The Premier Magazine For America’s Municipalities
October 2020
Parks & Environmental Services
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Opting for sustainable landscaping
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Contents
October 2020
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VOL. 11 No. 7
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www.themunicipal.com
26 17 Focus on Parks & Environmental Services
Shutterstock photo
Focus on Parks & 34 Focus on Parks & 30 18 Environmental Services: Environmental Services: Parks departments go virtual to keep residents moving
Worldwide event gets cities counting
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Public Safety: Crestwood Fire Department uses technology to protect firefighters, citizens
Focus on Parks & Environmental Services: Robert’s Lake eco-recreation station continues to realize new learning opportunities Focus on Parks & 34 26 Environmental Services: From
wastewater lagoons to soccer complex, Manchester Meadows boosts Rock Hill’s economy
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Focus on Parks & Environmental Services: Benefits of sustainable landscapes for city parks
40 44
Fleet Services & Management: Fleeting experience: Madison’s high school apprentice program is a hit
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Maintenance & Operations: Mow-to-own properties: Saving cities money and pleasing residents
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Streets, Highways & Bridges: Unique roundabout is the first of its kind in Georgia
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The Premier Magazine For America’s Municipalities
ON THE COVER Don’t let unsightly, overgrown vegetation hinder your municipality’s appearance or create a road hazard. Land Pride offers rotary cutters and flail mowers capable of tackling any roadside mowing task. Learn more about how Land Pride can help your mowing operations on page 10.
October 2020
Parks & Environmental Services
INSIDE: Land Pride Parks go virtual Opting for sustainable landscaping www.themunicipal.com
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OCTOBER 2020 | THE MUNICIPAL 5
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
publication manager CHRIS SMITH chris@themunicipal.com
senior account executive REES WOODCOCK rees@themunicipal.com
account executive Lalanya Bruner lalanya@themunicipal.com
8 Editor’s Note: Take a break at a park 10 From the Cover: Make roadside maintenance a breeze
12
Unique Claims to Fame: Largest Ouija Board Salem, Mass.
14 38
City Seals: Bellevue, Neb.
54 55 56 58
Conference Calendar
62
Top 10: States with the most UFO sightings
65
Advertiser Index
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
Personality Profile: Hallett strives to provide robust recreational offerings for her small town
Product Spotlights News & Notes Guest Column: Paradigm shifts: Municipalities changing gears rapidly
mail manager KHOEUN KHOEUTH kkhoeuth@the-papers.com
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 or 2489
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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 © 2020.
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Editor’s Note
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Take a break at a park Sarah Wright | Editor
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ıth so many places closed and events cancelled, parks have become a welcome respite from the turmoils of 2020, a way to disconnect from the dire news cycle and reconnect with nature. In that endeavor, it’s not surprising everyone is choosing to visit parks, whether they are city, county, state or national parks. If they are local, all the better — anything to escape being cooped up. Several national parks are noting upticks, including Shenandoah National Park, which reported a 10% visitation increase from last year, according to NBC 12. National parks, however, are not alone. In Michigan, Rochester Hills Parks and Natural Resources saw a 300% increase in park attendance in March alone. C&G Newspapers goes on to add that from January to June park visits were up about 25%. For many people, traditional summer vacations have been nixed. In a poll this July, the National Recreation and Park Association found 54% of U.S. adults were likely to vacation close to home this summer because of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Of poll participants, 61% of millennials said they were more likely to pick a vacation spot close to home. Parents — 66% — were the most favorable to vacationing near home. This influx of visitation in the midst of a global pandemic has provided new challenges for park departments to not only keep parks in pristine condition but to also manage crowds in a way conducive to social distancing — all while keeping employees safe. To maintain engagement and give the public more outlets to explore, in addition to keeping parks opened and maintained, many park departments have turned to virtual programming and events. These have taken many forms from Facebook Live and YouTube videos to virtual 5Ks and marathons that can be completed at a participant’s own pace. Writer Amanda Demster shares three cities’ experiences crafting virtual activities and resources. Many park departments are stepping up maintenance projects at this time, particularly in the earlier days of the pandemic when more people were staying at home. And when it comes to maintenance, more departments are opting for sustainable landscaping in parks. Writer Denise Fedorow is highlighting Pittsburgh, Pa.’s, and Carlsbad, Calif.’s, efforts to choose more sustainable options for their landscapes. We’ll also be spotlighting two park projects: namely, the Robert’s Lake eco-recreation station in Seaside, Calif., and the Manchester Meadows soccer and lacrosse facility in Rock Hill, S.C. While the operations of both
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have been impacted by COVID-19, they benefit their communities in the long run with education, recreation and sports tourism. For those of us in the North, get out and enjoy your local parks while temperatures are still reasonable, unless you love snow, of course. They are truly gems that benefit their communities in numerous ways, and we could all use a break right now. Thank you, park employees, for all your hard work keeping your properties in great condition for us to enjoy. Stay well, everyone!
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OCTOBER 2020 | THE MUNICIPAL 9
From The Cover
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The Land Pride RC5715 paired with a Kubota Tractor is an excellent roadside mowing package for municipal and contractor applications. (Photo provided)
Make roadside maintenance a breeze By Dee Warren | Land Pride Marketing Manager
Overgrown vegetation limits visibility, hides potential hazards and makes right-of-way maintenance a pivotal function for municipalities. Whether the overgrowth blocks the view of traffic signs and signals, vehicles and cyclists, or people and animals, maintaining vegetation in a right-of-way is crucial to providing safe areas for motorists and pedestrians alike. With state budgets getting tighter, mowing is becoming more and more the responsibility of municipalities. Many times, even in areas that should be maintained by state departments of transportation, right-ofway maintenance falls on cities because taxpayers associate the lack of maintenance with the city or county. Municipalities and townships are spending millions annually to maintain these state-owned right-ofways. Therefore, efficient use of time and taxpayer dollars is important, especially when municipal budgets are being cut or adversely affected in a slowing economy. When it comes to right-of-way maintenance, there are two candidates that can efficiently cut volumes of grass in a short amount of time — rotary cutters and flail mowers. By the numbers, rotary cutters are the most popular for roadside mowing but flails have their place, too. 10
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Rotary cutters Roadside maintenance takes a special rotary cutter. First, the rotary cutter should be made by a company that understands how the cutters are used and how they are maintained. Land Pride Cutters have been developed with input from contractors, municipalities, counties and states. The outcome of those collaborative efforts are the Land Pride 7 Series Rotary Cutters, available in 10-, 12- and 15-foot models and matched to tractors from 50 to 250 horsepower. Land Pride also has three 20-foot models for airports, set-aside acres and other open spaces. The RC57 is the roadside workhorse of the family. It is heavy duty, easy to maintain and boasts a number of Land Pride exclusive features. From the tip of the LP Performance Hitch to the end of the all-new patented
Parallel Pivot™ Axles, this feature-rich machine is one of best choices for right-of-way maintenance. Speaking of those Parallel Pivot Axles, these unique axles provide the operator with unmatched ground contact for improved holding power on side hills and uneven terrain. The axles pivot on a central shaft that allows the tires to remain parallel to one another while never losing contact with the terrain. The axles can be equipped with laminated tires, used aircraft tires or new tires, and can be foam-filled if required. The three remaining exclusive features really make the RC57 stand out in a competitive crowd. The flip spacers speed height adjustment. By simply opening or closing the flip spacers, the height is raised or lowered. The sliding center shield offers quick access to the maintenance points on the u-joints and for maintenance of the slip clutches. Lastly, Land Pride’s all-new Deck Armor™ provides the protection of a deck ring while maintaining cut quality — keeping the cut smooth, even and looking good; something that municipalities and contractors value in right-of-way maintenance. Roadside mowers need to be durable and dependable. The Land Pride RC57 is just that. It comes equipped with drivelines that are easy to maintain, shortening the time to maintain them, meaning the cutters are cutting. Big among commercial mowers are the beveled skid shoes on the wings to prevent gouging, the fully welded decks for added strength and the replaceable side skirts so when that inevitable accident happens, the side panel damage can be repaired with a wrench instead of a torch and welder. Additionally, there are LED light kits to help put safety first. Flail mowers For municipalities that need another option for roadside mowing, flail mowers are an excellent option when a rotary cutter is not the answer. Flails in general break down grass and woody material better because the clippings remain in the cutting chamber longer. The clippings are also directed downward reducing the chance of clippings being discharged. Specifically, Land Pride Flail Mowers offer quality craftsmanship and rugged dependability that all Land Pride products are known for. Land Pride Flails are available in 3-point models, hydraulic offset models and boom models — each have their place. The Land Pride FM25 Series 3-point models will trail behind the tractor and are ideal for flat spaces in parks or along roadways. The Land Pride OFM Series of hydraulic offset flail mowers give the operator the ability to reach over inclines or get close to fences and buildings while keeping the tractor safely on level ground. The Land Pride FMP27 and FMP37 feature a parallel arm that extends 15 feet or 19 feet depending on model and allows the operator to reach over guard rails or down banks. Land Pride Flails are available with a variety of blades to meet mowing needs of municipal customers. The FM Series is equipped with hammer, duck-foot or heavy Y blades. The FMP Series has either hammer or heavy Y. Lastly, the OFM Series is available with hammer blades only. The hammer and Y blades do well in grass or woody material; the duckfoot is primarily a grass cutting blade and would be a good option for parks or sports fields. Consult a municipal sales professional Roadside mowing offers unique challenges for municipalities. Consultation of an experienced professional can ensure that municipalities and contractors get the right mower for their needs. To make the buying
The FMP37, Land Pride’s Parallel Arm Flail Mower, reaches over a cable guardrail to maintain a grassy right-of-way. (Photo provided)
Land Pride’s OFM2670 hydraulically offsets 22 inches to the right to maintain grass along a walking path while the tractor remains safely on level ground. (Photo provided)
process less time consuming for municipalities, there are many cooperative buying groups that government agencies can be a part of. By purchasing through a cooperative contract, grounds maintenance managers in many government agencies can take advantage of the timeand money-saving benefits that the contracts provide. Land Pride offers contracts with several, including Sourcewell and BuyBoard just to name two. Cooperative buying groups make sure everything is transparent. For guidance, make sure you talk to a municipal sales professional at a local dealer. They are more than willing to assist municipal customers with their mowing needs. For information, visit www.landpride.com.
OCTOBER 2020 | THE MUNICIPAL 11
Unique Claims To Fame
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Largest Ouija Board
Salem, Mass.
