IN THE NEWS

The Texas Public Works Association Annual Conference & Equipment Show, hosted by the Southeast Branch of TPWA, was held, June 11-14, 2008, at the Moody Gardens Hotel, Resort and Convention Center, Galveston, Texas. The event saw well over 400 delegates register and over 100 exhibitors participate in the Equipment show.

The event kicked off with a Golf Tournament at the newly renovated Moody Gardens Golf Course on Wednesday, June 11, 2008, followed by the event’s Welcome Reception, poolside terrace at Moody Gardens. A special feature this year for our welcome to the conference was the “Texas Hold Em” poker contest, which was held in the exhibit area – something new for the exhibitors to encourage visitation and traffic thru their area. The contest was well received and most all enjoyed the excitement of drawing that biggest and best hand! The prize? - $500 cash! The winning hand was a four of a kind – and, yes, they all were Aces. With all that excitement behind us, Thursday morning bright and early, the big breakfast and general session kicked off the technical part of the conference. That morning’s guest speaker, Michael Marot, PE, Director of Public Works, City of Houston, gave a great recount of just a portion of what the City of Houston was up to in Public Works. From there, it was time to reel it in and head for the technical sessions. The education program was a treat with many speakers and presentations to rival the best of the best educational programs. Intertwined with the technical sessions, the exhibitors received, entertained, and talked turkey (biz) with many of the conference delegates and visitors about their equipment, services and wares. That night, all were treated to a Family style hamburger, hot dog with all the trimmings buffet dinner at the Moody Gardens Palm Beach area. What a treat! It rained a bit, but all enjoyed the event with a complimentary glass of wine while we waited for the thunder shower to go its course. After that, Katy bar the door – good food, good spirits (pun intended here, too!) and good tunes and times were in store! Not too much party and fun, though, as it was back to the grind on Friday morning - breakfast, educational sessions and then the technical tours to cap off the educational program.

And, then – the all waited for Awards Reception and Banquet on Friday night. What a grand event with many in attendance. This event was one of the biggest so far for our area – we received and seated almost 200 at this event and awarded almost 50 well-deserved awardees. The reception prior to the banquet also saw two of the local Southeast Branch’s members receive some national recognition – Eric Dargan – City of Houston, Public Works and Engineering – Community Service and Scott R. Elmer, PE, City of Missouri City Public Works – Top Ten Public Works Leader of the Year – 2008. And, finally, as always to say farewell and to end a great conference, the Lime Association of Texas’ Farewell Lime Breakfast hit us on Saturday morning – yes we have lime sherbet for breakfast, and oatmeal, too!

Please Note: A Special Thanks to our Platinum and Event Sponsors

Platinum Sponsors		Event Sponsors

Bury + Partners		AGC of Texas
Freese and Nichols		HNTB
Huitt-Zollars		Jacobs Carter Burgess
Rush Truck Center		Lime Association of Texas
TYMCO


Gold Sponsors		Silver Sponsors

Chiang, Patel & Yerby		Aguirre & Fields
Dannenbaum Engineering		Binkley & Barfield
East Jordan Iron Works		Bureau Veritas
Fugro Consultants		CDM
Malcolm Pirnie		Cutler Repaving
SEM Materials		Hanson Pipe and Precas
		HDR/Claunch & Miller
		Kimloch Equipment & Supply
Golf Sponsors		Neel-Schaffer
		N. Harris County Regional Water Authority
HDR/Claunch & Miller		PBS&J
Huitt-Zollars		S & B Technology
Jacobs Carter Burgess		TCB AECOM
Rapid Road Repairs Products		Transystems


Refreshment Underwriters

Amani Engineering
Geotest Engineering

Public Works Praised by Governor Perry:

In January of this year, a group of 30+ Texas Public Works Association (TPWA) leaders held a workday at the State Capitol in Austin and met with Governor Perry for a group photo and to discuss concerns/challenges/projects facing the Public Works industry. The Governor emphasized the valuable role that public works infrastructure plays in keeping the citizens safe, healthy and happy and the essential part that public works projects play in keeping the State strong and competitive. The Governor requested that the TPWA group assist him by preparing and presenting him a prioritized list of public works projects/concerns/challenges that can be utilized by the Governor and his staff to evaluate programs that will come before him during the 2009 Legislative session.

The TPWA board moved forward and formed a statewide Governor’s Task Force and is gathering information and input from Public agencies statewide to present a report to the Governor well before the 2009 Legislative session.

Among the TPWA leaders that had the opportunity to meet with the Governor in Austin included Missouri City’s Asst. Director of Public Works, Ms. Sharon Valiante. Sharon is currently the President Elect for the TPWA’s local chapter, the South East Branch and will become the President in 2009.

