chapter leaders identify critical future issues · chapter leaders identify critical future issues...

The Newsletter for Chapter Leaders MarchApril 2005

What one thing while seemingly impossible to achieve at your chapter would make a tremendous difference if it were achieved

Solving the dilemma of attendance and membership participation

Membership growthGreater member participationHiring a chapter administratorMore active membersDeveloping a broader member baseRecruiting younger members and developing a

student componentDeveloping more institutesDeveloping broader inclusivenessBetter branchndashchapter relationsRank and file employee trainingConcerns with travel budgetsStudent membership developmentDeveloping younger membersInvolving smaller communitiesInvolve younger people

What is the biggest dilemma facing your chapter

Losing membersCompetition wother organizations and asso-

ciations20 of people doing 80 of the workHow to gain new members

InsuranceEffective communication wchapter membersAgency cutbacks on membership paymentSame people leading the chapterFundraisingGetting younger membersGetting broad participationInsurance coverageLack of individual priority re APWAHow to get young membersGetting more active membersStagnating committeesTime and moneyInclusivenessDwindling resourcesFundingMaintaining high energyGetting over ldquodoing it the old wayrdquo

What current chapter successes if they were to diminish or disappear would have the most devastating consequences to our chapter

Losing Click Listen and LearnLoss of the certification programLosing our strong chapter leadershipQuality chapter driven education programsLoss of education programsNetworking opportunitiesLocal awards program (continued on page 3)

In This Issue

Chapter Leaders Identify Critical Future Issues

Education Calendar

Speaker Database Available Soon

CEUsPDHs

APWA Kicks-off Regional EMS Education Events with National Webcast

A Word from Cynthia DrsquoAmour

General PersonalitiesmdashDiversity in the Workplace

Lessons from Geese

Striving for More Women in Science and Engineering

Good News

APWA Officially Becomes a National Affiliate of JETS

Take Advantage of infoNOW

The Training You NeedmdashAt Prices You Can Afford

Looking Forward to 2005 NPWW

Chapter Website Templates Updated

Urban Forum A Resource for Big Cities

APWA Bridges 1 JanFeb 2005

Chapter Leaders Identify Critical Future IssuesThe recently concluded Chapter Leaders

Training was valuable on several levels One of the most important was the surfacing of various issues that are standing in the way of

chapters meeting their ultimate objectives Through a facilitated process on Day 1 of the training leaders from all over the US explored those issues in depth

page 1

page 2

page 3

page 3

page 4

page 5

page 6

page 7

page 8

page 9

page 9

page 10

page11

page 12

page 13

page 14


APWA Education Events

March

7ndash10Introduction to Construction Inspection WorkshopLouisville KY

23

Tracking Public Works Technology GPS AVL RFID10 amndashNoon (CST) ndash Click Listen amp Learn

31

Target Legal 1 Hidden LiabilitiesNoonndash2 pm (CST) ndash Click Listen amp Learn

April 2005

5ndash8Introduction to Construction Inspection WorkshopLas Vegas NV

17ndash20North American Snow ConferenceHyatt Regency Crown Center Kansas City MO

19

Training First-Rate Snowfighters Live from the APWA North American Snow Conference 1230ndash230 pm Central Time ndash Click Listen amp Learn

May 2005

12

Protecting Your Interests Underground10 amndashNoon (CST) ndash Click Listen amp Learn

16ndash19Introduction to Construction Inspection WorkshopHeld in Conjunction with the Ohio Public Works Expo Toledo OH

June 2005

8

Fleet Issues for Todayrsquos Fleet Manager10 amndashNoon (CST) ndash Click Listen amp Learn

23

Target Legal 2 Understanding and Enforcing Contract TermsNoonndash2 pm (CST) ndash Click Listen amp Learn

This newsletter is published bimonthly by the APWA Chapter Relations Department and provides insider information on APWA activities for chapter leaders

EditorBob BrowellChapter Relations Managerbbrowellapwanet

Please address comments toBridges NewsletterAPWA2345 Grand Blvd Suite 500Kansas City MO 64108-2641ph 800-848-APWA ext 5260

Acknowledgement

For a complete calendar of education events visit our website at wwwapwaneteducation


(continued from page 1)

Loss of branch developmentState and chapter conferencesSpring and fall conferencesLoss of networking opportunitiesAdjusting and changing with the timesSnowplow RoadeosLoss of annual meetingChapter training programsLoss of fundraisingAnnual chapter meeting

