On the Job: South Windsor’s Outstanding Public Works Department

On the Job: South Windsor’s Outstanding Public Works Department

M. Saud Anwar
Mayor, South Windsor

 As the adage says, if you really want to learn about someone, try “walking in his/her shoes.”  Like all South Windsor residents, I am the beneficiary of the tasks performed by the Public Works Department. Their work has an immediate and direct impact on all of our residents. In an effort to gain a better understanding of what Public Works employees experience, I rode in a plow truck during a recent snow storm. This is an essential and impressive service which is performed under difficult conditions. I also took the time to talk with many workers and managers of the department. These conversations have given me a better appreciation of the hard work and amount of coordination that is required to keep South Windsor in the best condition.

While the Public Works employees are most visible during snow storms, they constantly perform a number of other critical functions. These include: engineering projects, road design & drainage, inspections, and periodic reviews. Public Works employees also complete road improvements, service a fleet of 350 pieces of equipment – valued at $10 million – maintain 16 town buildings and structures, collect refuse for 9600 homes and recycle 2600 tons of material each year.

Among our town’s services is the GIS dashboard, where a resident can go to www.southwindsor.org/csrdashboard to place a service request, check on the leaf harvest, and monitor snow removal status. Few other towns offer a leaf collection program comparable to that of South Windsor. Our town has been a pioneer in salt calibration training, which helps to protect our resources. The Public Works Department has received an award for recycling and a Special Achievement Award for ESRI, an international supplier of Geographic Information System. GIS supplies information to over 500,000 customers, worldwide.

 Maintaining South Windsor’s 140 miles of roads is an enormous task. Roads are in constant need of repair. However, staffing has not changed, significantly. The number of supervisors remains at the same level as 1967 (when we just had 86 miles of roads). Garage staffing is about the same as it was in 1989. The dedication of our employees, their hard work and devotion - despite personnel levels – helps to keep our taxes in check. As mayor, I have the opportunity to speak with mayors from other towns. It has become clear to me that South Windsor has one of the finest Public Works Departments in the region. I want to recognize and thank all the employees for their hard work and contributions to our town.