Meet the Rio Grande Branch Officers

David Sanchez, Chair; Veronica Castro, Treasurer; Elvira Alonzo, Secretary; David Ivory, Co-chair

Past President Award – Mr. Del Essary

As President of TPWA, Del Essary brought humor and his mantra "Just Do Something" to life. Leading TPWA through a busy and successful year, Del kept the Chapter committed to the valuable effort of promoting and enhancing the public works profession. He encouraged and strongly supported the development of the extensive manpower and fundraising efforts required to prepare for the 2007 Congress; he strengthened the technical committee structure to ensure appropriate professional development for all members; and he oversaw the growth and evolution of the Participant Magazine. Del showed us all the benefit of focusing on the possible by "just doing something." TPWA is better because Del chose to share his time, energy and spirit. In presenting this Past President’s plaque, the Chapter expresses deep appreciation for all of Del Essary’s contributions.

Public Works Leader of the Year – Mr. Mike Hobbs

Mr. Mike Hobbs is the Director of Public Works for the City of Sugar Land. Mr. Hobbs has over 27 years of professional experience in the public works field of operations and is truly a man of the people. He goes the extra mile to make certain the citizens of the community are taken care of. Mr. Hobbs has overseen hundreds of infrastructure projects throughout his tenure to include parks and manages what was once a $1 million CIP budget, when he first began with the City of Sugar Land,

to a current CIP budget over $30 million.

John Roark Young Leader Award -Ms. Kristina Ramirez

Ms. Kristina Ramirez is the Secretary/Treasurer of the Central Texas Chapter. She is actively involved in TPWA and recently was asked to speak at the national APWA convention in Kansas City. In addition to her valuable contributions to the Central Texas Branch, Kristina was integral to the success of the TPWA booth at TML and is a significant contributor to the upcoming Congress effort. She performed all of the selfless acts for the benefit of TPWA while achieving her P.E. designation. Kristina

approaches all tasks of managing her family, business, and activities related to TPWA with distinction.

Professional Manager of the Year Award Transportation - Ms. Maria D. Valero

Ms. Maria Valero currently serves as the Traffic Operations Division Manager for the seventh largest city in the U.S. She is responsible for the management of not only the Traffic Operations Division but for the Transportation Group’s $7 million budget. Maria has over 9 years of experience with the Department of Public Works and has served as Facilities Manager,

Construction Inspections Manager, and Parking and Operations and Enforcement Manager. She has been successful in implementing action plans to assist with the improvement of operations and is a great asset to the City of San Antonio. San Antonio Director of Public Works Tom Wendorf presented the Manager of the Year Award to Ms. Valero.

Professional Manager of the Year Award Solid Waste - Mr. James Ballowe

Serving as the Solid Waste Manager for the City of New Braunfels, James Ballowe has over 17 years of expertise in the public and private sector of solid waste management. Mr. Ballowe has designed program enhancements to solid waste management systems to provide significant long-term savings to communities ranging in size from 10,000 residential units to over 85,000.

Professional Manager of the Year Award Public Fleet - Mr. Carl E. Bowker, Jr.

Mr. Carl E. Bowker, Jr. is the Assistant Director of Public Works & Engineering with the City of Houston. Mr. Bowker is directly responsible for the maintenance of fleet for the fourth largest Public works and Engineering Department in the United States. He directs and coordinates the maintenance operation for a mixed fleet valued at over $140 million. Mr. Bowker has instilled a vision in his team of how a governmental fleet can and should operate.

The Bill Hogge Award for Achievement and Excellence in Chapter Service – Ms. Leah Garrett

Ms. Leah Garrett has held a leadership position in the Central Texas Branch for the last five years. Her active and effective dedication has produced meaningful programming for the members of the Central Texas Branch, increased Branch membership, and resulted in an outstanding fundraising effort. Leah was essential in helping the Central Texas branch clear over $8,000 earmarked for public works scholarship funds. All who have attended the two Central Texas Branch Short Courses and the 2005 Annual Conference in Waco have felt the hospitality and contributions of Leah Garrett.

Drahn Jones Award for Excellence in Education - Mr. Peter DiLillo

Mr. Peter DiLillo’s dedication to the advancement of Public Works has lead to an increase in membership involvement at Central Texas Branch quarterly meetings. Peter works to obtain speakers and CEU accreditation for quarterly meetings, and his hard work and dedication to excellence are the reason Public Works events have been a huge success. Peter has provided significant support in statewide education programs by serving as the Short Course Committee Education Chair.