Loss of equipment showsVendor participation and supportAwards programLoss of an employerrsquos support for being involved in the chapter

This information can serve as a terrific plat-form from which to launch a chapter strategic plan If you or your chapter would like more information on strategic planning please contact Bob Browell at bbrowellapwanet


The APWA Education Department has devel-oped a Speaker Database that can be utilized by Chapter leaders to identify speakers who are experts in a variety of subjects Information on how to access the database will be sent to you in March If you would like to have APWA include speakers you have used previously in the database please send as much of the following information as you have about the speaker to Becky Stein at bsteinapwanet

bull Namebull Contact Information (address phone fax

and e-mail)

bull Date of past presentationbull Location of past presentationbull Title of past presentationbull Type of past presentation (Workshop CLL

Congress Construction Inspection Work-shop etc)

bull Topic Expertisebull Comments ndash Generalbull Photobull Biobull Category (speaker moderator resource)bull PaidNonpaidbull If paid last fee paid to speaker

Continuing Education Units (CEUs) Professional Development Hours (PDHs)

Are your chapter members looking for oppor-tunities to acquire CEUs andor PDHs to keep up with professional engineering and career planning requirements

Did you know that chapters may apply to APWA for approval to grant CEUs to attendees at chapter workshops and conferences The process is easy At least 10 working days prior to your event fill out either the workshop or conference online application forms found at httpwwwapwanetEducationCEU Then send in the appropriate supporting docu-ments and application fees APWA National

will do the rest Wersquoll provide the templates for you to track attendance and the forms for your attendees to fill out We will issue all of the CEU transcripts and keep track of your attendeesrsquo CEU records in our database

Confused about the terms CEUPDH The Professional Development Hour (PDH)

is a term established by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) in their ldquoContinuing Professional Competency Guidelinesrdquo Many states adopted this term in describing their continuing educa-tion requirements for professional engineers The NCEES guidelines state that CEUs may be converted to PDHs 01 CEU (1 hour of instruc-tion) = 1 PDH


The American Public Works Association (APWA) and the International CityCounty Management Association (ICMA) in coopera-tion with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will host a webcast on April 12 2005 Environmental Management Systems A Powerful Tool to Help Local Government Managers and Public Works Directors Minimize Environmental Liability Increase Efficiency and Improve Financial Health The webcast will showcase local governments that have success-fully implemented environmental management systems (EMS) highlight the benefits that were achieved identify the support that the EPA and others are providing to help local governments adopt EMSs and identify the role that senior level managers have played in the EMS imple-mentation process

EMSs are a powerful tool and are helping a growing number of local governments around the country improve their environmental performance and compliance reduce costs improve community relations and build greater confidence by managers on environ-mental issues EMSs provide local governments with a flexible and proven framework for setting environmental goals and reducing environmental impacts through the use of best practices operational controls and measurable plans for achieving goals In certain cases an EMS may also help reduce insurance premiums and improve bond ratings For example the City of San Diego was able to save approxi-mately $800000 and significantly reduce air emissions from heavy equipment at its munic-ipal landfill in the first year of implementing an EMS

Webcast speakers will includebull Janet Dolan City Manager of Scottsdale

Arizonabull Judy Mueller Public Works Director of

Charlottesville Virginiabull Jim Horne EMS Local Government

Program Manager of the US Environ-mental Protection Agency and

bull Bob Herbert Director of Virginia Techrsquos Local Government EMS Resource Center and former City Manager of Roanoke Virginia

The webcast will be held on Tuesday April 12 from 2ndash330 pm (EST) 1ndash230 pm (CST) 12ndash130 pm (MST) and 11 amndash1230 pm (PST)

For more information and to register visit httplgeanorghtmltraining Information is also available toll-free at 877-865-4326 The cost of the webcast is $95 per site

APWA and ICMA in cooperation with EPA are leading an effort to help educate and encourage local governments to adopt EMSs In addition to the webcast APWA and ICMA have conducted EMS outreach events at their national conferences and will facilitate regional learning events at state association and chapter meetings over the next six months Please check the APWA website at wwwapwanet for more information on EMS-related activities or contact Megan Zadecky in the APWA Washington Office at 202-218-6712 or mzadeckyapwanet




This Weekrsquos Topic Actions Shout

Do your words match your actions

Working with associations I often find leaders with the best intentions who have launched initiatives to grow membership or involvement that failed miserablymdashin spite of valiant effort

