https://www.americancityandcounty.com/wp-content/themes/acc_child/assets/images/logo/footer-logo.png
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Hybrid Work
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcast
    • Latest videos
    • Product Guides
  • Resources & Events
    • Back
    • Resources
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • IWCE 2022
    • How to Contribute
    • Municipal Cost Index – Archive
    • Equipment Watch Page
    • American City & County Awards
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Cookie Policy
    • Privacy Statement
    • Terms of Service
American City and County
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Hybrid Work
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcasts
    • Latest videos
    • Product Guides
  • Resources/Events
    • Back
    • Webinars
    • White Papers/eBooks
    • IWCE Expo
    • Calendar of Events
    • How to Contribute
    • American City & County Awards
    • Municipal Cost Index
    • Equipment Watch Page
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Cookie Policy
    • Privacy Stament
    • Terms of Service
  • newsletter
  • Administration
  • Economy & Finance
  • Procurement
  • Public Safety
  • Public Works & Utilities
  • Smart Cities & Technology
  • Magazine
acc.com

Public Works & Utilities


Smart move

Smart move

Everything costs too much. No one can do anything right. Nothing lasts as long as it should. Customer care is the oxymoron of the age, and guarantees
  • Written by Ruby Putterlik
  • 1st August 2007

Everything costs too much. No one can do anything right. Nothing lasts as long as it should. Customer care is the oxymoron of the age, and guarantees are not worth the paper they are printed on. Unless, however, they are educational degrees or certifications that serve as proof of the holder’s competence. In that case, the paper can be far more valuable than the cost of obtaining it.

Recognizing the value of continuing education and proof of professionalism, organizations — such as the Kansas City, Mo.-based American Public Works Association (APWA), the Silver Springs, Md.-based Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) and The Rocky Mountain Fleet Manager’s Association (RMFMA) — have developed programs to certify individuals’ abilities in public works fields. From fleet management to landfill operation, city and county public works professionals are adopting certification and training programs to keep up to date and as opportunities to prove that they are masters of their crafts.

Moving up

RMFMA, an association of 1,000 public-sector fleet managers, offers Professional, Advanced and Master’s Degree certification designed to further the education and qualifications of fleet maintenance employees and improve their chances for advancement. For 18 years, RMFMA has offered four certifications in fleet management: one entry level, two advanced and one master’s. The latter involves as many as 28 textbooks on 2,200 different topics, says RMFMA Certifications Manager Kelly Walker, and is designed for the fleet employee looking to become a director of fleet operations. “[The entire program] is designed to take an entry-level person to middle management and ultimately to director,” he says.

A large part of RMFMA’s curriculum teaches fleet employees how to save money in their departments. “Other certifications are administrative-oriented and don’t focus on how to cut costs,” Walker says. “This program is management-oriented and directed at getting costs of the non-core function in line with the rest of city/county operation.”

The curriculum for the entry-level and advanced exams includes a two-day seminar and a 150- to 500-question test. Graduates of the Master’s Degree program are required to read a set of textbooks and must prepare a thesis. Currently, 500 members are enrolled in the Master’s Degree program. “When these guys come back [from certification at RMFMA], the employer can expect change and cost-cutting,” Walker says.

John Stockham, fleet manager for Clackamus County, Ore., earned RMFMA’s public sector professional certification in fleet management in 2005. He used what he learned to create a fleet management operation in Clackamus County, which, just one year ago, did not have a fleet management division.

Certified and bonafide

Certificate holders agree that much of the benefit of the programs comes from rubbing elbows and swapping solutions with peers, much like at an industry convention. “There are 50 to 70 participants per class who all bring their own stories to the classroom or water cooler,” says John Boss, a retired principal engineer for Camp Hill, Pa.-based Gannett Fleming and a teacher for SWANA’s voluntary certification program. Often, he says, participants discuss among themselves ways they have found to accomplish certain goals and solve problems.

Boss, a SWANA member since 1979, found the organization’s program in seven solid waste disciplines so helpful that he began to teach the classes. The organization offers three-day courses and half-day field exercises with three-hour exams in the fields of bioreactor landfills, collection systems, composting systems, construction and demolition debris, municipal solid waste management, landfill operation, recycling systems and transfer systems.