Public Works Project of the Year Disaster or Emergency Construction/Repair Less than $2 million - Emergency Bridge Replacement on Turtle Creek

Agency: City of Missouri Public Works Department

Consultant: Pate Engineers

Contractor: NBG Constructors

When Turtle Creek Drive began to show signs of distress, city staff began working toward a solution. In only 35 days, a contractor was hired to assist with the work needed to make repairs. The Gulf Coast Water Authority Canal was lowered to allow work in the canal while a culvert structure was being built on-site. This project is truly an example of teamwork between the City Council, which authorized the work to be done, the City of Missouri City and Pate Engineers, Inc., the contractor for the project. What is even more remarkable is the time frame in which they were able to complete the project.

Richard Ridings Community Involvement Award - Mr. Eric K. Dargan

Mr. Eric K. Dargan has served as the Deputy Director of the Right-of-Way and Fleet Maintenance Division within the Department of Public Works and Engineering for four and a half years with the City of Houston. Among his many volunteer activities, Eric has launched a City of Houston volunteer effort with Rebuild Houston, an organization that performs rehabilitation service on homes selected in low-income areas owned by senior citizens. He is a passionate person who is always willing to help others grow to their full potential. Mr. Richard Ridings presented his namesake award to Mr. Dargan.

Public Works Project of the Year Transportation $2-10 million - City of Harker Heights Mountain Lion Road Reconstruction

Agency: City of Harker Heights,

Mark Hyde Director of Public Works

Consultant: Bury+Partners-Public Works, Inc.

Contractor: Shallow Ford Construction Company

After determining how road closures would affect the surrounding elementary, junior high school and neighborhood residents, five different phases were established for this project utilizing different traffic control techniques for each phase of the five different street closures. Project meetings were held every month in addition to the daily coordination between the City of Harker Heights, Shallow Ford Construction Company, Bury+Partners and Killeen ISD.

Public Works Project of the Year Environment $2-10 million – City of Killeen East Side Infrastructure

Agency: City of Killeen, John P. Nett City Engineer,

Consultant: The Wallace Group, Inc.

Contractor: McLeon Construction, Ltd.

Like many municipalities, the City of Killeen was faced with completing several large scale CIP water and sanitary sewer projects – a very time-consuming task. To efficiently utilize city staff, consultants, and contractors, these projects were combined into one large project under one contract. The East Side Infrastructure project, traversing through more than 25 tracts of property, consisted of numerous public forums to keep the lines of communication open between the City and the public as needed.

Public Works Project of the Year Transportation more than $10 million - Arapaho Road, Phase III

Agency: Town of Addison,

Nancy Cline Director of Public Works

Consultant: HNTB Corporation – Jerry Holder

Contractor: Archer Western Contractor’s, LTD

The Town of Addison has a reputation for being on the forefront of municipal planning and the Arapaho Road extension was no exception. The primary function of Arapaho road was to provide relief for the heavily traveled Beltline Road, a congested major east-west thoroughfare. With three pocket parks included in this project and connection to a trail system that will eventually connect to an existing Town-wide trail system, this project was viewed by the Town in terms of enhancing the existing urban environment for the community and the many visitors who come to Addison.

Charles Baxter Outstanding Vendor of the Year Award - Lime Association of Texas

Lime sherbet for breakfast? TPWA members can no longer imagine an Annual Conference without it! Thanks to the Lime Association we all know that there is lime in oatmeal and that sherbet is an essential food group. The Charles Baxter Outstanding Vendor of the Year was named in honor of the longtime Lime Association of Texas leader Charley Baxter. Known as the vendor to count on, TPWA is pleased to present our Lime Association friends Dorothy Warren and Executive Director Larry Peirce with this namesake award. The award is presented with the deepest appreciation of TPWA.

Mike Rapplean Receives the 2007 TPWA Manager of the Year Award in Water Resources

Mike Rapplean was presented the 2007 TPWA Manager of the Year Award in Water Resources. The award was presented to Mike by Richard Boston at the Plano City Council Meeting. Shown in the photos are Mike, Mayor Pat Evans, and Richard Boston.

Mike Rapplean began work as a Street Maintenance Forman with the City of Plano in 1979. In 1993, Mr. Rapplean began serving as the Public Works Operations Manager having responsibility for utility operations, water and sewer pumping, streets, drainage, and traffic signal maintenance. Mike has been very proactive in developing a response to the drought that hit the North Central Texas area in early 2006 and has been a leader in developing responses to unexpected events.

Gordon Smith honored at the 2007 Texas Public Works Annual Short Course and presented Public Works Professional Certification

Gordon Smith was honored at the 2007 Texas Public Works Annual Short Course and presented Public Works Professional Certification on behalf of the Texas Chapter of the American Public Works Association.

Mr. Smith joins a select group of Certified Professionals who have shown a commitment to the enhanced professionalism of the Public Works field. A committee of peers reviewed his application and the certification was granted based on Mr. Smith’s extensive and impressive work experience and his dedication to public works professionalism exhibited through commitment to personal development through continuing education.

