submitted for publication and to edit all submitted materials for clarity and space. The Municipal has not independently tested any services or products advertised herein and has verified no claims made by its advertisers regarding those services or products. The Municipal makes no warranties or representations and assumes no liability for any claims regarding those services or products or claims made by advertisers regarding such products or services. Readers are advised to consult with the advertiser regarding any such claims and regarding the suitability of an advertiser’s products. No reproduction of The Municipal is allowed without express written permission. Copyright © 2021.
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Editor’s Note
Workplaces evolve following pandemic and Great Resignation
Sarah Wright | Editor
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unicipal management is not an easy business — even in the best of times when a pandemic is not thrown into the mix. When done well, good management can often be underappreciated, going unremarked, unrewarded. A well-run city does not always catch the notice of residents, who simply enjoy the benefits. It also doesn’t always garner headlines outside association awards. However, when the well-oiled machine glitches, that is when you hear about it from constituents. Missteps — and let’s not forget potholes — become headlines. And that’s not even touching on if a scandal or other ethic violation is uncovered. Instilling strong ethics and transparency is vital to avoid such missteps, as is cultivating
solid supervisory employees. Leadership can staff in advertising positions. The city has sink or float any organization. Good leader- also used pay raises to draw qualified candiship can ensure quality services for residents dates. The article’s writer, Sam Kmack, shares, in addition to innovations; it can also mean “(Sharon) McDonough (interim director of the retaining quality employees versus losing Public Safety Communications Department) them. A good manager, after all, will support, credits the pay raise for her department’s value and cultivate talent. vacancy rate decrease, which dropped from Numerous industries are being impacted 45% to 34% in just a few months.” by staff shortages, and some are even noting Each municipality’s path forward will a “Great Resignation,” coined for the record be different, but a competitive edge will be rate at which Americans have quit their jobs needed to draw qualified candidates. in 2020 and 2021. FRED Economic Research In Atlantic City, N.J., city officials are develoffers a graph and data that details this shift, oping their supervisory-level employees. which is available here: https://fred.stlouis- Within this issue, writer Beth Anne Brinkfed.org/series/JTSQUR. Cox shares the city’s experiences of sending Many speculate this Great Resignation employees through Certified Public Manager will lead to major workplace shifts as work- program training and how it is impacting ers take power and expect more from their operations. Also, in this issue, we’ll be exploring a spejobs — better pay and benefits, good managers, a nice work/life balance, etc. cial Sister City relationship between South Like other industries, municipalities have Berwick, Maine, and Tuskegee, Ala.; how faced staff shortages. In many cases, these cities are pursuing reparations; Farmington shortages began well before even the pan- Hills, Mich.’s, outstanding budget practices; demic. According to Tucson.com’s article and Elmira, N.Y.’s, efforts to enliven its resi“City of Tucson faces staff shortages, new plan dents’ lives with art. could help,” this was the case for Tucson, Ariz., Until next time, Happy Holidays! And of which is now using a consultant to develop course, Happy New Year!. recruitment strategies while assisting city
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8 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2021
ha We can fix t
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AFTER REPAIR
DECEMBER 2021 | THE MUNICIPAL 9
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From The Cover
Roll into increased efficiency:
Curb Roller Manufacturing’s equipment offers municipalities a cost-effective solution to independently complete their own concrete work.
Photos courtesy of Curb Roller Manufacturing
How innovative concrete equipment is bringing versatility to municipalities By Seth Ulmer | Sales Manager, Curb Roller Manufacturing
In times when municipal work can be unpredictable, concrete equipment is thankfully evolving to help administrators meet the needs of their population. This can improve a crew’s ability to perform repairs on existing infrastructure and expand the ability to handle new developments. Broader in-house capabilities eliminate the need for long wait times on private contractors, increasing responsiveness and reducing overall costs. Concrete work that once required a lengthy, back-breaking process can now be done quickly and efficiently with the municipality’s own crew if they invest in a few pieces of equipment. The art of curb and gutter work Traditionally, curb and gutter work has been performed through a slow, physically demanding manual process or by large slipform pavers run by highly skilled operators. Walk-behind curbing machines, however, have emerged as an innovative solution for municipal crews to self-perform curb and gutter projects, minimizing outside costs while reducing labor needs by up to 75%. Curb rolling machines are designed with a handle attached to a spinning metal drum that is powered by a hydraulic power source. The compact design makes it easy for crews to move the equipment from street to street, streamlining transportation when completing curb and 10 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2021
gutter work in several different locations throughout the day. The equipment is intuitive to use, making it easy to learn and produce quality results, even for users who are less experienced in concrete work. With this single-operator machine, crews can complete curb and gutter work up to twice as fast as with manual methods, pouring and finishing up to 2,000 feet in a single day. The ergonomic design allows it to be operated in an upright position, increasing safety for the crew and reducing physical strain and fatigue. Walk-behind curbing machines, like the Curb Roller from Curb Roller Manufacturing, can be used with more than 31 pre-designed drum profiles as well as custom drum options to meet a municipality’s individual specifications. The Curb Roller features a patented guide ring that runs on the inside of the forms, ensuring a uniform curb every time. The handle has a variable speed and directional control, giving the operator ultimate control of the machine. Additionally, the same technology that brought portability, safety and efficiency to curb and gutter work can also be found in screeds that
provide a smooth level finish for concrete flatwork, including sidewalks and streets. The need for screeds Like walk-behind curb rolling machines, roller screeds are known for their portability, ergonomic design, ease of use and ability to create quality results with less dependence on the operator’s skill level. The equipment consists of a detachable pipe that is connected to a drive head with an extended handle. Roller screeds move concrete with a spinning motion, unlike other methods that use only vibration or require sheer force by the operator. This rolling action improves the integration of aggregate throughout the pour, ensuring a flatter finished product that avoids puddling, which can compromise the finished results. While roller screeds have several power source options, batterypowered roller screeds allow municipalities to actively protect the environment by operating without fumes. Additionally, without a cord or added weight of an engine attached to the screed, crews have more mobility when moving between projects. Some battery-powered screeds, like the Batt Screed from Curb Roller Manufacturing, are powered by a removable and rechargeable 60-volt lithium-ion battery commonly found in other tools, and are able to screed off up to 1,800 to 2,500 square feet with one fully charged battery, depending on the slump and pipe length. Municipalities can maximize their efficiency by pairing their batteryoperated roller screed with a modular pipe system, like Curb Roller Manufacturing’s Lynx Screed. With these versatile systems, municipal crews can accommodate pours ranging from 3 to 22 feet wide with one set of connectable pipes instead of purchasing dedicated pipes for different pours. The equipment has minimal storage requirements and is a breeze to transport — crews can simply disconnect the pipe sections and place them in the back of a pickup truck and drive to the next location. A responsible investment “Is it affordable?” This is a critical question when municipalities purchase new equipment, striving to make the best use of limited budgets. Investing in innovative concrete equipment can quickly pay for itself by helping municipalities increase quality while boosting workforce efficiency and reducing injuries and operator fatigue. With an estimated cost of less than $7,000, the Curb Roller cuts labor on projects by up to 75% and can pay for itself in just 1,500 linear feet. Meanwhile, with a Batt Screed paired with a Lynx Screed pipe system, a combination that typically costs less than $6,000, municipalities can see savings that offset the cost in only a matter of weeks. When purchasing concrete equipment, municipalities should also look to work with a manufacturer that provides training, expertise and ongoing customer support so they can maximize their investment. With minimal training time, some manufacturers can help crews quickly learn to operate the equipment and produce consistent, quality results with minimal supervision. Some manufacturers, like Curb Roller Manufacturing, can also provide valuable insight by sharing their experience and expertise in the concrete field. New advancements in concrete equipment have created convenient solutions for the many challenges municipalities face. Walk-behind curbing machines and roller screeds have taken the physical strain, outside expense and long wait times out of concrete work. With an investment in equipment that is simple to learn and convenient to use, municipal crews can produce their own high-quality results safely and efficiently.
With the Batt Screed from Curb Roller Manufacturing, crews are able to screed off up to 1,800 to 2,500 square feet with one fully charged battery.
Investing in innovative concrete equipment can quickly and easily pay for itself by helping municipalities increase quality, workforce efficiency and reducing injuries or operator fatigue. About Curb Roller Manufacturing Curb Roller Manufacturing has been the world leader in shaped concrete roller screeds for more than 10 years. With high-quality products for everyday concrete work, Curb Roller’s ergonomic machines not only make it easy to shape standard curb, gutter and sidewalks, but also flume, v-gutter, swale and other unique shapes. Its flagship product, the award-winning CM4000 Curb Roller, opened the door for additional products like the Hydra-Screed and the battery-powered Batt Screed and corded Eel Screed. For more information: Curb Roller Manufacturing, 112 S. Main St., Fairview, KS, 66425; (785) 467-3132; info@curbroller.com; www.curbroller.com; or on Facebook. About the Author Seth Ulmer is the sales manager at Curb Roller Manufacturing, a world leader in shaped concrete roller screeds. Ulmer joined Curb Roller Manufacturing after spending over a decade in the concrete and construction industries. DECEMBER 2021 | THE MUNICIPAL 11
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On The Road Again
PEZ Visitor Center, Orange, Conn.
Dateline: Vienna, Austria, 1927 Innovator and confectioner Eduard Haas III (1897-1989), namesake of a grocer father and physician grandfather, develops an anti-smoking breath mint. He is inspired by his success in earning a patent as an adolescent for a light baking powder mix for Gugelhupf, a traditional cake apocryphally attributed to the Three Wise Men. Infusing a hard powder mixture with peppermint oil, Haas manufactures the small round tablets and sells them in tins (think Altoids). His confection becomes wildly popular throughout Europe and eventually around the globe. By Ray Balogh | The Municipal
He coins them “PEZ drops,” derived from the first, middle and last letters of “PfeffErminZ,” the German word for peppermint. In 1935 Haas constructed a new factory in Czechoslovakia to manufacture the candies, which by then had changed to their iconic brick shape, and in 1949 at the Vienna Trade Fair, he officially unveiled the first PEZ dispenser, which held 12 tablets, the same capacity as those sold today. In 1952 Haas moved to the United States to tap this nation’s prodigious consumer market. He initially set up operations in New York City, and the growing popularity of the mints prompted him to build a manufacturing facility in Orange, Conn., breaking ground in 1973. The adjoining 4,000-square-foot Visitor Center opened its doors in 2011 and is visited by thousands of PEZ devotees every year. A seemingly endless array of the dispensers are displayed in the center. Also exhibited are a PEZ motorcycle built by Orange County Choppers; the world’s largest PEZ dispenser, which stands 12 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2021
two stories tall; an interactive PEZ trivia game; and observation windows into the production facility, which produces 12 million PEZ tablets (1 million dispenser packages) every day. All visits are self-guided, though visitors are not allowed in the manufacturing area. Regular admission is $5 for adults and $4 for seniors and children aged 3 to 12. Each paid admission merits a $2 credit for same-day purchases in the center’s gift shop. Visitors can also indulge in free samples of a variety of flavors. Over the decades, PEZ initiated adjustments and improvements to its marketing and its dispensers and added flavors to its repertoire of candies. The first character-shaped dispensers — Santa Claus and a robot — were introduced in 1955. Other character heads were added, and today PEZ boasts an inventory of more than 550 unique dispenser heads with thousands of variations. Marketing efforts included the creation of PEZ Boy, a fictional lad who solves mysteries while dressing up in various disguises,
PEZ candy started in 1927 as a round anti-smoking breath mint. Production is now predominated by fruit-flavored pastel bricks. (Photo by Tobik/Shutterstock.com)
including a policeman, knight and doctor. PEZ Comics were inserted into the packaging of PEZ Pals, which replicate PEZ Boy’s disguises. To cater to the adult market, the company hired alluring PEZ Girls, who wore PEZ uniforms and handed out free samples at crowded city intersections and major public events. Pin-up girls cooed from their ads, “Already PEZing?” The peppermint flavor was jettisoned in favor of sweeter alternatives, particularly fruit flavors, such as lemon, orange, cherry, strawberry and raspberry. Current flavors also include grape and banana. Lime made an appearance but has since been retired. PEZ market analysts have always been scrupulous in ferreting out taste predilections of the public, short-term fads and experimental forays. Some of the more interesting offerings at present are candy corn, vanilla cupcake, sugar
The 4,000-square-foot PEZ Visitor Center in Orange, Conn., opened in 2011 and contains the world’s largest PEZ dispenser collection. Visitors can take self-guided tours and observe the manufacturing process through observation windows. (Photo by Sean Wandzilak/Shutterstock.com)
Images of PEZ candy rolls are evident everywhere, even on the bench at the front entrance to the Visitor Center. (Photo courtesy of PEZ Visitor Center)
Pez Super Hero dispensers. (Shutterstock.com)
cookie and cotton candy. Sugar-free and sour varieties are also available. Retired flavors include apple, cola, licorice, chocolate, chlorophyll, coffee, yogurt, eucalyptus and flower. PEZ has also been diligent in adding to its repertoire of dispenser designs. “It’s one of those things that has stood the test of time, and we want people to continue to enjoy that,” said Shaw Peterson, PEZ’s direct to consumer
business manager. “We still look for what the new, hottest properties are, the trends that are going to hopefully be around for a while, and we try to capture that in a PEZ dispenser.” The company receives thousands of requests a year for new designs but turns down almost all of them, including a recent request by Kim Kardashian. PEZ has a seldom breached general rule not to create dispenser likenesses of actual people.