By RAY BALOGH | The Municipal
If the standard Ouija session involves hushed questions whispered in a darkened seance room, Rick “Ormortis” Schreck’s recordbreaking rendition of the talking board game is the otherworldly communication equivalent of shouting through a bullhorn with the volume pegged to the max. Schreck earned “Ripley’s Believe It or Not” status on Oct. 12, 2019, when he and several volunteers unveiled OuijaZilla, the world’s largest Ouija board and planchette, on Salem Common in Salem, Mass. The board, which took Schreck a year and a half to build in his one-car garage in Middlesex, N.J., is composed of 99 sheets of plywood. It clocks in at more than 4 1/2 tons and measures 72 feet by 44 feet. The 400-pound planchette, or “OuijaZilla’s foot,” as Schreck has dubbed it, spans 15 1/2 feet in length but can be operated by a single person, thanks to Schreck’s inventive genius. “It initially rested on three bowling balls to be used as ball bearings, but the movement wasn’t smooth enough for my liking so I
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replaced them with strong caster wheels,” he said. “It glides without much effort at all.” Schreck, whose nickname is a play on the phrase “rigor mortis,” is a talking board devotee, having amassed a collection of about 200 of the items and constructing many more. He presently serves as vice president of the Talking Board Historical Society based in Pinehurst, Mass. Schreck conceived of OuijaZilla after a phone call with TBHS President Robert Murch. “I was telling Murch I wanted to paint a football field as a Ouija board, then put my truck with a planchette on top in the center. After putting the truck in neutral, I wanted to see if it would move. “The conversation, as well as the idea, grew and got more ridiculous over the years and
ABOVE: Stormy skies cast just the right ambiance for the Oct. 12, 2019, unveiling of the world’s largest Ouija board on Salem Common in Salem, Mass. (Photo courtesy of wehavefunofficial Instagram account) somehow OuijaZilla was born. Or as Jeff Goldblum said in ‘Jurassic Park,’ ‘Life finds a way.’” And Schreck found a way to make his aspiration come true. He drew a sectioned blueprint of the board’s design, mounted individual plywood sheets on a frame — “out of order; I’m not a very organized person,” he said — and traced and hand painted the graphics according to the image produced by a projector from across the garage. “The most time-consuming part was getting 99 panels in groups and numbering them on the backs and sides, then stacking them like decks of cards. The panels weigh 70 pounds each, so it was quite a workout.” The project was largely a solo effort, “but there were times I had help or at least some company,” Schreck said. “My wife, Kate, spent freezing winter nights and boiling summer
The Schreck family poses inside the 400-pound, 15 1/2-foot-long planchette. Shown from left are Rick, daughters Samara (front) and Winter and mother Kate. (Photo by Rick Schreck) The 72-foot-by-44-foot OuijaZilla was drilled onto a frame to support foot traffic of curious visitors. (Photo by Rick Schreck) days helping me. My daughters, Winter and Samara, helped out with staining as well as cutting wood. My friend and tattoo shop co-owner, Jill, helped out with staining.” During the production process, Schreck tested portions of the board to gauge measurements and progress. “Twice I brought out 21 boards into our parking lot to get an idea. It took hours each time,” he said, noting, “It was never assembled by more than six boards at a time, so I had to trust my measurements.” He said the most gratifying part of the process was “watching the forklift loading the truck the day we were leaving. I was like, ‘This is really happening.’” Schreck and his team made the 267-mile trip to Salem for the inaugural revealing. “The beast was delivered in custom crates by truck by Trans American Trucking,” he said. “It took a team of people about 25 hours total over the course of two days to assemble.” Schreck lavished kudos on those who assisted him. “The giant cost of this undertaking was taken care of by friends who are listed as sponsors on the board. The Salem appearance was made possible by John Kozik, who also serves on the TBHS and owns the Salem Witchboard Museum. “The crew who assembled the board are the true heroes. I would have given up without them. We assembled this giant in a nor’easter storm. Many times I almost quit but they kept me focused.” OuijaZilla dwarfs by one and a half times the previous record holder for the largest Ouija board, installed by Blair Murphy on the roof of his 32-room Grand Midway Hotel in Windber, Pa., in 2016. Guinness World Records still recognizes Murphy’s incarnation as the largest Oujia board because Schreck’s creation is bordered by advertisements acknowledging the individuals and businesses who helped him with his project. Nevertheless, shrugging aside the technicality, Ripley’s bestowed the superlative upon Schreck the day of OuijaZilla’s unveiling. This season’s Salem Common reprise is iffy. Anthropomorphizing his brainchild, Schreck said, “OuijaZilla is afraid of the current pandemic, so he chooses to stay in his lair and hibernate until the coast is clear.” He did announce, however, that the planchette will make an appearance at the Michigan Paranormal Convention in Sault Ste. Marie in August of next year. Should OuijaZilla grace Salem Common again this fall, Schreck offered some advice for visitors to maximize their experience. “Take
A descriptive drawing about the world’s largest Ouija board touts its dimensions and weight. (Photo by Rick Schreck)
lots of pics, because you never know when he will make another appearance. He is quite unpredictable.” For more information, call Schreck at (732) 752-1008 or visit www.ouijazilla.com or www.facebook.com/houseof1000tattoos.
OCTOBER 2020 | THE MUNICIPAL 13
City Seals
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Bellevue, Neb. It is not surprising the city seal of Bellevue, Neb., should fete the military aviation industry. The seal features a military jumbo jet soaring through a blue background over a control tower and other airfield buildings, next to the words, “HOME OF STRATCOM.” The bottom half of the circular image presents First Presbyterian Church, founded in 1856 and believed to be the oldest religious building in Nebraska. Bellevue was settled in 1822 when Joshua Pilcher, then president of the Missouri Fur Company, established a fur trading post on the Missouri River across from the territory that would become Iowa. The post thrived as a central trading point for several Indian tribes and French Canadian trappers. Upon a decline in the fur trade, the post was sold in 1832 to the United States government and subsequently abandoned a decade later. In 1846 French Creole fur trader Peter Sharpy established a trading post across the river and set up a ferry between Bellevue and St. Mary’s, Iowa. Sharpy was instrumental in platting and organizing the town of Bellevue, which was incorporated in 1855. Bellevue’s county is named in his honor. The town grew and prospered for the next decade. When the fur trade again declined, Bellevue adapted by establishing a more mixed economy and experiencing a short boom in the mid1850s, based on the belief the town would be named the capital of the Nebraska Territory. When Gov. T.B. Cuming instead selected Omaha, a burgeoning community a dozen miles to the north, to serve as capital, Bellevue slipped into relative obscurity, reaching near extinction in the mid-1870s. The U.S. government took advantage of the plummeting land prices in Bellevue and established Fort Crook, later to become Offutt Air Base. Improved roads in the middle of the 20th century helped sustain the town as a bedroom community for employees who worked in Omaha. During World War II, Offutt operated a large bomber plant, the manufacturing facility of the Enola Gay and Bockscar, the planes that dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, bringing thousands of civilian and military workers to Bellevue. Shortly after the war, the U.S. military moved the headquarters of the Strategic Air Command to the air base. The population more than tripled to 4,000 during the 1940s, nearly doubled over the next decade and more than doubled again to 20,000 residents by 1970. The current population stands at 53,945. Presently Bellevue is experiencing another boom, with commercial, industrial and residential construction all expanding. The “belle vue,” French for “beautiful view,” of the Missouri River from the city’s looming bluffs attracts a regular tourist trade every year. For more information, visit www.bellevue.net or www.facebook.com/bellevuene. 14
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Focus on: Parks & Environmental Services
600
The number of participants who signed on for Cedar Rapids, Iowa’s, first virtual marathon. These participants came from all over, including as far away as Phoenix, Ariz. Learn how park departments kept citizens moving during the pandemic on page 18.
$15.9 million The direct economic impact of Rock Hill, S.C.’s, Manchester Meadows soccer and lacrosse facility in 2019. Read about how the city converted wastewater lagoons into a sports tourism hub on page 26.
The number of cities both in the U.S. and abroad that participated in the City Nature Challenge.
244
Learn more about this effort to document nature on page 34.
54% A poll conducted by the National Recreation and Park Association discovered more than half — 54% — of U.S. adults were likely to vacation close to home during the summer of 2020. Source: www.nrpa.org/about-national-recreation-and-park-association/press-room/new-surveymore-than-half-of-u.s.-adults-plan-to-vacation-close-to-home-this-summer/
Focus on: Parks & Environmental Services 83% In one study, sustainable landscape yards were found to use 83% less water.
Find out how park departments are using sustainable landscaping on page 30.
$3,000 Campbell County, Wyo., Parks and Recreation spent under $3,000 to install the first water fountain for thirsty skaters at its Halfpipe Alley.
Source: https://county17.com/2020/08/25/ local-skaters-wont-take-water-fountain-restrooms-for-granted/
$35,000
Springfield, Mass., is conducting an estimated $35,000 feasibility study to evaluate potential sites and designs for a dog park. The city has a target date of Nov. 30, 2020, for the completion of the study. Source: https://www.masslive.com/news/2020/08/a-dog-park-in-springfield-city-tohire-consultant-for-feasibility-study.html
OCTOBER 2020 | THE MUNICIPAL
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The Riverwalk Virtual 5K encouraged participants to explore Mishawaka’s Riverwalk at their own pace during the month of May. (Shutterstock.com)
Parks departments go virtual to keep residents moving By AMANDA DEMSTER | The Municipal
This year has not gone as planned, with countless events nationwide cancelling in light of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Among these are annual concerts, 5Ks, marathons and a seemingly endless list of other annual happenings. With this in mind, parks departments nationwide have stepped up, creating virtual events that residents can do safely from home or in small groups. Cedar Rapids, Iowa Scott Hock and Rob Wagner, Cedar Rapids Parks and Recreation, saw the importance 18
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of getting people up and moving around for both physical and mental health. Thus, they devised Crush the Curve, a monthlong virtual marathon targeted for all levels, from beginners to seasoned marathon runners. Approximately 600 participants signed on. They completed the marathon as they were able — a mile here, a couple of hours
there. Some ran the entire 26.2 miles in a day, others in a weekend and still others over longer periods of time. Other types of exercise counted as well. “Virtual yoga, kickboxing, we also gave you a mile for that,” Wagner said. “This was really beginner friendly, whether you wanted to walk, whether you wanted to jog, do some type of in-home weight lifting.” The format allowed multiple generations of families to participate together. Others took part over thousands of miles. One Cedar Rapids family encouraged relatives in Phoenix, Ariz., to join in.
Mishawaka Parks and Recreation Department used a cute model to the get the word out about its Riverwalk Virtual 5K. Also pictured is a close-up of the 5K’s medal. (Photos provided) While there were no awards given, partici- going through different ideas and YouTube channels — things people can download.” pants received T-shirts. “Kind of an exciting note for me, I was The emphasis is also on free activities working at a golf course in May and one of and ones that do not require a memberthe golfers walked in with a (marathon) shirt, ship. The city has posted maps showing and I was like, ‘Rock on! How do you like the city trails, the dog park, city parks and state shirt?’” Wagner said. parks, all of which can be enjoyed while A second marathon took place in May, social distancing. with medals instead of T-shirts. Turnout was The next section is indoor activities. For not quite as high, with only 60 participants. example, users can listen to the cast of the The cost of each race was $10 per person to “Harry Potter” movies reading the “Harry cover costs. Potter” book series. Tutorials and howOther activities have included a virtual tos, arts and crafts and a virtual marine fishing tournament and the Rolling Recmo- biology camp were also available, among bile, which travels through the city parks, other activities. handing out items like squirt guns, binoc“Just different ideas that maybe are someulars, kites, scavenger hunt lists and other thing new people haven’t experienced tools people can enjoy while social distanc- before and things they can do inside and ing. The department also handed out snacks not necessarily even on a computer,” Stafand lunches. ford said. The third is outdoor activities, which again focuses on things people may not have done Muscatine, Iowa Roughly 60 miles away, the city of Musca- before, like making a backyard water park. tine took an all-encompassing approach The page is updated monthly, often taking to online activity with its virtual recreation on a theme. For example, August was golf resource page. According to city of Musca- month, so the page featured maps for golf tine Program Supervisor Kelsie Stafford, the and mini-golf courses throughout the state. page focuses on three major categories. Indoor activities included back-to-school “We have the fitness activity section,” she crafts and “retrain your brain” activities for said. “So we have different bullet points, fit- kids, plus a virtual “Fitness With Your Friend” ness activities at home and bullet points contest in which participants post photos of themselves exercising with their pets.
