Richard Reine,
Director
The Concord Public Works team continues to focus on its principal mission to enhance the quality of life for those living, working or visiting the Town of Concord, and through sound management, innovation, teamwork and vision provide dependable, high quality, responsive public works and utility services, consistent with community values and at reasonable costs to Concord’s stakeholders.
Protecting the Town’s Infrastructure/Providing Essential Services
Concord Public Works (CPW) is comprised of four Divisions. These include two staff Divisions, Administration (including Recycling and Solid Waste Management) and Engineering and two line Divisions, Highway & Grounds (including Cemetery) and Water & Sewer. The department is responsible for planning and managing a large segment of the Town’s infrastructure.
These assets include Concord’s roads and roadsides; curbs and sidewalks; catch basins, storm drains, culverts and outfalls; traffic islands; guardrails; street signs and traffic signals; public shade trees and park trees; Town parks, playgrounds, ball fields, and recreation equipment; Town cemeteries; the Town’s former landfill, including the earth products and snow storage facility; the public water supply including its storage, pumping, and distribution systems; the Town’s sewer collection, pumping, and treatment systems; and CPW buildings and equipment.
Delivering key services including water service; sewer service; recycling, curbside trash collection and disposal service; yard waste disposal; and winter snow and ice management along with other storm and safety services is also a core responsibility of Concord Public Works.
Keys to Organizational Excellence
CPW’s strategy for success in meeting its mission continues to focus on six keys—customer service, vision, innovation and creativity, teamwork, learning and growth, and energy!
CPW Team, Programs & Organization
Concord Public Works is made up of 53 individuals collectively representing over 450 years of experience. It is a team that is passionate about Concord, which takes great pride in their work, and fully understands their stewardship responsibilities.
The four CPW divisions manage eight programs—Administration, Engineering, Highway, Grounds (Parks and Trees), Cemetery, Recycling and Waste Management, Water, and Sewer. Two of the programs—Water and Sewer are totally supported by user fees while two other programs— Recycling and Waste Management, and Cemetery, are primarily funded from fees.
Bob Mee proudly displays the American Flag from the Grounds lift truck on Public Works Day.
Infrastructure Improvements and Initiatives
The divisional reports that follow summarize a series of initiatives and accomplishments in 2007. Notable accomplishments include:
· The continued targeted roadway and sidewalk maintenance and management program resulted in the completion of approximately 5.3 miles of roadway and 2 miles of sidewalk improvements with substantial drainage related improvements throughout Concord.
· Phase I of the Warner’s Pond Dam rehabilitation was completed. This work included auxiliary spillway construction activities and placement of concrete walls, foundation backfilling, the construction of a stone façade and general earthwork. Phase II work will be completed next season.
· The completion and presentation of “The Status of Municipal Wastewater Treatment in Concord, Massachusetts” which details current discharge capacity limitations at the centralized treatment facility and the implications relating to smart growth, housing and development and re-development.
· The completion and final dep approval of the Deaconess well site drinking water treatment facility along with construction of a drinking water transmission line from the White Pond well site to this treatment facility.
· Substantial completion of the wastewater treatment plant upgrades which included a CoMag phosphorus reduction system, construction of a new head works, installation of a new ultra violet light disinfection system, improvements to the septage receiving area and modifications to the sludge handling process.
· Artificial Surface, Multi Purpose Field Project contract award and final completion of Phase I site work. Award of Phase II with final completion scheduled for spring 2008.
· Nashawtuc Bridge final design underway with Community Preservation Act funding in the amount of $250,000 recommended from the Community Preservation Committee.
· Town-wide traffic signalization project to investigate condition and functionality of traffic signalization system and provide plans and specifications for near-term and long-term construction improvements.
· Design of retaining wall for construction improvements at Main Street and Old Stow Road.
CPW Leadership and Innovation
· Creation of a new safety committee with members including supervisors, staff and program managers to evaluate current practices and develop standard operating procedures with the goal of increasing safety for CPW work operations and personnel.
· Development of a Department-wide environmental health and safety audit program to ensure environmental compliance in preparation for the epa self audit program.
· CPW’s Water Division was awarded the Center for Disease Control Water Fluoridation Quality Award.
Learning and Growth
One of the essential building blocks for a successful organization is that its employees are constantly learning and growing as individuals, co-workers, leaders and teammates. CPW continues to support a high level of training for its staff.
Public Works Week – Middle School Event
Concord Public Works invited the entire Concord Middle School eighth grade (230 students) to participate in Public Works Week events, planned by Anna Lipofsky of CPW and Doug Shattuck from the Middle School. CPW staff had presentations at the Wastewater Treatment Plant, Deaconess Well Site, Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, Kenney Lane and 133 Keyes Road, on virtually all aspects of public works endeavors, after which the entire group enjoyed lunch at the riverfront park behind the Public Works facility. This was a wonderful collaborative event that we hope to continue.
Personnel
Ann Dorfman departed after over nine years of devoted service as Recycling and Disposal Program Administrator.
New employees who joined the Concord Public Works Team include: Brian McAnulty – Cemetery Division; Bill Renault – Engineering Division; Nancey Carroll – Administration Division; and Glenn Gill – Water/Sewer Division.
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