APWA AZ Newsletter 2018 March
| NEWSLETTER March 2018 |
March 9, 2018 March 21, 2018 March 21, 2018 March 22, 2018 2018 NEWSLETTER SPONSORS
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The Arizona Chapter Board Members and Committee Chairs just completed the start of our 3-5 year Strategic Plan for the Chapter. This was only the first step as we will be finalizing the plans over the next few months. Some highlights to share thus far include: developing stronger membership recognition programs, drafting a strong public works message to the community regarding the importance of Public Works and what we do, increasing the value of individual membership, and much more. As an APWA State Chapter we recognize we are the voice for the Public Works Community and take that responsibility very seriously. The final version of the Strategic Plan will be posted on our website in a few months. In preparation for 2018 National Public Works week, May 20-26, APWA National makes available resources and links to help municipalities celebrate this event. The following paragraph and links are from the APWA National site.
“APWA encourages public works agencies and professionals to take the opportunity to make their stories known in their communities. The National Public Works Week How-To Guide and Downloadables area are available to agencies to assist in the development and implementation of their own individual celebrations. The occasion is marked each year with scores of resolutions and proclamations from mayors and governors, as well.” The theme this year is “The Power of Public Works” You can order the Public Works poster for your office at the following link https://www.apwa.net/Store/detail.aspx?id=PSTR18 As for the Arizona Chapter there are a few upcoming events to remember. Register on line 1. March 21- Monthly Luncheon, APWA President Bo Mills will speak on Professional Development for Public Works. 2. March 22 – Mixer at Camp Social – Free event - Joint Mixer with ASHE, SMPS & APWA 3. April 8 - The Annual Membership Picnic and Pot Luck, at Scottsdale McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park. Free Admission, Carousel and Train Tickets. Bring a dish to share. 4. April 9-11 – Public Works Institute, Module Four. Details & Registration on the website 5. Aug 1-3 – APWA AZ Statewide Conference – Vendor Space, Sponsor package and Hotel Room block now open. See conference website for all the details www.azapwaconference.com Sincerely,
APWA Luncheon Program Topic: Professional Development for Public Works Staff Mixer
Southern Arizona Branch APWA Scholarship Golf Outing Chapter Picnic Public Works Institute
APWA Luncheon Program Topic: SR202, Project Update and Lessons Learned Speakers: Amy Ritz and Carmelo Acevedo, PE Statewide Conference
New Members
Member Spotlight
With APWA Since: 2018 Describe your job responsibilities: The focus of my work is organizational and workforce development. With the ever-changing factors affecting our dynamic field, our county Public Works department is intentional in pursuing leadership development and nurturing a thriving culture of employee engagement, recruitment with retention and succession planning, as well as achieving overall efficiencies in work-flow. Much of my job is infusing our problem solving with out-of-the-box thinking and creativity as a member of our Collaborative Leadership Team. I also oversee our community relations activities, safety and training programs, and leadership development efforts. What was your favorite project to work on in the last 10 years?: I'm really excited about and proud of my work on revamping our organizational structure. Together with our Collaborative Leadership Team, we are closing gaps related to regional pay inequities, stagnation in career paths, career laddering across the organization and succession planning. Coconino County Public Works has the most dedicated and determined team members; it's rewarding to know that my work helps them feel more valued and better compensated for their long-term commitment to our communities. Where have your travels taken you?: My free time is spent exploring the canyons, rivers, mesas, and mountains of the Colorado Plateau on mountain bike, raft, skis and by foot. Since the birth of my daughter, travel now includes hunting down cool parks with awesome slides everywhere we go--new cities and countries, as well as our routine stops on regular road trips. Traveling with a toddler is certainly challenging, but seeing the world through her eyes is more magical than I had imagined! Name one thing not many people know about you: Some of my favorite memories from college include road-tripping from Spokane, WA to Tucson, AZ and Phoenix, AZ to watch Zags in the NCAA tournament runs in the late 90s. These memories were punctuated last year during a fantastic reunion of the Gonzaga University community when we made it to the final game of the NCAA Tournament in Glendale, AZ. Cheering through the Final Four tournament is a fan-highlight I’ll never forget!
All Aboard! What’s new with the Gilbert Road Light Rail Extension Trevor Collon, PE City of Mesa In October 2016, the ground-breaking ceremony took place for the Gilbert Road Light Rail Extension project in Mesa, Arizona. Representatives from the City of Mesa, Valley Metro, Stacy-Witbeck and Sundt Joint Venture, and Jacobs were on hand to celebrate the start of construction for this long-awaited and exciting project. This Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) project has a total budget of over $184 million and will extend the eastern terminus of the light rail system, 1.9 miles from Mesa Drive and Main Street to Gilbert Road and Main Street. Planning efforts and studies in the past several years have indicated that once the project is complete, the Gilbert Road light rail station could become one of the busiest in the system, as it provides service further into the East Valley. There are several interesting features of this project:
The construction is in full swing. For the past year, the demolition and third-party underground utility work has been the key focus with an aim to wrap this scope of work up by the start of 2018. Rail will begin to arrive onsite in late January 2018 with the rail welding operation starting soon thereafter. There is still a large amount of roadway work and light rail system work ahead. Revenue service for the new light rail segment is currently scheduled for May 2019 after an extensive quality, safety, and security program has taken place. For all the latest project information, please visit the project website: http://www.valleymetro.org/projects_and_planning/project_detail/gilbert_road | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Name, Title, Agency/Company: Allie Stender, Program Manager III, Coconino County Public Works