Visitors are immediately greeted with the world’s largest PEZ dispenser, which stands 20 feet high. (Photo courtesy of PEZ Visitor Center)
PEZ has, however, produced a plethora of images based on characters in movies, such as “The Wizard of Oz,” “Lord of the Rings” and “Star Wars”; Pixar films; Looney Tunes; D.C. Comics; Muppets; holidays (Easter, Christmas, Halloween); emergency response personnel; NASCAR and professional and college sports teams; cartoon characters (e.g., Popeye and Olive Oyl, Bullwinkle, Casper the Friendly Ghost, SpongeBob SquarePants, Smurfs and Winnie the Pooh). The process to make one batch of PEZ begins with 600 pounds of granulated table sugar crushed into powder between rollers, to which corn syrup and flavoring are added in precise amounts. The mixture then goes through a tablet press, which tightly compacts the material into their patented rectangular shape. The tablets are doled onto a conveyor belt in rows of 12 to the wrapping room, where a high-speed process wraps, folds and cuts a continuous sheet of pre-printed foil packaging to make the rolls of 12 candies, ready for shipping and ultimately loading into a dispenser. Though all PEZ candies are made in the United States, none of the dispensers are. They are manufactured and shipped in from Hungary, China and Vietnam. The PEZ Visitor Center is located at 35 Prindle Hill Road, Orange, Conn., and is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. seven days a week. For more information, call (203) 298-0201 or visit us.pez.com. DECEMBER 2021 | THE MUNICIPAL 13
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What’s In A Name
Angel Fire and Cloudcroft, N.M. By Ray Balogh | The Municipal Many municipalities in America are named for weather phenomena: Sun City, Ariz., and Snow, Okla.; Winter, Wis., and Spring, Texas; Cyclone, Penn., and Tornado, W.Va. Two towns in New Mexico — Angel Fire and Cloudcroft — share that distinction, their names derived from early observations about the sky under which they repose.
The picturesque village of Cloudcroft was built as a resort community in the 1960s. (Photo by Purplexsu/Shutterstock.com)
Blazing sunrise and sunset skies are a meteorological staple of Angel Fire, N.M. (Photo courtesy of Angel Fire Resort)
Angel Fire Angel Fire, population 1,052, is a relative newcomer as a New Mexico municipality, only taking shape in the 1960s as a resort area providing a variety of outdoor activities, such as hunting, fishing and skiing. The area was first populated by nomadic Native American tribes who, according to legend, were so taken by the stunningly brilliant reds and oranges of the morning and evening skies, which lit up Agua Fria Peak (one of the state’s highest mountains), they called the location “the fire of the gods.” Centuries later, Franciscan friars passed through and renamed the area “the place of the fire of angels.” The current moniker, Angel Fire, was coined in 1845 by frontiersman Kit Carson. In 1864 Lucien B. Maxwell, the most prodigious land grant owner in U.S. history, acquired full rights to 1.7 million acres of Angel Fire, which at the time consisted only of pasture and Indian hunting grounds. Three years later, gold was discovered on nearby Baldy Mountain, triggering the influx of 7,000 fortune hunters within a year’s time. Maxwell was unable to evict the trespassers, who established a rowdy mining town and engaged in violent skirmishes for decades with private landowners. In 1918 two ranch owners constructed a dam on the Cimarron River and stocked the resulting lake with trout, attracting not only fishermen but also entrepreneurs who leveraged the natural beauty of the place into a modest tourist destination. Two investors from Texas purchased 23,000 acres of the original Maxwell Land Grant to develop a resort community, which they dubbed Angel Fire. Construction began in 1966 on ski trails, a ninehole golf course and lakeside accommodations. Further development continued apace, and the population grew more than 1,000%, from 14 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2021
93 residents in 1990 to 1,048 in 2000, where the census count has hovered since. Every Father’s Day weekend, the town hosts a festival, releasing hot-air balloons against the fiery sky at sunrise. Cloudcroft Cloudcroft, a village of 713 residents in the Lincoln National Forest, sits at 8,676 feet, one of the highest elevations in the United States. At such an elevation, clouds often quite literally settle at ground level, depicting the image inherent in the name: “a pasture for the clouds.” The name, suggested by a rail line survey crew in 1898, was also bestowed to promote the majestic beauty of the location near a summit in the Sacramento Mountains. In 1899, a year before the railway reached Cloudcroft, developers built accommodations for the anticipated tourists. The Pavilion consisted of a dining room, kitchen, parlor, entertainment hall and 40 tents set on wooden platforms. The Lodge, an upscale alternative to The Pavilion, was also constructed. Before the rail line arrived in 1900, tourists arrived by stagecoach. When the railroad was completed, a depot was built next to The Pavilion, and the village busied itself welcoming the three trains that arrived each day. In 1909 and twice during the 1920s, The Lodge burned down and was rebuilt each time according to the original blueprints. During the Golden Age of Hollywood, visitors included Clark Gable, Judy Garland and Gilbert Roland. Other notables included Mexican Revolutionary general Pancho Villa and hotelier Conrad Hilton. Before long, though, automobiles outstripped passenger railways in utility and popularity, and the Cloudcroft rail line slipped into disuse. Passenger service stopped in 1938, and the last freight train rumbled into town in 1947. Tourism migrated to town along Highway 82, Cloudcroft’s main thoroughfare. Cloudcroft hosts three annual festivals featuring local arts and crafts, live entertainment and family activities and competitions: May Fair, held Memorial Day weekend; July Jamboree, held the weekend after July 4; and Oktoberfest, the town’s yearly farewell to the traditional tourist season.
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Focus on: Municipal Management
Municipal Management
Focus on:
$2.1 million
15
Asheville, N.C., City Council appropriated up to $2.1 million from the sale of city-owned land to fund its community reparations process.
The number of Atlantic City’s supervisory-level city employees who complete Certified Public Manager program training in May 2020. Learn more about Atlantic City’s experience on page 18.
Read about various cities’ approaches to reparations on page 26.
37 years
Farmington Hills, Mich., has been consecutively recognized for 37 years for its municipal budget.
See what the city is doing right on page 30.
99.7% McAllen, Texas, realized a response rate of 99.7% to the Census. McAllen had organized a committee of business and community leaders to provide Census outreach, and after the COVID19 pandemic halted outreach plans, the committee pivoted and held a 12-hour Census Telethon. Source: https://texasborderbusiness.com/city-of-mcallen-wins-statewide-award-at-annualconference/
250,000 The number of people who access Hilton Head Island’s website each month. The town has recently redesigned its website to make it more modern and easier to navigate. The update also enables it to be viewed on any type of device, including smartphones and tablets. Source: https://www.hiltonheadislandsc.gov/news/news.cfm?NewsID=1741
25,000 Oakland, Calif., distributed 25,000 hotspots and laptops using an existing partnership with Oakland Unified School District and several nonprofits. This effort was to reach digitally unserved and underserved households. Source: https://www.calcities.org/detail-pages/ news/2021/10/20/oakland-is-closing-the-digitaldivide-through-oakwifi-and-education
DECEMBER 2021 | THE MUNICIPAL 17
M Focus on: Municipal Management
Atlantic City cultivates a solid management team
By BETH ANNE BRINK-COX | The Municipal
Many layers are required to ensure city operations run efficiently — from the city clerk, city solicitor, planning and development to public safety, public works and so on. Each department requires not only the initial education and training but periodic updating as times change. There is always room for improvement. Regular education basis is a necessary asset, and Atlantic City, N.J., knows that. City supervisors’ participation in the Certified Public Manager program was a direct result of the Atlantic City Transition Report in September 2018. This report provided a framework for returning the city to local control. The state report led to a recommendation about the CPM. The program’s primary goal is to improve the performance of public sector managers and the organizational performance of state, local and federal governments, helping to build the capacity of city government. Fifteen supervisory-level city employees graduated in May 2020 — the first class, but not the last — making them better suited as 18 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2021
professionals and better fitted to tackle the day-to-day challenges as the capacity for city government grows. CPM is all about specialized management training, and the designation is awarded to public sector middle managers who have completed the required 300 hours of study through an accredited program. Atlantic City’s 15 employees completed their coursework, all while maintaining their full-time jobs. CPM programs are sponsored and operated by a public sector agency or university in a state or other political jurisdiction. The Institute of Certified Professional Managers is a nonprofit educational institute
ABOVE: The Atlantic City Transition Report in September 2018 recommended CPM training as part of the framework for returning the city to local control (Racheal Grazias/Shutterstock.com)
and certification body, established in 1974 through a grant from George R. Brown Foundation. The institute was formed to enhance recognition of management as a profession and to provide direction in the study of management. Two organizations founded ICPM: the International Management Council and the National Management Association. ICPM is a U.S.based, nonprofit educational institute and certification body affiliated with the James Madison University College of Business. In Atlantic City, the program was administered by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission and was delivered by Rutgers University-Newark’s School of Public Affairs and Administration. The city employees attended once a week for about 10 months, with a summer break of two months. The courses included case studies,
presentations, papers, self-assessments and current literature related to workplace issues. The program concluded with the capstone projects the employees worked on throughout the course, which were meant to benefit their own departments. The program’s primary goal is to improve the performance of public sector managers and the organizational performance of state, local and federal governments as the employees learn more about problem-solving, decision-making, strategic thinking and communication. Mayor Marty Small Sr. noted, “Sending city of Atlantic City employees through the CPM program is a priority for my administration because it helps us better our workforce. This program gives our employees the knowledge and skills needed to confidently lead their teams through the complex challenges of municipal government.” Graduation occurred in 2020, and postgraduation, Small said, “Atlantic City’s inaugural cohort is doing well. Participants were from various city departments, spreading the knowledge and lessons learned throughout City Hall. Since then, we’ve sent an additional cohort through the CPM program. Both cohorts continue to advocate for their colleagues to join the next program.” Like ripples in a pond, every class can expand the growth for others, bringing in those who might never have seen themselves as potential candidates. A welltrained manager looks for and recognizes those candidates, which can only benefit the company. Small added that those “staff members who have completed the program are still happy with their initial decision to enroll. However, staff have emphasized the course is not for the faint of heart; it’s a serious time commitment and requires focus. Now that they’re on the other side, our staff has found it easy to apply concepts and ideas learned in this course to their daily workload.” Graduates have found their time in the course has led to further hands-on learning as they apply what they’ve learned, with Small stating, “The departments with employees who graduated from the CPM program continue to improve. The program challenged their traditional way of
Atlantic City, N.J., saw its first cohort of 15 city employees graduate from Certified Public Manager training in May 2020. (Photo provided by Atlantic City) Atlantic City is well known for its boardwalk, and city officials strive to cultivate strong municipal management. (Jon Bilous/ Shutterstock.com)
thinking, and we’re seeing more creativity and innovation in their work. The program also allowed staff to work with employees from other departments, helping eliminate silos and boost morale throughout all departments.” Validating competency is a well-earned wish that isn’t always met. CPM training greatly improves the chances for each employee to see in themselves skills and abilities they may never have known they possessed, advancing their careers in ways they might not have foreseen. Well-trained management helps every employee under their direction, implementing better teamwork, problem-solving and brainstorming. Management can also better observe their team and see elements and personnel who really shines, perhaps
singling out candidates who would benefit from further training. There really is no limit to how much growth can occur. And New Jersey is by no means the only state to offer such training. Places are offering CPM training all over the United States, as well as in Asia, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Small noted, “We’ve sent two groups of staff members through the CPM program and are working through staff nominations for our third cohort.” Small also said this aligns with his vision of expanding training opportunities that would allow upward mobility for city workers. So remember that Atlantic City is much, much more than the boardwalk and casinos. It is also a steadily growing town with an eye for cultivating strong city management for years to come. DECEMBER 2021 | THE MUNICIPAL 19
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M Focus on: Municipal Management
Sister Cities form special relationship
By BETH ANNE BRINK-COX | The Municipal
What does the term “Sister City” mean to you? Sistercity.org defines it as a broad-based, long-term partnership between two communities. They promote peace through people-to-people relationships, sharing research and developing projects between the two cities. The two cities of Tuskegee, Ala., and South Berwick, Maine, are shining examples of a successful program known as Common Ground Sister City. Their purpose is beautifully clear: The mission of the American Sister City Project is to afford the opportunity for the citizens of two communities, one predominantly Black and the other predominantly White, to talk with each other, listen to each other and share with each other, to broaden understanding between people. Massive racial turmoil occurred in 2016, speeding the efforts already being made in the South Berwick library programming 22 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2021
regarding race in America. The topics being discussed, such as “Why should South Berwick care about race?” and “How do we talk to our children about race?,” led to the realization that African American voices were not being heard and the idea to form a relationship with a city that mirrored South Berwick — planning on a cultural exchange of sorts — developed. David McDermott said, “Our initial response that included the library series was to the Michael Brown killing in Ferguson, Mo. This really started the entire discussion about the need for some racial awareness.
