Maitland City Talk

National Public Works Week, May 18 through May 24, is a celebration of the tens of thousands of men and women throughout North America who provide and maintain the infrastructure and services collectively known as public works. On this 54th anniversary of National Public Works Week, the city of Maitland recognizes the 60 men and women within the public works department who operate and maintain our public works systems and programs. Public works is responsible for providing drinking, irrigation, and fire-protection water services. We also perform all of the upkeep of city buildings, city vehicles and equipment, city-owned streets, and grounds maintenance tasks for all city-owned properties, and engineering services. These responsibilities also include the protection and maintenance of all the lakes, storm drains, and wastewater collection systems within the city, as well as preservation and maintenance responsibilities for more than 110 sites including buildings, grounds, rights-of-way, ball fields, parks, and undeveloped lots. Along with these responsibilities, the public works department also provides staff liaisons for two city advisory boards, the Transportation Advisory Board and the Lakes Advisory Board. If you are interested in serving on any of the city’s volunteer boards or commissions, please contact the City Clerk’s office at [email protected].

These systems and programs are often unseen by the general public, and the city’s public works department usually plays the part of the “people behind the scenes.” Success in our work is marked by silence. When our phones start ringing, it usually means something went wrong.

This year’s Public Works Week theme is “Building for Today — Planning for Tomorrow.” “Building” points out the day-to-day aspect of public works that is the quality of life, while “Planning” references the sustainable practices that ensure the quality of life for future generations.

— Rick Lemke, Public Works Director