The City of Redmond, Washington, uses the informed consent methodology to build support for potentially controversial projects and policies. They used this method for both a stormwater capital improvement project and a low impact development business case analysis. The results for both projects were drastically different: the capital improvement project was placed on hold because of strong continued opposition from one stakeholder group while the business case analysis project was completed successfully. This presentation will provide insight into why the first effort failed and the second was successful.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, you will be better able to: 

• Develop a strategic stakeholder engagement plan for a capital and/or operating project.
• Discover how to use a temporary setback or failure to keep a project moving forward with success.
• Identify the basic concepts of informed consent as a tool for working with the public.

Some agencies have been using liquids for a number of years and are now implementing various advanced techniques. Among the new techniques being tried are liquid blends; using two different chlorides and adding carbohydrate liquids to brines; using advanced systems to ensure trucks are loaded correctly with the right materials and the right quantities; and using liquids to create slurries at high pre-wetting rates.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, you will be better able to: 

• Identify the cost benefits of using blended liquids.
• Explain the environmental impacts of some anti-icing and deicing techniques.
• Evaluate the research findings regarding the use of liquids.

Southern California public and private engineers are reaching out to high schools, through the Become an Engineer program, to encourage students to pursue careers in engineering and public works. In addition, the SoCal APWA Chapter’s Young Professionals committee is targeting local college students to inform them about the importance, mission, and values of the public works profession. This presentation will feature the experiences of an established public works leader and an emerging leader in promoting the public works profession.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, you will be better able to: 

• Share the importance of encouraging young people to pursue a public works career.
• Evaluate how public works advocacy could improve young citizens’ view of public works organizations and importance.
• Explore how you can be involved in encouraging others to join the public works community.

Studies show that, on average, 80% of collection system issues reside in 20% of the entire system. This presentation will discuss refined technologies for breaking the collection system into smaller basins or micro-detection of issues to aid in locating surcharging, overflows, and infiltration and inflow. Micro-detection can be accomplished quickly and inexpensively with low-cost sensors, wireless connectivity, high-speed analytics, and sensor driven cameras. These tools form the backbone of an intelligent wastewater network.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, you will be better able to: 

• Budget for the costs of implementing a smart wastewater network.
• Design and implement a smart wastewater network.
• Plan for costs associated with using analytics for finding infiltration and inflow.

Discover how to engage local elected officials and involve them in adopting innovations for improving safety for local road projects.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, you will be better able to: 

• Discuss the importance and benefits of safety approaches with elected officials.
• Demonstrate best practice safety techniques to engage elected officials.
• Improve safety by adopting innovative techniques that can be incorporated into your local road system.

This panel will review how to establish the financial decision-making framework for public works asset management best practices through life-cycle cost management, service level-risk and cost balancing, asset management plan development, and predictive financial forecasting of asset replacement and renewal.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, you will be better able to: 

• Define and establish the financial decision-making framework of public works asset management best practices.
• Outline the data needs for life-cycle costing and forecasting renewal and replacement costs.
• Discuss the importance of stakeholder communications and asset management plans for financial decision-making.

Attend this presentation for an overview of the key elements of critical infrastructure protection. We know our facilities and processes the best. So, the question must be asked – “How would I break this?” Answering that question will provide you the best opportunities for eliminating vulnerabilities, hardening potential targets, and preparing your staff for how to respond if the unthinkable happens.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, you will be better able to:

1. Establish guidelines and training for staff to be able respond to emergencies.
2. Take steps to protect infrastructure assets and deter or minimize harm.
3. Prepare staff for the type of protocols that police, fire, EMS, and rescue teams use when responding to a threat.

Regardless of the type or quantity of vehicles or equipment your agency needs, the most important part of the procurement decision-making process is making the right selection for the agency's needs. Not only can the wrong choices negatively impact the agency's service delivery, but they can also waste taxpayer dollars. This session will provide an overview of APWA's Spec Writing 101 publication that provides an oveview of how to conduct a legal and ethical procurement process for vehicles, equipment, and services to meet your agency's operational needs.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, you will be better able to: 

• Determine a procurement method that is suitable for your agency's needs.
• Determine a specification-writing process that covers all the necessary bases, including scope of work.
• Evaluate how to set up a bidding process that will ensure that your agency acquires the best piece of equipment, at the best cost.

Research indicates we spend 80% of our day listening, but most of us have received no more than a few hours of instruction in this fundamental skill. In this session, you’ll have the opportunity to identify effective listening behaviors, assess your listening strengths, and practice some recommended tools to help reenergize your listening and to get others to listen to you.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, you will be better able to: 

• Improve your communication skills.
• Assess your listening strengths.
• Use new tools to raise self-awareness of your listening abilities.

Journey through the past, present, and future of one thriving public works department in the Midwest. You'll hear from the Public Works Director who has been there 28 years and has encouraged the use of new technologies and practices. Explore how new technology implementation has impacted how the department operates and the public works services offered to the community.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, you will be better able to: 

• Discover how work practices and equipment have evolved over the years.
• Look at trends, analyze opportunities, and determine when and if to implement new practices for your agency.
• Examine new technologies and determine if they will work for your agency.