Deanne Thiede sets out to participate in Cedar Rapids, Iowa’s, Crush the Curve, a monthlong virtual marathon targeted for all levels. (Photo provided)
Crush the Curve participant Linda Johnson poses for a photo before getting started. Participants had a month to complete Cedar Rapids Parks and Recreation’s virtual marathon, some finishing in one go while others took a weekend or a longer span of time. (Photo provided)
According to Stafford, the idea for the page came about as online networking became more prevalent. “It’s hard to say anything has been good about the pandemic, but one thing I have really enjoyed is the influx of networking
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continued from page 19
and idea bouncing,” she said. “I was always reading through those forums and trying to come up with things.” Users have seemed to enjoy the page, Stafford said. “I would say, especially with the contests and things we’ve done that are more interactive on Facebook, people are excited to have something new to do and something new to look forward to,” she said. “They’re happy that there’s still some semblance of normalcy and something they can do together.” Mishawaka, Ind. Like Cedar Rapids, the Mishawaka Parks and Recreation Department liked the idea of hosting a virtual run. Rather than a marathon, the department opted for a 5K. According to Mishawaka Parks Department Special Events and Activities Director Brittni Gendron, the event began as a traditional, in-person 5K run, set for the first week of June. However, once the pandemic hit and things began shutting down, it became apparent the event might not go on. That is when the department decided to go with a virtual run, instead. The date was moved to May and spread out over the entire month, with a second event held in September. The cost was $10 per person and 32 people registered. The cost was the same for the September event. At press time, the September run had not yet begun, so no information was available.
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Children beat the heat by playing in the fountains at Riverfront Park in Muscatine, Iowa, in 2018. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the city of Muscatine launched a virtual resource center with recreation ideas that keep everyone safe. (JNix/Shutterstock.com)
Feedback for the first run was positive. “Many people expressed gratitude at having the opportunity,” Gendron said. “This was the first 5K that many of our registrants had ever done.” Besides the run, Gendron organized activities like a story walk, an outdoor fitness class and a summer concert series, with social distancing guidelines in place.
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M Focus on: Parks & Environmental Services
Wooden, nature-based play equipment was not a usual site in the Monterey Peninsula in 2017 when the city of Seaside, Calif., built the Robert’s Lake eco-recreation station. However, the city wanted it to be natural looking and blend into the setting. (Photo provided by the city of Seaside, Calif.)
Robert’s Lake eco-recreation station continues to realize new learning opportunities By NICHOLETTE CARLSON | The Municipal
T
he cıty of Seasıde, Calıf., was that would be relevant. With a background in awarded a Building Better Com- landscape architecture, Stearns assisted on munities grant in 2017 to create the initial concept of the park. She borrowed the Robert’s Lake eco-recreation ideas from urban ecology centers on varistation complete with play equip- ous rivers from Milwaukee, Wis., which were ment and an outdoor classroom. The city created to help educate children who would partnered with multiple groups and agen- otherwise not get nature-based education. cies to make the park a reality and have it “The idea for an outdoor ecology center completed by June 2018. “The eco-recreation evolved as Kay Cline from Sustainable Seastation represents many facets of our com- side and I had conversations,” she explained. munity and a wide variety of partnerships to “She was a teacher for many years and this make it all possible,” Gloria Stearns, city com- grant opportunity finally allowed us to help munity development director, emphasized. make our vision for youth outdoor ecology The project idea came about when the learning come to life.” The plan for an outdoor recreation director at the time, Nancy Towne, classroom with water-based ecology training heard about the grant and discussed with and nature-based play was created. staff members what the department could do
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Stearns, Towne and Dan Meewis teamed up with the public works and engineering departments to write the grant. They also worked with vendors to design a unique pergola structure that is highly visible as people drive by Seaside. Unbeknownst to the department, the local Cal-Am water utility was also lobbying on its behalf. Partnering with Sustainable Seaside, the city’s grant application was due June 2, 2017. On June 15, the city received additional follow-up questions. The requested information was submitted on June 19. On June 30, the city was one of three awarded the Building Better Communities grant from the American Water Charitable Foundation and
An outdoor classroom was one of the primary items on the agenda when Seaside, Calif., was awarded the Building Better Communities grant. The classroom promotes equality and learning for all ages. (Photo provided by the city of Seaside, Calif.)
National Recreation and Park Association. The project was completed as required by June 2018. Building the park The design for the eco-recreation station was chosen based on its ability to be fully accessible and fit into the location. The park needed to be compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines so it could be enjoyed by all community members. The chosen location was triangular and surrounded by lakes, paths and a road and so the park needed to be built with that in mind. The goal of the park design was to ensure people of all ages would be comfortable using the space, particularly the outdoor classroom. “We wanted it to be very natural looking, unlike some play structures that are vibrant colors,” Stearns commented. In 2017, nature-based play equipment was uncommon, so wooden structures were unusual for the Monterey Peninsula. The park faces a lake full of birds and wildlife and is also adjacent to an urban area. Benches in the outdoor classroom are arranged in a council ring design to promote the equality among all participants. She continued, “We even carefully considered placement of signage, a kiosk and art. The goal was to complement the natural surroundings. When you walk by the peace poles, the placement is intended to be reminiscent of walking through a colorful forest that speaks to you.” The peace poles were made as an art project by the Community Partnership for Youth, a local nonprofit, and have messages written on them. When it comes to future planning, the city has more in mind. “The ultimate goal is to have little workout stations along the path that goes around the lake,” Stearns described. This will help provide options for community members who cannot afford gym memberships. Bilingual educational field guides have been created to use for future educational park signage. More peace poles in clusters along the lake trails are envisioned. Along the western edge of the play area and classroom, a rain garden has also been planned.
Since the park’s completion, additional items have also already evolved. After a Heermann’s gull was found on Robert’s Lake, the Audubon Society and city worked together to place a nesting raft on the south end of the lake, which has seen positive results. On the north end of the lake, an annual model boat race takes place. The boaters worked together with the birders in order to ensure the races would not bother the new nesting place of the Heermann’s gulls. The model boaters also hope to hold a national championship on the lake in the near future. The newest addition planned is the rain garden. Due to COVID-19, it is not currently in place and the plans will be addressed once people are able to return to group activities. However, “it would be great to show how water can be infiltrated slowly and cleaned as it goes into the earth,” Stearns explained. “The community response has been overwhelmingly positive,” she recounted. Prior to the park’s opening, community members volunteered with Sea-Stars to clean and prep the park. On opening day, 30 kids patiently waited for the ribbon-cutting ceremony to end in order to play on and explore the new equipment. “Since the opening, the recreation department worked with students from California State University Monterey Bay and with Sustainable Seaside to create age-appropriate water ecology coursework,” she stated. Students are able to visit the outdoor classroom facing the lake and learn about what they are seeing in front of them. “We had to take a pause during COVID, like other cities,” Stearns explained. The outdoor classroom was not being used and the play area was not officially open for use. “The quiet period gives us time to prepare for what is next — more classes, possibly outreach to conduct senior classes, etc.” Stearns and the city look forward to once again watching children’s eyes light up as they use the eco-recreation station to learn about water ecology and see how nature’s water system works as they look out on the lake, with all the plants and animals that depend on the water system.
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From wastewater lagoons to soccer complex, Manchester Meadows boosts Rock Hill’s economy By JANET PATTERSON | The Municipal
Looking at the pristine soccer fields of Manchester Meadows in Rock Hill, S.C., it’s hard to believe they once were lagoons for a wastewater treatment plant. The 70-acre soccer and lacrosse facility is part of a multi-decade revitalization for the city of 75,000 just down Interstate 77 from Charlotte, N.C. The original wastewater treatment facility had served Rock Hill and the surrounding area for more than half a century. With the area’s population growth in the latter part of the 20th century, it became clear a new wastewater treatment plant was needed, explained John Taylor, the city’s director of Parks, Recreation and Tourism. “We had
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to build something bigger and better, so we abandoned the site and a new wastewater facility was built.” The area was changing, he said, with the decline of the textile industry, and like other southern cities that had built their economy on cotton, Rock Hill had to find new industries to stay alive. So, in the 1980s, Rock Hill planners realized that the softball and baseball teams that came to the area on weekends and during spring break had potential as an emerging industry. “It helped the economy by bringing people to the area,” Taylor said. That’s when the city started
LEFT: Manchester Meadows had a direct economic impact of $15.9 million in 2019, providing a boost for Rock Hill, S.C. The soccer complex hosts year-round athletic programs for youth and adults, though COVID-19 has affected its offerings in 2020. (Photo provided) RIGHT: Prior to hosting soccer fields, the site of Manchester Meadows held wastewater lagoons, which the city no longer needed following the construction of a new wastewater treatment plant. (Photo provided)
Manchester Meadows also hosted the 2015 U.S. Quidditch World Cup. (Photo provided)
to develop sports tourism as a major industry and Rock Hill’s parks and recreation department added tourism to its moniker. The mild climate attracted high school and college sports teams from northern communities to the early Carolina springtime, and Rock Hill planners decided to add soccer and lacrosse to its menu of sports offerings. That’s where those lagoons that had once handled wastewater could be helpful to the Rock Hill economy. Taylor said the land took some time to dry out and settle. “It probably sat for about 15 years.” So, while other sports were drawing people to Rock Hill, the city was planning its next big project. Rock Hill not only wanted to make sure it could build a $14 million facility but support it in the long term. “We do a good job at making sure that happens. Manchester Meadows was completed in 2006, and to this day, it looks like a brand-new facility,” Taylor said, stressing maintenance is a key ingredient in successful sports projects for Rock Hill. And the key to funding those sports projects has been a 2% tax on prepared foods and beverages as well as a 3% accommodation tax.
The hospitality tax was created by the South Carolina legislature in 2002. “So, the awesome thing about our hospitality tax is that anyone who is traveling up or down I-77 and jumps off at Rock Hill for a meal or to spend the night, helps to pay for these facilities,” Taylor added. Manchester Meadows, he said, is enjoyed year-round by athletic programs for youth and adults, both from the local area and around the country. There are six lit natural turf fields and two lit synthetic turf fields with electronic score boards and bleacher seating for 1,500 spectators. The soccer pavilion houses park offices, restrooms, a concession stand and a meeting room that accommodates about 100 people and overlooks the park. Add to that a playground, 1.1-mile walking and biking trail that includes both lit paths and a wetlands path, a lake pavilion with picnic seating for nearly 300, restrooms, lighting and power supply, as well as a playground pavilion and another concession area and restrooms for the natural turf fields.
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The success of Manchester Meadows has led to the construction of Rock Hill’s $6.6 million Giordana Velodrome and Rock Hill BMX Supercross complex, the $4.4 million Rock Hill Tennis Center, a $2.55 million criterium course that provides a closed-road trail for cyclists and the $27 million Rock Hill Sports and Events Center, which opened in February 2020. In addition to events at the Rock Hill facilities, visitors can launch a kayak or canoe and paddle the Catawba River, walk or bike a 2.5-mile paved trail along the river’s edge or mountain bike through the woods. Taylor said in the average year, annual events are the bread and butter of Manchester Meadows. In 2019 the facility’s estimated direct economic impact was $15.9 million. “Direct economic impact is the big picture — the estimated spending for food, lodging, transportation, entertainment, gifts/miscellaneous connected to the event,” explained Laurie Helms, marketing supervisor for Rock Hill Parks, Recreation and Tourism. That amounted to more than 50% of the total estimated direct economic impact of $29 million for all the Rock Hill sports facilities. But 2020 has not been an average year. “COVID has had a major impact on tourism and sports,” Taylor said. Not only were the city’s sports facilities closed for three months, but the suspension of business for hotels and restaurants hit the hospitality tax hard. Teams that come back year after year had to stay home.