2007 Short Course - “The Short Course that Delivers”
by Ronnie Bates

The 2007 Short Course Chairman was Ronnie Bates. Education chairs Bobby Balli, and Kent Hickingbottom along with Nancy Beward, and host committee members, Jimmy Foster, Chris Barker, Jeff Ground, Susan Causey, Richard Boston, Jim Amick, all worked diligently to make this year’s short course a success.

The Annual Early Bird Reception was held at Main Event in a very large room with several large TV screens on every wall, so we could watch the Super Bowl. We had over75 attendees and sponsors eat some great food and enjoy the game. The Scholarship Bowling Tournament had 23 participants this year. The funds raised will go to the Texas Chapter Scholarship Fund.

TPWA Chapter President, Inas Aweidah, and Jimmy Foster, Plano Public Works Director welcomed the crowd of over 400 at the Monday morning breakfast. In line with this year’s theme, keynote speaker, Bill Verkest, APWA National President delivered an uplifting speech about the importance and benefits of membership in APWA.

A testament to the success of this short course was the attendance at most of the sessions averaged over 100 in each class, and they stayed all the way to the end of the day! At lunch on Monday we were able to present Gordon Smith with the Texas Public Works Association Certification of Professional Public Works Personnel. Congratulation for completing this program Gordon!

This year’s educational highlights included 54 classes, outdoor demonstrations, and a Confined Space Trailer from TEEX. A special thanks Nancy Beward and Bobbi Balli for obtaining the CEU approval and for convincing the speakers and moderators to participate.

The Texas Chapter APWA sincerely thanks all those who worked to make this year’s short course a success. I believe this short course delivered as promised in the theme.

Governor Perry signs the 2006 Public Works Week Proclamation

Jason Cosby, Inas Aweidah, Lori Dulnig and Richard Ridings look on as Governor Perry signs the 2006 Public Works Week Proclamation

Meet the 2006 TPWA Awards Recipients

Marsha Reed, P.E., Texas Chapter APWA Awards Chairman from Lubbock, proudly presents the 2006 Texas Public Works Association Award recipients. The 18 award recipients were honored at the 2006 Texas Annual Public Works Conference and Equipment Show held in Mesquite in June.

Along with the presentation of awards at the Annual Conference Awards Banquet, TPWA Past President Ron Harper, P.E. and TPWA President-Elect Inas Aweidah, P.E., have traveled across the state to present the awards to recipients at their local City Council meetings. CLICK HERE TO MEET THE 2006 AWARDS RECIPIENTS!

Southeast Texas Branch of the American Public Works Association (APWA) and Houston/Galveston Post of the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) award 2006 Scholarships

July 19, 2006, the Houston/Galveston Post of the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) and the Southeast Texas Branch of the American Public Works Association (APWA) conducted a joint meeting to award their scholarships for 2006. Together the two organizations awarded $ 19,500. The event featured Mike Marcotte, Director of Public Works and Engineering for the City of Houston, Texas. He was joined by Harold Cobb, President of the Houston/Galveston Post of SAME and Naomi Hines, President of the Southeast Texas Branch of APWA in presenting the scholarship awards. SAME scholarship awardees included Phillip Ho, Senior at University of Houston; Justin Homeyer, Senior at Texas A&M University; Daniel House, Senior at Texas &M University; Justin Loomis, Senior at Texas &M University; James Vester, Freshman at Rice University; Matthew Wellspring, Freshman at Steven F. Austin State University; and David Winslow, Junior at Texas &M University. APWA scholarship awardees included Patricia Wine, Junior at Baylor University; Phillip Ho, Senior at University of Houston; Courtney Pedersen, Freshman at Steven F. Austin State University and Melinda Hamidian, Freshman at San Jacinto Junior College.

Pictured above from left to right are Trent Slovak, President-Elect of the Southeast Texas Branch of APWA; Melinda Hamidian; Phillip Ho; Patricia Wine; James Vester; David Winslow; Daniel House; Justin Loomis and Harold Cobb, President of the Houston/Galveston Post of SAME.

Jimmy B. Foster, P.E.
Director of Public Works, City of Plano, Texas
2005 APWA Top Ten Public Works Leader of the Year

As Director of Public Works for the City of Plano, Jimmy B. Foster is responsible for three divisions (Public Works Operations, Environmental Waste Services, and Equipment Services) comprised of over 300 employees and having combined budgets totaling in excess of $70 million annually. During Foster’s tenure, the City has adopted business plans for the Environmental Waste Services Division and the Equipment Services Division.