What was the problem The actions or culture of the chapter did not

match the initiative

For example letrsquos say your board is really excited about growing this year and sets a really bold goal Your chapter is going to grow by 25 in the next six months You carefully plan your recruitment eventsmdashand even get the PR team involved in making it happen

At your first recruitment event a ton of potential new members show up You strongly pitch joiningmdashand are convinced all will join Your leadership team thrilled to have accomplished your goal so easily does a pre-celebration dance in the hotel lounge Life is good

As a follow-up you send all attendees a copy of your latest newslettermdashand a personal invi-tation to attend your next meeting

Only two people show up to join the following month What happened

I beamed in to interview your potential members who did not join and here are some of their comments

ldquoWhen I talked to the members at the recruitment event many shared how great the chapter was and why I should join No one asked me why I personally was there I got the feeling they were just looking for numbersrdquo

ldquoWhen I looked at some of the displays the same people were in all the photos There were

a lot more members in the room so I figured it must be a pretty cliquey grouprdquo

ldquoI told one leader how I wanted to get involvedmdashand they told me they would be in touch Itrsquos been three weeks and no call Obvi-ously they didnrsquot really want me involvedrdquo

ldquoI took the information to my boss to see if she would pay for my involvement in the chapter When I didnrsquot have a list of upcoming events she couldnrsquot see the value

I couldnrsquot sell her on just trusting that the chapter would have relevant programs for me to attendrdquo

ldquoEverything seemed pretty rigid If I couldnrsquot make the chapter meeting there was little for me to do I was hoping for more flexible involvement Guess they just want people who fit the formulamdashrather than include all profes-sionals who might have different time needsrdquo

ldquoWhen I read the newsletter I didnrsquot see opportunities for me to really do anything Everything seemed really tradition-bound lsquoOnce again so and so will do thisrsquo or lsquoItrsquos time for our annual whateverrsquo If Irsquom going to get involved I want to be able to do something meaningfulmdashnot just be a rote worker beerdquo

ldquoI wanted to join In fact I had a check in my pocket My friend was asked to join by the person talking to hermdashbut no one person-ally asked me I got the invitation to the next meeting however I donrsquot feel like being an afterthought I know they really donrsquot care if I joinmdashthey just want my moneyrdquo

In each of these examples the actions of the chapter showcase a closed community

Some of the examples may be a little extreme to show a point however having recruited more than 250 members personally I have heard a ton of stories that parrot these complaints when asking potential members why they didnrsquot join sooner (continued on page 6)


(continued from page 5) In each example there is little visual demonstration of the chapter being open to new membersmdashand the ideas they bring with them

When potential members or volunteers preview an experience they are looking for proofmdashbeyond your wordsmdashthat they are making a wise investment of their time

Take some time and do an audit to discover what your chapter culture really says

bull Review your newsletters and communica-tion strategies Are they inviting Do you encourage new people to get involved Do you have contact information in case people have questions How about a map to the next meeting

bull Take a look at chapter events with fresh

eyes Who welcomes the lone person at the door Are people trained to help newbiersquos find a home in your chapter How do you support participants in meeting each other

bull If you want a real eye-opener have someone secret shop your chapter as a potential member Have them share their experience How long did it take to return an inquiry How were they welcomed How were they sold on the value of membership

You may be surprised at what you see when you examine your chapter and its culture with a fresh pair of eyes

What do your chapter culture and actions shout to potential members and volunteers copy 2005 Cynthia DAmour

Over the last few years the term and concept of ldquodiversityrdquo has become the buzzword of business for the 21st century In a competitive marketplace whether in government or private business every edge or niche can mean the difference between success and failure Work-place diversity is a tool in todayrsquos competitive environment that is used to recruit or produce the best Many studies have shown that workplace diversity increases both employee creativity and productivity

While some issues surrounding diversity such as the eradication of gender and race discrimination have been an integral part in business operations increased globalization and an aging workforce has forced manage-ment to review current practices concerning generational diversity For the first time in recent memory four generations can be seen in the work force at the same time bringing with them their own values experiences and career expectations Different world experiences that

generations face shape and mold fundamentals of their personalities Through education and understanding of the differences in genera-tional personalities it is possible to reduce tension and provide for a more team-oriented workplace

