Page 21 - Nov/Dec 2020 Vol 38 No 5

“You guys are doing a fantastic job. Tennessee is one of those chapters that we’ve always looked up
to. You’ve had a strong chapter regardless of your geographic spread. So, everyone from Kingsport
to the Mississippi River, you’ve done a great job of meeting the needs of your members and it
shows. It shows in the leadership you’ve created over the years and the people who have stepped
forward… you set the tone. I have a challenge for you this coming year – stay involved.”
– Bill Spearman, APWA President

“Covid-19 has changed our lives in every way imaginable. Public Works never rests and never gets
to take a day off. It’s just another crisis that we all have to react to and respond to. Trash still has

to be picked up, streets have to be maintained, water has to flow, and sewage has to go away.
I just sincerely want to say thank you to each and every one of you who do your jobs every day
to make our communities safe and livable and prosperous.” – Keith Pugh, Region III Director

How has the pandemic affected your long- Share your two most significant lessons - Try to stay focused on the goal –
term planning and response procedures? learned from this pandemic: one on an which is keeping employees safe, our
- Actually, the shutdown gave us an operational level and one of a personal level. residents safe and our families safe.
- There is no normal any more
opportunity to look at our overall - You must be very flexible going - Creative strategies
operations, how we do things, and who - Balance
does them. We were able to fine tune forward - Trying new things like testing of
our operations and switch up some - Flexible hours and work schedules are
things we haven’t thought about before. wastewater for Covid.
- Allowed us to look at our facilities and necessary - Being proactive in efforts to protect
how to better use them - More texting and emailing
- After hours call-in changed with crews - Getting outside in the parks and our communities.
taking their vehicles home so they can - Learning how important cross training
respond directly without having to greenways has been a real blessing.
come in to the office first. This has saved Great stress reliever. of employees is.
time and crew hours. - Don’t be afraid to change things. If it - During this time found that chronic
doesn’t work, try something different.
absenteeism has been greatly reduced
- People really stepped up in a crisis

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