Page 5 - Jan-Feb 2021 Vol 38 No 6

TCAPWA Executive
Committee
tennessee.apwa.net
PRESIDENT: Justin Holland
Client Account Manager, Jacobs Engineering getting things done – if from a safe distance. No matter our differences, we all shared a
justin.holland@jacobs.com
(423) 779-3075
PRESIDENT ELECT: John Fox
Operations Assistant, Collierville
jfox@colliervilletn.gov
(901) 457-2800
VICE-PRESIDENT: Nicholas Bradshaw
Fleet Services Deputy Director
nbradshaw@knoxvilletn.gov
(865) 215-6194
SECRETARY: John Chlarson
Public Works Consultant, MTAS
john.chlarson@tennessee.edu
(731) 695-2472
TREASURER: Kenny Wiggins
Retired
tcapwa.treasurer@gmail.com
(865) 679-9724
WEST DIRECTOR: Ethan Skaggs
Principal Engineer, LDA Engineering
eskaggs@ldaengineering.com
(901) 568-1929
MIDDLE DIRECTOR: Regina Santana
Engineering Services Director, Lebanon
rsantana@lebanontn.org
(615) 444-3647
UPPER EAST DIRECTOR: Bryon Fortner
Public Works Director, Sevierville
bfortner@seviervilletn.org
(865) 429-4567
LOWER EAST DIRECTOR: Eric Sines
Director of Public Works, Collegedale
esines@collegedaletn.gov
(423) 468-1983
COUNCIL OF CHAPTERS DELEGATE:
Kimberly Strong
Public Information Specialist
kstrong@chattanooga.gov
(423) 643-6187
PAST PRESIDENT: Phillip Jones
Operations Manager, Metro Nashville
phillip.jones@nashville.gov
(615) 533-2377
CHAPTER ADMINISTRATOR: Mark Miller
Public Works Director, Pigeon Forge
mmiller@cityofpigeonforge.com
(865) 429-7312
COMMUNICATIONS CHAIR:
Bonnie Mumpower Dodson
Accounts Coordinator, Chattanooga
bmumpower@chattanooga.gov
(423) 643-6031
TPW PUBLISHER: Klair Kimmey
P.O. Box 22491, Knoxville, TN 37933
klair@tnpublicworks.com
(865) 288-0815; (865) 924-4956
by Klair Kimmey
Words of Encouragement
Well, 2020 is in the bag. Last year brought the pandemic and with it, uncertainty,
fear, and heartache. 2020 also brought resilience, new life, new friends and new ways of
common experience that tested us at work and at home.
Though the pandemic isn’t over, we no longer have the deer-in-headlights look in our
eyes. We have developed strategies for facing daily tasks safely. We have Zoom – who
even knew that existed before March. We miss seeing each other face to face, but at
least we have screen to screen.
We have always known the men and women who work in Public Works are essential
– now everyone knows. While so many people were required to stay home and work
remotely, Public Works folks were still out there making sure services continued
uninterrupted.
We were disappointed that the 2020 Joint Conference had to be cancelled, but
rallied and presented the first ever TCAPWA/SWANA Virtual Conference (and as
Justin Holland said in his welcome, “hopefully the last.”) The conference offered an
opportunity to see familiar faces from across the state, the country and even Canada.
It offered opportunities to learn. But as important as all that, it offered much needed
words of encouragement.
From Justin Holland, TCAPWA President – “During a national health crisis, agencies
and essential operations throughout our country, that collectively make up Public
Works, have continued to operate every day. We’ve all seen that in our neighborhoods
and in our own operations. As a leading organization that supports men and women
who make up Public Works, it’s really important now more than ever to continue
making the connections through our community and throughout Tennessee and our
industry. We’re all behind the scenes ensuring that our most essential services continue
to function smoothly.”
From Mary Joyce Ivers, CPFP, PWLF, APWA President – “We are all one APWA
working together to keep our communities safe. As first responders we have a passion
for Public Works. I really appreciate all that you do as volunteers for APWA and
supporting your communities and keeping your families safe during this. We feel it is
important to celebrate what Public Works does and really remind our communities
we are first responders. Without you, we wouldn’t be APWA, so I really appreciate all
of you as members, all the volunteer work you do. With Covid, like anything else, it
provides a challenge, but it provides opportunities to see how we can be better and
what we can do to support each other.”
From Heath Eslinger, our keynote conference speaker and CEO of A Better Way
Athletics – “Life throws curve balls at you. This is what I have found to be true…show
me a person with hope and I’ll show you a person that will press on. Because hope
says, ‘tomorrow is going to be a little bit better than today.’ Hope is the most needed
prescription in the world today because despair is the most dangerous disease. 2020 is
not a year we want to reproduce in 2021. We’re going to find our way through. We’re
going to be better because of it. And we’re going to come out stronger on the other side.
That’s Perseverance.”
Your Tennessee Chapter is strong and with your help will continue to be strong.
The Board and Branch Directors are planning events to keep you engaged, informed
and educated. Mark your calendars for November 1-3 when, if all goes well, the
Annual Conference will be at the Sheraton Memphis Downtown Hotel and Renasant
Convention Center. The conference committee is hard at work making plans for the
equipment rodeo, trade show, technical sessions and networking events.
From TCAPWA
Happy New Year!and TPW Magazine
View online at tnpublicworks.com 5