ABOVE: Representatives from Tuskegee and South Berwick pose in front of Great Works School’s sign in South Berwick, serving as the living image of the Sister City program and the friendships forged through it. (Photo provided)
The incredible coming out of white racial hatred encouraged by the 2016 election and its aftermath solidified for many of us the absolute and immediate need for Common Ground.” A census search led them to Tuskegee, and a letter was sent in 2017 asking to form this special relationship. “The goal was to help members of our community understand, as a White community, our historical place in the country’s racial legacy and our modern-day responsibilities to be part of healing the divide that still tears our country apart. An idea that grew out of this effort was the concept of joining with a predominantly Black community of similar
size as a Sister City (something we believe has never been done between two U.S. cities),” McDermott stated. “As Americans, we would like to join you, fellow Americans, to create a kind of virtual community joined by our common humanity, nationality and the desire to further understanding between Americans. In his speech, at the opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, President Barack Obama said he hoped the museum would ‘help us talk to each other, more importantly, listen to each other, and most importantly, see each other.’” Tuskegee Mayor Tony Haygood presented the idea to the city council and got a favorable response. Things really began in earnest in December 2017, when a delegation from South Berwick visited Tuskegee. Six months later, in May 2018, a delegation from Tuskegee reciprocated and visited South Berwick. In both cases, the “red carpet” was rolled out. When asked what the best part of this relationship was, Amy Miller of South Berwick said, “True friendships that have evolved despite the geographical distance. And we have had wicked fun in each town. It fuels optimism for the future to see the ongoing exchanges between school children. Pertaining to South Berwick, it has been said that many people now have a much more intimate and personal relationship with not just Black people but with the tragedy of our race history and present race-related challenges. Perhaps most important is the trust that has developed between many in both communities, the proof that talking with each other, being honest and laughing together can bridge so much that seems to divide us as Americans.” When the news relayed more race-related issues and challenges, injustices and justice, South Berwick held a Solidarity Walk. Miller said, “The Solidarity Walk was South Berwick’s response to the George Floyd murder and the overall horror of police treatment of Black people. The walk was not a demonstration or political statement. People in South Berwick wanted the people in Tuskegee to know that they were not alone in their distress and suffering. Hundreds of people in South Berwick walked quietly and peacefully through the downtown, with support from police to express their solidarity with Tuskegee.” She continued, “I would agree that is far-fetched to think we in South Berwick could ‘help’ people in Tuskegee through what they might be experiencing after the death of George Floyd. If anything, the Solidarity March perhaps helped South Berwick residents by giving them some place to show their outrage and to send a message of love and support to Tuskegee. Perhaps we have helped expand the simple notion that all White people and all Black people are not the same.” McDermott added, “Since no White person can really know what it is like to be Black in America, it is hard to know how much the relationship with South Berwick helps Tuskegee. The South Berwick solidarity march and the full-page letter South Berwick ran in the Tuskegee News (also, the South Berwick Town Council passed a ‘Black Lives Matter’ proclamation) were meant to show that South Berwick shared the outrage and pain of our sisters and brothers in Tuskegee. South Berwick benefits greatly from Common Ground. The education, increased awareness and feeling that we are on the front lines demonstrating that there can be a better America provides hope in these very dark days.”
Fred Flowers of Tuskegee, who was secretary of the local chamber in 2017, chats with Julia Ouellette from South Berwick, an active supporter of the Sister City project. This “Local Hands” activity was sponsored by the Tuskegee Area Chamber of Commerce and introduced the visitors to foods and products that are locally sourced in this community. (Photo provided)
New friends enjoy time together during a visit to South Berwick. (Photo provided) What has been the public reaction? Miller said she was “thrilled to be involved. Undoubtedly, there are people in South Berwick who are uncomfortable with the Common Ground idea, yet hundreds more are very enthusiastic about our relationship with Tuskegee. People are constantly seeking ways to be involved and waiting for COVID to free us from restrained physical contact. We have not had any blowback or negativity around this up North. Even our Color Us Connected column that appears every other week in our local papers has not had any nasty responses.” Karin Hopkins explained, “Color Us Connected is a spinoff from the Sister City project. It is a biweekly column published in the
DECEMBER 2021 | THE MUNICIPAL 23
continued from page 23
Tuskegee University Golden Voices Choir performs during a Christmas celebration, which was much admired by South Berwick residents. (Photo provided)
newspapers that serve Tuskegee and South Berwick. The writers choose a topic and write on it from their separate perspectives.” It started with Hopkins, a Black woman in Tuskegee, and Miller, a White woman in South Berwick. Hopkins removed herself, and Guy Trammell, a Black man in Tuskegee, now writes side-by-side with Miller. Trammell said, “Even the virtual communications between our school children include lessons on injustice and methods for achieving racial harmony. The youth found connection points in discussing their local beverages — Moxie (South Berwick) and RC Cola (Tuskegee). They jointly created a cartoon character to assist in communicating ideas and concerns. Our Common Ground relationships have inspired new thinking on working together to chip away at the racial divide in this country.” Are there other activities that are planned “together”? Miller answered, “As we were collaborating on our collective response to you, a South Berwick couple was in Tuskegee and was greeted with a big dollop of Southern hospitality. These informal, personal connections are really what sustain the Sister City relationship. Also, a South Berwick traveler back in 2018 said her husband was afraid she would be harmed in Tuskegee. That was fear, not hatred, talking, and it was the farthest thing from our reality. Stereotypes like this are the kind of thing the Sister City hopes to dispel. One person in South Berwick was afraid visitors from Tuskegee would be hurt and wondered if we needed security. That was also the farthest thing from reality. Both traveling groups were treated with respect, courtesy and friendship. COVID put a damper on travel for all of us, but ideas are still percolating about possibilities that will engage us collectively.” Hopkins added, “On a broader scale, there has been profound communication about our respective cultures and traditions. South Berwick visitors enjoyed old Negro spirituals performed by the Tuskegee University Golden Voices Choir at a Christmas celebration. This reminded those of us in Tuskegee of our rich history in music and education, at the same time that we witnessed our new friends relishing Hallelujah joy. The Tuskegee delegation was treated 24 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2021
This cake was served at the backyard lobster bake held for the Tuskegee group when they visited South Berwick. (Photo provided)
to a backyard lobster bake at a home in South Berwick, which was a learning experience for Southerners more accustomed to barbecued ribs than lobster tails. The table talk breeds camaraderie and has been an organic way to stimulate a hunger for continued Sister City experiences. With no precedent, we are dissecting the many layers of American racism and color-based discrimination. “One of the regular readers of Color Us Connected, a man who lives in a New England town, frequently sends us emails. This is what he said in February 2019: ‘… (Reading about) your sister city/ color-us-connected activities are an antidote to the ugliness, the ignorant ugliness of racism, of bigotry, that is woven into the fabric of our society, both on an immediate basis, and on an institutional basis, this is something I must do. I must do this, celebrate you, in the name of our collective humanity and that of my own individual humanity, something you know by now preoccupies me … So, I hold you up, again and again, as people who-are-doing something. I hold you up toward the sky, the light, as an antidote. I just hope you have many followers.” Long-term goals, said Miller, are “to continue what we have been doing: 1) traveling back and forth both in groups and less formally with families and individuals visiting our respective towns. A lot of this has happened below the radar. 2) More joint programs like Together We Vote and the Booker T. Washington Letter ceremony.” Miller continued, “We have talked about a trip to Selma to link arms and walk the Edmund Pettus Bridge together. We also have talked about building a gazebo in each town together. 3) More dialogues, either in person or on Zoom. The dialogues we have had have been great starting points. 4) In the more expansive view, we would love for other communities to have a chance to build similar bridges. How can we help make that happen? This Sister City relationship involved a lot of special ingredients coming together and may or may not be replicable, but certainly, there are many ways to create more and stronger personal relationships between people in White and Black America.”
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M Focus on: Municipal Management By DENISE FEDOROW | The Municipal
A topic that has both been discussed and dismissed over the decades as being too controversial or too difficult to enact — reparation — is being dealt with in Evanston, Ill., and other cities across the U.S.
Cities put reparation talks into action
Evanston is the first city to enact a reparation program. While city officials admit it’s not perfect, they’ve moved from the talking phase into the action phase. Other cities are following with their own programs. In June 2020, the Asheville, N.C., City Council passed a reparations resolution acknowledging all the ways it believes Black people have been treated unjustly. It specifically named them, including “have been denied housing through racist practices in the private realty market, including redlining, steering, blockbusting, denial of mortgages and gentrification” and “have been forced to reside in, adjacent to, or near Brown Zones and other toxic sites that negatively impact their health and property and whereas Black people have been limited to the confined routes of travel provided by public transportation and whereas Black people have disproportionately suffered from the isolation of food deserts and childcare deserts.” These are just a few items listed in the resolution. The resolution also states the city council apologizes for and makes amends for all the wrongdoings and directs the city manager to establish a process within the next year to address these issues. In February 2021, the city manager gave a report to the council spelling out three phases of the process. The first phase was an information and truth-telling phase from May through June 2021, and the second phase was the formation of the commission from May through July 2021. A final report is the third phase, which is expected from January 2022 through April 2023. In June, the council held a reparation series of speakers to implement the information and truth-telling phase. Ashley Traynum-Carson, communications specialist for the city of Asheville, reported, “On June 8, 2021, the Asheville City Council appropriated up to $2.1 million in proceeds from the sale of city-owned land at 172 and 174 S. Charlotte St. to fund the community reparations process. A portion of this property includes land the city purchased in the 1970s through Urban Renewal of East End/Valley Street.” In a blog titled “Asheville Reparations Resolution is Designed to Provide Black Community Access to the Opportunity to Build Wealth” by Nia Davis, Asheville Office of Equity and Inclusion, she explained that urban renewal.
TOP LEFT: The city of Evanston’s Lorraine H. Morton Civic Center was named after Evanston’s first African-American mayor, Lorraine H. Morton, who served the city from 1993-2009. (Photo provided by Evanston, Ill.) BOTTOM LEFT: The Stephens-Lee Recreational Center in Asheville was once the African American high school. (Photo provided by Asheville, N.C.) 26 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2021
This sculpture of Martin Luther King Jr. is in the East End neighborhood — one of the areas that was affected by the city’s urban renewal policies, eliminating many Black-owned homes and businesses. (Photo provided by Asheville, N.C.)
The Shiloh Community Garden in Asheville, N.C., is one of the Black communities affected by past racist policies in the city. (Photo provided by Asheville, N.C.)