Generally different generations have different

characteristics The ldquoSilent Generationrdquo those who grew up in WWII are the seniors of the current workforce In the workplace these individuals are dedicated to a strong work ethic It is this value in a hard dayrsquos work that leads them to clash with the subsequent generation ldquoBaby Boomersrdquo Arguably the most widely know and understood generation Boomers do not necessarily share their parentsrsquo values and work ethic What they do believe in is the value of a dollarmdashthe idea that through success comes monetary rewards Boomersrsquo drive toward success has directly led to the value system of their children also known as the infamous Generation X (continued on page 7)

Generational PersonalitiesmdashDiversity in Workplace


(continued from page 6) Xrsquoers grew up as latch key children and are skeptical of institutions Boomers see them as rebellious and selfish however Xrsquoers are self-reliant not believing that they will ever see the benefits of long-term loyalty to any one company They look more toward short-term benefits and will not sacrifice their personal and family lives for the well-being of a company Currently entering almost unnoticed into conflict Generation Y is creeping into the workplace While some say it is too early to characterize this generation some truths are known Gen Y is an optimistic generation that has grown up in the media explosion They typically make a good impres-sion on current Boomer business leaders that are often tired of clashing with Gen Xrsquoers

These differences in generational person-alities have led to conflicts in the workplace Financial pressures are bringing members of the Silent Generation back into the work force as well as keeping Boomers around longer Larger numbers of Boomers in the workplace have created a glass ceiling for Gen Xrsquoers Because of these trends college graduates are now entering the worst job market in years

Addressing generational differences is complicated as it is important to avoid stereo-typing and discrimination which can harm overall morale The key to successfully merging generations into a productive staff is effec-

tive communication Communication skills are the foundation in conflict resolution A company or business can be more productive by combining the strengths brought by each generation a strong work ethic as seen in the Silent Generation company loyalty and the drive for success as seen in the Boomers the risk-taking spirit of the Gen Xrsquoers and opti-mism and compassion as seen in the Gen Yrsquoers By valuing employee differences it is possible to harness individual strengths into a team success

ReferencesCodrington Graeme ldquoUnderstanding the Generationsrdquo

2004 TomorrowTodaybiz 13 Jan 2005

Green Kelli A Mayra Loacutepez Allen Wysocki and Karl

Kepner ldquoDiversity in the Workplace Benefits Chal-

lenges and the Required Managerial Toolsrdquo University

of Florida Cooperative Extension Service Institute of

Food and Agricultural Sciences 2002 Minority Grad-

uate 23 Jan 2005

Notter Jamie ldquoGenerational Diversity in the Work-

placerdquo 2002 Notter Consulting 13 Jan 2005

lthttpwwwnotterconsultingcomgt

Thompson Mary ldquoGeneration gaps in the workplacemdash

Firms prepare for rifts between young old and olderrdquo

29 Aug 2003 MSNBC 13 Jan 2005 lthttpmsnbcmsn

comid3072412gt

(by Kristy Crisp Public Educator City of Gastonia

North Carolina)

Lessons from the Geese

1 As each bird flaps its wings it creates an ldquoupliftrdquo for the bird following By flying in a ldquoVrdquo formation the whole flock adds 71 more flying range than if each bird flew alone

Lesson People who share a common direc-tion and sense of community can get where they are going more quickly and easily because they are traveling on the thrust of one another

2 Whenever a goose falls out of formation it suddenly feels the draft and resistance of trying to fly alone and quickly gets back in formation to take advantage of the ldquolifting powerrdquo of the birds immediately in front

Lesson If we have as much sense as a goose we will unite with those who are headed where we want to go

(continued on page 8)



E-Mentoring network spurs supporters of women in science and engineering to engage

(San Joseacute CA) ndash In a move to encourage greater numbers of women in engineering and science MentorNet the e-Mentoring Network for Women in Engineering and Science (wwwMentorNetnet) is launching the ldquoDrive for 500rdquo program The ldquoDrive for 500rdquo is an all-out effort to match 500 new pairs of mentors and students in science and engineering in its award-winning One-on-One e-mentoring program between now and Engineers Week (February 20ndash26)

ldquoMentoring is an essential and effective strategy to retain women in engineering and science in these still heavily male-dominated fieldsrdquo says Carol Muller CEO of the non-profit MentorNet ldquoOur big challenge is not how to encourage and support the talented women students in science and engineeringmdashitrsquos making sure that they get the opportunity to be mentored Thatrsquos why wersquore asking those who care about the future of these fields to spread the word to eligible students and to volunteer as mentors or to ask their alma mater or employer to partner with MentorNetrdquo

