May 2000
Since 1960, APWA has singled out ten individuals
each year who best represent the finest in the public works profession.
Following are this year’s choices.
“Mark is a team
player who will do whatever is necessary to ensure that this community is
able to provide the highest quality of service to our customers.”
Mark T. Calhoun, P.E.
Public Works Director
City of Henderson, Nevada
Trying to meet the numerous
challenges facing the modern-day public works director is a daunting task.
Mark T. Calhoun, public works director for the City of Henderson, Nevada,
has not only met these challenges successfully, he has brought to bear the
latest in engineering technologies and innovative approaches to
implementation of expansive projects and programs. Indeed, his devotion to
success, vision, and leadership is evident throughout the City’s Public
Works Department.
- Helping to build the local infrastructure necessary to supply services to all the growth areas of the city, Calhoun has been instrumental in the formation, implementation, and monitoring of numerous special improvement districts with the funding totaling more than $290 million.
- He negotiated a 15,878-acre-foot-per-year contract with the Secretary of the Interior to ensure that Henderson’s water supply would be adequate to meet its future needs.
- Under Calhoun’s direction, the Construction Management Group was formed to provide support for the city’s capital building plan. The new division has been instrumental in providing construction management services for major city building construction, including recreation centers, police facilities, fire stations, a fire training center, and a wastewater laboratory structure.
In addition, since Calhoun became public works director in 1988, the
city has grown from 75 employees to more than 300 employees in six
specialized divisions; and the fleet has increased from 70 vehicles to
more than 700 vehicles, while maintenance staff has only increased from 4
to 8 employees.
Awards he has received include a Certificate
of Appreciation and the Outstanding Contribution Award from the National
Association of Industrial & Office Parks, 1999.
“He provides an
excellent role model for the young people in San Antonio, the City where
he was born and educated.”
Daniel Villarreal
Cárdenas
Assistant Public Works Director
City of San Antonio,
Texas
Assistant public works director Daniel
Villarreal Cárdenas has given more than 22 years of dedication to the City
of San Antonio and the public works profession. From redesigning the solid
waste management system, to upgrading and maintaining the city’s streets
and sidewalks, to developing and implementing a comprehensive air quality
program, his commitment to the community has been remarkable.
- Cárdenas developed and implemented the largest curbside recycling program in Texas. The program provides weekly curbside recycling to more than 290,000 residential garbage customers, and was implemented without a garbage rate increase.
- A city household hazardous waste program was also developed and implemented by Cárdenas. Among the many positive features of this program, which was provided to the community at no additional cost, are: 70 to 80 percent of the chemicals collected are either recycled or reused, and the remaining materials are properly disposed; paint collected through the program is taken to an area paint blending company, and is provided back to the city’s graffiti abatement program at no cost; and the safety of the garbage collection crew has improved significantly.
- He developed the city’s air quality program, which has helped to keep San Antonio the largest city in the U.S. in compliance with the Federal Clean Air Act.
In addition, Cárdenas designed and implemented program enhancements to
the city’s solid waste management system which have resulted in an annual
savings of $2.3 million for the city; and participated in the successful
negotiations of three 30-year waste disposal contracts with three area
landfill operators, which have also resulted in significant savings to the
community.
Professional awards include Outstanding Young Men
of the Year (1994) and a listing in Who’s Who in the Southwest; and civic
awards include a Letter of Appreciation from Town and Country Optimist
Club, San Antonio, Texas.
“We as a town are thrilled to have
hired him. Bill got done in his first three years what would have been
expected of a director to take ten.”
William B.
Edgerton
Director of Public Works
Town of Concord,
Massachusetts
Throughout his career, William B.
Edgerton has attempted to apply what he calls the “keys to organizational
excellence”—vision, customer service, creativity and innovation, teamwork,
growth and learning, and energy. Judging by his accomplishments as the
director of public works for the Town of Concord, Massachusetts, Edgerton
has not only met his goal, he has surpassed it. In fact, his entire
career—almost 30 years in public service with the last 20 years in public
works—has been dedicated to customer service and organizational
excellence.
