Today I read an article on Reuters indicating voters are increasingly supportive of government leasing infrastructure assets. I cannot imagine how anyone who truly understands infrastructure and government can come away with a blanket statement supporting privatization of government assets. From reading the story, I can only think that these voters are making this decision…
Category: Public Works
Getting Ready for Census 2010
As a genealogist I have found the census to be invaluable to my research; but even more important has been its impact on the economic development of my community. And here is the reason why, taken directly from the Census Bureau’s Website: “Census data are used to distribute Congressional seats to states, to make decisions…
Getting Calls about Rats?
I think most of us working in public works have at one time or another gotten the “rat call.” In our city, we had one person who called annually about “rats coming out of the sewer.” We would call the exterminator, and the problem would appear to be solved for that year. Of course, we…
A Failure in the Making
Today I read a story about a massive hole in the road in a community in New York that has not been repaired for a month. Even though at first glance this might seem an excessive amount of time to neglect repairing a hole in the road, I can certainly understand the delay after reading…
Celebrate Public Works Week
This week, we celebrate public works week – a time to stop and think about the people who take care of all those things we don’t normally even think about. Like making sure roads are safe and in good repair, making sure the water comes out when we turn on the faucet, and making sure…
Deliver Recovery Project Information Using Social Media
Implementing a social media campaign for delivery of recovery project related information is a good way for local government to test the use of social media. The demand for this information is there, and the tools are available at little to no cost. So how would a local government accomplish this goal? First, the agency…
Plot Your Potholes Here!
Ever since I found the FixMyStreet online reporting tool for England, I have been on the lookout for one to be developed for the U.S. And the other day, I finally found it at SeeClickFix. The site offers users the opportunity to plot their issues using Google Maps. Problems are designated by inputting an address,…
Enter the EPA Water Quality Contest
Over the last year, the EPA has successfully embraced the use of social media to help promote environmental stewardship. One of their most recent efforts is the launch of a water quality contest. According to their Web site, they are “looking for educational videos that inspire people to help protect our streams, lakes, wetlands, and…
Social Media Tools for Construction Geeks
If you have an iphone, download AudioBoo for free – now! – particularly if you work in any construction-related field. This handy tool allows for the ability to combine an IM, a photo, a location map, and a 3-minute audio blurb in one upload. This upload can then be found on the AudioBoo Website for…
Transparency in Public Works
Construction inspectors are responsible for making sure a project is built correctly and meets plans and specifications. Over my 25 years of inspecting, I have had jobs where this is easy because the contractor and his crews are committed to meeting all of their obligations. However, I have occasionally had a worker on a jobsite…