Having received numerous awards, the Solid Waste Division is an industry leader in the United States. The Public Works Operations Division has developed a comprehensive water conservation program that has developed a solid foundation of strong contacts, positive public image, and excellent education that has seen a gradual decline in the per capita usage of water in the City.

Foster has lived in, worked in, or visited 57 countries, assisting in the development of humanitarian projects designed to improve the people’s quality of life and to provide hope for a better future. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington and a Master of Arts degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is a licensed professional engineer in the States of Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, and Virginia. Foster is currently serving as the Texas Delegate to the House of Delegates, and is the past chair of the APWA International Affairs Committee. He is currently a member of the APWA Finance Committee and the Australia/New Zealand Task Force. He is also involved in providing training and instruction in the public works field and is active in several professional associations and his church.

Public Works Leaders of the Year

This award seeks to inspire excellence and dedication in public service by recognizing the outstanding career service achievements of individual public works professionals and officials. This year the Texas Chapter named three top leaders.

Matthew A. Singleton
Public Works Director, City of Grapevine

Matt started his public works career in the City of Baytown. While working in the Parks Department, after graduation from Stephen F. Austin, he was drafted by Public Works to head up debris removal operations after Hurricane Alicia in 1983. He stayed on and was named Assistant Director. During this period, he was active in the Southeast Branch, serving as president in 1985. He was hired by the City of Grapevine in 1987, and served as Assistant Director of Public Works until his recent promotion to Director of Public Works this year. During this period he became active in the Chapter, serving in various chairs and offices, including Chapter President. He continues to serve the Chapter as Audit Committee chairman, and also serves on several state and national committees. Matt exemplifies the Public Works Professional.

Sharon Valiante
Operational Project Manager, City of Missouri City

Sharon is the person that keeps the city up and running every day. She is the point of contact for all citizen requests for service. Over the years she has fostered and maintains an outstanding report with homeowners associations, individual citizens and the many agencies with whom she must work with to correct the problems that have been identified. Her customer service skills and negotiating abilities are without peer. She continually receives accolades from the many homeowners associations that she works with. Her technical knowledge is also outstanding. She is an extremely fast learner and enjoys the challenge of new technology, processes and practices. She is an extremely valuable asset to Missouri City and I have rarely run across anyone of the caliber of Sharon and the impact she makes on this City and the Public Works profession.

T. C. Webster
Director of Field Operations, Tarrant County

Mr. T. C. Webster has been an aspiration to the public works profession for over 30 years as a consultant, then City of Fort Worth, and presently with Tarrant County Public Works Department. His nomination is a highlight of Mr. Webster’s accomplishments, accolades, and community involvement. One of Mr. Webster’s accomplishments was his invention of the Hydraulic Above Cab Steering Truck used as one of the many fleet vehicles for City of Forth Worth, TX. He designed this truck by adjusting the motor’s instruments and used an exiting bucket waste loader. Inventing this apparatus eliminated five brush trucks from the City’s fleet. At the County Public Works Department, he is known as Mr. Efficient by his efforts to save Tarrant County operational monies! Mr. T. C. Webster is an Ordained Minister at Sagamore Hills Baptist Church, and holds a Doctorate’s Degree in Theology from Trinity Valley Baptist Seminary. He is married to Darlene Moore Webster for over 40 years and has a son Torian, a UTA graduate.

Naomi Hines - City of Houston APWA Top Recruiter Honorable Mention ’05 Drive to Twenty-Seven Five

Naomi Hines was named APWA Top Recruiter Honorable Mention, at the 2005 APWA International Public Works Congress and Exposition! Because of the efforts of Naomi along with Membership Chairmen Jason Cosby and Jerry Ortega, the Texas Chapter was named the one APWA Chapter (with membership over 850) to surpass membership recruitment goals. As a result of the 2005 membership drive, APWA has reached the 27,000 member mark. The 27,044-membership represents the highest level of membership in over 10 years.

Nancy Beward: Winner of the 2005 TPWA Drahn Jones Award for Excellence in Education

Ms. Nancy Beward, City of San Antonio, has won the 2005 Drahn Jones Award for Excellence in Education. Ms. Beward exhibited extraordinary leadership and devoted numerous hours planning and facilitating the work of the Technical Committee chairs in developing the program content of the 2005 TPWA Short Course held in Plano, Texas in February 2005. Her persistence and efforts in mobilizing these resources from all over the State helped make this Short Course the most successful one to date.

There were sixty-six (66) presentation slots to be filled, and they were all filled with quality speakers who were well-prepared and zealous about their areas of expertise. Nancy effectively mobilized the efforts of her team and encouraged the considerable efforts of the committee chairs.