- Under Edgerton’s leadership, the Concord Public Works (CPW) team designed, funded, and constructed a $2.5 million public works facility; designed and implemented a water conservation program that helped make Concord one of the few communities without a water ban during the drought of 1999; and achieved a 25 percent increase in tax-impact public works appropriations with major increases in infrastructure investments.
- He negotiated a six-year curbside recycling and solid waste (pay-as-you-throw) contract with an innovative recycling pricing mechanism tying the cost of newspaper/fiber disposal costs to the monthly “Yellow Sheet” prices for Number 8 news, resulting in annual benefits of $28,000.
- Edgerton and his staff increased by 24 percent the city’s curbside recycling rate to 43 percent of total tonnage collected; including yard waste, the recycling rate was 56 percent.
Additionally, Edgerton developed and carried out a 100-day plan when he
first assumed the leadership of CPW. Highlights included developing a CPW
Mission Statement, and reorganizing the administrative branch by
decentralizing support staff to the line divisions. As a result of his
focus on learning and growth, CPW employees participated in more than
1,800 hours of training, averaging 40 hours per employee.
Edgerton
was the project manager for the following award-winning programs: Camel
Award for Water Conservation, American Water Works, 1990; Quabbin Award
for Conservation, Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, 1989; and Award
of Merit for Restricted Road Salt Program, City Hall Digest,
1988.
“He is a winner because of his character, his training,
his experience and his professional standards.”
John
L. German
Director of Public Works
City of San Antonio,
Texas
The phrases “highest degree of integrity,”
“highest ethical standards” and “outstanding performance with integrity”
appeared in a number of the nomination letters for John L. German,
director of public works for the City of San Antonio, Texas. He is known
as a leader that demonstrates vision, discipline, and passion and does so
with a high degree of conscience. He is not only committed to serving the
citizens, he is also dedicated to his role as the director and leader of
the Public Works Department.
- Funding for street maintenance has increased dramatically during German’s tenure as public works director. Since 1991, contractual street maintenance expenditures have increased from $1.5 million to $10.3 million in 2000, a seven-fold increase.
- German implemented a Historic Civic Center Master Plan that resulted in renovations and rehabilitation of the City Council Chamber, City Hall Façade, and Historic Civic Center River Link Project.
- Working in cooperation with the Texas Department of Transportation, he created the City Traffic Management Office at the TransGuide Traffic Management Center. All traffic signals in the city are controlled from this Center.
He also created an environmental services section in the Public Works
Department that now has 20-plus employees; and he initiated the creation
of a GIS Master Plan for all departments.
German was the recipient
of the Public Service Award, Urban Management Assistants of South Texas,
1999; the FHWA-ITE Scholarship to World ITS Congress in Berlin, Germany,
1997; and the Distinguished Service Award, Texas Public Works Association,
1980.
“Roger is dedicated and passionate about public service
and providing the highest level of service for his
customers.”
Roger P. LeDuc
City Manager
City
of Aiken, South Carolina
The above quote provides a
good idea of what Roger P. LeDuc is all about. The city manager for the
City of Aiken, South Carolina, is someone who truly wants to serve others.
Whether it be directing more than 300 employees within seven departments
or his involvement with the Aiken Downtown Development Association to
promote and develop the city, one thing is clear: LeDuc is the essence of
personal commitment and professional excellence in everything he does for
the City of Aiken.
- In looking for innovative ways to finance a $6 million sewer project, LeDuc negotiated with local and statewide officials to receive the very first sewer loan granted by South Carolina. The loan was for the full construction costs at a 4.75 percent interest rate, which provided savings of more than $200,000 per year to Aiken’s citizens.
- He was instrumental in instituting an award-winning stormwater utility program, which is used by the state as the model for all other stormwater programs.
- LeDuc created a 20-block downtown development plan to revitalize and redevelop Aiken’s downtown. This master plan included renovations of the public medians and streets with extensive streetscape improvements.
He also developed a long-range master plan for the beautification and
landscaping of the parkway system in Aiken; and initiated a citywide seat
belt program, after which he worked with state and local officials to
establish a statewide program throughout South Carolina.
LeDuc was
chosen for the President’s Award as the top APWA leader in South Carolina
in 1986 and 1989; and was recognized nationally in 1990 for establishing
student chapters for APWA at Clemson and USC.
