City Prepares To Observe National Public Works Week; Special Event May 20
CITY PREPARES TO OBSERVE
NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK
Week will include mayoral proclamation,
truck displays, presentations, booths at Main Street Square;
‘Name The Garbage Truck’ winners to be announced
RAPID CITY, SD—When it comes to multi-tasking or juggling – the art of keeping two or more activities in progress at the same time – you’d be hard-pressed to find a better example than the multi-faceted crews that make up the City’s Public Works Department.
The Department includes more than 260 employees working in six divisions that are critical to the quality of life in the Rapid City community on a daily basis. The overall purpose of the Rapid City Public Works Department is to protect the health of the community by providing safe and reliable drinking water, wastewater collection and treatment, storm water collection and drainage, solid waste disposal, public transit, transportation systems and mapping services and data.
Next week is National Public Works Week in the United States and the City is promoting the observance with a day of activities and displays at Main Street Square. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday. Public Works equipment and trucks will be on display, along with information booths and City public works staff and crews available to provide information and demonstrations of their work.
Rapid City’s National Public Works Week observance will include:
*The Public Works Day at Main Street Square will involve static displays of Public Works equipment and trucks including a street sweeper and brine truck from the City Streets Division, a collection truck from Solid Waste, a backhoe from the Water Division, and an excavator and TV van from the Water Reclamation Division.
*The nine winners of the ‘Name The Garbage Truck’ contest will be announced at 2 p.m. during the Public Works Day events
*A proclamation from Rapid City Mayor Steve Allender declaring May 16-22 as National Public Works Week in Rapid City. The proclamation will be presented by Mayor Allender at Monday night’s City Council meeting, which starts at 6:30 p.m. in Council Chambers.
*The City will be promoting the work of Public Works departments and staff through special messaging on the City’s social media platform, including profiles of the department divisions and interesting local
facts involving public works.
“Along with police and fire, the role of the City’s public works department is critical in providing, maintaining and overseeing a range of services to the community that are essential to the welfare and quality of life for our citizens,” said City Public Works Director Dale Tech.
“Our department staff and crews work in six key divisions. They are dedicated and committed professionals and work tirelessly to provide numerous services, maintain our infrastructure and protect the health, safety and environment of Rapid City.”
An overview of the City’s Public Works Department divisions and their duties:
*Street Division: Provides the public with safe, clean and well-maintained street and pedestrian systems for the convenience and safety of the public.
*Engineering Services: Plan, organize and direct the engineering services related to the master planning, development, maintenance and improvement of City infrastructure; maintenance of traffic operation systems; and the Geographic Information Systems to provide mapping services, data and technical support to the staffs of City of Rapid City, Pennington County and the public.
*Rapid Transit: Provide local residents and visitors with a safe, affordable and reliable public transportation service
*Solid Waste: Provide for the orderly, efficient and safe collection, recycling and disposal of waste
*Water: Provide adequate and safe water for domestic, industrial and fire protection purposes
*Water Reclamation: Protect the public health by providing for efficient and economical collection and treatment of wastewater and storm water.