The largest event held at Manchester Meadows was U.S. Youth Soccer National Championships in 2012. (Photo provided)
“We’re starting to come back,” Taylor said on a late summer day. Some events have resumed with no spectators, and all facilities are strictly observing CDC and South Carolina guidelines for safety. “We want to make sure our employees are working in a safe environment. “And we’ve got to give our children outlets for their energy. Playing sports helps with mental health,” he added. Thinking about those wastewater lagoons, Taylor said he is glad the city made the decisions it did. “It’s good that we were able to repurpose them into something so important to Rock Hill.”
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M Focus on: Parks & Environmental Services This rendering of the plans for Wightman Park shows a rain garden area as part of the sustainability plans for the city of Pittsburgh Parks. The rain garden is nearly completed and will help slow stormwater. (Photo provided)
Benefits of sustainable landscapes for city parks By DENISE FEDOROW | The Municipal
Landscapes are all around our cities, whether they’re outside a home, storefront, manufacturing facility or in municipal parks. The trend toward sustainable parks has been growing over the last 20 years and continues to grow as environmental concerns move to the forefront of public knowledge. Sustainable landscapes have several components, including preserving natural resources; using existing native plants and removing invasive plants; favoring organic fertilizers, mulch and compost; capturing stormwater; and using wetlands for increased flood control. In many cases, sustainable landscapes also have historic preservation pieces. Two cities — Carlsbad, Calif., and Pittsburgh, Pa. — have committed in recent years to sustainable landscaping. The city of Pittsburgh, as a large municipality, has several players in its parks system. Citiparks is in charge of programming; the department of public works is in charge of park maintenance, such as mowing, controlling litter, etc.; 30
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and the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy is in charge of fundraising, horticulture, forestry and preservation. The last two entities are most involved in sustainable landscaping. Kara Smith, principal environmental planner with the city of Pittsburgh, said the city has a long history of environmental issues going back to the coal mining and steel industries. When those two industries went into decline, they left a variety of environmental issues that cause Pittsburgh to be both flood and landslide prone, as an example. Plus the city has the same problems as other cities — invasive species and declining tree canopies. Tom Paulin, superintendent of Park Maintenance Services in the city of Pittsburgh’s
department of public works, said it was around 2016 when the decision was made to not use pesticides unless prior approval of the superintendent is obtained. The department recently contracted with a company for landscape maintenance and that was included in the contract. “The overall contract includes sustainability management,” he said. Additionally, Paulin said all employees have been trained at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, ensuring they understand what sustainability is. Paulin said the move toward more sustainability came from city leadership. “This is the direction our mayor wants to move forward. We partner with the parks conservancy and rely on them as well. We’re always trying to do the right thing.” Pittsburgh Park Conservancy The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy staff are not city employees, but they partner with the city. Philip Gruszka, director of horticulture
and forestry for the parks conservancy, explained it helps with capital projects. “The city may have a million dollars for a $6 million project, and we raise the other $5 million,” he said. The city’s landscapes are on the historic register because they were designed 100 years ago, and part of sustainability is maintaining historic preservation. “When we do a project with the city, we look at the historic landscape and try to replicate it,” he said. Gruszka added the city doesn’t have the staff to do all that needs to be done in the parks. “They’re good at cutting grass and picking up litter, where they’re challenged is pulling weeds and deadheading plants,” he said, explaining the parks conservancy and contractors help with those jobs. When the conservancy fundraises for capital projects, it always adds funds in an endowment to generate more reserves to maintain the gardens. Gruszka noted another step the city has taken toward sustainability: only using herbicides if the plant is poisonous and could come in contact with the public — poison ivy, for example. “Adjusting mowing height is really important. That suppresses a lot of weeds when you leave the grass a little taller,” he said. He also mentioned fence lines in ball fields are notorious for weeds, and now as new facilities are built, a strip of concrete or asphalt is left next to the fence line so workers can mow right up to the strip. Gruszka said the conservancy does a lot of environmental restoration to control nonnative invasive species. One way to do that is by bringing in well-trained goats to eat them. For this, an area is fenced off using an electrified fence for the goats, while a second fence encircles that enclosure to keep the public away. Gruszka spoke about the restoration done at Highland Park, which has a formal entry garden and grand entrance. There’s a fountain with a garden surrounding it, and at some point, the fountain quit working. The city didn’t have resources to fix it and the garden around it became a weedy mess. The parks conservancy restored the fountain and gardens around it, and Gruszka considers restoration projects like that part of sustainability. He also shared that stormwater mitigation is a part of most of the city park’s projects, highlighting one park that was seldomly used, other than occasionally for sunbathing or kite flying, yet the city was mowing its 6 acres of lawn area. To cut down on mowing, while completing storm drain work, a meadow was planted. However, enough lawn was left to allow for continued kite flying and sunbathing. “Aesthetically, it’s so nice compared to mowed grass. Creating a meadow takes years, nothing we do is one and done,” Gruszka said. Another restoration/sustainability project was in Schenley Park, where there used to be 2 acres of lawn, but when demand for parking grew, it became a 400-car parking lot. “When we went through the master plan, residents said they’d like to have that green space back. It took $11 million to make that parking lot go away and bring the green space back.” Gruszka said they constructed a soil profile that was 80% sand and a mix of different types of gravel, because of that, 97% of the stormwater infiltrates the lawn area, thus it acts as a rain garden.
The Highland Park formal entry gardens was restored using historical photos as a guide. The city of Pittsburgh partnered with the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy to restore the fountain and gardens. (Photo provided by Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy)
Pictured is Pittsburgh’s Highland Park entry garden circa 1900. The landscaping in many of Pittsburgh’s parks are on the historic register. This fountain and garden had fallen into disrepair until the city and the parks conservancy restored it to its former glory. (Photo provided by Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy) Stormwater mitigation Andrea Kretzel, RLA senior project landscape architect for the city of Pittsburgh’s department of public works, concurred that most of the city park’s sustainability plans involve stormwater mitigation, due to the unique and hilly topography of the area. Wightman Park is one instance where the public works department partnered with Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority to complete park renovations and stormwater mitigation while South Side Park was another. In some communities, neighbors’ basements were flooding. She said they decided to include stormwater management in the Wightman Park plans, placing not only a walking track and a OCTOBER 2020 | THE MUNICIPAL 31
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multipurpose field but also a larger area rain garden to manage stormwater and educate residents. A boardwalk with interpretive signage explaining the different plants that thrive in rain gardens were a part of the plan, too. Kretzel also mentioned planting meadows and using “no mow” grass in some parks, which only needs to be mowed once or twice a year. “It only gets 6 inches high and then flops over — it looks nice and is not as high maintenance,” Kretzel said. By partnering with the water authority, there is help to maintain the park. Additionally, the partnership qualified the project for some state and federal grants. Smith said, “We do have all these plans and a lot of aspirations, and I feel we’re at a turning point where we’ll be able to get more horticultural staff to do these things.” Smith added a parks tax narrowly passed last year, which will increase funding for the parks. “A lot of people are invested in improving the parks so I’m hopeful that’s the direction we’re moving in. Now (because of COVID-19) it’s even more important than ever.” Carlsbad, Calif. Tim Selke, park services manager for the city of Carlsbad Parks Department, said it was about two years ago when the city really started being more deliberate in its move toward sustainability. That decision, according to Selke, was “driven by a desire from the community and feedback from community members.” The city issued an amendment to its integrated pest management plan called “organics first” that stated organics should be the first approach. “We’ve not banned the use of chemicals, but we moved them to the far end of the spectrum,” he said. However, Carlsbad has not had the need to use any Roundup or products containing glyphosate in parks, medians or parkways. “Our goal was to minimize and reduce chemicals in the environment so we utilize organic products first, but if there is an infestation, we have the ability still to use the other,” he said. Selke explained a lot of the organic herbicides are strong acids that burn the leaves off the plant, and without leaves, it lessens the weed’s ability to grow. 32 THE MUNICIPAL | OCTOBER 2020
The city of Carlsbad, Calif.’s, Alga Norte Community Park ball field is being set up for a concert in the park. Two years ago the city’s park department went to an organics first integrated pest management method of controlling weeds to reduce the use of chemicals. (Photo provided)
“There are challenges with this approach,” Selke admits. “It takes more—we have to do a few applications versus one with Roundup and it’s a little more expensive, but the general consensus is the benefits of reducing chemicals is superior to the extra cost.” He said his department has played around with it and learned much better results could be accomplished when a weed was treated very young. Carlsbad’s landscape maintenance work is predominately done by contractors, and the city made the organics first requirement part of the bid specifications. While the door was left open for workers to test this change and go back if they felt a need, Selke said, “There’s no desire
to and no real need, so we’ll continue with the plan and it’ll be our standard.” Other sustainable measures Carlsbad parks have taken include more string trimming, 3-inch layers of mulch in the planter beds to minimize weed growth and not over-watering. The city has a couple of dozen parks, which entail a little over 1,000 acres of landscape to maintain. Despite the challenges mentioned, Selke highly recommends going the sustainable route. “This is a trend of more cities and counties moving in that direction. I definitely don’t see a shift backward,” he said. “This is the direction a lot of folks are headed.”
Sustainable equals savings While not in a park, there was a case study done in the city of Santa Monica, monitoring side-by-side landscapes in residential yards over nine years. The result of that study showed the sustainable landscape yard used 83% less water, created 56% less green waste and required 68% less maintenance than traditional landscaping. Source: “4 reasons why urban landscapes are a linchpin for climate resilience” by Cora Kammeyer, www.greenbiz.com/ article/4-reasons-why-urban-landscapes-are-linchpin-climate-resilience
M Focus on: Parks & Environmental Services
Worldwide event gets cities counting By AMANDA DEMSTER | The Municipal
Cities worldwide are going wild for an annual event that encourages residents to get out and document nature.
The City Nature Challenge has taken place every spring since 2016. According to organizers Alison Young, California Academy of Sciences, and Lila Higgins, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Calif., the event began as a competition between the San Francisco Bay area and Los Angeles County to see which could document the most wildlife. The following year, the competition opened up to cities throughout the United States, and in 2018, it became international with 68 cities participating worldwide. It continued to grow, with 159 cities taking part in 2019 and 244 cities in 2020. Categories include most observations, most species and most people participating. “You don’t really win anything except bragging rights,” Young said. “But a lot of cities play that up, ‘We had more species than any other city this year.’” Besides competition, organizers emphasize collaboration as an important component. “We’ve found from some evaluations, some folks are really motivated by competition and some are motivated by collaboration,” Higgins said. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s event lacked the competition element since closures in participating cities made for a less even playing field. Participants use wildlife tracking apps to make their observations, the most
LEFT: A heron sits near a dam in Chattanooga, Tenn. The City Nature Challenge encourages cities and their residents to slow down and take note of the diverse species around them. (Shutterstock.com)
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An adult female mallard duck and ducklings float in the water at Dolph Nature Area in Ann Arbor, Mich. The city participated for the first time in the City Nature Challenge, fostering an environmental ethic among its citizens. (Shutterstock.com)
common being iNaturalist. Using apps to make these observations allowed participants to join in the count, all while staying at home and social distancing. Ann Arbor, Mich. This is the first year Ann Arbor has participated, and according to local organizer Meija Knafl, city of Ann Arbor Natural Area Preservation outreach assistant, it will not be the last. “We look forward to participating in the City Nature Challenge again next year,” Knafl said. “The health and safety of our community is very important to us, so what participation may look like is flexible at this point in time, but we remain committed to fostering an environmental ethic among Ann Arbor’s citizens.” Ann Arbor organizers publicized the event strategically, using Facebook and Twitter, plus printing flyers. They also reached out to area iNaturalist users and co-hosted several events with The Stewardship Network. “Once pandemic measures were put into place, we quickly switched gears and set up online meetings for participants to attend during and after the event had taken place,” Knafl said. Knafl also participated, submitting some bird calls she had never heard before. “Many people might not know this, but audio recordings can also be submitted to iNaturalist, not just photographs,” she said. “I submitted some unknown bird calls … in the process, I learned a new type of call for the tufted titmouse.” According to Knafl, programs like the City Nature Challenge are important because they bring to attention things many people may not necessarily pay attention to.
