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Purpose

The Wisconsin APWA Excellence in Snow and Ice Control Award was established to promote the best practices in snow and ice removal while minimizing environmental impacts.

Eligibility

Any public works agency actively involved in snow and ice removal and operations is eligible to apply. Public works is defined as the physical structures and facilities that are developed, owned, and maintained by public agencies to house governmental functions and provide water, power, waste disposal, transportation, and similar public services, in accordance with established public policy. APWA membership is not required. No sitting member of the Awards committee, or the member’s respective agency, shall be eligible for the award.

No previous award winner shall be considered for a repeat award for a period less than five years. All previous award winners will be judged on the continuous improvement of their snow and ice control program as it relates to improvements in technology, equipment, and service since they received their last award.

One award will be given per population tier. The population tiers are as follows:
  • Under 10,000 population
  • Between 10,000 and 25,000 population
  • Over 25,000 population
Selection

The award winner(s) is selected by the Wisconsin APWA Awards Committee. All applications will be scored with the Wisconsin APWA Excellence in Snow and Ice Control rubric.

Criteria

The nomination should explain the agency’s programs and accomplishments and address each category in the order shown below. The agency should include and expand on any sustainable program or solutions for each category as well. Agencies that do not have programs in all the categories listed are encouraged to apply, noting accomplishments in all the categories applicable, and stating if they do or do not have a certain program in place.

Supporting documentation is limited to 20 pages, exclusive of photographs. When possible, please provide high-resolution color photographs in jpg format. APWA will use these images for promotional purposes.

Categories:

 

1. Materials and Handling
  • Store granular materials in facilities with a watertight-covering, impermeable floor, and a door
  • Store brine and other liquid deicers in double-walled tanks
  • Develop a written storage and handling policy (attach to nomination)
  • Write a spill plan for granular and liquid deicers (attach to nomination)
  • Most recent DOT salt shed inspection report (attach to nomination)
2. Equipment
  • Provide a narrative description of improvements and equipment upgrades including:
  • Pavement temperature sensors installed in vehicles
  • Computer-controlled dispensing equipment (ground speed control)
  • Use of pre-wetting equipment
  • Use of anti-icing equipment
  • Recent pre-season maintenance checklist/s (attach to nomination)
3. Training
  • Facilitate a comprehensive pre-season training that focuses on the agency’s commitment to excellence in snow and ice control including minimizing environmental harm
  • Pre-season dry run of the route for all staff (noting changes to lanes, high risk areas, etc.)
  • Provide pre-season technical skills practice for new staff
  • Training manual, if applicable (attach to nomination)
  • Training presentation, if applicable (attach to nomination)
4. Community Outreach
  • Maintain and update a website that includes your snow and ice policy, description of best management practices, winter parking info, etc.
  • Participate in passive community outreach: social media, mailings, PSAs, share AVL data, etc.
  • Engage with the local media (examples: connect with local meteorologists to advance public knowledge, share storm response alerts with local news teams, ride-alongs with TV staff, etc.)
  • Coordinate active (in-person) community outreach: participate in parades, present at local community group meetings, outreach with local K-12 schools including field trips, classroom visits, etc.
5. Technical
  • Employ various sources of weather information (Remote Weather Information Systems (RWIS), etc.)
  • Incorporate AVL/GIS tracking and describe how your agency has used this information to improve and streamline the program
  • Pavement condition sensors
6. Environmental
  • Calibrate all equipment (granular and liquid) annually, pre-season and again if components get replaced or repaired
  • Snow and Ice Policy centers that need to use chemical deicers only as needed focusing on mechanical removal
  • Choose segmented blades appropriate for your road surface to maximize mechanical removal
  • Demonstrate commitment to environmental stewardship through special protections for sensitive areas (if applicable), participation in inter-agency collaborations, outreach efforts, etc.
  • Agency’s application rate chart (attach to nomination)
7. Post Storm Action Plan
  • Debrief storm responses with staff
  • Describe learnings from previous season and plan to improve/address pain points
  • Event and seasonal storm response summary reports (attach to nomination)
8. Leadership
  • Lead/co-lead webinars, open houses, or local trainings that support industry adoption of best management practices
  • Educate local elected or appointed officials on winter maintenance program updates/upgrades by presentations or other communications (attach presentations, etc.)
  • Promote best practices by writing articles for local papers, the APWA Reporter, etc. or presenting at state or regional conferences
Nomination Process

Nominations can be made by the managing public agency. Submittal should include supporting documentation, limited to 20 pages, that clearly addresses the categories outlined above.

Projects that receive a Chapter Award will automatically be forwarded by the Awards Committee to the National APWA competition in time to meet the national deadline.

The submittal should be sent to Jennifer Barlas, Wisconsin Chapter Awards Chair at jbarlas@baxterwoodman.com.

Deadline
  • October 25, 2024, 12:00 pm, Central Time; electronic submittals only.
Presentation

The award winner(s) is presented with a plaque at the Wisconsin Chapter Spring Conference and will be featured in the chapter newsletter and website.

   Nomination Form 

Scoring Criteria

SUBMISSION DEADLINE
October 25, 2024, 12:00 pm CT

AWARD TYPE
Public Works Industry Award

 

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