UPCOMING EVENTS

May 11, 2018
Events & Community Service Committee Meeting
More Info >

May 12, 2018
Horticulture Volunteer Project
More Info >

May 16, 2018
APWA Arizona Board of Directors Meeting
More Info >

May 16, 2018
APWA March Luncheon
More Info >

May 24, 2018
Public Works Showcase
More Info >

2018 NEWSLETTER SPONSORS

As we do every year, May is the month we celebrate Public Works Week. This year, we celebrate from May 20-26.  APWA’s goal is to enhance the prestige of the often-unsung heroes of our society-the professionals who serve the public every day with quiet dedication. I was reminded again this week of how important it is for public works staff to know how valuable they are—and how important they are to the communities they serve.  

It seems obvious to recognize the work of police and fire departments. Public works employees are often invisible, even though they are the first ones to respond and the last ones to leave when there is a community situation. For example, what if you wake up tomorrow and have no water? Or head out to work and none of the traffic signals are working? What if you got to work and find there is no electricity to boot up your computer? For one week this month, let’s celebrate the heroes who make our daily lives easier. Let them know they are appreciated.  They are the heroes of our community. 

Many cities will be holding special events to celebrate Public Works week. Check your local community calendar for events in your area. The City of Phoenix will be hosting an event on Thursday, May 24, along Adams Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues, from 9 am to 2 pm.  (See the flyer elsewhere in this newsletter.)

At the April Monthly Membership meeting, our board announced the new slate of officers for the new year, which will begin on July 1, 2018. Please take the time to vote when you receive the ballot in your inbox. The new board will be sworn in during the July Monthly Membership Luncheon.

Remember to Save the Date, August 1 –3, 2018 for this year’s APWA AZ Statewide Conference at the El Conquistador Hotel in Tucson. Vendor booths and sponsorships are still available.  Conference attendee registration and the hotel room block are also open. Check out all the information on the conference website at   www.azapwaconference.com.

Upcoming Events – please register online 

May 8 – Northern Branch Luncheon, Stone Ridge Golf Club, Prescott Valley 
May 12 – Volunteer Project at the Phoenix Zoo (see details in the newsletter)
May 16 – Monthly Membership Luncheon,  Rebekah Morris, AZBEX, will present Municipal CIP updates
June 1 – Scholarship Applications due (three $1,500 scholarships are available)

Sincerely,
Loretta Flick
ARIZONA CHAPTER PRESIDENT

Volunteer Project

APWA May Luncheon
May 16, 2018
Topic: CIP Update
http://arizona.apwa.net/EventDetails/14521

Statewide Conference
The conference is less than three months away! We have an exciting program planned and you don't want to miss out on the networking, education, and fun. The conference schedule is complete and available now on the website. Registration, sponsorship, exhibitor, keynote speaker, and hotel information are also on the website. Sponsorships and exhibit hall booth spaces are still available so sign up today to take advantage of this opportunity to support the Arizona Chapter of APWA and promote your firm at this high-profile industry event. www.azapwaconference.com

Special thanks to those firms that have already registered as sponsors and exhibitors:

• Opening Reception Sponsor

• Platinum Sponsors

• Gold Sponsors

• Key Card Sponsor 
  
  
  
• Fun Night Sponsor 

• Coffee Sponsor
  
  
  
  
• Thursday Breakfast/Break Sponsor

    Wood/Patel

• Lanyard Sponsor
     
      Logan Simpson
  
  
• Friday Networking Event Snack Bag Sponsor
  
      EagleLift, Inc.
  