“The moths swirling around your porch light at night or the robin that’s built a nest in your gutters or the tiny mosses that line the stones in your garden bed are all valuable members of the local ecosystem that can sometimes be taken for granted,” she said. Eugene/Springfield, Ore. The cities of Eugene and Springfield have also participated since 2019. “The cities work together and with other partners on many projects and are part of the Rivers to Ridges Partnership, which has an education and outreach component,” Eugene Parks and Open Space Division Ecological Services and GIS Teams Supervisor Shelly Miller said. The event was largely driven by nonprofit partners. While there is not a lot of official data as far as participation, Miller noted 2020 did seem to have more people on board. Some of this may have had to do with closures relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, as outdoor activities have been strongly encouraged nationwide, especially earlier on. “Overall, our parks were used a lot this spring as respite from all that was and is happening,” Miller said. Social media sites like Facebook and Instagram have been Eugene’s main platforms to publicize the count. While the cities’ nonprofit partners created an official Facebook event, the cities created a series of posts pointing back to it. Chattanooga, Tenn. This was the first year Chattanooga, Tenn., participated, according to the city’s count organizer Mark McKnight, president of Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center.
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“We had done a few hikes and training in the past and we thought the challenge would be a good addition to the general Earth Day festivities that are already happening around town,” McKnight said. With McKnight leading, the center partnered with several area entities to get the word out, particularly youth and family development centers, municipal YMCAs, home-school groups and organizations that center around the environment. “Most of the work is getting the word out,” McKnight said. “What partners do you want to engage with, do you want to create events leading up to it so you have a good base of people who know how to use iNaturalist?” Aside from this, the center did not focus a lot of attention on publicity, but relied on word of mouth. Initially, the center planned to hold several public events to further publicize the event and to educate people on wildlife conservation. When COVID-19 arrived, a number of these were taken online instead. Examples include an ornithologist demonstrating bird banding and a botanist teaching viewers how to take diagnostic photos of plants for more accurate identification. The day of the count, McKnight was able to go out firsthand and make some observations of his own. One in particular that stood out was a solitary sandpiper. “It’s not a rare bird necessarily, but here it was, in downtown Chattanooga,” he said. “To me, that’s one of the points of the City Nature Challenge. It’s getting people to pay attention to the nature around us in the cities.” Local benefits Cities that have participated in the City Nature Challenge have found a number of ways to benefit locally from it. For example, Eugene has considered using the data to generate a species list for parks throughout the city. Residents benefit as well by keeping their minds engaged and learning new things while taking part in an event that is social distancing friendly. “It is a fun, nerdy competition,” she said. “And it is a way to get people out looking for new things they may not have noticed in the past.” In Chattanooga, an in-person training event included a walk around the arboretum and nature center to map out hemlock trees, which are in danger from an invasive aphid species. When the center learned half the cost of eliminating the aphids was mapping the trees, it realized the event would benefit it in more ways than one.
With information gleaned from the City Nature Challenge, Eugene, Ore., is considering creating a species list for parks throughout the city. (Shutterstock.com) For Ann Arbor, the City Nature Challenge could serve as a way to track invasive species like Japanese stiltgrass, discovered several years ago outside the city. “We want to make sure to keep on top of any populations that might be within the city or on city-owned property,” Knafl said. How to become involved Cities wishing to sign on for the 2021 count are encouraged to contact Young or Higgins as soon as possible. Because new organizers are required to attend a certain number of monthly virtual meetings, new cities are typically not accepted past October. McKnight shared some firsthand advice he learned overseeing Chattanooga’s count. “The first thing is to express your interest to the team that leads it,” he said. “You fill out a form saying you are interested, then the first virtual meeting will be in a few months. If you’ve never created a project on iNaturalist, there might be a little bit of a learning curve there.” While anybody can participate in the count, another challenge is finding enough qualified people afterward to help identify each observation. “They have to be knowledgeable,” he said. “We ended up with all kinds of observations that are not identified. Recruiting people with dependable expertise, especially with botanical knowledge, is a tough one.” To learn more or to sign your department or organization up, contact Young at ayoung@calacademy.org or Higgins at lhiggins@nhm.org.
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Personality Profile
Hallett strives to provide robust recreational offerings for her small town By LAUREN CAGGIANO | The Municipal
Easton, Maine, may be a small town, but its recreation department’s programming is robust by most standards. That’s due in large part to the leadership of its director Hillary Hallett, who’s been at the helm for the past 18 years. Though she has a natural knack for public service, that wasn’t the vision she had for the future per se, at least when she was in college. “I went to school at Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester, N.H., and I graduated from there with a degree in sports management and business,” she said. “I was actually headed to grad school in Florida for exercise physiology. But on a whim, I applied for the job, and here I am.” Hallett said, now nearly 20 years in, she made the right decision and enjoys the nature and variety in the work. For instance, she works with residents from preschool age through senior citizens. “We do the traditional sports programming, but we kind of pride ourselves in offering a huge variety, knowing that not every kid is baseball, basketball or soccer oriented,” she said. “So, we do everything from cooking to karate to babysitting courses. We try to just give them a sampling of everything that’s out there so they can find their niche and go with it.”
LEFT: Hallett coaches Cheyanne Day on the sidelines during a soccer game. (Photo provided)
38 THE MUNICIPAL | OCTOBER 2020
Pictured is the third and fourth grade Easton Recreation soccer team in the fall of 2011. In the first row are Lydia Ferris, Ashley Cowley, Hillary Trainer-Hallett, Cecilia Morin and Alexis Hayes. In back are Austin Cowley, Marcus Czosnek, Kyle Flewelling, Paul Bonner, Mitchell Flewelling and Wyatt Brewer. (Photo provided) That’s quite the offering when you consider the town is under 1,300 people. A quaint community, Hallett said it’s tight knit and soughtafter, especially by younger families. “Houses do not stay on the market for any amount of time because people want their kids in these schools,” she said. The proximity to Canada only adds to the appeal. In fact, Hallett said they make the most of this fact. “A lot of our rec programs and our summer activities are actually in New Brunswick (Canada), because there’s so many more offerings so close, compared to needing to go to Portland, Maine, to get some of the same activities.” When it comes to getting in on the action, Hallett said she enjoys the diversity and interaction her job brings — at least during the preCOVID-19 times. That’s largely due to the size of their government administration. The town has five full-time staff and that means everyone comes together to help out other departments and shoulder the burden. “I have no idea when I start the day what I’m going to be doing,” she said. “For example, I might be in the town office, helping the town clerk. I absolutely adore my senior citizens programs and I miss them terribly. We still don’t have them up and running. With the COVID outbreak, I work very closely with our school departments. I’m in and out of there on a daily basis.” Speaking of COVID-19, she said it might have thrown a wrench in some of their plans, but they weren’t completely deterred. In her words, “you gotta keep trucking. COVID definitely got all of our attention. It’s been really nice this summer to see the kids. The kids need it and we need the kids. It’s been awesome to see the community come together to make it work. We opened back up on July 1 with precautions. I think struggling through a global pandemic and coming out has been a huge accomplishment.” Hallett’s hard work leading up to the pandemic hasn’t gone unnoticed. In April, she was recognized by the Maine Recreation and Parks Association as the William V. Haskell Distinguished Professional of the
Hillary Hallett poses with her William V. Haskell Distinguished Professional of the Year award. (Photo provided)
Year award. Hallett, speaking with modesty, said it represents a win for small towns like theirs. “They might not have the notoriety and maybe the variety that bigger departments in our state can offer,” she said. “Despite that, we can still have a strong quality program with some variety.” Sometimes success calls for going back to the basics, because in her words: “That’s what the kids are looking for.” She said parks and rec departments by their nature tend to be resilient and resourceful. “We got very creative with our virtual programming,” she said. “We had a huge outpouring on Facebook. I actually met people online who I didn’t even know live in our community and got to know a lot about them. And since then, they’ve been able to join our programs.”
This photo was taken a couple years ago at a Maine Recreation and Parks Annual conference. Pictured, from left, are Tim Baude, Bangor Parks and Recreation; Deb Smith, MRPA executive director; Hallett; and Debbie Gendreau, Bangor Parks and Recreation. (Photo provided) OCTOBER 2020 | THE MUNICIPAL 39
Public Safety
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Crestwood Fire Department uses technology to protect firefighters, citizens
From January to July 2020, the Safety Cloud system notified 2,397 drivers that they were nearing a Crestwood Fire Department vehicle. (Photo provided by Crestwood Fire Department)
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THE MUNICIPAL | OCTOBER 2020
By MAGGIE KENWORTHY | The Municipal
Despite a smaller population of around 11,000 residents, Crestwood, Mo., is taking great strides to make sure the local fire department stays up to date with the latest technology. Crestwood Fire Chief Lou Hecht has brought on two new technologically advanced programs to the department since taking office in late 2018. The first program is Safety Cloud, powered by the company HAAS Alert. This program allows drivers to receive digital alerts when fire engines are active nearby. The goal is for drivers to better comply with yielding to emergency vehicles so first responders can respond to emergencies without the risk of delay, collision, injury or death. “It’s a small little device that gets mounted on each one of our apparatus. It’s connected to our emergency lighting. So, whenever our emergency lights turn on, like when we pull out of the engine house to go to a call, it activates the (Safety Cloud),” explained Hecht. “That signal goes out to anybody who has the navigation system Waze and provides an alert for those drivers who are near.” Along with the Waze app, some vehicles integrate with this system via their in-dash navigation. HAAS Alert is working to be included in other navigational services and more vehicle dashboards in the future. Crestwood first began using this program in January, and in a seven-month period of time, the program alerted 2,397 drivers. In July, the department responded to 61 calls, and the program altered 234 drivers who were within a quarter of a mile of actively responding fire department vehicles. While the system is helpful to alert drivers, Crestwood Mayor Grant Mabie said the true value lies in protecting the city’s first responders. “The safety of our first responders is always of paramount importance to the city. As technology advances, we have purchased new upgraded bulletproof vests for our police officers, and new, moreadvanced personal protective equipment for our firefighters, among other things,” said Mabie. “When we learned of this system, it was something we wanted to pursue to make sure we were using the latest technology to keep our employees safe … We have noticed an uptick in distracted driving by drivers, in Crestwood and elsewhere, and a program like this can hopefully counteract distracted driving.” Since drivers don’t have to activate anything to receive the alerts only use the Waze app or an existing dashboard navigation, the goal is to have more cities join this program. Currently, Safety Cloud is active in more than 100 cities. “My hope is that other municipalities will see the value behind this and join with us to provide this,” said Hecht. “You can’t put a value on a firefighter’s life or the amount of safety you take to prevent something disastrous from happening. If we can do anything to help increase their safety, we should be trying to do that. This is a very simple, low-cost thing that we can do to make sure that whenever our fire equipment is responding to emergencies or on the side of the road in a highway incident that we’re getting messaging out to drivers to slow down.” The program does have the ability to work with other departments, for situations such as active work zones or waste removal. While
The Crestwood Fire Department is housed in one centralized engine house, allowing the department to maintain an average response time of three minutes per call. (Photo provided by Crestwood Fire Department)
The Crestwood Fire Department protects 3.4 square miles, which consists of around 5,000 residences. (Photo provided by Crestwood Fire Department)
currently only Crestwood’s fire department uses the program, the city may consider expanding its use in the future. “Based upon our positive experience with the system, we would recommend its use for other departments and entities doing road work on highways,” said Mabie. OCTOBER 2020 | THE MUNICIPAL 41
continued from page 41
In addition to this notification technology, Crestwood has also begun a program called Project Lifesaver. This program provides a tracking device to individuals with cognitive disorders, such as autism or Alzheimer’s disease. Since these individuals are often at a higher risk of walking away from caregivers, emergency responders can use the tracking device to quickly locate them if necessary. “When you’re a caretaker and you all of a sudden realize that your child is no longer in your house, panic strikes,” said Hecht. “With the devices that we have and the situation that we provide, if someone loses a loved one, hopefully, they call us right away. Then, we can track them with the devices that we have.” According to data provided by Project Lifesaver, recovery times for agencies using the program average around 30 minutes, which is 95% less time than standard location operations. Thanks to the community organization Christmas in Crestwood, all costs for Project Lifesaver are completely covered by donations. The caregiver will have to commit to a little bit of training on the program before using it. In addition, they are required to bring the tracking device to the department every 30 days to get the battery changed and make sure everything is still activated. Though currently no residents are enrolled in Project Lifesaver, Hecht is hopeful that this program will come in handy in the future.