“Despite best intentions,” she wrote, urban renewal “resulted in the Council’s reparation resolution is a necessary start, but there is so much displacement of vibrant Black communities and the removal of Black work that needs to be done.” residents and homeowners, many into substandard public housing. Neighborhoods that were 100 years old were impacted, which means Mayor coalition the wealth accumulated in those communities was also lost.” There’s also a coalition of mayors from 11 cities, calling themselves Davis quoted the late Rev. Wesley Grant, who said, “In the East Riv- M.O.R.E. — Mayors Organized for Reparations and Equity — who’ve erside area, we have lost more than 1,100 homes, six beauty parlors, five joined forces to inspire action on the federal level. M.O.R.E. was barber shops, five filling stations, 14 grocery stores, three laundromats, founded in June of this year by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and eight apartment houses, seven churches, three shoe shops, two cabinet Austin, Texas, Mayor Steve Adler. Other cities and mayors involved shops, two auto body shops, one hotel, five funeral homes, one hospital include Providence, R.I., Mayor Jorge Elorza; Durham, N.C., Mayor Steve Schewel; Asheville, N.C., Mayor Esther Manheimer; Kansas and three doctor’s offices.” According to Traynum-Carson, in September 2021, the council City, Mo., Mayor Quinton Lucas; Sacramento, Calif., Mayor Darrell selected TEQuity, a woman and minority-owned business, as repara- Steinberg; St. Paul, Minn., Mayor Melvin Carter; Denver, Colo., Mayor tions process project manager. In October, they started the application Michael Hancock; St. Louis, Mo., Mayor Tishaura Jones; and Tullahasprocess for commission members. see, Okla., Mayor Keisha Currin. Members of M.O.R.E. have committed to supporting federal reparaThey anticipate the commission to consist of 21-25 people. Eleven to 13 should be representatives from the neighborhoods affected, and tion legislation, establishing advisory committees in their respective 10 to 12 representatives should come from the broader community, cities and developing and implementing programs targeted to a pilot group of Black Americans in their cities. appointed by the city and county councils. As to who will be eligible to receive reparations and how it will be All of these municipal officials have decided the subject of reparation disbursed, Traynum-Carson responded, “The Community Reparations has been talked about long enough, and it’s now time to do something. Commission will make recommendations to the Asheville City Council on reparations as it pertains to the five Impact Focus Areas — educa- Evanston leads the way tion, economic development, housing, criminal justice and health. The Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss quickly stated, “While I’m a huge cheershort-term recommendations are expected in the second quarter of leader and passionate believer in the project, I don’t want to take credit 2022, medium-term recommendations on or about the second/third I don’t deserve. I took office May 10, and this was enacted before I took quarter of 2022, with final recommendations in spring 2023. There will office. Since I became mayor, I’ve supported the implementation and be a final report to the Asheville City Council.” wish to expand the program, but Robin Rue Simmons deserves credit Traynum-Carson said opposition was not a big problem in Asheville. for the lion’s share of the work creating it.” He explained reparation in Evanston had been under discussion for “Reparation is a sensitive and hot topic, and there are those who oppose reparations of any kind. However, a large majority of Asheville residents 20 years. He said former council member Judge Lionel Jean-Baptiste are supportive of the initiative and want to see the city make amends to brought it up in 2002 and introduced the first resolution. “So it’s been an idea for a while, but like most places in the country, Black community members for its role in racial discrimination.” When asked why the city felt it was important to do this, she referred an ambitious, bold, controversial future thing,” he said. to Davis’ blog post. Davis writes, “One might ask, ‘Why pay for the sins It was then-Council Member Simmons, who, according to Biss, of our fathers?’ My response would be that reparations are an attempt “had the boldness to say this issue is so complicated — morally, legally, to atone for our country’s 400-year history of pervasive systemic racism. technically and politically — that we can talk about it forever, and those conversations are valuable and needed, but that doesn’t mean DECEMBER 2021 | THE MUNICIPAL 27
continued from page 27
Black families were moved into a triangular-shaped area that became the Fifth Ward. It was bordered by a sewage canal on one side and was far removed from public transportation and the downtown. The Fifth Ward had smaller lots and, at one time, had no electricity, sewer or water. The only option for Black families to buy a home was in the Fifth Ward. Banks would not loan money to Black families for housing, and real estate agents only showed properties in the Fifth Ward. In the 1940s, the city also demolished Black-owned homes outside the Fifth Ward or physically moved them into it.
The Evanston Reparations Committee at a December 2020 town hall meeting. Robin Rue Simmons is in the bottom row on the left in the sparkly red/blue blazer and was the person responsible for getting the city’s reparation program out of the talking stage. (Photo provided by Evanston, Ill.)
we shouldn’t start taking tangible steps, and we can keep having those conversations. She was able to persuade the council that was the right path.” A reparations resolution first passed in 2019, spearheaded by Simmons, who grew up in the Fifth Ward and had reportedly noticed the differences in her neighborhood compared to the homes in her friend’s all-white neighborhood. Biss spoke about why the city felt this was Evanston, Ill.’s, important. “A significant amount of research Mayor Daniel was done into the history that showed Biss said he is a between the years 1919-1969 the city, as a “huge cheerleader corporate body — city government — took a and passionate variety of actions toward purposeful segregabeliever” in the tion, which, as is very well known, exacerbated city’s reparation the racial wealth gap. Our view is because we program. (Photo caused this harm, we have a moral responsiprovided by Evanbility to repair that harm.” ston, Ill.) He said this program was not a general statement about slavery or reparation. “This is an effort to repair the harm that we, as a city government, perpetrated against the African Americans. That’s why we believe it’s the right thing to do.” Redlining in the Fifth Ward Historian Dino Robinson prepared a 70-page report documenting discrimination in Evanston. Robinson said there were articles and studies on what to do about the Black community, and city officials embraced redlining — reportedly a federal project to determine the market value of areas and neighborhoods. In Evanston, all Black neighborhoods were given a rating of “D” — the lowest. 28 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2021
Reparations program Biss said at the same time the reparations resolution was passed, the city also passed a law allowing for the use of recreational cannabis. “That created a new revenue stream for the city, and since the war on drugs has racist roots, it seemed the best use of the money,” he said. Evanston committed 3% of the cannabis tax, and the first $10 million will go toward reparations. He said the program authorized the first $400,000 — the first 4% — be paid in $25,000 chunks toward housing, either for a down payment to purchase a home or renovate an existing home. He explained this was the first rollout. “The other 96% is still up in the air as to how it’ll be allocated.” As to who is eligible for reparations, he said there were three tiers of applicants. The first are ancestors or African American Evanston residents who lived in the city during 1919-1969. If there are more than 16 applicants, there’ll be a lottery for the top 16. If there are fewer than 16 applicants, the second tier would be descendants of someone who lived there from 1919-1969 and whose family’s ability to garner wealth was impaired by the city’s actions. If there are not 16 eligible applicants between those two categories, then tier three would go to anyone else who can prove the city’s racist actions have impaired their financial situation. However, Biss said they’d already received more than 16 applicants the first week of the application process, which opened Sept. 21 and closed Nov. 5. “Given how many have come in, I doubt we’ll get there,” he said, adding, “Those not eligible in the first round may be in subsequent rounds.” The committee in charge of reparations comprises three members from the city council, representing the areas most affected by these practices and four mayoral appointees. Biss said since this committee was being formed during the transition period, he and his predecessor made those appointments together. Rue Simmons chose not to run for reelection but is a member of the committee. When asked if there was any opposition to the reparation program, Biss replied, “It’s so interesting when I talk to others outside of Evanston, everyone thinks we had those in support of reparation and others against it, but that’s not been the case. “The controversy here has been between those who support this version of the plan and others who think it doesn’t go far enough. Because it’s such an emotional issue, those have been intense debates.” He noted, “My goal as mayor is for the folks who don’t feel great about the initial rollout to still have a seat at the table moving forward to ensure that all the allocations are done within the views of people who were dissenters of the first go-round.
“There are those who say, ‘Do you really want to only help homeowners? What if they don’t need renovations?’ I say come back because there will be serious considerations about what the next part looks like.” But as far as people opposed to the city making reparations, Biss said, “I can’t think of a single person who made public comments, (saying), ‘I don’t think we should do this.’” He admitted some council members shared that as they were doing door-to-door campaigning, some people expressed skepticism about it. “But folks with that view are a relatively small minority so they don’t push that point of view too strongly.” When asked about the timing of the next round, he said it depended on three things — the rate in which the first phase is completed, the rate that tax revenues come in and the rate of the committee’s ability to do the work.
The Maple Crest Public Housing at Lee Walter Heights in Asheville. Maple Crest is a mixture of public housing and mixed-income housing. During urban renewal in the 1970s, many Black neighborhoods were “renewed” into public housing. (Photo provided by Asheville, N.C.)
Advice to other municipalities Meanwhile, in Asheville, Traynum-Carson offered this advice, “Do the background work on other’s processes (like Evanston, for example), set up time to discuss any lessons learned to date and realize this is a new process for all.” Biss offered this advice: “Be very inclusive. It’s such an intense and emotional issue for obvious good reason. The community has to know this is being done collaboratively as opposed to being dictated to them.”
Biss added reparation is “very exciting and powerful. Work with partnerships — there are a lot of people who want to see these efforts succeed. Learn from one another and adopt best practices.” And his other piece of advice is, “Go for it. Don’t be sloppy or rushed but don’t accept (the tendency) to push it down the road.” For his city, the Evanston mayor said, “There’s a strong interest to do this as fast as we can, but there’s a special responsibility that comes with being the first. You’ve got to do it right — people are watching. If something is unsuccessful, it creates challenges for the movement.”
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M Focus on: Municipal Management
Farmington Hills’ budget recognized for the 37th consecutive year
By LAUREN CAGGIANO | The Municipal
Municipal budgets don’t always get a lot of positive press or public recognition. Still, when they do, it’s often a reason for celebration. That’s the case for Farmington Hills, Mich., which was honored with the Government Finance Officers Association Distinguished Budget Presentation Award. To receive the award, a public entity must publish a budget document that satisfies nationally recognized guidelines for effective budget presentation. To receive the award, budget
documents must be rated proficient in all four categories and in the 14 mandatory criteria within those categories. The award was presented to the Farmington Hills Finance Department. More than 1,600 governments, including states, cities, counties, special districts, school districts and more, have been recognized for transparency in budgeting. Budget documents must meet program criteria and excel as a policy document, financial plan, operations guide, and communication tool to earn recognition. Perhaps most noteworthy is the fact that Farmington Hills has been presented with the award 37 years consecutively. Plus, the
The city of Farmington Hills, Mich., received the GFOA’s Distinguished Budget Presentation Award this spring. This is the 37th consecutive year that the city has received this prestigious award for its budget.
30 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2021
Finance Director/Treasurer Thomas Skrobola said the budget is one of the most important documents the city prepares since it identifies the services to be provided over the next year and how those services are to be financed.
Farmington Hills’ budget success has been attributed to high-mindedness on its part to be leaders in local government and to adopt best practices. (Dwight Burdette via Wikimedia Commons; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en)
Detroit suburb of about 80,000 people was recognized for its work during a pandemic, which made things all the more challenging for city governments around the country. Still, according to Thomas Skrobola, finance director/treasurer for the city of Farmington Hills, staff rose to the occasion. “The reason why we’ve done it for 37 years is because of a high-mindedness on our part to be leaders in local government and to adopt best practices,” he said. “I think it demonstrates to the public and our decision-makers … that they can use and trust our information because they’re done according to the gold standard.” On that note, Skrobola knows a solid budget when he sees one. He’s been a civil servant for some time and has seen his share of city budgets and what works and doesn’t in the way of presentation. He said his past roles have shaped him and helped him become a more seasoned financial steward of the city’s finances. “It’s the lessons that I’ve learned, and I’m applying to this job,” he said. “At this point, it’s directed toward understanding our numbers, our financial situation and setting up
a series of discussions to help evaluate the city’s financial condition. That means talking to our decision-makers and experts internally so that we’re all on the same page and so we have a common goal as far as managing the city’s finances going forward.” For instance, he said meeting with the city engineers and their staff is usually the first course of action, to assess the condition of the city’s facilities and make adjustments accordingly. For these conversations, he said the city’s facilities include city hall, police stations, fire stations, parks and other assets used regularly, such as roads, sidewalks, storm sewers, etc. If investments in infrastructure are needed, Skrobola said the city looks at ways to finance repairs and replacements so that they remain in good, serviceable condition. From here, he said the city looks at its cash position — cash on hand vs. cash flow needs. Then the third step, he said, is to evaluate their overall financial trend: Are they moving forward, falling behind or holding steady? “So what we try to do is try to get a picture of where you’ve been and where we’re going with regards to cash on hand, paying
for infrastructure and facilities and such,” he said. “And then finally, we piece it all together, making sure our annual revenue and expenditures match up.” Skrobola acknowledges there are other external factors at play that have contributed in the way of excellence in terms of the city’s budget. “I think Farmington Hills’ success is overwhelmingly a reflection of the fact that we have residents who love to live here and who are doing well here,” he said. “So that’s why we have a strong tax base and a strong economy.” In turn, that translates to economic viability and a brighter future. “All that economic activity helps to create a lot of opportunities and increase the kinds of resources that we need to build and maintain their roads, provide for police, fire protection and other services.” The city’s annual budget may be found online at https://www.fhgov.com/Government/Departments-Divisions/Finance/ Budget.aspx.