To accomplish the goal of creating 500 new mentoring matches the ldquoDrive for 500rdquo

includes a corps of student volunteers who publicize MentorNet to their fellow students a challenge for participating campuses to compete with each other for the highest level of student enrollment in MentorNet as well as outreach specifically targeting students in computer science and computer engineering

About MentorNet - wwwMentorNetnetMentorNet currently headquartered at San Joseacute

State University in San Joseacute California is a nonprofit

501(c)(3) organization working to further womenrsquos prog-

ress in scientific and technical fields through the use of

a dynamic technology-supported mentoring program

MentorNet aims to advance women and society and

enhance engineering and related sciences by promoting

a diversified expanded and talented workforce In

partnership with colleges and universities corpora-

tions government labs and agencies and professional

societies MentorNet is international in scope serving

students and professionals from all over the world

Major funding is provided by the National Science

Foundation Alcoa Foundation ATampT Foundation IBM

Cisco Systems and Symantec

This material is based upon work supported by

the National Science Foundation under Grants No

HRD0001388 HRD-0123319 SBE-0318510 and HRD-

0454569 Any opinions findings and conclusions or

recommendations expressed in this material are those of

the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of

the National Science Foundation


3 When the lead goose gets tired it rotates back into formation and another goose flies at the point position

Lesson It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing leadership People like geese need to be interdependent

4 The geese in formation ldquohonkrdquo from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed

Lesson We need to make sure our ldquohonkingrdquo from behind is encouragingmdashnot some-thing less helpful

5 When a goose gets sick or is wounded or shot down two geese drop out of forma-tion and follow their fellow member down to help and provide protection They stay with this member of the flock until he or she is either able to fly again or dies Then they launch out on their own with another formation or catch up with their own flock

Lesson If we have as much sense as the geese wersquoll stand by each other like that

Author Dr Robert McNeish Assoc Superintendent of Schools ret

Baltimore Public School System Baltimore MD


Good News

In September 2004 the APWA Board of Directors directed the Finance Committee to research the cost of APWA National covering the insurance premiums for all chapterbranch communitypublic service events that are non-revenue producing A motion was presented seconded and carried to approve that all insur-ance premiums associated with non-revenue generating community service projects at the chapter and branch level be covered by National for two main reasons 1) the commu-nity service project promotes APWA as a charitable organization and 2) the chapters and branches do not have a direct revenue stream to offset the costs of insurance for these specific events The cost of these premiums is not to exceed the FY05 budgeted amount for insur-ance premiums

As such if your chapter or branch is involved in a community service project you need only inform APWA National at least 30 days prior to

the date of the event via your chapter events calendar (if you are using the APWA website template) If your chapter is not utilizing the APWA website template please click on this link and add your eventhttpwwwapwanetMembersOnlyChapter Resourcescalendar

Kay Caldwell Chapter Financial Specialist will follow up with the chapter contact person for the event if she has any questions or requires additional information for insur-ance purposes APWA National will cover all premiums associated with these non-revenue generating community service projects Example events are a highway clean-up project clothing drive food drive or an informational booth set up at a local mall to promote public awareness efforts etc

If you have any questions please contact Kay Caldwell at 816-595-5276 or via e-mail at kcaldwellapwanet

JETS is a non-profit education organization established in 1955 to inform and excite young people about careers in engineering JETS now serves over 30000 students 5000 teachers and holds programs on more than 150 college campuses each year The group impacted is diverse with 34 of program participants female and 22 from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds in engineering and technology

JETShellipbull distributes the new monthly Pre-Engi-

neering Times e-newsletter filled with engineering career guidance information

and teacher resources to 5000 educators parents and students

bull posts the new weekly JETS Challenge inspiring young people to solve a virtual problem and submit their solutions via e-mail for prizes and recognition Since its release in December 2004 over 100 students have submitted entries

bull coordinates the TEAMS competition at more than 90 colleges and universities across the country impacting more than 14000 students and teachers annually

bull provides JETS Website filled with compre-hensive resources (continued on page 10)