Shown is the Safety Cloud alert that appears when a driver is nearing an emergency vehicle. (Photo provided by HAAS Alert)
“It’s all based upon, the sooner we get notified, the sooner we can find them,” explained Hecht. “This is an opportunity for first responders to actively get out and help find the loved one — before it’s too late.”
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Fleet Services & Management
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Apprentice Nathaniel Imrie works on a police squad. (Photo provided by the city of Madison)
Fleeting experience: Madison’s high school apprentice program is a hit By JULIE YOUNG | The Municipal
It’s not a typical job for a high school student, but Madison, Wis.’s, fleet service apprentice program is not a typical entry-level job opportunity. It is a chance for students to broaden their skill set while deepening and diversifying the city’s talent pool. “We’ve worked with eight high school apprentices so far,” said Rachel Darkin, administrative assistant for the city of Madison Fleet Services. “It’s been a positive experience for everyone involved.” Spearheaded by Fleet Service Superintendent Mahanth Joishy, who ran a similar program in New York City, he built the framework for the Madison program when he took over the department in 2017. He then partnered with the local school district in order to identify potential students who may be interested in earning some additional 44
THE MUNICIPAL | OCTOBER 2020
credit — not to mention a paycheck — while learning a new skill. The first high school apprentices began working with the department in 2018, and the program has been growing steadily ever since. Hands-on learning In order to attract students to the program, the Madison Fleet Services team partners with local high schools and technical colleges to create curriculum, loan out equipment for practice and make
presentations throughout the year. They also encourage classes to tour their garage so students have the chance to talk to staff and ask questions directly before signing up for the program. The department also seeks out appropriate mentors who want to work with the students and will give them the best experience while enrolled in the program. Not everyone is cut out to be a mentor, and Darkin said no employee should ever be forced to participate if he or she doesn’t want to. “(We) set clear expectations from the beginning and hold (our) apprentices accountable,” she said. “We treat them as we would a regular technician, and we get to know the supports in place. If something comes up in an apprentice’s personal life that affects their work with you, its helpful to know resources you can direct them to.” The students work 10-15 hours per week and receive $13.01 per hour in addition to school credit. Throughout their apprenticeship, students work with their technician mentor who helps them get 450 hours of hands-on experience maintaining a wide range of equipment, including police squad cars, ambulances, electric vehicles, lawn mowers, garbage trucks, sweepers and more, all under one roof. Darkin said students also get exposure to a variety of careers within the automotive field, such as maintenance, auto body repair, parts, welding and operations. By learning the tricks of the trade from those with real-life experience, they also obtain career guidance that cannot be learned in a traditional classroom. “The employees who volunteer to work with the apprentices enjoy getting to know each student while helping them learn a variety of skills,” she said. “In addition, work hasn’t slowed down at all, and as apprentices gain more experience, they can eventually work independently on various jobs.” Meeting a need Darkin said the goal of the high school apprentice program is to develop local talent and to increase the diversity of the fleet service workforce. The fleet services’ team, like many other garages around the country, is facing a number of retirements in the next several years, and by creating apprentice programs, the department is able to invest in the community while attracting a new generation of diverse employees. “Our workforce predominantly consists of white men, (but) in 2018, we hired our first ever female technician,” she said. “So far, half of our apprentices have been people of color and we have worked with one female student. All of these individuals gained valuable automotive experience and have a leg up over their peers if they follow this career path.” Although the program has been on pause since late March due to the coronavirus pandemic, Joishy hopes that the program will get back on track as soon as it is safe to do so, and Darkin said she hopes more cities will consider creating similar programs so they can attract future talent to their own fleet services departments. She believes cities should invest in young people by paying them well for the work they do and working with the schools to ensure they are earning credit. “Above all, make sure that there is a path available that leads to fulltime employment with you. In our case, we have created a second internship level that we can promote an apprentice if we want to keep working with them while they attend Madison College,” she
Apprentice Marissa Seeley works on a police squad. (Photo provided by the city of Madison)
Apprentice Carlos Hernandez works alongside fleet technician Mike Dahmen. (Photo credit the Wisconsin State Journal)
Apprentice Marissa Seeley works on an ambulance. (Photo provided by Mahanth Joishy)
said. “From there, we can hire them in a regular lower-level position once they earn their associate degree and eventually promote them to a full technician position when they are ready.” OCTOBER 2020 | THE MUNICIPAL 45
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Mow-to-own properties: Saving cities money and pleasing residents By BARB SIEMINSKI | The Municipal
Ever driven by an overgrown, weed-filled, debris-strewn vacant lot and thought, “That field’s a huge blight on our neighborhood. Wish I could afford it; I’d buy it and really fix it up.” Well, in Akron, Ohio; Memphis, Tenn.; Beatrice, Neb.; Baton Rouge, La.; Rockford, Ill.; or St. Louis, Mo., residents have the opportunity to potentially own this type of vacant property at a very low cost. These cities are offering a type of sweat equity to residents on these undesirable plots of vacant land. For example, if a resident does not owe any real estate taxes in his or her city nor have any outstanding violations on these properties, he or she becomes eligible to take ownership of such a lot, in exchange for maintaining it. This includes keeping the new property clear of debris and 48
THE MUNICIPAL | OCTOBER 2020
excess vegetation, keeping the grass cut no higher than 7 inches and paying real estate taxes assessed on the lot. Benefits of owning these plots near residents’ homes include enhanced property values since unkempt lots drove down property values and improved public health with maintenance eliminating many pest and disease infestation hazards like trash or standing water. For cities, these programs transfer lots that are not on tax rolls to owners; however, cities should be prepared to reclaim properties if maintenance obligations are not met. In addition to offering
John Valle, Director of Neighborhood Assistance
Pictured is a vacant lot at 255 E. York in Akron, Ohio. It is now maintained by an Akron resident. (Photo provided)
these lots to residents, cities can give them to nonprofit organizations, land banks, stormwater management organizations and local food groups. Maintenance includes mowing, landscaping, fencing, tree removal, trimming shrubs, grass restoration and leaf and snow removal on front sidewalks. John Valle, director of Neighborhood Assistance, implemented an Akron Neighborhood Mow-to-Own program, which has thus far been quite successful since its inception last May. “Public reaction has been very good, lots of questions and communications,” said Valle. “I look for 2021 to be a bigger program, once residents start to understand how it works. “The Department of Neighborhood Assistance has been maintaining all vacant city of Akron properties; we have always looked for opportunities to be more efficient and cut costs,” said Valle. “We suggested to Mayor Dan Horrigan that we would like to start a mow-to-own program and explained what St. Louis, Philadelphia and Columbus, Ohio, were doing, and he strongly supported and encouraged the program.” According to Horrigan, underutilized vacant lots are “often a source of complaints from surrounding neighbors. Offering this ‘sweat equity’ program helps return these parcels back to the tax rolls while giving residents
A vacant lot at 235 Dayton Place now features a planter. Residents who take over maintaining a vacant lot are allowed to beautify them or add recreational elements; however, permanent structures like a house or garage are not allowed. (Photo provided)
a unique opportunity to expand their land As for program participants, Valle said, ownership at very little cost.” “The property owner would fill out an appliAt the time of the interview, Valle had 1,400 cation and also sign a real estate license and vacant lots. He noted, “We were mowing 1,169 a transfer of property agreement. Our applilots.” cant eligibility clearly states that all applicants From those mowable lots, 250 properties must own and occupy the contiguous propwere selected by the city — many of which erty. I am sure we used similar language to are contiguous to three or more adjacent the St. Louis, Philadelphia and Columbus, homeowners — for the mow-to-own program. Ohio, programs. If you owned an apartment These initial lots generated 965 applications. next to a vacant lot, you could be eligible, and Through that candidate pool, Akron drew priority would be given if you lived in the close to 100 in mow-to-own and outright apartment.” sales of residential properties, with contracts The unrolling of mow-to-own caught quite being entered with 66 individuals through a bit of notice. mow-to-own and another 30 or so being out“Back in late May, when this program right purchases to adjacent property owners. went to city council, there was an incredMany applicants ended up not being eli- ible amount of interest from the local and gible either because they didn’t own their Cleveland media, and we gave them contact home, were behind on their taxes or had information on a few potential people who outstanding code violations on their existing would be in the program, but they were upset property. that we shared their contact information,” When taking over one of these properties, a said Valle ruefully. Other challenges surfaced. landowner could use it for recreation by plac“As with any new program, some residents ing a ballpark, swimming pool, fence, a pond, swing set or a gazebo with no problem. Per- weren’t selected and were upset,” said Valle. manent structures such as a house or garage “Residents were selected on a first-come-firstare not allowed. served basis and the disappointment from Asked if the city ever had to repossess a lot those who weren’t chosen was palpable.” after a resident failed to provide upkeep, Valle Selected property owners, however, have said no. Instead, the Summit County Fiscal taken pride in mowing the lots, keeping them Office handles any foreclosures and sheriff in as good of shape as their yards. The prosales, while the city of Akron prepares the gram will be ongoing, according to Valle, with deeds for transfer. another huge push in the spring of 2021. OCTOBER 2020 | THE MUNICIPAL 49
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Streets, Highways & Bridges
A nuisance intersection at Hospital and Waco Mill roads received an innovative solution in Sandersville, Ga.: a roundabout with a railroad crossing transversing its center. It is the first of its kind in Georgia. (Photo provided by Larry Morris and Josh Woodard with GDOT)
Unique roundabout is the first of its kind in Georgia By ANDREW MENTOCK | The Municipal
Since the early 1990s, thousands of roundabouts have popped up across the United States, creating free-flowing traffic at intersections once plagued by frequent congestion during rush hour.
