Page 15 - Mar-Apr2022 Vol39 No7

quickly becoming active serving on the While she’s received multiple
scholarship and conference committees certifications in classes ranging from
and serving as board membership chair. erosion prevention to sediment control,
As a past board member of TCAPWA, she also has served as an instructor for
in 2014 she received the Charles Walter the Tennessee Public Works Institute.
Nichols Award of Environmental She’s versed on local government
Excellence for Outstanding and guidelines for the management of
Meritorious Achievement in the Public Federal and State Grants including
Works Field. ROW Training, CEI Inspection and
She said the friends and networking Online Grant Management, and has had
through APWA has expanded her training in the Civil Rights Division and
horizons in countless ways. “Networking for Title VI.
has been hugely important to me. Hopper credits the leadership of
Through APWA, I have met many Signal Mountain for allowing her “to
other Public Works Directors, Solid take time for APWA activities, meetings
Waste Directors, paving experts and and conferences.”
public works employees in every role Making A Difference Every Day
that are dealing with the same issues And it’s clear she’s passing down the
that we are,” Hopper said. “This has
Hopper and office mascot, Boone importance of the Public Works field,
helped me to make decisions about how
pick-up. Leaf pick-up for Signal Mountain to better our operations and provide since two of her sons (and one of her
employees) have received TCAPWA
is a very daunting job every year. In opportunities, especially educational College Scholarships. Clearly, she’s
January we had a couple of significant ones, for my employees.” inspiring others with her leadership, but
snow events, and we were able to take the Other current board memberships she somewhat downplays that by simply
leaf machine off and lift the brine tank on include the Tennessee Chapter of the saying, “I consider my work as the role
in a matter of minutes. These machines are Solid Waste Association of North of caretaker.”
making our jobs so much easier,” she said. America. She’s a certified Solid Waste “We are helping people every day,
Service in APWA Expands Horizons Professional and member of the sometimes in some small way, but we
APWA Hopper joined APWA in 2003, Tennessee Recycling Coalition and make a difference,” Hopper said.
the Southeast Stormwater Association.

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