  
• Public Agency Sponsors

    Achen-Gardner Construction
    Civiltec Engineering
    Neenah Foundry
    Oldcastle Precast

• Exhibitors    

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to:

• Conference Committee Co-Chair – Christy Sipos, csipos@civiltec.com, 602-570-4150
• Conference Committee Co-Chair – Scott Kirchhofer, skirchhofer@achen.com, 480-296-5933

New Member Spotlight

Name, Title, Agency/Company: Jaime Rivera, Deputy Director for Conveyance with Pima County Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department

With APWA Since: 2013

Describe your job responsibilities: I am responsible for the Pima County wastewater conveyance systems consisting of approximately 3,500 miles of sanitary sewers, ranging in size from 6 to 72 inches in diameter. It includes more than 70,000 system features (e.g., conveyance system manholes, cleanouts, and flow management structures). Related and associated features include 26 pump stations, 18 siphons, 113 flow junction structures, air injection stations, air release valves, permanent and temporary metering sites, and 35 odor control facilities (chemical dosing or air filtering). These features are located throughout Pima County and include the jurisdictions of the Tohono O’odham and Pascua Yaqui Nations, nine area cities and towns, and four unincorporated areas. The system dates from 1900 to the present and presently collects approximately 67.7 million gallons per day throughout the 420 square mile service area.

What was your favorite project to work on in the last 10 years? One of my favorite projects was the Regional Optimization Master Plan (ROMP) Plant Interconnect pipeline.  The sewer line consisted of a 60-inch to 72-inch gravity sewer designed to transfer year 2030 peak wet weather flows of up to 145 MGD from the existing Roger Road Water Reclamation Facility (WRF) to the new Water Reclamation Campus, and 81 MGD from the Water Reclamation Campus to the Tres Rios WRF. The Interconnect was designed for a service life of 100 years and consisted of a five-mile alignment with two wash crossings, the Canada del Oro near the Ina Road WRF, and the Rillito River. While casted fiberglass reinforced pipe was utilized for construction of the gravity sewer, it was ruled out for use in the crossings and steel pipe material was used.

Where have your travels taken you?: Out of college I spent six years active duty with the Air Force as a civil engineer.  One of our training assignments took us to Belize to build a small school.  The three-month project allowed us to do a little bit of everything, from design to construction and it was a great feeling of accomplishment when the kids came to see their new classrooms.

Name one thing not many people know about you: I enjoy taking summer road trips with my wife and kids every summer.  We usually pick a national park and spend a few days driving to and from and sightseeing.

New Members

2018 Scholarships

The Arizona Chapter of the American Public Works Association, in keeping with its objectives, will award one or more $1,500 scholarships for 2018. Scholarships are presented to deserving students striving to complete educational requirements for a career path in public works. Degrees or Majors in Public Administration, Civil or Environmental Engineering, Public Works, and Water Resources Technology Programs are examples of related fields of study. Career objectives may be in the public or private sector, but in either case must be associated directly or indirectly with public works matters or agencies.  The deadline for the application is June 1, 2018.

Please click here to see the application for more detailed information.  

Please direct questions to:

Gregory B Smith, PE/PS, ENV_SP
President-Elect
Arizona Chapter
APWA Scholarship Committee
602-803-3733
greg@gsmithconsultingengineer.com

2018 AZ APWA/ASHE Family Potluck Picnic

Thanks to all who came out to enjoy a beautiful spring day at our 5th annual Family Potluck Picnic! 

On Sunday, April 8, we joined up with the Arizona Chapter of ASHE (American Society of Highway Engineers) at McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park in Scottsdale.  Families and friends enjoyed a potluck style picnic with lots of food; free train and carousel rides (thanks to TRACE Consulting); the yummy Mighty Moo Ice Cream Truck (thanks to ASHE); and the bratwurst-in-beer (thanks to Rinker Pipe). Both kids and adults took part in playing cornhole, tossing Frisbees, and building the Giant Jenga.   

Thanks to all who contributed drinks, sides, and desserts!

Young Professionals Lunch and Learn

On Tuesday April 17th, the Phoenix Branch Young Professional Committee put on a Lunch and Learn at the City of Phoenix’s Design and Construction Management offices. Twenty-one young professionals from around the valley attended. Chris Hamilton from the City of Avondale presented to the group about his experience implementing complete streets principles on Central Avenue in Avondale, AZ. Chris presented on lessons learned about complete streets projects for future public works professionals to learn from for future projects.

