Page 25 - May-June2018

The entire facility cost roughly
$5 million to build, with the front
administration suite designed as a
normal, steel-constructed building with
energy-saving technology connected to a
boardroom and a police station designed
as a storm shelter with a 1,200-person
capacity. In the storm-shelter portion of
the building, the roof was built of 8-inch-
thick reinforced concrete and steel and
the walls were built with 2-feet-thick
reinforced concrete and steel. Every
doorway was recessed with solid walls
protecting it, and all windows in the
storm-shelter portion of the building
were designed to withstand an F5
tornado.
The facility was designed with smart
energy efficient technology utilizing
automated room lights, temperature
controls and motion sensors that activate
as personnel enter and exit rooms. LED
lighting was used throughout the entire
facility. Following the construction of
the new Town Hall, the Public Works
facility was moved to a location south of
the Town Hall in a 13,000-square-foot
climate-controlled shop and office space
with roughly two acres of fenced-in yard.
In addition to energy-efficient multiuse
facilities, Lovett’s goal was also to improve event of a mechanical issue, the system
Hydraulics, Inc.
3131 Fleetbrook, Memphis, TN 38116
2350 Wooddale Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA 70805
122 Magnet Dr., Sherwood, AR 72120
1-800-365-6183
operational efficiencies to meet the
growing needs of the town, and this was
accomplished through new technologies
implemented in the field.
With only seven field employees to
handle the operations of water, sewer,
stormwater and street maintenance,
meeting the increasing needs of a growing
town was quite a challenge. To answer the
challenge, every field employee was issued equipped. This feature provides the ability
an iPad with access to an online work-
order system connected to the town’s GIS
database. By using the new electronic
work-order system on field tablets, the
employees are able to more efficiently
track and complete work orders with the
ability to attach pictures of issues and
work completed. This system also uploads
into the GIS system, updating in real time any task on the app that they could at
to various maps showing the locations
of maintenance activities that can be
accessed and used for future planning
and infrastructure upgrades based on the
town’s needs.
In addition, all vehicles and equipment
had GPS tracking systems installed to
monitor the movements of various assets.
Along with tracking, the installed GPS
systems were designed to keep tabs on
mechanical and service issues. In the
River City
Hydraulics
serves
all of West
Tennessee for
HEIL Refuse
Equipment,
Petersen
Knuckleboom
Loaders, Vac
Con Sewer
Equipment,
and Galbreath
Rolloff Hoist.
TCAPWA EVENTS AND HIGHLIGHTS
automatically sends an alert of the issue,
often even before the driver of the vehicle
is aware of it. This feature also lets staff
know when it’s time to service the asset,
reducing future unscheduled repairs. All
of the town’s water meters, water tower,
master meters and sewer lift stations
had radio read or SCADA capabilities
to make changes and adjustment through
a smart phone remotely.
To improve communication and service
levels to residents, a smartphone app was
developed and made available to citizens
for download. Through the phone app,
citizens have the ability to complete nearly
Town Hall. Through the use of these cost-
saving efficient technologies, Atoka has
been able to maintain one of the lowest
tax rates in the area without sacrificing
service levels.
In Atoka, everything is done with a
“Making Life Flow” mentality. It’s a term
used as the motto on which the Town of
Atoka operates. “Water flows, sewer flows,
stormwater flows and even traffic flows.”
According to Lovett, “We want the lives of
our citizens and visitors to flow seamlessly.
If we are doing our jobs correctly, the
Continued on page 26
View online at tnpublicworks.com 25