DECEMBER 2021 | THE MUNICIPAL 31
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AIMS Power (775) 359-6703 www.aimscorp.net Blackburn Marking Flags & Marking Products (800) 942-5816 www.blackburnflag.com Chapin International (800) 950-4458 www.chapinmfg.com Curtis Industries (508) 853-2200 www.curtiscab.com Ebac Industrial Products Inc. (855) 873-6800 www.ebacusa.com GI Industries (800) 724-1944 www.giind.com Greystone Construction (888) 742-6837 www.greystoneconstruction.com Oelo Lighting Solutions (970) 212-3670 www.oelo.com Omega Industrial (800) 521-8272 www.omegaindl.com Quantum Fuel Systems (949) 930-3400 www.qtww.com Sellick Equipment (877) 735-5425 www.sellickequipment.com SteelMaster Building Systems (844) 800-6195 www.steelmasterusa.com Strongwell (276) 645-8000 www.strongwell.com Uline (800) 295-5510 www.uline.com
34 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2021
FLEET
Alumitank (815) 943-6649 www.alumitank.com Andy Mohr Ford (317) 279-7140 www.andymohrford.com BendPak Inc. (800) 253-2363 www.bendpak.com/lta Bonnell Industries (800) 851-9664 www.bonnell.com Buyers Products Company (440) 974-7766 www.buyersproducts.com Cleanfix (855) 738-3267 www.cleanfix.org CTech Manufacturing (715) 355-8842 www.ctechmanufacturing.com Everblades (800) 746-0428 www.everblades.com FCAR Tech USA LLC (443) 380-0088 www.fcarusa.com Fluid Control Services, Inc. (800) 683-5189 www.fluidcontrolservices.com FPPF Chemical (716) 856-9607 www.fppf.com Kaiser Premier (970) 542-1975 www.kaiserpremier.com Land Pride (785) 823-3276 www.landpride.com LTA Manufacturing (800) 983-2787 www.ltamanufacturing.com Midwest Tractor (231) 269-4100 www.midwesttractor.com Monroe Truck Equipment (608) 328-8127 www.monroetruck.com Optimus Technologies (412) 727-8228 www.optimustec.com Super Products (800) 837-9711 www.superproducts.com
Track Star International (800) 661-3515 www.trackstar.com Utility Truck Equipment (740) 474-5151 www.utilitytruck.net Versalift East (610) 866-1400 www.versalift.com Venco Venturo Industries (800) 226-2238 www.venturo.com XLFleet (617) 718-0329 www.xlfleet.com
PUBLIC SAFETY
Central Life Sciences (800) 248-7763 www.centralmosquitocontrol.com Elan City (646) 878-6259 www.elancity.net FSI North America (440) 949-2400 www.fsinorth.com Herculock (740) 494-2628 www.herculock.com Husky Portable Containment (800) 260-9950 www.huskyportable.com Icom America (800) 872-4266 www.icomamerica.com Leonardo Company (877) 773-5724 www.leonardocompany-us.com Midwest Sandbags (847) 366-6555 www.midwestsandbags.com North American Rescue (888) 689-6277 www.narescue.com Sensible Products, Inc. (330) 400-3401 www.senpro.net SL Environmental Law Group (720) 988-8902 www.slenvironment.com Streamlight (800) 523-7488 www.streamlight.com
themunicipal.com PUBLIC WORKS
Allied Mobile Systems (888) 503-1501 www.alliedmobilesystems.com American Safety & Supply (800) 472-3892 www.americansafetysupply.com American Shoring Inc. (800) 407-4674 www.americanshoring.com Best Management Products (800) 504-8008 www.bmpinc.com Britespan Building Systems (800) 407-5846 www.britespanbuildings.com Calhoun Super Structures (844) 873-3338 www.calhounsuperstructure.com CBI Systems Ltd. (409) 835-3095 www.stormwaterinspect.com Clearspan Structures (860) 528-1119 www.clearspan.com das Manufacturing (800) 549-6024 www.dasmanufacturing.com LaMotte (410) 778-3100 www.lamotte.com McGard (888) 888-9192 www.mcgard.com National Construction Rentals (818) 221-6035 www.rentnational.com National Pump Company (800) 966-5240 www.nationalpumpcompany.com Olsson (402) 474-6311 www.olsson.com Patriot Sewer Equipment & Repair (888) 318-9888 www.patriot.us RapidView (800) 656-4225 www.rapidview.com
Tech Products, Inc. (800) 221-1311 www.techproducts.com The Cone Zone (833) 614-2663 www.theconezone.com Toledo Ticket (800) 533-6620 www.toledoticket.com Vermeer (641) 628-3141 www.vermeer.com VMAC (877) 912-6605 www.vmacair.com Woodland Power Products (844) 217-8302 www.wholesalehoses.com
STREET & HIGHWAY
Air Netix LLC (678) 677-4961 www.streetsoundswireless.com All Access Equipment (978) 712-4950 www.allaccessequipment.com Bucher Municipal (704) 658-1333 www.buchermunicipal.com CCI Piping Systems (337) 332-5808 www.wrapidseal.com Curbtender Sweepers, LLC (319) 266-1721 www.curbtendersweepers.com Frost Incorporated (800) 621-7910 www.frostserv.com Global Environmental Products (909) 713-1600 www.globalsweeper.com GVM Inc (800) 458-5123 www.gvminc.com Henderson Products (440) 226-4690 www.hendersonproducts.com HOG Technologies (772) 214-1714 www.thehog.com
K-Tech Specialty Products (260) 585-0332 www.ktechcoatings.com KM International (810) 688-1234 www.kminternational.com Mean Green Mowers (513) 738-4736 www.meangreenmowers.com Mel Northey (800) 828-0302 www.melnorthey.com Post Guard (866) 737-8900 www.postguard.com Precision Concrete Cutting (877) 224-0025 www.safesidewalks.com RPM Tech (800) 631-9297 www.rpmtechgroup.com Transoft Solutions (604) 244-8387 www.transoftsolutions.com Trinity Highway (888) 356-2363 www.trinityhighway.com T2 Systems (800) 434-1502 www.t2systems.com Unique Paving Materials (800) 441-4880 www.uniquepavingmaterials.com Winter Equipment (800) 294-6837 www.winterequipment.com
TECHNOLOGY
e-PlanSoft (877) 654-3752 www.eplansoft.com MaxCell (888) 387-3828 www.MaxCell.us
WASTE & RECYCLING
AirBurners (772) 220-7303 www.airburners.com AMCS Group (800) 962-9264 www.amcsgroup.com
DECEMBER 2021 | THE MUNICIPAL 35
M Focus on: Municipal Management
Pictured is “Daisies, Doodles and Lasers” by Filomena Jack. This vibrant mural was completed in 2021 and is located at 308 William St. (Photo provided by Community Arts of Elmira)
Elmira embraces creativity by becoming a city of murals By JUDE STRIEBY | The Municipal
What do Mark Twain, Tommy Hilfiger and Jeff Plate, the drummer for the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, have in common? All three have the privilege of having been born in Elmira, N.Y. While those three may seem like an odd pairing, the list of famous people born in Elmira grows into a smorgasbord of known politicians, athletes, human rights advocates, military leaders, educators, inventors, Olympians and a vast mix of participants of the arts. Elmira has been the birthplace of people who go on to have all sorts of different careers — for instance, Burt Gillett, who directed the animated shorts “Silly Symphonies” for Disney in the 1930s, or Brian Douglas Williams, who is currently an anchor at MSNBC. Then, of course, there is Eileen Collins, the first female pilot and commander of a space shuttle, and Ernie Davis, a professional football player, who was the first African American recipient of the Heisman trophy in 1961. When so many different types of notable individuals come from one location, it’s only natural to wonder what is different about the 36 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2021
area. On the surface, Elmira is a normal city with a population of 27,110. It is the county seat of Chemung County and is on the southern tier of New York state. Its motto is “Honoring the Past, Building the Future,” and it is nicknamed “The Queen City.” Recently, the city was awarded the New York Downtown Revitalization Initiative, one of only 10 given to cities whose downtowns were deemed ripe for development into vibrant areas to live and work. Construction has commenced, but building isn’t the only activity that’s happening. Looking closer brings one thing sharply into focus: Elmira is covered in art. Not figuratively, but quite
A part of the Lackawanna Rail Trail Project 2020, “Commuter Silhouette” by Sam Somostrada is located on a viaduct wing on East Washington Avenue. (Photo provided by Community Arts of Elmira)
literally, from fire hydrants and traffic signal boxes to entire walls of buildings and bridges. The Elmira Public Art Commission is working with the Community Arts of Elmira, the local community arts center, on a program to make the city more attractive. The program is called Elmira Infinite Canvas, and its core goal is to reduce blight through the creation of public art. Second District Councilperson Brent Stermer initiated the Adopt a Hydrant/Traffic Signal Box program in 2017, and the ensuing art has added color to some otherwise drab corners and roadsides. Anyone can apply to paint a hydrant or traffic signal box, free of charge, through the city’s website. But what’s gaining a lot of attention is the vast number of large murals that have been created throughout the city on previously bare and ugly walls of buildings and bridges. A lot of the murals are the size of an entire building, and there are various artists and themes spread throughout the town. Put all together — murals, traffic signal boxes and fire hydrants — the city looks improved in a way that Stermer is quite pleased with. “Public art makes people have pride in their community,” Stermer said. “It’s so exciting to have people impassioned and proud of their city and what is happening here.” Though many murals have already been finished from 2020 to 2021, some have been in the planning stage since 2020 and were only started in October 2021. More art installations are planned for after that, and businesses are being encouraged to allow their storefronts and buildings to be painted on. Unfortunately, one downfall of public art is vandalism, and one vandalized mural had to be painted over before being completely
Tuskegee Airman Lieutenant Colonel Clarence W. Dart Sr. was originally from Elmira and served as a highly decorated fighter pilot and member of the Tuskegee Airmen. He is featured on a mural located at 202 E. Second St. The mural was created by Ron Dixon, Marlow Lowe, Colleen McCall, Jennifer Sekella and students of GST BOCES. (Photo provided by Community Arts of Elmira)
repainted. This doesn’t stop either Stermer or the artists since the overall goal of uplifting the community through improvement is far more important to them than the effort of repainting a mural. “Art is an economic driver in communities,” Stermer said. “Artists are often self-employed; they own small businesses. That’s what our community needs — small pieces to fit together in a larger puzzle.” Lynne Rusinko, president of Community Arts of Elmira, echoed Stermer’s sentiment. “Artists are tremendous catalysts for healing, for expressing emotions, and for adaptation. Their work can magnify human resilience. Artistic vision can unify, can inspire, can inform and offer hope. Art connects.” In one statement, Rusinko gave a possible answer to the original puzzle of why so many completely different but vibrant people have been born in Elmira who went on to create such a variety of influences on the world. Perhaps a community surrounded by art creates unified, inspired, informed and hopeful humans, with the ability to attach all of these attributes to stellar careers. Regardless, something colorful has been and continues to happen in the town. One can only imagine what famous person will come from the city next. When asked what the future holds for Elmira art, Stermer is just as hopeful, stating, “This is just the beginning.”