Ronnie Bates: Winner of the 2005 TPWA Bill Hogge Award for Outstanding Chapter Achievement

Mr. Ronnie Bates, Street Services Manager, City of Grand Prairie, has won the Bill Hogge Award for Outstanding Chapter Achievement. Mr. Bates exhibited extraordinary leadership and devoted numerous hours planning and facilitating the details and logistics of the 2005 TPWA Short Course held in Plano, Texas in February 2005. Without his focus and proactive attitude, this Short Course would not have been the most successful one to date.

They say if no one is following, you are not a leader. Ronnie Bates’ leadership of the Short Course was real--not just positional. Ronnie knows the value of team and maximized the contributions of the hard working committee members and as a result, the team moved forward together. He delegated tasks to the team members and kept in contact with them all. He did not direct—he supported. He expressed encouragement, trust, and confidence in all committee members and allowed them to do their jobs. He was simultaneously the leader and subordinate. No task was too big or too small. He worked endlessly on the details - keeping tract of all. He held regularly scheduled effective planning meetings with a master plan that all could easily follow. He let everyone know what their task would be and then got out of the way so they could do their job. He never asked someone to do something he would not do.

Because of his commitment, much of the work took place after work hours, with many emails sent after 7 p.m. Because his family is very important to him, he included his family in the Short Course. His wife manned the registration table and his two sons were available to help with Short Course set up.

North Texas Tollway Authority Maintenance Facility - 2005 Project of the Year, Structures Category: $2-10 Million

The NTTA Maintenance Facility project was selected as Texas Public Works Association’s (TPWA's) 2005 Project of the Year in the structures category of $2-10 million level. The theme of the award-winning nomination was “Blending into the Community”. The nomination emphasized the extra efforts the NTTA enlisted during the design process to construct a functional maintenance facility that complemented the surrounding community. The primary consultant for the design was Corgan Associates, Inc. and the general contractor was Ratcliff Constructors.

NTTA Dallas North Tollway Safety Enhancements - 2005 Project of the Year, Transportation Category: $2-10 Million

The NTTA Dallas North Tollway Safety Enhancements project was selected as TPWA's 2005 Project of the Year in the transportation category of $2-10 million level. The award winning nomination focused on how NTTA studied, identified, developed, prioritized and constructed improvements to increase the safety of the Authority's oldest and most heavily traveled roadway, the Dallas North Tollway. Areas of particular interest included the placement of crash attenuators and safety improvements with respect to fixed objects at exit ramps, installation of roadway safety barrier systems, and signing and striping improvements for better visibility. The primary consultant for the design was the team of Walter P. Moore and the general contractor was Gibson & Associates.

NTTA Dallas North Tollway/SH 121 Interchange - 2005 Project of the Year, Transportation Category: Over $10 Million

The NTTA Dallas North Tollway / SH 121 Interchange project was selected as TPWA's 2005 Project of the Year in the transportation category of projects over $10 million. The award winning nomination focused on how the NTTA incorporated innovative construction techniques, an aggressive traffic control plan and many environmentally sensitive features into the project. Additionally, the nomination emphasized the partnership between NTTA and TxDOT for funding the project which was the first partnership of its kind in the region. The design efforts were provided by two primary consultants; Turner Collie & Braden prepared designs for the DNT portion of the interchange and Birkhoff, Hendricks & Conway, LLP prepared designs for the SH 121 portion of the project. The prime contractor for the project was Balfour Beatty.

City of Lake Jackson - Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion
2005 Project of the Year, Environment Category: Over $10 Million

The Lake Jackson Wastewater project stands as an example of excellence in providing residents with a better quality effluent while simultaneously saving the city money. The original budget estimate for the expansion project was approximately $13.5 million. The fact that the actual cost was $12.2 million is even more impressive given that the new facility exceeds the requirements of the City of Lake Jackson’s wastewater permit.

Associated General Contractors of Texas,
Highway, Heavy, Utilities & Industrial Branch, Austin, Texas
Charles Baxter Outstanding Vendor of the Year Award

AGC has worked diligently to provide coalition-building opportunities for public works professionals and contractors. The TPWA President has had the opportunity to sit down at the table and speak with the AGC membership; TPWA members are invited to attend AGC monthly luncheons; all TPWA educational events are publicized by AGC (the result being thousands of dollars of sponsorships that come from AGC members.) Additionally, AGC of Texas offers to host a Board meeting annually at the AGC Trade and Equipment Show. And, year after year, AGC steps up to the plate to underwrite the Exhibitors Breakfast held annually at the TPWA Conference and Equipment Show. AGC is more than deserving of the voiced appreciation of the Texas Chapter APWA.

Marsha Reed
Storm Water Engineer, City of Lubbock
Recipient of Past President’ Plaque

In recognition of years of service, Marsha Reed, P. E., Storm Water Engineer, City of Lubbock, was honored by the Texas Chapter membership. In particular, Marsha’s service as 2004 TPWA President was acknowledged.