Pictured is the original intersection design. Many drivers would take illegal U-turns, creating enforcement and safety issues. (Photo provided by Larry Morris and Josh Woodard with GDOT) 50 THE MUNICIPAL | OCTOBER 2020
Many Americans still seem to oppose the circular intersection — perhaps due to its European origin — but the truth is, roundabouts save lives and tend to be less expansive. According to a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, roundabouts “reduced injury crashes by 75% at intersections where stop signals signs or traffic signals were previously used for traffic control.” Additionally, electronic signals such as traffic lights can
Workers constructed a brick overlay at the roundabout’s center. (Photo provided by Larry Morris and Josh Woodard with GDOT)
force municipalities to pay between $5,000 and $10,000 per year from “That became a big issue as far as enforcement and safety, so it maintenance and electrical costs. definitely was a nuisance intersection for locals in Sandersville and As roundabouts have increased in popularity, a few municipalities Washington County,” Collins said. “It really just came up talking with and departments of transportation have also begun to add innovative local stakeholders, specifically the city of Sandersville, and I said, twists to how they’re designed. For instance, the Georgia Department ‘Have y’all thought about a potential redesign? We see roundabouts of Transportation recently installed a roundabout in Sandersville, Ga., going into different areas. Do you all think it’s something that could at the intersection of Hospital Road and Waco Mill Road with a rail- be applicable here?’ We started looking at it from a design perspective, road crossing traversing through its center, a practice utilized by only and as it turns out, it was a possibility.” a handful of U.S. cities. While the roundabout is less than a year old, Collins said most resi“As far as we know, there were only maybe three others in the United dents already see the project as a success and the city has plans to States based on what some of our design team found in their research,” construct additional roundabouts — without railroad crossings. There are, however, a few minor disadvantages to this roundabout said Kyle Collins, a district communications specialist with GDOT. “But as far as the state of Georgia is concerned, this is the first railroad with the railroad crossing. Firstly, now some vehicles must cross the crossing roundabout in the state.” railroad twice, depending on which exit they’re taking. Secondly, To protect drivers from the trains, there are railroad crossing guard school buses and a few other vehicles must stop at all railroad crossarms at two of the roundabout’s entrances and two more in the middle ings, which can create a bit of an awkward transition in the middle of the roundabout, directly in front of the railroad tracks. of the roundabout. Thus far, Collins said this hasn’t been an issue, Construction on the new roundabout began at the end of October but he does see how it could cause a problem if other drivers aren’t 2019 and was complete by January, including striping and other finish- paying attention. ing touches, with the roundabout usable much earlier. The project cost “That is a little bit different, but we haven’t heard any negative $199,000 and was part of GDOT’s Quick Response program. feedback from the board of education and the schools in the area,” Projects funded by this program must be contracted for $200,000 Collins said. “We kept them in the loop the whole time about what or less and take fewer than 90 days to complete. was happening. During the day, it definitely saves them some valuable Initially, Sandersville Railroad President Ben Tarbutton III said he minutes out there and prevents them from having to do some of these was against a roundabout at the intersection Hospital Road and Waco long turnaround maneuvers they had to do previously.” Mill Road because the previous configuration caused many drivers As roundabouts in the United States become more and more to take illegal U-turns, essentially making it a less effective version popular, look for more innovative solutions involving these circuof a roundabout. But eventually, he came around and the railroad lar intersections. No matter how apprehensive some Americans are remained active throughout the three-month construction. to this European invention, it’s proven time and time again that it reduces injuries and saves lives. OCTOBER 2020 | THE MUNICIPAL
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Conference Calendar EDITOR’S NOTE: In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, readers are encouraged to verify their conference’s status. The Municipal has updated entries’ statuses with information available as of press time; however, as the situation is still fluid, plans may change rapidly.
OCTOBER
N OV E M B E R
Oct. 5-9 WEFTEC Virtual Conference & Exhibitor Showcase Virtual weftec.org
Oct. 14-15 League of Oregon Cities 95th Annual Conference Virtual www.orcities.org
Oct. 6-9 South Dakota Municipal League Annual Conference (CANCELLED) Holiday Inn Spearfish-Convention Center, Spearfish, S.D. https://www.sdmunicipalleague.org
Oct. 14-16 Texas Municipal League Annual Conference Virtual https://tmlconference.org/
Oct. 6-9 Montana League of Cities and Towns Annual Conference Virtual mtleague.org Oct. 7-9 League of California Cities Annual Conference & Expo Long Beach, Calif. www.cacities.org Oct. 7-9 Florida Association of Governmental Fleet Administrators Fall Event TradeWinds Island Grand Resort, St. Pete Beach, Fla. www.flagfa.org Oct. 7-9 Virginia Municipal League Annual Conference Virtual www.vml.org Oct. 10-12 The League of Kansas Municipalities Annual League Conference (VIRTUAL: Oct. 13-16) Wichita, Kan. https://www.lkm.org Oct. 11-14 IEDC 2020 Annual Conference (VIRTUAL: Oct. 13-16) Dallas, Texas http://iedcconferences.org/dallas/
Nov. 12-15 VOCS Symposium in the Sun Hilton Clearwater Beach, Clearwater, Fla. www.iafc.org/events/vcossun/home Nov. 15-19 CTAA Expo 2020 (CANCELLED) Louisville, Ky. https://ctaa.org/expo/
Oct. 18-21 ARTBA 2020 National Convention Pinehurst, North Carolina artbanationalconvention.org
Nov. 17-19 New Jersey League of Municipalities Conference (VIRTUAL: Nov. 16-20) Atlantic City Convention Center, Atlantic City, N.J. www.njlm.org
Oct. 19-20 NAPO’s 42nd Annual Convention Cleveland, Ohio (MOVED: Marco Island, Fla.) www.napo.org
Nov. 17-19 New Hampshire Municipal Association 79th Annual Conference and Exposition Virtual www.nhmunicipal.org
Oct. 26-28 Fire Department Training Network Live-Fire Training Camp Indianapolis, Ind. www.fdtraining.com Oct. 27-29 NRPA Annual Conference Virtual www.nrpa.org/conference/
N OV E M B E R Nov. 4-5 Wildland Urban Interface Virtual www.iafc.org/events/wui Nov. 6 F.I.E.R.O. Regional Fire PPE Workshop (TENTATIVE) Detroit area, Michigan www.fieroonline.org
DECEMBER Dec. 1-2 Connecticut Conference of Municipalities Convention Mohegan Sun, Uncasville, CT https://www.ccm-ct.org/convention
J A N UA R Y Jan. 21-23, 2021 U.S. Conference of Mayors 89th Winter Meeting Washington, D.C. www.usmayors.org/meetings/ Jan. 22-23, 2021 Massachusetts Municipal Association Annual Meeting and Trade Show TBA https://www.mma.org/mma-annualmeeting-and-trade-show/
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.
54 THE MUNICIPAL | OCTOBER 2020
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News & Notes NTEA’s Green Truck Association celebrates 10 years
NTEA releases 21st edition of annual Manufacturers’ Shipments Survey Report
FARMINGTON HILLS, MICH. — Green Truck Association, a NTEA affiliate division, is commemorating its 10th anniversary this year. Since its establishment in 2010, GTA has made significant strides in improving work truck efficiency and productivity through the development and deployment of strategies to reduce diesel and gasoline consumption. “Many NTEA members have a commitment to sustainability, shown through 10 years of support for Green Truck Association,” said Doyle Sumrall, NTEA managing director. “GTA has led the industry on fuel use reduction, expanded awareness of alternative fuels and technologies and educated and worked with government rule makers and agencies.” GTA is a voice for companies creating vocational trucks and products to help maximize fuel efficiency and mitigate environmental impacts. “It’s amazing to see how much GTA has accomplished over the past 10 years. As far as we have come, there is no interest in letting up. We’re excited to continue our efforts toward leading the shift to a zero-emission work truck landscape for the next 10 years,” said Kevin Koester, NTEA senior director and Green Truck Association liaison.
FARMINGTON HILLS, MICH. — NTEA’s newly released annual Manufacturers’ Shipments Survey Report — 21st edition — reports truck equipment industry shipments increased 6.7% in 2019 — a deceleration from the 15.9% increase in 2018. This publication, featuring 2019 data, enables the industry to estimate market size by dollars and units for 77 product lines. NTEA collects and evaluates aggregate results based on data submitted from 87 participating companies. The commercial vehicle community can lean on directional guidance from this report to help assess business performance. “AMSS offers a valuable source of market size data in terms of dollars and units, in addition to annual growth,” said Steve Latin-Kasper, NTEA senior director of market data and research. “We’re happy to present the work truck industry with a powerful tool that helps companies effectively gauge market size and build robust strategic plans.” This resource can help: • Evaluate approximate market size. • Assess changes in market growth — in terms of units/dollars. • Provide insights in determining your company’s market share. Following the pattern of previous studies, product line growth rates varied significantly. For 2019, data suggests some were down, while others made gains much more quickly than the industry overall. Annual percent change can be accurately calculated for each market segment as NTEA publishes AMSS data in unit and dollar terms and provides indexes. Industry companies are encouraged to use report findings to support annual business planning processes. Companies that participated in the survey receive a complimentary report as well as an AMSS Data Tool containing results in an Excel spreadsheet for easier manipulation. Learn more and purchase ($299 NTEA members, $599 nonmembers) at ntea. com/amss. If interested in participating in the next AMSS, email info@ntea.com.
Buyers Products breaks ground on massive, state-of-the-art warehouse expansion CLEVELAND, OHIO — Buyers Products, a leading manufacturer in the work truck equipment industry, is doubling the size of its distribution center and corporate headquarters in Mentor, Ohio, to accommodate the company’s growing business needs. The expansion includes a 280,000-square-feet, 67-foot-high, brand-new, state-of-the-art warehouse space with 20 additional docks. Simultaneously, Buyers will add another 17,500 square feet of office space and expand its employee parking. “As customer demands continue to grow, it’s imperative that we keep up,” said Gary Kadow, warehouse operations manager. “Our customers know to come to us for excellent service and rapid delivery. They expect to get what they need delivered when they need it. This expansion ensures we continue to exceed those expectations.” Buyers’ current warehouse stands at 250,000 square feet. It was built in 2002 and expanded to its current size in 2007. On August 18, a small groundbreaking ceremony was held in accordance with current social distancing guidelines to kickoff construction of the new expansion. The ceremony included brief statements from company leadership and a “golden shovel” ceremony to honor outstanding members of the Buyers team for their contributions toward the company’s ongoing success. For the latest news on the expansion, visit BuyersProducts.com.