New Hires

W.E. O’Neil Construction Company of Arizona Names Lee Andrews as Senior Project Manager

Phoenix, Arizona, April, 2018 – W.E. O’Neil is pleased to announce the addition of Lee Andrews to our team of construction professionals. Lee will serve in the role of Senior Project Manager in our Phoenix office.

With a Master’s Degree in Construction Management from Arizona State University, Lee brings 25 years of experience in local construction market. During his professional career, he has served in the roles of Project Engineer, Preconstruction/Estimating and Construction Management. Lee’s background includes of all types of construction, with extensive experience in the Entertainment, Residential, Hospitality, Retail and Education markets. 

Public Works Job Opportunities
This is a new section where agencies can advertise their open positions. Please provide your advertisement and/or link to tbaker@lognsimpson.com or sniebel@woodpatel.com.

The City of Mesa Engineering Department is seeking to fill the Administrative Coordinator position. 

The primary responsibilities of this position will be to monitor, update, maintain and troubleshoot the Engineering Department’s Project Management software program.  The ideal candidate will have software troubleshooting skills and be able to multi-task as tasks are assigned and issues arise.  In addition, the ideal candidate for this position shall have a strong financial background with the ability to analyze and understand financial data.  This individual will understand financial and accounting systems (experience working with government systems and project-management software is preferred).  This individual must be able to work independently as well as work effectively with others in a team setting.  This individual must be comfortable with asking questions, making proposals to improve operating procedures and to take initiative to solve problems.

For those candidate that are interested in the position please visit www.mesaaz.gov, the position will post on 5/11/2018 to 5/14/2018. 

Public Works Director, Brian Head Town, Utah

Goodyear, Good Life: The Wellspring Park Conceptual Master Plan

Trace Baker, LoganSimpson

“Dream big!” was the City of Goodyear’s instruction to the consultant team that developed the conceptual master plan for Wellspring Park, a health and wellness park that will be developed within a two-mile-long former drainage basin north of I-10 between Dysart and Bullard Roads. The park site is adjacent to a number of existing and planned medical facilities. The idea for the park was born in 2014, when local consultant John Kuhn and Abrazo West Chief Executive Officer Stan Holm approached the City of Goodyear with a vision for using the flood retention land as a wellness park. Within a short time, a public/private partnership was established that included Abrazo West, Adelante Healthcare, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, local businesses, and the City of Goodyear. 

In May 2016, the City acquired 129 acres of flood control basin adjacent to I-10 through an innovative intergovernmental agreement with Maricopa County. Later that year, the Community Health Park Partnership was formalized. The City and the Partnership agreed that the park should be world-class—a landmark that could serve as a place of inspiration and help rejuvenate the mind, body, and spirit of its users.

With few constraints beyond the physical characteristics of the site and the fact the park should become a landmark place focused on health and wellness, the design grew organically, based on the input of the City, stakeholders, and the public. Inspired by the emphasis on human health, the master planning team developed three conceptual design alternatives: “Mind and Body,” “Human Nature,” and “Nature/Nurture.” These alternatives drew inspiration from life cycles, the systems of the human body, and the effect of nature on human health. All three were well received and led to the final conceptual master plan, “Mind, Body, and Spirit,” which contained elements from each alternative. The conceptual master plan broke the park into “precincts,” each of which had its own character and purpose, but which flow together to create a unique whole.

The precinct concept will help with the development of the park, which is anticipated to take place through the efforts of a public/private partnership. The Community Health Partnership has become a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the Wellspring Park Conservancy. Together with the City of Goodyear, the Conservancy is expected to continue to help guide and seek funding for park development. To assist in this process, the consultant team developed a brand for the park and created a high-quality fly-through video so citizens and potential donors or developers could see what the park could become. Additional information is available on the City of Goodyear’s website.