On the Web Learn more about Elmira’s Infinite Canvas project at the following links: • https://www.communityartsofelmira.com/infinite-canvas.php • “Elmira’s Creation Economy”: https://www.communityartsofelmira.com/assets/documents/ece.pdf • “Elmira, New York: Neighborhood, District and Place”: https://www.communityartsofelmira.com/assets/documents/ndp.pdf
DECEMBER 2021 | THE MUNICIPAL 37
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Personality Profile
Thank you for your service: Mayor Laurie Gere
Anacortes, Wash.’s, Mayor Laurie Gere
By JULIE YOUNG | The Municipal
Laurie Gere’s road to Anacortes, Wash.’s, mayoral office technically began 40 years ago when she launched Gere-A-Deli Restaurant and Catering, a main street business that her son still runs today. As a new business owner, she joined the local chamber. She later served on its board for a decade, even becoming its president for a couple of terms. “I was asked by the mayor to serve as a planning commissioner, which I did for 20 years,” she said. “I was also initially appointed and then elected to the Hospital Commission of our public hospital district for two terms.” An open door With only 10 years of experience behind her as a business owner and part-time public servant, people began to ask her to run for mayor. Gere demurred due to her financial and business commitments. However, in 2013, she had a change of heart. Gere threw her hat into the ring and was elected with 63% of the vote. She was reelected four years later. In February, she announced that she would not seek a third term, but she is grateful for the experience to serve her constituents. “I love my job and felt I landed here with all of the tools I needed to make a difference in my community,” she said. Gere approached municipal management the same way she approached her business: by taking care of the customers (citizens) and the staff while managing the finances by balancing the revenue and expenses. Above all, she believes in being transparent about her decisions and having an open door to all. 38 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2021
“It is important to make sure every person feels heard,” she said. “Oftentimes, when I get a concern or complaint, most of the issues can be solved by my listening and finding resources to help. Sometimes, I can’t fix it, but in the end, if the person feels heard and respected, things will work out.” Improving quality of life Over the course of her tenure as mayor, Gere said her biggest accomplishment has been the construction of municipal fiber. When she was first elected, Anacortes residents informed her that they needed reliable, redundant and affordable broadband. However, being on an island separated from the mainland by a bridge made the project more than a little complicated. She turned to the incumbent administration and asked them to partner with hers to build the fiber for the town. They turned her down, but she was not deterred. Implementing a technique she’d learned about from Spain, Gere started building her fiber network by installing it in the water line across the valley from the Anacortes water treatment plant to support the water
of Anacortes steps down in early 2022
Mayor Gere approached city operations as if it were her business. This included prioritizing the care of citizens and staff while keeping a balanced budget. (Shutterstock.com)
utility. She also started a fiber department that would help bring the internet to every home and business in the community. “We believe that this is an economic development tool and a quality-oflife issue for our whole community,” she said. “Every family can have this resource on their kitchen table, providing tele-education, tele-medicine, e-commerce and a way for our businesses to globally connect and thrive locally. (Our fiber) is the foundation for a vibrant community for decades to come.” Other accomplishments are the continued investment in Anacortes’ infrastructure, including water lines and sewer lines, and the formation of a payment management plan to rebuild streets and continue the development of the regional water system. Gere has also overseen the creation of a new raw water line under the Skagit River, which is one of the biggest water lines west of the Mississippi. She is currently working to build a new sewer outfall to support the wastewater treatment plant. “I am also proud of our comprehensive plan rewrite that took over 75 public meetings and gives us a guiding document for the next 20 years,” she said. “We are also working to build a community recreation center for our youth and finishing our community trail along the waterfront.” Miles to go While some of those projects may not be completed until Gere’s mayoral term is over, she is still looking forward to the result as a private citizen. She is also looking forward to spending more time with her family and friends and working part-time at the business she began four decades ago. However, she said she will miss the day-to-day interaction with citizens and staff as well as the ribbon-cutting ceremonies whenever a new local business is launched.
Mayor Gere signs a pipe before it’s installed under the Skagit River. The city installed its fiber network within its water line. (Photo provided by the city of Anacortes)
“The two greatest joys in my life are being a mom and a grandmother,” she said. “I love cooking for large family dinners, traveling to other places and learning about different cultures (and) meeting so many incredible people. I also love the arts so I hope in retirement I can be more creative and take some art courses in textiles and painting.” Gere said young people considering a career in public service should start by volunteering in an area that they are passionate about and watching for opportunities that will come in time. Above all, she encourages them to remember the biggest lessons she’s learned from her career in politics. “Public process and transparency are the two most important tenants in all city business,” she said. “We can never forget that we work for the people.” DECEMBER 2021 | THE MUNICIPAL 39
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DECEMBER 2021 | THE MUNICIPAL 41
M
Public Safety
Keep the Wreath Green encourages fire awareness during the holidays By JUDE STRIEBY | The Municipal
F
ire has been both a tool that drove human prosperity to heights before unknown, and yet also harbored destructive capability. Consider the Great Library of Alexandria, which burned to the ground, its vast halls of ancient knowledge destroyed with it; the Great Fire of London in the 1660s, which took out almost everything in the city; or closer to home, the Great Fire of Chicago, which lost Mrs. O’Leary far more than her cow. The disastrous urban fires of the past were an incentive for towns to create dedicated fire brigades. Over time, better ways of getting water to a blaze were invented, moving well beyond a line of men passing buckets of water. Eventually, the modern fire departments were established and are only a phone call away. Today, most urban fires are nowhere near as devastating to such a wide swath of property and life as they were in the past. Still, fire holds the ability to adversely impact the lives of families and communities. According to the National Fire Protection Association, there are multiple fire hazards far more prevalent between Thanksgiving and New Year than at any other time. The fires resulting from these dangers are both costly and deadly. Since preventing fires is
During the monthlong campaign, 5-foot wreaths will be on display at five city fire stations and 18 county fire stations in the area surrounding Pensacola. Each time firefighters respond to a residential fire with damage, a green bulb will be replaced with a red one to remind citizens of the dangers posed by fires in residential homes. (Photo provided by Pensacola, Fla.)
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Holidays often increase the potential for house fires. Fire departments across the country have unrolled various programs to keep their communities safe. (Shutterstock.com)
what many fire departments focus on, having a public awareness program about specific fire hazards during key danger portions of the year is essential. One such program adopted by various fire departments during the holidays is the Keep the Wreath Green program. As early as 1994, various fire departments across the country have hung a wreath so it is visible to the public. The wreath contains a ring of either green or red lights. “We start out with all green bulbs on the wreath, and if there is a fire that causes damage to a residence, then we’ll change out that green bulb with a red one,” explained Fire Marshal Annie Bloxson of the Pensacola Fire Department. Bloxson stated Pensacola has had the Keep the Wreath Green program since before she joined the department 28 years ago. “Here, it originated with the Escambia County Fire Rescue, and we just joined in with them.” The goal is to keep the wreath up from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day without needing to replace one colored bulb. Basically, the unity of color in the wreath is a visible reminder that everyone within a community is working together to be watchful for potential fire hazards during the holiday season. Several fire stations across the country have seen such success with the program that they have continued the practice for decades. In Wisconsin, both Marshfield Fire and Rescue Department as well as Richfield Rural Fire Department ended their seasons in 2020 with only four changed bulbs. The city of Antigo Fire Department and Merrill Fire Department, both out of Wisconsin as well, ended with only one changed. In Texas, Collin Rogers,
Pensacola, Fla., Fire Department offers residents free home safety inspections as a complementary program to Keep the Wreath Green. (Shutterstock.com)
with the Boerne Fire Department, gave a statement that the department was able to keep its wreath green throughout the entire holiday system. These five stations mentioned here are just a few of many other stations participating. For the most part, the program seems to have been a great success since its creation. Though it is difficult to think of potential disasters during a season of joy and celebration, the number of house fires rises dramatically during the holidays. The key component of holiday fires is based on the use of decorations and the uptick in home cooking. For example, candles, a staple of the holidays, are largely to blame for decoration fires. Christmas Day has three times the daily average candle fires than other days throughout the year. “We have (had) some fires where people use candles in a house where there are pets, and the pet accidentally knocks the candle over,” stated Bloxson. Other hazards are frayed Christmas lights or a Christmas tree that hasn’t been watered, which needs only a spark and a fraction of a second to explode into a life-threatening flame. Fires involving decorations occur in all rooms of the house. But, according to Bloxson, cooking fires are the majority of their calls.
“A lot of fires that we see around the holidays are cooking fires,” she said. “We try to help people understand they have to stay and watch what they’re cooking. That’s harder during holidays because you get caught up doing something else. People are often entertaining guests, and they aren’t paying attention, or sometimes they fall asleep. You can have things too close to your oven while you’re cooking. Things just happen.” One thing the Pensacola department does that complements the Keep the Wreath Green program is its offer of a free home safety inspection. If any resident wants to find out if their particular setup for the holidays is potentially hazardous, firefighters will come and check to see if they can find any safety issues. They also offer free smoke alarms that have a 10-year lifetime to any home within city limits. These are services provided to any resident who wants to be prepared to get ahead of the statistics about the increasing chance of house fires. After taking advantage of the house inspection and free fire alarms, residents can have greater assurance that their house will not put a red bulb into the fire department’s wreath.
DECEMBER 2021 | THE MUNICIPAL 43
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M
Parks & Environmental Services
Parkland conversion creates new opportunities in Murfreesboro, Tenn. By MARY JANE BOGLE | The Municipal
Murfreesboro, Tenn., is no stranger to parks management and wildlife preservation, and its Barfield Crescent Park is no exception. Nestled along the beautiful Stones River at the city’s southern tip, Barfield Crescent Park offers residents a unique blend of recreation and wilderness education opportunities. Those opportunities just increased exponentially, thanks to the city’s recent purchase of Oakwood Farm. Made possible in part by a federal parkland conversion process, the purchase of Oakwood Farm was years in the making and adds 70 acres to the 405 acres of Barfield Crescent Park’s existing parkland. “In many ways, Barfield Crescent Park feels more like a state park instead of just a city park,” said Rachel Singer, Murfreesboro’s parks and recreation assistant director. “To add another 70 acres to that property is huge.” The benefits of the farm acquisition are many, not the least of which is expanded acreage, as Singer explains. “With the growth of Murfreesboro, people have been gravitating toward the outdoor spaces,” she said. During COVID, Barfield 46 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2021
Crescent Park especially saw increased use, with people seeking opportunities to get outdoors. And at Barfield Crescent Park, they found those opportunities in abundance. The front 100 acres of the park offer the typical city park experience, complete with ball fields, disc golf, playgrounds and pavilions. The back 300 acres, however, offer a completely different experience, with five miles of hiking trails, both paved and unpaved, creating access to a wilderness camping area, fishing and wildlife exploration. Thanks to the park’s Wilderness Station, park guests can participate in any number of nature education and immersion programs, everything from toddler talks to kayaking, hiking
ABOVE: Barfield Crescent Park offers trails for all skill levels. No matter the route selected, visitors will find themselves connected with nature. (Photo provided by city of Murfreesboro)
and backpacking — all part of an outdoor adventure program, which offers beginning backpacking opportunities and even rents out all the gear guests need. With the popularity of these programs growing, the city was looking for additional space for continued programming, along with extended parking for school groups. “Our parking near the current Wilderness Station alone was limiting our growth,” said Singer. “It’s hard to get buses back there, and fitting up to 200 school children into the retreat center was a challenge.” That is, until the opportunity to purchase neighboring Oakwood Farm arose. “We’ve had a longstanding relationship with the owners of the farm,” said Singer, noting Mr. Lloyd, the family patriarch, had asked the city if they would be interested in purchasing the
Park guests can try their hands at off-road cycling in addition to hiking paved trails. (Photo provided by city of Murfreesboro) farm. “When he passed, his heirs wanted to fulfill his wishes and see the property go to the park,” she said. The process of purchasing the property, however, involved several steps and included a federal parkland conversion process. This process effectively removed restrictions placed on 6 acres of surplus property at another property, McKnight Park. This surplus property was bound by restrictions when the city accepted a grant to purchase it over 50 years ago. “McKnight Park is located between the Murfreesboro Municipal Airport and a commercial development,” said Singer, “and there’s not much we could do with it.” In order to repurpose the property, however, the city had to prove they could purchase a property with greater acreage and increased value to their mission, one that would adjoin a current park property. Enter Oakwood Farm. Working with an environmental consulting firm, the city developed a management plan, which included moving its outdoor programming and natural services division into a large building on the Oakwood Farm property, effectively housing the two programs together in one location. The city also plans to convert the open pasture into native pollinator and native wildlife habitat plots. “We’re looking at the property’s natural features and hoping to manage those to the best of our ability for wildlife and interpretation purposes,” said Singer. Once the plan was developed, it needed approval through the city as well as the Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation before it could gain final approval through the National Park Service. The entire process usually takes about 12 months to complete, but it was definitely worth the wait. Work on perimeter trails will begin soon, with native plantings and new programs coming in the spring, just in time for the park’s big World Turtle Day celebrations, not to mention the ever-popular Hummingbird Festival next fall. And with access to the property from the state highway, school groups and large buses will have no trouble pulling in for camps and programs all yearlong. “Many people have lost their connection with nature,” Singer explained. “Thanks to this parkland conversion process, we can make sure that this beautiful property never becomes a subdivision. Instead, it will provide conservation of green spaces and conservation for the native wildlife. We are so thankful to the Lloyd family for this opportunity. They have been very patient. Now, they can come back and visit at any time and find the property relatively unchanged.”
The Wilderness Station is home to a wide range of “wildlife ambassadors,” helping visitors connect with the native species they might encounter on the park’s trails. (Photo provided by city of Murfreesboro)
Beginning backpackers can hike a mile to the remote campground, a walk-in-only camping opportunity. (Photo provided by city of Murfreesboro)
Barfield Crescent Park’s outdoor adventure program encourages visitors to get into nature on paved and unpaved trails. (Photo provided by city of Murfreesboro)
DECEMBER 2021 | THE MUNICIPAL 47
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Parks & Environmental Services
Cities ramp up outdoor fitness offerings By LAUREN CAGGIANO | The Municipal
What does a healthier community look like? Providing opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to recreate on their terms is one facet of public health. Outdoor fitness park installations, known as FitLots, strengthen people and their communities by supporting the creation of public outdoor fitness parks. The organization helps communities plan, build and activate outdoor fitness parks so everyone can enjoy the benefits of a more active lifestyle. With a goal to bring the concept to all 50 states by the end of 2021, FitLot has partnered with the senior advocacy organization AARP to provide grant funding to install these structures in multiple communities around the country.