(conti nued from page 9) articles and activities about engineering and technology careers JETS website has consistently gained traffic at an average rate of 8 monthly since the addi-tion of the P-E Times and other resources

bull coordinates the US Army UNITE program targeting bright talented disadvantaged high school students and helps prepare and motivate them for success in engineering and technical careers UNITE has reached over 6000 young people of which 80 have enrolled in college

bull develops the NEAS+ an academic self-assessment that helps high school students determine their strengths and weaknesses in subject areas critical to engineering and technology and

bull distributes over 200000 pieces of JETS Guidance literature including brochures books and other resources about the various engineering disciplines annually

JETS is the neutral organization repre-senting all disciplines and areas of engineering and serves as the critical link between pre-college students teachers parents and school counselors and the engineering commu-nitymdashprofessional societies corporations and academic institutions

For more information contact JETS Inc 1420 King Street Suite 405 Alexandria VA 22314 phone 703-548-5387 fax 703-548-0769 infojetsorg wwwjetsorg

The infoNOW communities provide a tremendous online resource with information related to many aspects of public works Most APWA members are aware of the advantage

of networking with their peers at the Chapter level infoNOW allows you to gain from the experience of all other worldwide APWA members who are subscribed to infoNOW You can check out the type of information available from infoNOW without subscribing by going to the Members Only area of the APWA website (httpwwwapwanetMembersOnly) then following the link to the infoNOW communities

The infoNOW communities essentially operate as a series of electronic bulletin boards You can subscribe to one or more of the communities As new information appears in the communities for which you are subscribed you will receive an e-mail There are different options for subscribing that determine the level of detail of information you will receive

The infoNOW communities that are avail-able include

bull Canadian Public Works bull Design Engineering and Construction bull Education and Training bull Emergency Preparedness bull Environment bull Government Affairs bull Infrastructure Protection and Right-of-Way

Management bull Management Administration and Finance bull Operations bull Public Works Historical Society bull Rural and Small Communities Issues bull Transportation bull Urban Forum

If yoursquore not currently promoting infoNOW

through Chapter communications we would ask that you mention infoNOW in your Chapter Newsletters or perhaps include a demonstration of the infoNOW communi-ties at an upcoming Chapter meeting The infoNOW communities are a free benefit of membership in APWA Taking advantage of the resource can only make you better at your job no matter what role you play in public works

Make Sure Your Chapter Members Take Advantage of infoNOW


Is your agency in the process of planning a new budget cycle If so you are probably faced with having to make some tough cuts For many agencies trainingcontinuing education is one line item that all too frequently falls victim to the red pen It puts you in a difficult ldquoCatch-22rdquo As technology evolves and communities clamor for increased services how can you NOT afford to keep your employeesrsquo knowledge base and skills up-to-date

APWA is well aware of your dilemma and has solutions We have made arrangements with three national providers of continuing education to provide the training you needmdashat prices you can afford You can save from 10ndash25 on off-site seminars in-house training books videos CDs and more Plus some program elements are eligible for continuing education credit

Try Tailgate TrainingTravel expenses and time out of the office are

two major detriments to continuing education and training In-house training is becoming a more popular alternativemdashwhether you bring a professional trainer directly to your worksite or go online to earn CEUs in the comfort and privacy of your office or home Sessions can be planned around your agencyrsquos schedule Extra advantages are that your staff can be trained using the same equipment that is used on the job daily and you can be assured that every-body is receiving the same message

APWA President Tom Trice explains why the organization took this approach to meeting its membersrsquo needs for continuing education and training ldquoAPWA has always been committed to offering high-quality comprehensive and economical education To bridge the gap in areas such as safety engineering and soft skills training for both you and your team we have made arrangements with three national orga-nizations to provide you with the training you need We realize that budgets are tight so our goal is to make training your staff easiermdashand more affordablerdquo

APWA hopes that you will take advantage of these discounted training opportunities Remember that we are your comprehensive public works resource

Meet APWArsquos AffiliatesVISTA Training Inc provides general safety and heavy equipment operation training Training materials are available in video CD-ROM and print material formats Videos are of short durationmdashideal for tight work schedules Where applicable content draws from real-life examples and demonstrations Order any VISTA product and save 10

RedVectorcom is the global leader in online education for engineers architects land surveyors landscape architects interior designers building inspectors water operators and contractors Choose from more than 2500 online topics Earn CEUs and PDHs at your conveniencemdashwithout leaving the comfort of your officemdashor home APWA members will receive a 10 discount

National Seminars Group specializes in ldquosoft skillsrdquo trainingmdashmanagement leadership and business skills Whether you are a new manager or experienced executive wersquore confident that you will find courses to fit your specific training needs Save 10ndash25 on seminars books audio-cassettes CD-ROMs and videos