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THE MUNICIPAL | OCTOBER 2020
News releases regarding personnel changes, other non-product-related 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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BODIES
Guest Column
M
Paradigm shifts: Municipalities changing gears rapidly
Shutterstock photo
Tammy Rimes, MPA | Guest columnist Former purchasing agent, keynote speaker and procurement consultant
“
That’s the way we’ve always done ıt” ıs an oft-quoted response to questions about well-entrenched processes or policies. However, COVID-19 is creating a huge paradigm shift as public professionals are questioning antiquated policies and procedures, changing tactics to address proper social distancing and looking to the future for flexibility as health and safety needs may change. Municipalities are leading the way to a spectacular shift in existing policies and practices. In this “new normal,” the questions regarding how it has always been done versus how it needs to be done in the future is promoting creativity in addressing problems. The Youth, Parks & Community Enrichment Department for Sacramento, Calif., has embraced many changes due to COVID-19 impacts. As the state of California activated shelter-in-place, city park employees embodied the essence of “making it work.” From the onset, the team is involved in determining which operations — public bathrooms and open space maintenance — could remain open; which could move online, such as classroom activities for seniors and children; and which would be closed due to public health recommendations like 58
THE MUNICIPAL | OCTOBER 2020
playground equipment and team sports. Navigating ever-changing mandates, the team increased their communications through daily internal briefing sessions and weekly meetings with counterparts at nearby municipalities. With an overall mission to provide as many services as possible, Director Mario Lara stated, “City staff was onboard immediately with impending changes and become a big part of creating new solutions. Their mindset is recreational activities are especially critical during these times, for both physical and mental health.” One innovative solution was the launch of a free Essential Worker Childcare program for first responders, health care workers and Sacramento’s essential employees. As school districts closed, licensed caregivers were reassigned from shutdown after-school programs to a much-needed child care program in city-owned community centers. Implementing necessary safety measures, children are kept in separate groups of 10 or less. Mayor Darrell Steinberg stated, “I am proud of our city during this moment in time. We are an organized and committed city, committed to helping everyone through this extraordinary experience known as the coronavirus crisis.” Automation is key to success Telecommuting, with a limited return to the office, may be a way of the future for government teams. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, 29% of surveyed organizations will maintain work from home policies for the rest of 2020. On the other side of the
counter, customers are expecting services to be accessible online, as physically entering a public office is no longer the preferred option. Procurement procedures and contracting for goods, services and construction is an area experiencing great change. Although the city of Pasadena was using an online eProcurement system — PlanetBids — when the pandemic hit, it had not yet been rolled out to the entire organization. The pandemic fast-tracked and condensed a multiyear plan into a four-week timeframe where all bids, RFPs and purchases are conducted online throughout 18 city departments. Combining the capabilities of their eProcurement system with other systems — ProcureNow, Adobe Sign, TylerMunis — additional challenges were addressed, such as wet versus electronic signatures, electronic bid bonds versus paper submittals and site visits being replaced with additional specifications and photos. According to Erika Estrada, purchasing administrator for the Department of Finance, Purchasing Division, “Our team has worked continuously from the emergency operations center. Having an emergency management module as part of the eProcurement system helped us hit the ground running. We were able to allay our customer departments’ concerns and respond to ever-changing needs with our online systems.” Pasadena First Buy Local is an ordinance to increase local business outreach activities for participation on city contracts. The online eProcurement system allowed even greater outreach as other agencies using the system openly shared their supplier database. As a result, the city was able to expand new vendor relationships for PPE products and services. Further up the coast, toward the bay area, the city of Richmond found huge benefits in moving its procurement activities to the PBSystem online platform. Prior to the emergency, vendor proposals were submitted in paper formats, bid openings were held in person and contracts were routed manually for signature. According to Ofelia Alvarez, senior buyer, “We made changes to our policies to address procedural issues caused by the pandemic, while also adhering to ethical public procurement practices. Newly implemented changes have produced positive results. No longer does it takes weeks to route a contract for signature and many paper intensive processes have been eliminated. I can’t envision going back to the former way of conducting city bids.” Changing cyber-security needs Most governments have spent a great deal of time and resources to secure their online systems. As public employees now work from home, there is a new focus on security of data and transactions in diverse networks. For example, a common misconception is a password-protected home Wi-Fi network is secure enough to keep transactions and data safe. However, many wireless routers have default settings that can easily be cracked by hackers. A virtual private network for employees to connect to, as well as provide a secure link by encrypting data sent and received, is a new modification in securing a home office. While VPN is one layer of a required security strategy, it does not protect against malware and viruses, phishing attacks, theft, ransom ware and DNS spoofing. According to Marc Biga, regional director, public sector for Konica Minolta, “There is a pressing need to secure data and agency confidentiality standards as municipalities change their system security tactics. Key considerations may require support for virtual health checks, thermal temperature checks, workplace monitoring, contact
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the city of Sacramento, Calif., launched a free Essential Worker Childcare program for first responders, health care workers and its essential employees. (Cassiohabib/Shutterstock.com)
tracing, cloud storage and retrieval, incident management tools, security reporting and IT assessments and support.” To assist municipalities, Konica Minolta created a “Rethink the Future of Work” platform to help employees move into a remote workforce with a toolkit to support collaboration and security. Budget deficits drive need for new revenues With the pandemic still raging across the country, a new challenge has emerged — reduced revenues due to the economic shutdown. Many government teams are looking toward proactive ways to continue supporting ongoing operations, maintaining new disinfection and safety standards to address ever-changing demands, all while facing budget reductions. One typical approach to address budget deficits is to reach out to contracted suppliers and request a unilateral 5-10% cut in contract pricing. A better strategy may be to set up meetings for those larger contracts or areas of spend and share the budget situation with those suppliers. They may offer unique or creative ideas to bridge that gap. For instance, longer warranties, discounted volume pricing, delivery reductions, or possible substitution of certain products lines may serve the same purpose. Small allowable changes in your contracts, not just pricing, could still result in savings. Municipalities are also becoming creative to further leverage existing revenue sources. Morris County Park Commission has over 3 million annual visitors to New Jersey’s largest park system. With 38 specific sites across 18,704 acres and 150 miles of maintained scenic trails, its mission is to provide memorable experiences. The Commission brought in a professional surplus property company — GovDeals — to create greater efficiencies in disposing of surplus property, while striving to maximize the revenue for no longer needed items. The GovDeals virtual website allows buyers from across the nation to view retired items such as ATVs, golf course equipment, compressors, electronics, tractors, mowers and woodworking equipment. The results? The Commission’s listings have received hundreds of visitors, and it has experienced greater success in selling items upon initial listing. OCTOBER 2020 | THE MUNICIPAL 59
continued from page 59
Elie Aboukhater, client account manager for GovDeals, noted the breadth and depth of items for sale by governments may require a level of expertise to professionally auction for higher revenues. Aboukhater stated, “You would be surprised at some of the items offered for surplus sales. While most items fall into predictable categories like fleet vehicles or electronics, occasionally, we will be tasked to auction special items like artwork or antiques. Requiring special expertise, we often obtain much better pricing than the government entity who may try to sell them on their own.” Renting instead of purchasing With tighter budgets on the horizon, higher-priced items such as heavy equipment used by park maintenance crews, may be oppor- Allegan, Mich., revitalized its riverfront plaza with a new splashtunities for leasing options instead of purchase. Renting tools and pad. To save on costs and streamline the process, it used a equipment results in reduced overhead by eliminating the need for cooperative contract. (Photo provided) storage, maintenance and costly repair. Renting also provides the flexibility to perform seasonal, temporary or specialized work without purchasing equipment that may be used sparingly. Professional 2019 from the American Public Work Association, the city recognized rental companies often provide 24/7 support to advise and can train that families are pursuing more opportunities for outdoor activities. customers on the use of general or specialized tools and equipment. As municipalities have been stretched to the limit, the paradigm Natalia Welch, director of government sales at Sunbelt Rentals, shift to using cooperative contracts is increasing. Bill DeMars, execusaid, “As budgets have shrunk in the current environment, we’ve tive director of NPPGov, a national cooperative organization, stated, witnessed more government agencies seeking rental equipment “Since the first part of 2020, we have seen a dramatic increase in the information. The idea of renting has become a more appealing alter- use of cooperative agreements. With municipal resources being native to purchasing since it affords flexibility in equipment and tool decentralized and increased volume of pandemic related items being choices — without the overhead of ownership and maintenance.” purchased, our NPPGov team has received significantly more calls from procurement professionals to help find a contract vehicle to Cooperative purchasing drives efficiencies and savings replace their own RFP process.” Finally, exploring the concept of cooperative contracting could be a potential solution. The idea is simple — to use an already solicited and Tammy Rimes, MPA, is a keynote speaker, procurement consultant awarded national contract to take advantage of better pricing as more and executive director of the National Cooperative Procurement Partners, or NCPP. She served as former purchasing agent for the entities leverage their organizational spend across the one contract. The city of Allegan, Mich., sought to revitalize its riverfront plaza city of San Diego and implemented its first environmentally prearea with a 2,100-square-foot splashpad and over 30 ground sprays ferred purchasing program. She served during one of Southern and 24 LED lights. To save costs and streamline the process, the entire California’s largest emergencies — the 2007 Witch Creek Fires, water infrastructure — $150,000 — was obtained through a NPPGov which raged for 17 days and destroyed over 2,000 homes and cooperative contract with Vortex Turnkey. The Perrigo Splash Pad structures. Free educational materials on emergency preparedness, ribbon cutting celebrated the opening of a 100-person splash pad, a cooperative contracts and a free webinar series are available at zip line over the Kalamazoo River, an 18-foot-long fireplace, additional www.NCPPAssociation.org. pedestrian plaza and landscaping. Winning Project of the Year for
60 THE MUNICIPAL | OCTOBER 2020
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TOP 10 States with the most UFO sightings Housing Halloween, October carries with it an air of mystery. People delight in tales of the unexplained, often trading them alongside candy. If anything fits into that atmosphere, it’s unidentified flying objects. 2020 saw the Pentagon officially release UFO videos, so why not spotlight states that have the most sightings?
year, Americans reported almost twice as many UFO sightings to the National UFO Reporting Center than the previous year — jumping from 3,456 sightings in 2018 to 6,340 sightings in 2019. Furthermore, in the first three months of 2020, the number of UFO sightings was 112 higher than the first three months of 2019.”
Satellite Internet released its list of “States with the Most UFO Sightings in 2020” on June 24, noting, “Last
The states with the most UFO sightings so far in 2020 are below:
State
UFO sightings per 100,000 people
1. Idaho
9.18
2. Montana
9.17
3. New Hampshire
7.87
4. Maine
7.22
5. New Mexico
6.2
6. Vermont
6.09
7. Wyoming
6.05
8. Hawaii
5.16
9. Washington
5.07
10. Connecticut
4.94
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THE MUNICIPAL | OCTOBER 2020
Source: https://www.satelliteinternet.com/resources/states-with-the-most-ufo-sightings/
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THE MUNICIPAL | OCTOBER 2020
M
Advertiser Index A
L
AirNetix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Land Pride . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover, 10-11
All Access Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Lube-A-Boom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Alumitank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 AMCS Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Andy Mohr Ford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
B BendPak Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
M Mel Northey Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Midwest Sandbags LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Mile-X Equipment Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Bonnell Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
N
Britespan Building Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
National Construction Rentals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Buyers Products Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
C
O Omega Industrial Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
CBI Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Clearspan Fabric Structures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Composite Access Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Ctech Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Curbtender Sweepers, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Custom Products Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
E Ebac Industrial Products Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 ECM Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Everblades Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
F Fences 4 Less. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
P Pep Boys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
R Rapid View LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BACK
S Safety Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Sign Guardian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Strategic Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Streamlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Strongwell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Fluid Control Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
T
Frost Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
TrafFix Devices Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
H Henderson Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Humana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
K
Trinity Highway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 TruGrit Traction Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
W Woodland Power Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Kimtek Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 This index is provided courtesy of the publisher, who assumes no liability for errors or omissions. OCTOBER 2020 | THE MUNICIPAL 65
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