APWA awards 30th accreditation to Texas public works agency

Kansas City, Mo. – The Public Works and Engineering Departments of the City of Plano, Texas, became the 30th public works agency in the United States and Canada accredited by the American Public Works Association (APWA). A formal award presentation will be made by APWA President-elect Bill Verkest during the Feb. 13 City Council meeting.

“This was a team effort, and that became even more evident during the three days of evaluation by APWA,” said Jimmy Foster, City of Plano Director of Public Works. “We have always believed that our operations were exceptional. It’s nice to have our performance, practices and planning affirmed by such an important national entity. It also serves to assure the citizens of Plano that they are receiving the excellent service they deserve. This is, however, only a benchmark. We will continue to improve.”

The Plano Public Works and Engineering Departments began the accreditation process March 5, 2005. A team of public works professionals from California, Arizona, Nevada and Oregon completed a thorough evaluation of operations during their December 2005 site visit.

The APWA accreditation program recognizes public works agencies that go beyond the requirements of the management practices established nationally in the public works industry. On a daily basis, accredited agencies meet or exceed standards of performance in areas such as water, solid waste management, street/sewer repair and maintenance, engineering, building maintenance and vehicle maintenance.

“It’s exciting to complete such a detailed review of an agency’s policies and procedures and then recommend them for accreditation,” said Ann Daniels, APWA accreditation director. “The City of Plano Public Works and Engineering Departments are to be commended for improving operations to enhance their internal performance and assuring their community they meet or exceed national standards.”

The American Public Works Association www.apwa.net is a not-for-profit, international organization of more than 27,000 members involved in the field of public works. APWA serves its members by promoting professional excellence and public awareness through education, advocacy and the exchange of knowledge. APWA is headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, with an office in Washington D.C.

Fort Worth engineering professional elected APWA President-Elect 2005-06

Washington D.C.—William A. Verkest, P.E., Municipal Program Manager, HDR Engineering, Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, is the new President-Elect of the American Public Works Association (APWA). Elected by the association’s 27,000 members to this leadership position on the board of directors, Verkest will succeed Bob Freudenthal as President of the association in 2005-06.

A member of APWA for 37 years, Verkest has a multifaceted combination of service in the broad public works field, including civil engineering and management in the U.S. Air Force, public works agencies and the private sector.
Verkest served his local APWA Texas Chapter as chapter delegate and later as president of the North Central Texas Branch. At the national level he has served as director of Region VII, chair of the Finance Committee/APWA treasurer and finance committee member and chair of the membership committee. He has also been a member of the Congress Planning Committee, Urban Forum and Public Works Historical Society. Verkest recently completed his second term as Director of Region VII.

For more information, please contact Becky Wickstrom, (202) 218-6736 or bwickstrom@apwa.net.

Albuquerque engineering professional elected to APWA Board of Directors

Washington, D.C.—R. LeRoy Givens, P.E., Vice President & Senior Project Manager, Bohannan Huston, Inc., Albuquerque, NM, will join the American Public Works Association (APWA) 17-member Board of Directors. Givens will serve as Director of Region VII, encompassing New Mexico, Arizona, Texas and Oklahoma.

For the past 42 years Givens has been regularly involved in the designs and construction administration for more than $1 billion in public works projects, including streets, major highways, wastewater collection, interceptors and treatment facilities, water distribution and major water transmission facilities. He is a registered professional engineer in 12 states, including the states he will represent in APWA’s Region VII.

As a member of the association’s New Mexico Chapter, Givens was appointed membership chairman in 1985 and proceeded through the leadership positions of the chapter including chapter delegate from 1998-2002. At the national level he has been a member and recently chair of the Public Works Projects of the Year Committee. He has served as a proctor on behalf of APWA for the region and state MathCOUNTS competitions since 1999.

For more information, please contact Becky Wickstrom, (202) 218-6736 or bwickstrom@apwa.net.

Technical Innovation Award and Management Innovation Award

The Technical Innovation Award and the Management Innovation Award recognizes an individual, team, or organization for the development, management and implementation of a creative idea, device, process, or system that enhances the goals of public works in serving the public and protecting the environment.

Management Innovation Award

Jim Pierce, P.E.
Assistant Director of Public Works
Town of Addison, Texas

Jerry Holder, P.E.
Director of Capital Projects
HNTB Engineering
Plano, Texas

Jim Pierce and Jerry Holder have jointly developed a bidding technique that has proven to be highly successful in Texas. Known as “A+B Bidding,” this incentive/disincentive bidding technique requires the contractor to identify the number of days to complete a project and then assigns a value to those days, which will be used in determining the lowest and best bid. The assignment of monetary value to the number of days is the innovative portion of this technical process. This innovation has minimized the frustration felt by citizens and staff and has resulted in the more timely completion of projects.