To learn more about opportunities from VISTA RedVectorcom and National Seminars Group visit the APWA website wwwapwaneteducationaffiliated_letterasp To receive a free print copy of the catalog contact Susan Rehm Program Marketing Specialist srehmapwanet or 800-484-APWA ext 5257



Instituted as a public education campaign by the American Public Works Asso-ciation (APWA) in 1960 NPWW calls attention to the importance of public works in community life The NPWW seeks to enhance the prestige of the often-unsung heroes of our societymdashthe professionals who serve the public good every day with quiet dedica-tion

APWA encour-ages public works agencies and

professionals to take the opportunity to make their stories known in their communities Over the years the observances have taken many forms including parades displays of public works equipment high school essay contests open houses programs for civic organizations and media events The occasion is marked each year with scores of resolutions and proclama-tions from mayors and governors as well Some special highlights of NPWW include a United States Senate resolution affirming the first National Public Works Week in 1960 letters of acknowledgment from Presidents Dwight Eisenhower and Lyndon Johnson and a Presidential Proclamation signed by John F Kennedy in 1962

APWA has also developed an exciting outreach program in Washington DC for Members of Congress and their staffs the Administration and Federal Agencies related to public works During National Public Works Week on the Hill the APWA govern-ment relations department will host a series of educational sessions discussing issues related to the nationrsquos infrastructure and a public works showcase that spotlights APWA members and the latest technologies and innovations that help public works run our cities safely and effectively The series of events elevates awareness about public works and all of the responsibilities we shepherd All APWA members are invited and encouraged to attend and participate in the events held in Wash-ington DC

The National Public Works Week How-To Guide is one of several resources the Associa-tion makes available to agencies to assist them in the development and implementation of their own individual celebrations With this tool an agency will learn how to create proclamations and solicit endorsements from government officials develop media and press releases write editorials and articles and generate material for speeches There are also several suggestions for celebratory activities to be implemented at the local level

However you choose to celebrate NPWW this year APWA is proud to be a resource for you You deserve the recognition

Click here to order the

2005 NPWW poster

ldquoPublic Works Is Every-

where You Lookrdquo

Chapters Look Forward to 2005 National Public Works Week


APWA National has just completed revisions of the Chapter Website Templates This round adds three new sections new functionality some visualgraphic improvements and some other minor improvements Herersquos a look at whatrsquos new

mdashmdashNEW SECTIONSmdashmdash

1 Whatrsquos New SectionThis area on the Home Page automatically lists the items that have recently been added to the site such as Newsletters Meeting Minutes Images Documents Links FAQs Employment Opportunities Classifieds etc

2 FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) Add as many QuestionAnswer pairs as yoursquod like to your site

3 New Members sectionThis section displays all members who have joined the chapter in the past 60 days There is no maintenance involved as the page auto-matically pulls data from APWArsquos membership database

mdashmdashNEW FUNCTIONALITYmdashmdash

1 Chapter E-mail ListsYou now have the ability to e-mail the entire chapter from the admin side of your template-based chapter website This ensures you always reach the most up-to-date list of members

2 Basic Online Event RegistrationVisitors to your website may now register online for upcoming events When setting up an event simply provide a registration contact person and e-mail address The contact person will receive an e-mail alert each time someone submits a registration request The contact person may then visit the admin side of the website to get the registrantrsquos details contact the registrant for payment (if necessary) and send a confirmation e-mail to the registrant

mdashmdashOTHER IMPROVEMENTSmdashmdash

1 Simplified formattingItrsquos now easier than ever to add text to your website The ldquoDoes this contain HTMLrdquo option can automatically format your text assuring it looks the way you intended

2 Non-APWA EventsThe calendar now supports Non-APWA events allowing you to bypass the extra steps needed for insurance purposes

3 StartEnd DatesThe Employment Classifieds and News now offer StartEnd dates allowing you to enter content that will appear later on your site and have content automatically removed from your site once it has expired This makes it easier to run a Classified ad for a month or expire a News item that is no longer relevant

4 ColorSome minor improvements were made to the overall look of the templates introducing a little bit more color variety

If your chapter does not yet have a website or if you are spending money on a custom website we encourage you to consider the APWACPWA Chapter Website Templates No special skills are required to maintain the site anyone can do it To get started just contact Brent Paloutzian at bpaloutzianapwanet



