News Flash

Mayor joe Gibbons read the "National Public Works Week" proclamation during the May 2, 2023, City Council meeting. He presented the proclamation to Public Works Operations Manager Jon Hogan and Vehicle Services Superintendent Beth McMahan.

"It was the late Kevin Greer, who was the Public Services Director for the City of Hickory, who once said, 'You don't find public services or public works, it finds you,' and that is very true," Public Works Manager Hogan said. "It takes a very special person to make a career out of public works."

The City of Lenoir Public Works Division has nearly 50 staff who:

• maintains and repairs the City's 45 public buildings
• manages three city cemeteries - Bellview, Blue Ridge, and Fairfield
• maintains and landscapes public greenspaces
• collects residential curbside garbage
• operates the Recycling Center on Pennton Avenue
• collects residential yard waste, leaves, and brush
• maintains more than 120 miles of City streets
• manages construction of new streets as well as new sections of the City’s greenway 
• maintains the City right-of-way and storm drains
• maintains and repairs more than 500 City vehicles and internal combustion equipment in the city fleet
• provides fuel for all City vehicles and some county fire departments and rescue squads

"Public works jobs are not always glamourous. The hours can be crazy, and our staff are working in some of the worst environments at times," Public Works Manager Hogan said. "Without these special people, we would not be where we are as a city. The theme this year is connecting public works with the world. We do help make the world go round, along with police, fire, water and sewer and utilities. It takes us all to keep things moving, so thank you for sharing the spotlight."

PROCLAMATION IN HONOR OF NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK

WHEREAS, Public Works Professionals focus on infrastructure, facilities and services that are of vital importance to sustainable and resilient communities and to the public health, high quality of life and well-being of the people of the City of Lenoir and,

WHEREAS, these infrastructure, facilities and services could not be provided without the dedicated efforts of  public works professionals, who are engineers, managers and employees at all levels of government and the private sector, who are responsible for rebuilding, improving and protecting our nation's transportation, water supply, water treatment and solid waste systems, public buildings, and other structures and facilities essential for our citizens; and

WHEREAS, it is in the public interest for the citizens, civic leaders and children in the City of Lenoir to gain knowledge of and to maintain a progressive interest and understanding of the importance of public works and public works programs in their respective communities; and

WHEREAS, the year 2023 marks the 63rd annual National Public Works Week sponsored by the American Public Works Association,

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Joseph L. Gibbons, Mayor, and on behalf of the Lenoir City Council, do hereby designate the week of May 21 - 27, 2023, as "National Public Works Week" and urge all citizens to join with representatives of governmental agencies and the American Public Works Association in activities and ceremonies designed to pay tribute to our Public works professionals, engineers and administrators and to recognize the substantial contributions they have made to our national health and welfare.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the City of Lenoir to be affixed this the 2nd day of May, 2023.

Joseph L. Gibbons, Mayor

Pictured from left: Councilman David Stevens, City Manager Scott Hildebran, Mayor Pro Tem Crissy Thomas, Councilman Ike Perkins, Mayor Joe Gibbons, Councilman Jonathan Beal, Public Works Operations Manager Jon Hogan, Public Services Director Radford Thomas, and Vehicle Services Superintendent Beth McMahan.