Public Works Culture That Works with Tom Esch

Public Works Culture That Works with Tom Esch

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2197993/fan_mail/new] In this first episode of Season 4 we are talking about culture in Public Works. Culture is one of those words that can make field crews roll their eyes, until you tie it to the things they care about most: going home safe, working with less drama, and trusting the people around them. We unpack what “public works culture” looks like when it is real, measurable, and built on purpose, not just talked about in a meeting.  We’re joined by Tom Esch, who coaches construction firms and public works agencies on culture, communication, empathy, and safety. Tom shares the winding road that brought him here, including a pivotal safety incident from his construction supply days that pushed him toward training thousands of operators and helping organizations prevent the next tragedy. From there, we dig into a powerful case study where a sewer and water group reduced injuries by about 70% over three years, and how that shift improved morale, reduced HR blowups, and made the department a place people wanted to join.  We also get practical about leadership development in public works: why great operators often get promoted without communication tools, how “rank and power” can quietly shut people down, and why that becomes a safety hazard when nobody feels safe speaking up. Tom breaks down his “If You Want Accountability, Start with Empathy” framework and the exact kind of language that helps supervisors hold standards without going full old-school. We close with a simple, repeatable approach to safety culture training that includes surveys, feedback, reinforcement, and mentoring so the message actually sticks on the job site.  If you found value here, subscribe to the podcast, share it with a colleague, and leave a review so more public works leaders can find the show. What part of your culture needs the most attention right now? Show Notes: Esch Consulting Website: https://eschconsulting.com/ Check out Tom's book, Personal Accountability and Power https://eschconsulting.com/book/ Tom Esch Case Study: How We Reduced Worker Injuries by 70% https://eschconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/Culture-Eats-Safety-for-Breakfast-How-We-Lowered-Injuries-70.pdf

AI in the Sky - Brought to you By AI

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2197993/fan_mail/new] In this episode I welcome one of my favorite Public Works Nerds, Brian Simmons from Bolton & Menk. Brian and I look back at our recent presentation on Artificial Intelligence in Public Works - titled AI in the Sky - at the 2025 APWA PWX in Chicago.  We also critique and marvel at an AI generated podcast that was created using just our slide deck from that presentation. In between this and the jokes, we also talk about AI applications in Public Works that will be disruptive in a good way for Public Works professionals.  Below is the AI Generated Episode Description, which I must say I'm a bit disappointed with this time. Thanks for listening! -------------------------------------- AI GENERATED (Buzzsprout) DESCRIPTION What if your city could turn weeks of fieldwork into decisions in a matter of days? We sat down together at a buzzing conference hall to unpack how AI and uncrewed aerial systems are shifting public works from manual, inconsistent surveys to fast, reliable insights you can act on. Our lens is practical: remove the dull, dirty, dangerous, and repetitive tasks so crews can spend more time fixing the real problems and less time hunting for them. We start with pavement. Using vehicle-mounted imaging and computer vision, tools like Violytics generate network-wide PCI ratings with surprising speed—plus bonus detections like faded signs and sunken structures. That means fresher data for budget talks, clearer maps for crews, and consistent baselines you can trust. We then jump underground, where hours of CCTV “dirty videos” turn into prioritized worklists with platforms like SewerAI. Let the model find cracks, offsets, and roots; let engineers review, rank, and dispatch. The human stays in charge, and the algorithm never gets tired. From there, we head to the sky. Drones paired with edge AI are quietly transforming inspections for cell towers, water towers, utilities, and urban forests—spotting defects and tracking disease without sending staff into harm’s way. We talk policy and privacy too: how to balance FOIA, data governance, and model provenance so IT can say yes with confidence. And we lean into what’s next: agentic AI that writes first drafts, cleans up slide decks, suggests dashboards, and eventually orchestrates systems—think stormwater storage decisions guided by sensors, weather forecasts, and smart controls. If you care about smoother roads, smarter budgets, safer inspections, and stronger asset management, this conversation is your field guide. Subscribe for more Public Works Nerds deep dives, share with a teammate who needs a spark, and leave a review with the first AI workflow you want to try.