In the last several years APWA has worked hard at the federal level to improve our visibility and assure that the voice of public works is heard This year we encourage large cities from your chapter to partici-

pate in an extremely important APWA meeting here in Washington DC April 14ndash16 2005 The Urban Forum a group of public works officials from Americarsquos largest cities is meeting with federal officials members of Congress and their staff and more importantly each other to discuss the unique issues that face large urban areas The agenda is available at httpwwwapwanetdocumentsmeetingsUrban ForumInfopdf

General Carl Strock head of the Army Corps of Engineers has devoted the morning of the 15th to a conversation with our members about how the Corps and our public works departments can coordinate more closely and work more effectively The City of Seattle will share their experiences with taking advantage of some changes to the permitting process that have saved them millions

The Department of Homeland Security has also reached out to our group to discuss many of the policy changes that will affect our everyday operations the National Incident Management System (NIMS) the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) the new Targeted Infrastructure Protection Program (TIPP) and the National Response Plan (NRP) Officials from DHS will join us to discuss the programs and what they will require of us in the future

APWA has also reserved time for information exchange among peers at ldquoTable Talkrdquo where those of you interested in a particular topic can gather to exchange ideas discuss problems and come up with solutions We have also added two ldquotracksrdquo one on transportation and one on waterwastewater issues to ensure that your individual needs are met We are proud of the stellar line-up of speakers and hope you will join us in welcoming them

The visibility of public works has come a long way in the last few years and we have you to thank We are nowmdashmore than ever in our historymdashasked to be ldquoat the tablerdquo in Washington DC We are happy to provide this conduit for you to find out about the latest activities at the federal level and to have input to developing programs and initiatives

We hope you will take time in your schedule to join us for this important meeting We have reserved a special hotel rate at the Phoenix Park hotel for the APWA Urban Forum meeting and they will honor that rate until March 14 Please contact them directly at 202-638-6900 to reserve your room today You can register on line at httpwwwapwanetAboutEventsregisterurbanasp

If you have any questions please donrsquot hesitate to contact Kristina Tanasichuk at ktanasichukapwanet or 202-218-6734 in APWArsquos Washington office We look forward to your participation



APWA Education Events

March

7ndash10Introduction to Construction Inspection WorkshopLouisville KY

23

Tracking Public Works Technology GPS AVL RFID10 amndashNoon (CST) ndash Click Listen amp Learn

31

Target Legal 1 Hidden LiabilitiesNoonndash2 pm (CST) ndash Click Listen amp Learn

April 2005

5ndash8Introduction to Construction Inspection WorkshopLas Vegas NV

17ndash20North American Snow ConferenceHyatt Regency Crown Center Kansas City MO

19

Training First-Rate Snowfighters Live from the APWA North American Snow Conference 1230ndash230 pm Central Time ndash Click Listen amp Learn

May 2005

12

Protecting Your Interests Underground10 amndashNoon (CST) ndash Click Listen amp Learn

16ndash19Introduction to Construction Inspection WorkshopHeld in Conjunction with the Ohio Public Works Expo Toledo OH

June 2005

8

Fleet Issues for Todayrsquos Fleet Manager10 amndashNoon (CST) ndash Click Listen amp Learn

23

Target Legal 2 Understanding and Enforcing Contract TermsNoonndash2 pm (CST) ndash Click Listen amp Learn

This newsletter is published bimonthly by the APWA Chapter Relations Department and provides insider information on APWA activities for chapter leaders

EditorBob BrowellChapter Relations Managerbbrowellapwanet

Please address comments toBridges NewsletterAPWA2345 Grand Blvd Suite 500Kansas City MO 64108-2641ph 800-848-APWA ext 5260

Acknowledgement

For a complete calendar of education events visit our website at wwwapwaneteducation









and e-mail)









































































uate 23 Jan 2005







comid3072412gt


North Carolina)














































Good News


















































2005 NPWW poster


where You Lookrdquo




































and e-mail)









































































uate 23 Jan 2005







comid3072412gt


North Carolina)














































Good News


















































2005 NPWW poster


where You Lookrdquo



























































































uate 23 Jan 2005







comid3072412gt


North Carolina)














































Good News


















































2005 NPWW poster


where You Lookrdquo



































































Good News


















































2005 NPWW poster


where You Lookrdquo
































































2005 NPWW poster


where You Lookrdquo


