By developing Wellspring Park, the City of Goodyear and the Conservancy are tapping into one of the strongest trends in parks and recreation—improving human health and wellness. The park will have areas geared to those in fragile health or who are recovering, as well as for those who wish to get or become more fit. It will also contain areas for contemplation and may be home to community gardens. One day, local doctors may even prescribe exercise within the park much like they currently prescribe medicine, as described in this issue of the National Recreation and Parks Association’s Parks and Recreation Magazine.

“The Wellspring Park Conceptual Master Plan was created by a consultant team led by Logan Simpson that included WERK | Urban Design & Engineering; Gensler & Associates; Dibble and Associates Consulting Engineers; and WELL Design | Daniel Winterbottom Design Inc.”

2018 Award Nominees

It’s award time again! Nominations for the 2018 APWA Arizona Chapter Awards have been submitted. Winners will be recognized at the August Statewide Conference in Tucson. Nominees include:

In the Citation for Exemplary Service to Public Works Category:

• Rick Ellis, Pima County Transportation
• MJ Dillard, Town of Sahuarita

In the Outstanding Public Works Employee Category:

• Jaime Rivera, Pima County RWRD
• Carlos Suarez, Town of Sahuarita

In the Sustainability Practices Category:

• CNG Infrastructure Improvements, City of Mesa

In the Project of the Year – Environment Category:

• Less than $5 Million:
  
  • 24th St. Water Treatment Plant Reservoir #3 Rehabilitation, City of Phoenix
  • Rio de Flag Aeration Blowers, City of Flagstaff
  • Make-Up/Blowdown Structures Hypochlorite Trench Concrete Rebuild, Arizona Public Service Palo Verde Generating Station
  • Broadway Blvd. Augmentation – Chantilly to Craycroft, Pima County RWRD
• $5 – $25 Million:
  
  • Val Vista Transmission Main Phase 3, City of Mesa
  • North Rillito Interceptor Rehab Project, Pima County RWRD
• $75 Million or More:
  
  • Job Order Master Agreement:  Wastewater Conveyance System and Related Facilities Maintenance, Repair, Rehabilitation and Construction, Pima County RWRD

Project of the Year – Structures

• Less than $5 Million:
  
  • Chandler Fire Training Center Expansion-Burn Building, City of Chandler
  • Flatiron Community Park, City of Apache Junction
  • Rillito Riverpath Recycled Bridge at Camino de la Tierra, Pima County
  • Greenfield Park Improvements, City of Mesa
  • Glendale Municipal Landfill Facilities Improvement Project, City of Glendale
• $5 – $25 Million:
  
  • White Tanks FRS No. 4 Rehabilitation, Flood Control District of Maricopa County

Project of the Year – Transportation

• Less than $5 Million:
  
  • Oatman – Topock Sacramento Wash, Mohave County/ADOT
• $5 – 25 Million:
  
  • Alma School Road/Chandler Blvd Intersection Improvements, City of Chandler
  • Southern Avenue Corridor Improvements, City of Mesa
  • P83 Entertainment District, City of Mesa
  • Mesa Stadium Connector, City of Mesa
  • Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, North Apron Reconstruction, Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport Authority
  • Wilmot Road:  North of Sahuarita Road, Pima County Transportation
  • Sunset Road:  Silverbell to I-10, Pima County Transportation
• $25 Million – $75 Million:
  
  • US60/Bell Road Design-Build, ADOT

In the Project of the Year Category:

• Cibola Road Secondary Wash Drainage Improvements, La Paz County
• SR 95 Aviation Way to Bullhead City Parkway, Bullhead City
• Edison Road Extension, City of Maricopa

In the Disaster or Emergency Construction/Repair Category:

• Development of ALERT Precipitation and Flow Gages, La Paz County

In the Disaster or Emergency Construction/Repair Category:

• Less than $5 Million:
  
  • Goodwin Fire Post-Fire Flooding Response, Yavapai County