APWA AZ Newsletter 2020 September
Public works are the services and infrastructure required to sustain quality community life. |
UPCOMING EVENTS September 16, 2020
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First off, I wanted to give a HUGE SHOUTOUT to our Conference Committee. They have done such an amazing job organizing our Virtual Summer Series—a first for our Chapter. As the Summer Series ends, I encourage you to read the feature article below about the conference and check out the website to view any sessions you may have missed. Thank you to our presenters, sponsors, and all the volunteers that made this a successful conference!
Virtual September Meeting
New Lifetime Member!
All it takes is to reach out to Suzanne Ledy at 480-644-3808 or Suzanne.ledy@mesaaz.gov. Name and Title: Matt Alvey, Systems Integration ConsultantAgency: Stanley Convergent Security Solutions With APWA Since: 08/2020 Describe your job responsibilities: Consult, design, install, and service commercial electronic security; access control, CCTV, verified intrusion detection, command centers, and embedded services What was your favorite project to work on in the last 10 years? I worked with a client to take antiquated systems across the country and upgrade all of their plants. This client was very good to work with, was open-minded about solutions, and we really worked as partners. Each plant had its own challenges to figure out, but when it was all done, their total operation was vastly improved. It was one of the biggest realized ROIs I’ve been a part of. It's great to see that what you do really helps people. Where have your travels taken you? I’ve been to France, London, and lived in Barcelona for six months when I was just in high school. I came from a small midwestern town, so I was like its Marco Polo! Name one thing not many people know about you: Most people don’t know that I have a very soft spot for my miniature poodle, Willy. I absolutely adore him!
Alternate Delegate Nominations due September 11, 2020 The APWA-AZ Board is looking for the next Alternate Delegate for the Arizona Chapter. Interested and qualified members are encouraged to submit their name and qualifications to the Chapter’s Nominating Committee. Please review the Alternate Delegate Selection Criteria information, and if interested, submit your information to Sheila Hamilton (sheila@gettingitdone.org), by September 11, 2020. Delegate and Alternate Delegate responsibilities can be found on pages 6 – 7 of the Chapter Manual. APWA 2020 Annual Sponsorship We have some great sponsorship opportunities to highlight your firm including in the Southern and Northern branches of APWA. Check out the link for further information. http://arizona.apwa.net/Content/Chapters/arizona.apwa.net/Documents/2020%20Sponsorship%20Flier.pdf
Click, Listen, Learn
Technologies for Field Crews Edition September 24, 2020
This section allows agencies to advertise their open positions. Please provide your advertisement and/or link to tbaker@logansimpson.com or suzanne.ledy@mesaaz.gov. In addition, check out the APWA Work Zone site! Job openings on the site may be sorted by key word and location. Arizona City of Apache Junction Water District Superintendent
Water Quality & Compliance Supervisor
Water Resources Maintenance Mechanic
Parks Maintenance Supervisor – CDL
Intelligent Transportation Systems Specialist
Business Analyst – Water Services
Assistant City Traffic Engineer
Facilities Maintenance Technician
CAD Technician – Flood Control District
Water Quality Inspector
Utility System Operator II – Water Distribution
Civil Engineer II
Senior Administrative Assistant City of Scottsdale Water/Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator II – Reclamation Services
2020 Statewide Conference Wrap Up  Positive Results We are happy to report that this format went well. Virtual attendance was good and each session had approximately 45 attendees. Having live presentations was the key that made this conference exciting. The interaction between moderators, speakers, and attendees was frequent and added value to all of the programs. As an association, we felt like APWA owned Tuesdays and Thursdays and attendees tuned in due to the regular schedule and solid programming. In July we had 386 virtual attendees and in August we had 418. All the sessions were recorded and posted on the conference website and have received hundreds of views. Those videos and the presentation slides are still available on the website and will never be taken down which we think provides our members and the public with opportunities to learn with no end date. Visit the website to view videos and download the summer series presentations. https://www.azapwaconference.com/presentations2020 Moderators Thank you to our moderators for becoming Zoom webinar experts and engaging with presenters and attendees. It’s not an easy job to present, especially when you can’t see your audience. These individuals stepped up and learned some advanced features of Zoom and were able to broadcast and moderate the panel with style.
Sponsors We cannot thank our sponsors enough! As soon as we offered sponsorship opportunities, these firms signed up quickly and provided financial support when we needed it the most. Since our conference was free, we didn’t want to spend a lot of money on software or a company to broadcast the presentations.  Awards Presentation One feature of the conference that also needed to adapt was the awards presentation. Since we couldn’t get on stage in a big ballroom we reached out to all of the individuals and project award winners and asked that they provide an award acceptance video. The results exceeded our expectations. All project of the year award winners produced high-quality videos highlighting their projects and including speeches by owners, engineers, and contractors. We strongly encourage everyone to view the list of award winners and the award video on the website (click the image below). A special thanks goes to Chris Ewell with the City of Phoenix for producing the final product. Due to the high production quality of the submitted videos and the final video we plan to do something similar next year.  Conference Committee Thank you to the conference committee for your hard work in preparing for the in-person conference and the ability to pivot to the Free Virtual Summer Series. We couldn’t have done it without you, and we look forward to working with you on next year’s conference.