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Burlington, Vt., is one such municipality. The community boasts a FitLot at the Miller Recreation Center and has experienced success in making fitness age inclusive. According to Burlington Director of Parks, Recreation & Waterfront Cindi Wight, the location was strategic. “We chose the Miller Recreation Center for multiple reasons,” she said. “For one, there are two schools right nearby, the CP Smith and Hunt Middle School. So, if the schools wanted to include it all in their curriculum, it would be something that would be readily accessible to them. There’s a senior center
ABOVE: The Lansing FitLot complements the nearby river trail. (Photo provided)
located just about half a mile from the Miller Center. We knew that seniors would be potentially looking for free outdoor fitness.” According to Wight, their hunch was correct, but it wasn’t just people 65-plus who used the facilities. She said she sees younger people “I live across from the FitLot, and I see all the activity on it, “she said. “And we see people in their 20s who are doing lots of pull-ups and things on it. But then we also see our seniors who utilize the equipment.” On that note, the parks department has made a point to be proactive in its outreach by offering circuit training programming at convenient times for this demographic. In addition, the department has partnered
Cedar Rapids’ Lindsay Olson demonstrates an ab exercise on one of the FitLot stations. (Photo provided)
A couple works on upper body strength at a Lansing FitLot. (Photo provided)
with the local YMCA to provide classes at the FitLot, to widen the scope of reach. Speaking of reach, residents in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, have access to the same amenities. According to Recreation Supervisor, Parks and Recreation Department Robert Wagner, their FitLot was installed before the pandemic, which put a damper on things. A severe storm with damaging winds didn’t help the cause either, yet he’s hopeful that residents will engage with the community resource after the parks department has its official grand opening for the FitLot sometime soon. On a more encouraging note, Lansing, Mich., has leaned into success with its FitLot installation. According to Parks Director Brett Kaschinske, the city chose a location downtown because it’s in a high-traffic location along the 17-mile river trail. “(The FitLot) is designed for individuals of all ages and of all fitness abilities,” he said. “Both of these courts have the ability to use a lot of bodyweight exercises.”
The outdoor aspect means people could stay active despite the governor’s emergency order, which temporarily closed gyms to control the spread of the coronavirus. The enthusiasm for the FitLots hasn’t waned, however, even during the warmer months, according to Kaschinske. “I think people enjoy being outside more than they do in the buildings,” he said. “The pandemic has really highlighted what parks and recreation can do for mental health as well. We saw a 19% increase on our river trail as far as usage from 2019 to 2020. It really helped us make these outdoor fitness facilities available to the public.” And just like in Burlington, Kaschinske said the users have not been exclusively senior citizens. He said people 30 to 50 are among the demographic base. This has helped parks department staff get the message out that FitLots are inclusive. “It’s something that I think people feel comfortable with — because they see all different shapes and sizes of people out there
Mike O’Neil climbs on one of the stations of the FitLot. (Photo provided) using this equipment,” he said. “And in the classes, you know, that’s a similar thing as well — being able to work out with friends in a group setting with someone who is trained on that equipment to show how it is used properly. And you can get that total body workout throughout all the stations of the FitLots in the fitness courts.” DECEMBER 2021 | THE MUNICIPAL 49
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Holiday
Cities seek to brighten holiday spirits
By DEBORAH C. GERBERS | The Municipal
Nearly two years ago, the COVID-19 global pandemic brought the world to a screeching halt. Every aspect of life was altered in some way, including the ways the holidays were celebrated. Festivals were canceled, public gatherings were outlawed and the normally cheerful holiday spirit was diminished, with moods being dampened by the fear of this invisible viral threat. Communities rallied, and people stuck together in an incredible show of strength and courage — and although tentative about the future and keeping vigilant about public health and safety, city residents appear to have regained their group morale. In late 2020, both Beckley, W. Va., and Cedar City, Utah, sought to brighten residents’ spirits in the midst of COVID-19. During the holiday season, they brought in new lights and displays. City leaders’ efforts brightened their communities and introduced a “new normal” way of celebrating the holidays. Both Beckley and Cedar City look forward to the
50 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2021
2021 holiday season and holding as many festive events as possible. Both uptown and downtown Beckley have seen holiday light displays, wreaths decorating the area, an enlarged skating rink and the lights at the Exhibition Coal Mine, all of which offer a unique, outdoor wintertime experience. Another effort made in 2020 to brighten the holidays in Beckley was bringing in new festive lights, including popular Edison bulbs, to decorate the downtown area. Beckley’s Mayor Rob Rappold decided to have the warmly glowing Edison bulbs installed at the gazebo at Jim Word Memorial Park and the pergola at Shoemaker Square,
ABOVE: Cedar City wows downtown visitors with its light display on Main Street. (Photo provided by Visit Cedar City)
according to a local news source, the Beckley Register-Herald. “We want to probably grow the theme of the white Edison lights, not only at holiday season but, at some point, throughout the year, to brighten the city and make it warmer and more appealing,” Rappold was quoted as saying. “It’s a good way to give people a good, warm feeling and, at the same time, provide a little extra light where there may not be that much, otherwise.” Beckley Director of Events Jill Moorefield said the city continues to recover from the impact of COVID-19. “Beckley did not have a traditional Christmas parade in 2020; instead, we had a ‘Reverse Parade,’ where entries stayed in place around the convention center and spectators drove thru the parade line-up,” said Moorefield. “It caused quite a traffic jam in the parking lots and nearby roads, so we hope that we do not need to do a reverse
The traditional Beckley Christmas Parade is back! The 2021 parade will be on Dec. 4. (Photo provided by the city of Beckley)
parade again, but it was popular and well attended since so many activities had been canceled in 2020. The Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine hosted an ice skating rink in their parking lot over a few weeks that year, which was also very popular: they did not have their normal Appalachian Coal Town Christmas Festival activities.” Leslie Baker, director of operations for Beckley’s parks and recreation department, said the city is absolutely thrilled to have holiday events open for the public again. “Everyone is so glad to have all of our holiday traditions back this year,” said Baker. “We have our yearly Christmas parade, which has been around for a very long time. In fact, I know many people who say their Christmas season doesn’t really begin properly without going to the parade!” This year’s parade has a “Gingerbread House Christmas” theme and is planned for Dec. 4, 2021. Organizers are excited to host the annual parade again, which will include four categories for floats, many awards and prizes, and above all, a great family event for the city. According to city events planners, the course of the parade will follow the same route as in past years. The Christmas Parade brings so much joy to the Beckley community, especially in such uncertain times where people rely on warm, cozy, comforting traditions to take away the chill. In addition to the parade, the city will also be hosting its traditional Coal Town Christmas Festival as well as the Nutcracker Ballet performance, both of which are essential to the holiday season, according to most Beckley residents. Baker also said that the city of Beckley has several more new lighted displays ready to decorate downtown and uptown for the
The holidays are full of lights once again this year for the annual Appalachian Coal Town Christmas Festival in Beckley, W. Va. (Photo provided by the city of Beckley)
holiday season, and that area residents are so excited to be able to gather safely — with health protocols like masks and sanitizer implemented — and celebrate one of the happiest times of year together as a community. “We are all so glad to be open again,” Baker said, speaking for herself as well as for the city at large. “When we reopened in the springtime, everyone was ready to get back to ‘normal’ while still remaining safe. Our events have all been at capacity, and the city has shown how ready we are to be up and running!” Moorefield also said the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine will have the ice skating rink open from Nov. 20-Dec. 5 and will celebrate two weekends of the Appalachian Coal Town Christmas Festival with COVID precautions in place. “We encourage attendees to try to be as safe as possible and recommend social distancing, getting the vaccine, wearing masks and sanitizing often,” she said. “Residents can enjoy some pre-Covid events such as the traditional Christmas parade, holiday activities at the Exhibition Mine Complex and Youth Museum, and lights around town. Several holiday activities are booked at the city’s Historic Black Knight facility as well.”
Community leaders in Cedar City have also committed themselves to bringing the holiday cheer this year, as in years past. In 2020, Cedar City Event Director Brad Abrams said a new two-block stretch of overhead LED light displays now runs along Center Street between 100 East and 100 West, adding to the ones that the city newly installed along Main Street last year between Center Street and 200 North. Abrams said the project was part of the city’s “All is Bright” campaign designed to attract visitors to the historic downtown area. In addition to installing new lighting displays, Cedar City has also made significant infrastructure improvements to add to the overall atmosphere of the historic downtown. Local holiday events will still be held, including the fourth annual Holiday Tree Jubilee at the Cedar City Heritage Center Theater. Visitors will see Santa and an incredible display of decorated Christmas trees to help kick off the holiday season. Keeping with spreading holiday cheer and giving back to the community, all proceeds benefit local children and teens who are homeless or otherwise in need. Along with Santa and the Holiday Trees, residents and city visitors can enjoy professional Christmas photographs, hot chocolate, a fun children’s area and other joyful activities. City leaders are confident that this year’s DECEMBER 2021 | THE MUNICIPAL 51
continued from page 51 jubilee will be extra special as everyone continues to fight through the pandemic and all the struggles from the past two years. Cedar City also plans to host its Wreaths Across America event this December, where people will be encouraged to “REMEMBER the fallen, HONOR those that serve and their families, and TEACH the next generation about the value of freedom.” Event planners have designed a brief program, which will consist of a color guard, a special ceremonial wreath presentation honoring each branch of the military, music, remarks from Cedar City Mayor Maile Wilson-Edwards, tributes, bagpipes, taps and more. The Wreaths Across America celebration is yet another way for the city to embrace the holiday spirit and continue to bring joy to the community. The past two years may not have seemed very “wonderful,” but the SimonFest Theatre Company in Cedar City wishes to change that by putting on the holiday classic screenplay, “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Theatre goers can escape the challenges and turmoil the world has been facing and get lost in a positive storyline that is sure to boost the spirits of everyone. No matter the challenges faced by the country and the world as a whole, individual communities strive to keep the spirits of residents uplifted and positive. The holidays are a time for joy and sharing, coming together as a supportive and collective unit. Cities like Beckley and Cedar City have done just that by bringing in festive new
A woman shops at downtown shops in Cedar City, Utah, during the holidays. (Photo provided by Visit Cedar City) decorations and lighting displays, keeping local traditions alive and hosting as many holiday events as possible — and as safely as possible — in order to maintain the “normal” holiday cheer usually seen this time of year.
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Streets, Highways & Bridges
Illinois repairs farming thoroughfare in record time By DANI MESSICK | The Municipal
An expansive road reconstruction project in southern Illinois was completed posthaste after funding sources dictated that the Illinois Department of Transportation would only receive the necessary monies if it completed it in less than six months.
Miller City Road is located in Alexander County, Ill., near Horseshoe Lake Conservation Area. Record flooding of the Ohio and Mississippi river basins in 2019 left the road submerged. (Shutterstock.com) 54 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2021
Miller City Road in Alexander County, Ill., spent a period of over two months underwater after flooding in the spring of 2019. When the roadway was finally visible again in July 2019, the damage was assessed and deemed extensive. “Large swaths of the roadway were completely washed away, large scour holes were prevalent, many tons of debris was left behind and mountains of sand had to be removed to prepare for improvements,” said Dawn Johnson, communications outreach liaison for the Illinois Department of Transportation Region 5. Miller City Road is a major thoroughfare for those residents commuting and farming within the area. Alexander County, where Miller City Road resides, is a small county on the southernmost tip of Illinois bordering the Mississippi River. The county has fewer than 6,000 residents. Portions of the road itself lie within the river’s basin. The Lens Small Levee protected the county from the river until it was damaged in 2016. Along with allowing a host of other crises — ranging from degradation of the farmland due to sand accumulation to barges being stuck — the damage has allowed water to flow mostly freely into the flood zones of the basin within Alexander County during all heavy rainfall events the past several years. Some residents have met with the Mississippi River Commission to seek assistance, claiming the river will make a new pathway through the basin if the levee is not repaired, but incrementally increasing rainfall has caused the levee to fail many times including in 1993 and in 2011. “The only way to fully protect this roadway from future damage is for the Army Corp of Engineers to repair the gap in the Lens Small Levee just west of the Miller City Road. Without this levee, the new roadway will be inundated in the future,” said Johnson. The roadway was completely submerged during the record flooding of the Ohio and Mississippi river basins in 2019. According to IDOT, the record flooding left the roadway underwater for much longer than it has historically been, leaving it sufficiently destroyed. Repairs were expected to take nearly a year to complete. “Without the coordinational effort, the citizens of Alexander County could have missed out on the FHWA emergency funding and
Miller City Road was washed out following flooding in the Mississippi River basin. (Photo provided by IDOT)
The roadway was underwater for over two months, completely destroying many sections of the 4-mile stretch. (Photo provided by IDOT)
had many months or years without access,” said Johnson. Due to the significance of the road to the residents of the area, it needed to be completed much sooner. “Before the water had even receded, the Federal Highway Administration and Illinois Department of Transportation met to begin to determine eligibility for emergency FHWA funding. After the water had receded to a point to evaluate the damage, FHWA, IDOT and Alexander County Highway Department met to evaluate the damage and develop a plan. In order to return access to the area and capitalize on emergency funds, a quick turnaround would be paramount.” After the Federal Highway Administration, the Illinois Department of Transportation District 9 and the Alexander County engineer met on-site to evaluate the damage and develop a plan, Gov. J.B. Pritzker allowed the repairs to be eligible for Federal Highway Administration funding, opening up a stream of opportunities for the road, which led to a complete evaluation and total reconstruction of damaged portions in under six months. “With the emergency declaration, it opened up the prospect of 100% federal funding,” Johnson said. “The caveat was that for this project to be funded at 100%, the repairs had to be made within six months of being able to access the damaged area.”