“His obvious
priority in all things is providing opportunities for his staff to develop
as outstanding members of the public works
profession.”
Robert D. Lowry
Director of Public
Works
City of Overland Park, Kansas
As director of
public works for the City of Overland Park, Kansas, Robert Lowry’s primary
contributions to the Public Works Department have been and continue to be
as a leader who seeks to continually improve the services that the
department provides to the citizens and visitors of Overland Park. His
dedication to quality service and the belief that no organization can
afford to be content with its past successes inspires the members of the
Public Works Department to go the extra step in improving their work
processes and customer service.
- Lowry was instrumental in the development of a department project procedures manual. The manual, which is now used by all project managers, engineering technicians, and construction inspectors in the Public Works Department, establishes the procedures to be used to plan, administer, design, and inspect all city projects.
- For some time, the department had concerns regarding the long-term durability of concrete used in the infrastructure. Under Lowry’s direction, the city now uses a new concrete aggregate in all city-funded public improvement projects, and private developers use it in all public improvements that will be turned over to the city for maintenance.
- In conjunction with the improvements to the concrete specifications,
Lowry encouraged the staff to identify ways to make the streets last
longer. After eight months of work, a new asphalt mix was identified
that will extend the life of the asphalt streets.
Lowry’s initiatives also include an analysis of street design to
identify the benefits of such items as drainable bases and concrete
streets; and, after a restructuring of the department, the development of
a strategic planning process to identify the role that the department
should play and the way it should operate in the future.
Lowry was
the recipient of the Stanley A. Fisher Award in 1996, recognizing a 4.0
GPA as well as full-time employment during coursework toward the Masters
in Public Administration from the University of Kansas; and the National
Society of Professional Engineers’ Engineer of the Year for the U.S. Army
Training and Doctrine Command, 1986.
“His accomplishments in
Joliet are an example to all public works professionals in their efforts
to rebuild America.”
John M. Mezera, P.E.
City
Manager
City of Joliet, Illinois
The experience
early in the career of John M. Mezera, city manager for the City of
Joliet, Illinois, provided him with the foresight necessary to move Joliet
from an industrial city with high unemployment to a revitalized,
growth-oriented community with a diversified economy and strong
residential, commercial, and tourism base. His vision for rebuilding the
city has been based on comprehensive plans implemented in manageable
phases that could be supported, both financially and conceptually, by the
residents of the city.
- Much of the city’s success in attracting national and international tourism facilities has been made possible by the comprehensive planning and the infrastructure improvements that were installed in anticipation of future development. Mezera has been involved in negotiating all of the development agreements for these infrastructure projects and in directing the city’s efforts to accommodate the transportation and utility facilities that the developments required.
- Mezera’s engineering background and experience with infrastructure issues was invaluable in guiding the city’s growth due to the annexation of more than 7,000 acres of adjoining land.
- He was very involved with the preparation of the infrastructure portion of a City Center Redevelopment Plan, and was eventually given the opportunity to implement the public improvements in the City Center.
In addition, Mezera has overseen the approximately $4.5 million spent
on improvements to the Bicentennial Park, including watercraft service
facilities, decorative lighting, public performance stages, fountain,
expanded office space, additional shop space, and expanded support
facilities for festivals.
Among the numerous awards he has
received are the United Way of Will County Public Service Chairman’s
Recognition Award, 1996-1999; the International City Management
Association Service Award, 1996; and the Joliet Area Boy Scout Recognition
Award, 1994.
“More important, Lee Peck has a passion for his
profession, a passion he has passed along to his two sons and to those who
work with him and for him.”
Leighton F. Peck,
Jr.
Director of Public Works
Town of Plymouth,
Massachusetts
Leighton F. Peck, Jr., director of
public works for the Town of Plymouth, Massachusetts, has brought a level
of professionalism, innovation, and dedication to his role in the public
works community. Indeed, he has been described as a genuine public works
professional, an individual truly dedicated to public service, and
tireless in his efforts to deliver services and projects to the best of
his capability.
- Peck has been an innovator and leader in the design/build/operate field. He has led the town’s efforts to build a new wastewater treatment facility as well as a 27-hole municipal golf course using the D/B/O method. The wastewater treatment facility project will be the first new plant built under this method of procurement in the Commonwealth.