Vote for Marc(k)! Marks, Mentors and Making Normal Happen

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2197993/fan_mail/new] Two Marks trade friendly jabs while making a serious case for APWA: vote, get involved, and mentor the next generation. Join Mark Ray and me, Marc Culver, as we walk through the Minnesota chapter ballot, unpack what the board actually does, and share practical ways to lead well and care for yourself. • APWA Minnesota election overview and why turnout matters • Department rebrand from operations and maintenance to public works • What the APWA board does and why representation matters • Candidate spotlights across municipal, consultant and regional roles • Mentorship as legacy, mock interviews and LinkedIn as a living log • Self‑care as leadership capacity in high‑stakes seasons • Communicating long‑horizon infrastructure value to communities • PWX conferences, LTAP and LRRB resources, and how to plug in Vote for Marc. Vote for Mark. Help us spread the word on the podcast. Drop us a comment on LinkedIn, like our posts, what have you. It really helps us spread the word.

Storm Warriors: Managing Private Stormwater Infrastructure with Ryan Johnson from the City of Roseville, MN

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2197993/fan_mail/new] I'm excited to welcome my good friend and former colleague Ryan Johnson to the show. Ryan is the Environmental Manager for the City of Roseville in Minnesota and is my favorite storm water and water resources guru. Ryan joins me in this episode to talk about the underappreciated role of making sure that private stormwater BMP's are properly maintained. I know, exciting! But it is. And it is certainly very important for the overall efficiency of the public stormwater system as well. Enjoy! AI Generated Description: Private stormwater device maintenance is vital to the overall operation of municipal stormwater systems, especially for meeting retention and treatment goals. Ryan Johnson shares his expertise as Roseville's Environmental Manager on managing these often-overlooked infrastructure components. • Ryan's background includes working with Ramsey County on residential BMPs and critical area stabilizations before joining Roseville • Roseville faces unique challenges as a first-ring suburb built in the 50s-60s with limited stormwater planning • Private property BMPs are essential when municipalities can't handle all stormwater management alone • Maintenance of underground chambers requires regular inspection and cleaning of pretreatment structures • Proactive maintenance is far more cost-effective than emergency repairs or city enforcement • Roseville created a comprehensive program with maintenance agreements, plans, and code enforcement • Property owner education is crucial as many don't realize they have stormwater infrastructure • The city can perform abatements when property owners fail to maintain their systems • Success stories include both the property owner who immediately took action and challenging sites requiring enforcement • Future plans include potentially offering inspection services similar to private hydrant programs Contact your local municipal stormwater team if you're uncertain about the maintenance requirements for stormwater infrastructure on your property.

Talking Asset Management: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow with Jon Kremer from OpenGov

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2197993/fan_mail/new] This episode a great deep dive into asset management with arguably the premier asset management system on the market today. I've been working with Cartegraph since 2010 and have been very impressed with their software and vision for constant improvement. Join me as I welcome Jon Kremer, self proclaimed Product CEO for the Cartegraph Asset Management System at OpenGov, and we talk about how clients are using Cartegraph today, how it has evolved over the decades, and where it is going in the future. Enjoy! https://opengov.com/products/asset-management/ AI Generated Episode Description: Every public works professional eventually confronts the challenge of asset management. How do you track thousands of infrastructure elements, maintain them efficiently, and plan for their eventual replacement? It's a question that combines technology, human behavior, and financial planning in ways that can make or break a department's effectiveness. John Kramer, who leads product management for OpenGov's Enterprise Asset Management system, formerly known as, takes us through the fascinating evolution of asset management systems. From his early days implementing solutions for municipalities across America to his current role designing the future of these platforms, Kramer shares insights that apply to organizations of every size. The conversation explores how asset management has transformed from paper-based workflows to cloud systems accessible from smartphones. What's remarkable is how the fundamentals remain consistent—you're still tracking the same basic information about signs, water mains, and park equipment—while the methods for collecting and using that data have revolutionized daily operations. As Kramer explains, success depends on a "three-legged stool" of products, people, and processes working together. We dive into implementation strategies that work, discussing how starting with smaller, focused rollouts often proves more effective than attempting organization-wide adoption. The most successful departments find champions who naturally gravitate to the technology and then leverage their enthusiasm to spread adoption organically. The conversation then turns to exciting future developments: connected systems that integrate asset data with financial planning, Internet of Things sensors providing real-time monitoring, and artificial intelligence applications that can identify assets from photographs and optimize work scheduling. Whether you're considering your first asset management implementation or looking to improve an existing system, this episode offers practical wisdom from decades of experience across hundreds of municipalities. Share your thoughts or questions with us on LinkedIn at Public Works Nerds.