It took just six months from start to finish to repair the roadway. The team was able to complete all planning and construction in under three months to satisfy funding requirements. (Photo provided by IDOT)
IDOT was going to have to clean up the debris, perform design surveys, design the roadway and fully reconstruct a mile’s worth of the 4-mile stretch in half a year to receive the entire $2 million. Surveys, roadway designs and contracts awards had to be completed. It took about a month. In early August, preparation was complete, and construction began in September 2019. Debris and sand were removed, while thousands of tons of aggregate were brought in to fill and build the sub-base. Additionally, grading, shaping and paving were completed in under three months. The roadway reopened in December, having been closed for only six months in total. While the only way to prevent this kind of flooding in the future is for the levee to be repaired, large amounts of riprap were used to support the new roadway. It is hoped this will mitigate and prevent similar damage from occurring again in the future until the levee repair is made. DECEMBER 2021 | THE MUNICIPAL 55
News & Notes Registration and housing open for Work Truck Week 2022 in Indianapolis FARMINGTON HILLS, MICH. — Registration and housing are now open for Work Truck Week 2022, North America’s largest work truck event, returning to Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Ind. Work Truck Week includes Work Truck Show exhibits, extensive education and training, Green Truck Summit, a Ride & Drive and multiple networking activities. Building on the success of the 2021 virtual event, Work Truck Week 2022 includes new online features such as on-demand exhibitor listings, product information and post-event education session materials for registered Conference Package attendees. Green Truck Summit is March 8, and education sessions run March 8-10. The exhibit hall is open March 9-11. A detailed event schedule, registration and hotel information are available at worktruckweek.com. “We are bringing together everything our attendees know and value about Work Truck Week and adding the most popular elements from the virtual event we held in 2021,” said Steve Carey, NTEA president and CEO. “With tools like the WTW22 planner, attendees can research new products, contact exhibitors and plan their time before the in-person event begins. And if they don’t have time to make it to every education session during Work Truck Week, those who register for a Conference Package can access many concurrent session materials after the event to continue learning.” Attendees can choose from dozens of education and training sessions on topics including chassis OEM updates, market trends, vehicle design and specification, risk mitigation, vehicle regulations and more. Three all-day workshops offer in-depth training: Develop Process Stability with Lean Fundamentals, Spec’ing for Success and perennial favorite Fleet Management 101. Space at each session is limited and registration is required. Indiana LTAP and Purdue Road School return with courses designed for area transportation providers, fleet managers and professional engineers. Green Truck Summit brings together government, educators, fleets and innovators to provide insights on the work truck industry’s path to zero emissions. Held at the JW Marriott Indianapolis adjacent to the convention center, it includes sessions on hydrogen and fuel cells in work trucks, government programs and data initiatives, global clean technology trends, electric vehicle grants and programs, and electric vehicle maintenance best practices. It concludes with a reception. Learn more at worktruckweek.com/ greentrucksummit. Other popular networking events include Opening Reception at Lucas Oil Stadium, Generation Next Leadership Workshop & Networking Reception and NTEA Annual Meeting with keynote speaker Mike Rowe, executive producer, host and best-selling author. The sold-out Work Truck Show will fill all of the exhibit halls within the entire Indiana Convention Center and showcase the latest products from nearly 500 companies covering all
commercial vehicle industry segments, including commercial chassis, truck bodies, aerial devices, snow and ice control equipment, commercial vehicle accessories and components, alternative fuel technology, and more. Attendees can speak directly with management, sales and engineering teams in manufacturers’ booths to get technical solutions and advice. NTEA staff are available in booth 3400 to answer technical questions. For more information, including links to register and book hotel rooms, visit worktruckweek.com/about. Join the conversation at worktruckweek.com/getsocial.
Buyers Products Company appoints Bruce Schulte to municipal sales manager. Jake Weitzenecker will assume role of district sales manager for Mid-Atlantic CLEVELAND, OHIO — Buyers Products Company, a leading manufacturer of work truck equipment, announced the appointment of Bruce Schulte to the position of municipal sales manager for the East Region, effective immediately. Schulte, who joined the Buyers team in 2019 and brings 20-plus years of commercial and municipal truck experience to the team, will report directly to Frank Dickinson, director of municipal sales. In his new role, Schulte will assist in bolBruce Schulte stering field support for Buyers’ growing line of municipal snow and ice equipment. As part of this realignment, Jake Weitzenecker will assume the role of district sales manager for the Mid-Atlantic Region (southeastern New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland). “Jake’s vast knowledge and expertise in commercial truck equipment will support continued growth within the region,” said Jake Weitzenecker Steve Dewey, director of sales, East. News releases regarding personnel changes, other non-productrelated company changes, association news and awards are printed as space allows. Priority will be given to advertisers and affiliates. Releases not printed in the magazine can be found online at www.themunicipal.com. Call (800) 733–4111, ext. 2307, or email swright@the-papers.com.
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Where Business Flows The WWETT Show is the largest event dedicated to wastewater and environmental service professionals and municipalities with an Expo Hall featuring 500+ exhibitors displaying in over 350,000 square feet of exhibit space. Want to see how a piece of equipment works? Don’t miss the Exhibitor Demonstrations on the floor. For even more action, get over to WWETT Live! at Lucas Oil Stadium. See the newest trucks and latest equipment, all running and “in action”! If you’re shopping for your business, make sure WWETT Show 2022 is on your itinerary.
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Conference Calendar To list your upcoming conference or seminar in The Municipal at no charge, call (800) 733-4111, ext. 2307, or email the information to swright@the-papers.com.
DECEMBER
J A N UA R Y
Dec. 1-3 The Energy Storage Annual Conference & Expo Phoenix, Ariz. https://esacon.energystorage. org/
Jan. 11-13 Northern Green 2022 Minneapolis Convention Center, Minneapolis, Minn. www.northerngreen.org
Jan. 18-21 Fire-Rescue East Ocean Center, Daytona Beach, Fla. Some Virtual Sessions Ffca.org
Dec. 6-8 2021 Safety & Health Conference B Resort & Spa, Lake Buena Vista, Fla. https://www.ffca.org/
Jan. 11-13 SDARWS Annual Technical Conference Pierre Ramkota Hotel & Convention Center, Pierre, S.D. http://www.sdarws.com/ annual-conference.html
Jan. 19-21 Alabama City County Management Association Winter Conference Birmingham, Ala. www.accma-online.org
Dec. 7-9 Mississippi Fire Chiefs Mid-Winter Conference Harlow’s Casino Resort & Spa, Greenville, Miss. www.msfirechiefs.org Dec. 7-8 Clean Power 2021 Trade Show & Business Development Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, Utah (Virtual was in June) cleanpower.org Dec. 14-16 Groundwater Week Nashville, Tenn. https://groundwaterweek.com/
J A N UA R Y Jan. 8-11 Florida Police Chiefs Association MidWinter Training Conference & Exposition Rosen Plaza Hotel, Orlando, Fla. fpca.com Jan. 9-12 Fire Department Safety Officers Association Conference Scottsdale, Ariz. www.fdsoa.org
Jan. 15-21 NRPA Event Management School Oglebay, Wheeling, W.Va. www.nrpa.org/careerseducation/education/eventmanagement-school/ Jan. 18-20 Landscape Ontario Congress Virtual www.locongress.com Jan. 18-21 Fire-Rescue East Ocean Center Daytona Beach, Daytona Beach, Fla. www.ffca.org Jan. 19-21 U.S. Conference of Mayors 90th Winter Meeting Washington, D.C. https://www.usmayors.org/ meetings/ Jan. 19-21 Arkansas Municipal League Winter Conference Little Rock Statehouse Convention Center, Little Rock, Ark. www.arml.org Jan. 18-20 World of Concrete Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nev. www.worldofconcrete.com
58 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2021
Jan. 19-21 U.S. Conference of Mayors 89th Winter Meeting Washington, D.C. www.usmayors.org/meetings/ Jan. 21-22 Massachusetts Municipal Association Annual Meeting & Trade Show Hynes Convention Center, Boston, Mass. www.mma.org Jan. 23-25 NAPO’s 33rd Annual PFM Pension & Benefits Seminar Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas, Nev. https://www.napo.org/events/ upcoming-events/ Jan. 24-27 Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week ’22 Grapevine, Texas www.hdaw.org Jan. 26 Association of Washington Cities Virtual https://www.wacities.org Jan. 26-28 Arizona City/ County Management Association Winter Conference Hilton Sedona Resort, Sedona, Ariz. azmanagement.org/events/
Jan. 26-28 PowerGen International Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, Dallas, Texas www.powergen.com Jan. 26-28 Indiana Association of Chiefs of Police Mid-Winter Crowne Plaza Hotel, Indianapolis, Ind. www.iacop.org Jan. 27 Rhode Island League of Cities & Towns Annual Convention Crowne Plaza at the Crossings, Warwick, R.I. www.rileague.org Jan. 27-29 IAPD/IPRA Soaring to New Heights Conference Hyatt Regency, Chicago, Ill. www.ilparksconference.com Jan. 31-Feb.3 Nevada Water Resources Association Annual Conference Tuscany Suites and Casino, Las Vegas, Nev. http://www.nvwra.org/2021ac-week Jan. 31-Feb. 3 CADCA 32nd Annual National Leadership Forum Gaylord National, National Harbor, Md. www.cadca.org/events
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TOP 10 States with the least amount of credit card debt WalletHub has released its credit card debt study, detailing the states with the most and least amount of credit card debt. The website notes, “U.S. consumers have started to return to bad habits when it comes to credit card debt, following a record-setting reduction in 2020 that continued into the first quarter of 2021. During Q2 2021, consumers added $45.7 billion to their tab – an alltime record that nearly wiped out the first-quarter paydown. Furthermore, WalletHub now projects that consumers will end the year with a net addition of $100 billion in credit card debt, which far exceeds the 10-year average of $45.6 billion.” WalletHub’s quarterly credit card debt studies are based on analysis of the latest data on consumers’ finances available from TransUnion as well as the Federal Reserve and Bureau of Labor Statistics. Below are the states with the least amount of credit card debt.
1. Vermont 2. Wyoming 3. North Dakota 4. South Dakota 5. Alaska
62 THE MUNICIPAL | DECEMBER 2021
6. Delaware 7. Montana 8. Rhode Island 9. Maine 10. New Hampshire
Source: https://wallethub.com/edu/cc/credit-card-debt-study/24400
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Advertiser Index A
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Air Netix LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
K-Tech Specialty Coating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
All Access Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
L
Alumitank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Land Pride . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
American Safety & Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Andy Mohr Ford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
M Midwest Sandbags LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
B
Midwest Tractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
BendPak Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Monroe Truck Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Bonnell Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
N
Britespan Building Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 53
National Construction Rentals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Buyers Products Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
NTEA Work Truck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
C
O
Calhoun Super Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Olsson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
CBI Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Omega Industrial Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
CleanFix North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
P
Clearspan Fabric Structures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Precision Concrete Cutting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Curb Roller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover, 10-11 Curtis Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
E Everblades Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
R Rapid View LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BACK
S Strongwell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
F
T
Fluid Control Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
The Godwin Group, Allied Mobile Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
G
U
GI Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Utility Truck Equipment Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Greystone Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
V
GVM Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Versalift East, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
H
W
Henderson Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Winter Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Hercules Industries Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
WWETT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
This index is provided courtesy of the publisher, who assumes no liability for errors or omissions. DECEMBER 2021 | THE MUNICIPAL 65
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