- He has led the development of long-range infrastructure improvement planning regarding bridges and culverts, dams, and roadways. His long-range plan provides a prioritization system for funding and maintenance of these facilities.
- Peck has demonstrated the ability to get funding for town initiatives. He has amassed more than $50 million dollars of grants and low interest loans for capital projects, including work for roadways, wastewater, solid waste, and airport improvements.
His other achievements include the development and approval of a
20-year plan to provide an approved wastewater system at a cost of $41.8
million, and the development and implementation of an Asset Management
Program.
Peck’s awards include an Appreciation Award from the
Plymouth Downtown Harbor Corporation, 1994; and an Appreciation Award from
Carver Youth Athletics.
“He brings a very high level of
professionalism to every aspect of his work, shares and encourages others
freely and positively, and delivers it all with a great sense of humor as
well as empathy.”
William R. Shane, P.E.
Public
Works Administrator/Town Engineer
Town of Yarmouth,
Maine
The public works administrator/town engineer
for the Town of Yarmouth, Maine, William R. Shane is a man whose ability
to get the job done is well respected by those who deal with him on a
daily basis. Known for the efficient management of his department, Shane
brings to the Public Works Department the drive to establish and deliver
the highest quality, effective, and cost-conscious public services and
facilities.
- Shane developed a volunteer Recycling & Waste Reduction Committee, which was instrumental in raising the recycling rate from three percent to a record high of 56 percent. The program received the first Governor’s Award for Waste Reduction & Recycling.
- Working with an engineering firm, Shane developed a plan of action to correct the flooding problems in many Yarmouth neighborhoods. The town has successfully completed eight of 10 major projects identified as problem areas, and has minimized flood damage to all of the neighborhoods in the study program.
- He was instrumental in getting Yarmouth voters to approve a pavement management plan, which brought in an additional $1.8 million to accelerate the repair schedule. The 87 percent bond approval by town voters was a huge vote of confidence for the Public Works Department, and gave the Town Council the support they needed to move forward with an aggressive repair schedule and a proactive maintenance philosophy.
Shane was also instrumental in causing the .83 MGD wastewater treatment
plant to be upgraded to 1.4 MGD. Previously, the plant annually discharged
over 5,000,000 gallons of untreated sewage into the Royal River; since the
upgrade, discharges have been minimized and nearly
eliminated.
Awards he has received include the State of Maine
Office of E 911 Commendation for Enhanced 911 Addressing, 1997; and the
Governor’s Award for Recycling & Waste Reduction for Management, 1996.
He also served on the APWA Board of Directors from 1997-1999 as Region I
Director.
“From personnel management, to policy
recommendations, to pure engineering, he has been at the forefront in
every instance.”
Harry W. Stone
Director of
Public Works
County of Los Angeles Department of Public
Works
Harry W. Stone, director of public works for
the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works, is an individual who
has used his technical expertise, his problem solving skills, and his
enthusiasm and professionalism to work his way up from a junior
engineering aid for the department in 1958 to his current position. His
leadership, character, and commitment to the Department of Public Works
are just a few of his outstanding attributes.
- Stone initiated an effort to coordinate and eliminate conflicting building code amendments for all the 89 jurisdictions in Los Angeles County. Through this process, the number of code amendments was reduced from 1104 to 44.
- Since 1995, Stone’s department has been responsible for all County capital improvement programs, including jails, hospitals, parking structures, courthouses, and all the earthquake recovery projects following the Northridge earthquake.
- He created the Los Angeles River Master Plan that identifies opportunities for aesthetic, environmental, flood control, and recreational enhancements along the Los Angeles River and Tujunga Wash.
Additionally, Stone has led the charge to meet recycling goals in Los
Angeles County, achieving a 42 percent diversion rate thus far; has led
the effort to coordinate 1800 traffic signals throughout the County; and
his department developed a unique method of saving the 35-year-old
concrete seawall panels, thus saving the County more than $80
million.
Stone won the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s
Outstanding Achievement Award - Generation Earth: Secondary School
Education Program, 1999; and the Consulting Engineers and Land Surveyors
of California’s Engineering Achievement Award, 1998.