SAVE THE DATE: AUGUST 4 – 6, 2021  2020 Project of the Year Award Winners Congratulations to all the project teams for their hard work and dedication to excellence in our industry. Visit the conference website to view a video presentation of the award winners. https://www.azapwaconference.com/awards2020 Environmental Category - Less Than $5 Million Project Name: Beardsley WRF Solids Pipeline Rehabilitation Managing Agency: City of Peoria Primary Consultant: Dibble Engineering Primary Contractor: Achen-Gardner Construction  Environmental Category - $5 Million to $25 Million Project Name: Salt River Siphon Repair Managing Agency: Central Arizona Project Primary Consultant: N/A Primary Contractor: Achen-Gardner Construction This project also won a national APWA Project of the Year Award!  Structures Category - Less Than $5 Million Project Name: Veterans Reflection Circle Managing Agency: City of Surprise Primary Consultant: Logan Simpson Design Primary Contractor: Haydon Building Corp This project also won a national APWA Project of the Year Award!  Structures Category - $5 Million to $25 Million Project Name: Gilbert Regional Park Phase One Managing Agency: Town of Gilbert Primary Consultant: Dig Studio Primary Contractor: Haydon Building Corp  Transportation Category - Less Than $5 Million Project Name: Moore Road to La Canada Drive Roundabout Managing Agency: Town of Oro Valley Primary Consultant: PSOMAS Primary Contractor: Borderland Construction  Transportation Category - $5 Million to $25 Million Project Name: Heritage District Transportation Improvements Project Managing Agency: Town of Gilbert Primary Consultant: Tristar Engineering and Management Primary Contractor: Hunter Contracting  Transportation Category - More than $75 Million Project Name: Ina Road Traffic Interchange Managing Agency: ADOT Primary Consultant: PSOMAS Primary Contractor: Sundt/Kiewit (Joint Venture)  Small Cities/Rural Communities (Structures) Project Name: Alley Gate Access Program Managing Agency: City of Tolleson Primary Consultant: N/A Primary Contractor: Biddle & Brown Fence Company  Small Cities/Rural Communities (Transportation) Project Name: Grand Canyon Boulevard Managing Agency: City of Williams Primary Consultant: Woodson Engineering Primary Contractor: LPs Excavation & Paving  Small Cities/Rural Communities (Environment) Project Name: Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvements and Tyson Wash Manhole Protection Managing Agency: Town of Quartzsite Primary Consultant: PACE Primary Contractor: Jonovich Companies  | ||||||||||||||||||||||
A Message to Potential Speakers about Planning for the Future of In-Person Events The 2021 North American Snow Conference (NASC) and PWX are currently scheduled to be held as planned. We realize we are now living in an ever-changing world, and although we hope we can meet in-person for these events, we are planning for all scenarios. We also understand that Public Works professionals are entrenched in seeing their communities through these uncertain times and may not be able to commit to a presenter’s role at NASC and/or PWX at this time. Our message to those who find themselves in this situation is to encourage you to move forward with submitting your proposal(s). APWA staff are working to have contingency plans in place to handle situations in which selected speakers are ultimately unable to present due to situations out of their control, such as travel restrictions and budget cuts. We remain committed to creating ways to provide the high-quality education conference attendees have come to expect regardless of the situation, and we plan to make every effort to ensure the pathway remains open to those of you who have valuable information and experiences to share. https://www.apwa.net/MYAPWA/Education___Credentialing/Conferences/CFP/MyApwa/Apwa_Public/Education _and_Events/Call_for_Presentations/CFP-PWX_and_Snow.aspx PWX@Home Get ready to experience APWA’s best in education and credentialing, because we're bringing you an all-new learning experience each month with PWX@Home! PWX@Home will feature over a hundred online education sessions, exhibits, and networking opportunities presented, by topic, to you throughout 2020 - 2021. With expert-led education and virtual and interactive experiences, you won't want to miss this unique opportunity to get top-notch education in your field. If you are from a small city or rural community, check out the SCRC Perspective On series outlined below. And keep your eye on https://www.apwa.net/MyApwa/Apwa_Public/PWX_at_Home/PWX_at_Home.aspx for the latest learning opportunities. PWX@Home Series for Small Cities and Rural Communities Don’t miss your chance to participate in the Small Cities/Rural Communities (SCRC) Perspective On Series held live the first Wednesday of each month as part of the PWX@Home program. Each month the panel discussion will focus on a new technical area as it relates to unique challenges and opportunities for small cities and rural communities. Registration is free for members and nonmembers. This is a great opportunity for you to invite other staff from your agency or colleagues to participate. Annual Series Registration – Register now for the annual series and automatically receive instructions one-day prior to each live program. SCRC Perspective on Fleet – Have a specific interest in fleet or have staff that may be interested? Register now to participate in this Wednesday’s (September 2) live program. If you register for the annual series, you will automatically be registered for this program. Finding Success in Your Small City Fleet Managing a public fleet in a small city or rural community must be a proactive endeavor. Fleet managers must extend the life of equipment and vehicles, prioritize purchases, and maintain a fluid shift model to manage employees. Join this panel discussion to learn more about how fleets are managed in small cities and rural communities. SCRC Perspective on UPROW – Check out last month’s program by watching the recording or sharing the link with other staff members. Maintaining Utilities and Managing Rights-of-Ways in Small Cities/Rural Communities While small cities and rural communities face the same challenges as larger and urban communities such as right-of-way management and utility coordination, small cell and 5G also affect small cities and rural communities. Join this panel discussion to learn more about how utilities and public rights-of-way are managed in small cities and rural communities. Membership Town Hall On October 6, 2020, APWA National is reaching out to Chapter Leaders through a Membership Town Hall. Scott Grayson, APWA CEO, will facilitate this session. Comparing the strategies chapters used pre-COVID with the strategies being used now will be helpful in seeing the Big Picture of APWA membership. He will be asking questions and helping Chapters learn from each other regarding the following items - What are we hearing? What do budget shortfalls in cities and states mean for public agencies and for membership in your chapter? What can APWA do to help? Can we help you use virtual meetings to connect with the members of the chapter? |
Public works are the services and infrastructure required to sustain quality community life. |