The vast majority of public works construction projects are currently bid using the conventional low-bid technique based on unit prices or lump sum. This is the “A” part of A+B Bidding. The “B” part is the time component. Prior to bidding a project with the A+B technique, the Owner determines the value of each day bid on the project. This daily value information is included in the bid proposal for all Contractors. A mandatory pre-bid meeting is held to make sure that all bidders understand the A+B Bidding process and all questions are answered. The Contractors are informed that a Critical Path Method schedule will be required by the successful bidder at the time of the preconstruction meeting.

The Management Innovation Award went to Jim Pierce, P.E., Assistant Director of Public Works, Town of Addison, Texas, and Jerry Holder, P.E., Director of Capital Projects, HNTB Engineering, Plano, Texas, who jointly developed a bidding technique that has proven to be highly successful in Texas known as “A+B Bidding.” Jerry Holder accepted the award from President Bob Freudenthal.

Professional Manager of the Year Award – Water Resources

The purpose of the Professional Manager of the Year Award in the Water Resources category is to recognize outstanding accomplishments or achievements by individuals providing management in the field of water resources and whose contributions have had a positive impact on the profession of public works.

James M. Parks, P.E.
Executive Director
North Texas Municipal Water District
Wylie, Texas

James M. Parks is the Executive Director of the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD), which provides municipal services to over 1.3 million citizens in four counties and is currently planning to meet the needs of 2.8 million people by 2050. Parks is directly responsible to the Board of Directors for the day-to-day operation of the NTMWD, including the supervision of 380 employees. The NTMWD operates the single largest water treatment plant in Texas (770 mgd), 21 wastewater treatment plants (ranging in size from 60,000 gpd to 48 mgd), 3 solid waste transfer stations, and a 60 megaton, Type 1, municipal solid waste landfill.

Meeting with the customer cities of the NTMWD, Parks guided the process of designing two documents which are in the process of being adopted by the customer cities: “Model Drought Contingency Plan for North Texas Municipal Water District Member Cities and Customers” and “Model Water Conservation Plan for North Texas Municipal Water District Member Cities and Customers.” Parks is also serving on the State’s Water Conservation Implementation Task Force, which has developed best management practices for cities, businesses, and industry throughout the State.

The Professional Manager of the Year Award, Water Resources, went to James M. Parks, P.E., Executive Director, North Texas Municipal Water District, Wylie, Texas . Parks accepted the award from President Bob Freudenthal.

Donald C. Stone Award for Excellence in Education – Chapter

The Donald C. Stone Award (established in honor of Donald C. Stone, founder of APWA) recognizes the outstanding and meritorious achievement of individuals assisting in the areas of continuing and graduate professional education for public works professionals. This award, established in 1988, is also intended to recognize APWA chapters for their work in delivering educational opportunities for all levels of persons engaged in the delivery of public works services.

Texas Chapter

The Texas Chapter has long been known for its efforts in offering educational opportunities to its members. The Public Works Short Course provides up-to-date, effective training for the operational level public works employee in five areas including solid waste, transportation, engineering, utilities, and fleet/facilities. The training is generally held in February of each year and is moved around the State to allow for attendance by those who might not otherwise get to travel for this type of unique training opportunity.

The Texas Public Works Annual Conference, held each year in early June, is geared towards more senior level staff such as city engineers, seasoned public works directors and other senior staff. The conference provides an excellent training opportunity as well as the opportunity for participants to learn from their colleagues, both in class and out. Continual Education Units are given for all technical sessions which enhance the attendance and the scope of the sessions taught at the conference. The conference is also the one big fundraiser for the chapter.

The Donald C. Stone Award (Chapter) went to theTexas Chapter. Ron Harper, President, and Marsha Reed, Past President, accepted the award from President Bob Freudenthal.

Texas Chapter – PACE Award

Each year, the Texas Chapter is actively involved in large training programs that are designed to reach hundreds of public works employees by presenting a wide variety of professional topics. The Southeast, South Central, South Plains, Central Texas, Rio Grande Valley and North Central Texas Branches conduct extensive training programs by providing expert speakers, tours of facilities and downloading of teleconferences from APWA as part of their regularly-scheduled meetings. In 2004, the Rio Grande Valley Branch hosted a two-day Mini-Conference to provide educational programming. The Texas Chapter coordinated and delivered the two-day Texas Annual Short Course, and the Annual Conference provided three days of educational programming.

The Texas Chapter, represented by Ron Harper, President, and Marsha Reed, Past President, received the 2005 PACE Award.