Certificates issued by SWANA are valid for three years and must be renewed by earning 30 continuing education units from conferences or courses over the initial three-year period or by re-taking the test every three years. SWANA has awarded approximately 7,500 certificates since the program began in 1987. Holding certification, Boss says, has not only helped people become eligible for positions to operate a landfill, but also helps them keep up with current knowledge of landfill operations. “The certificate, for either public or privately owned facilities presents the fact that owners or agencies are very interested in keeping their employees up to date on all the latest operations [and] technologies,” he says.

SWANA Executive Director John Skinner sees certification benefiting both the employer and individual, with the end result being professional competence and better performance. And, as a result Skinner says, “with certification, an individual is much more marketable.”

William Merry, executive director of the Monterey, Calif., Solid Waste Authority earned SWANA certification as manager of landfill operations in 1989. “I believe in certification in our industry,” Merry says. “I feel it helps to keep us as informed as we can be in our professional, day-to-day, year-to-year operation and puts us all on the same page in terms of information we’re dealing with and communicating with each other.”

On the move

About three years ago, an APWA study of its members revealed an interest in certification, and last September the organization launched a program for fleet managers. The first group of 22 certificate recipients has just been qualified.

Requirements were determined based on industry-wide acceptance of a “norm” against which a standard degree of proficiency could be tested and recorded, says Becky Stein, APWA certification manager. No class attendance or course completion is required to take the program’s examination, although APWA offers a reading list of study material.

Eligibility is determined by a combination of work experience and the applicant’s education. A high school graduate, for instance, is required to have worked nine of the preceding 11 years in the field to qualify for eligibility, while those with master’s degrees must be employed three of the preceding five years in the industry to satisfy eligibility requirements.

Once eligible, applicants have two-years to pass the examination and earn a Certified Public Fleet Professional (CPFP) Certification, which is presented at an awards ceremony. Re-certification is necessary at five-year intervals thereafter and requires 80 to 100 hours of continuing education.

Samuel Lamerato, fleet maintenance superintendent for Troy, Mich., helped develop the APWA certification program and is among the first to earn one. “Today,” Lamerato says, “a fleet manager has to know more than just how a vehicle performs and how to keep it on the road.” From parts availability and maintenance schedules to a myriad of other issues, the job has become far more complex, he says, and holding the certificate and adding the “CPFP” designation on his business card will identify a credentialed level of expertise.

Sharon Subadan, director of the Hillsborough County, Fla., Fleet Management Department, is among APWA’s first graduates who will receive their certificates next month at the APWA Annual Congress in San Antonio, Texas. Subadan oversees a fleet of 4,500 vehicles and other equipment. She decided to become certified because she wants to stay on top of the changes in the automotive and truck industry.

To the benefit of a landfill operator or the inspector looking over his shoulder, Merry says, certification is a bar which says that you have earned a specific level competence to perform your job. All those holding certification agree that the teaching materials become useful in future job performance. Lamerato has referred to APWA’s study guides often since receiving certification, and he highly recommends them when preparing for re-education. “It gives me a reference library I can turn to for solving future problems,” he says.

Ruby Putterlik is a Jacksonville, Fla.-based freelance writer.

What do APWA Certified Public Fleet Professionals know? For starters, they must pass a test that includes the following topics:

Operations

a. Maintenance of vehicle, equipment, facilities and fixed equipment

b. Parts

c. Fuel and lubricants management

d. Repair policies and strategies

General management and business

a. Strategic planning, business planning and marketing

b. Customer service and collaboration

c. Ethics

Asset management

a. Needs determination of vehicle, equipment and fixed equipment

b. Research acquisition of vehicle, equipment and fixed equipment

c. Use of vehicle, equipment and fixed equipment

d. Replacement of vehicle, equipment and fixed equipment

e. Disposal of vehicle, equipment and parts

Financial management

a. Budgeting

b. Cost recovery

c. Fleet operating purchasing

d. Vehicle replacement funding

e. Record keeping

Human resource management

a. Staffing

b. Work environment

c. Employee training

d. Policies and procedures

Risk management

a. Workplace safety management

b. Vehicle damage

c. Contract compliance

d. Regulatory compliance

Environmental management

a. Shop best practices

b. Regulatory compliance

Information management and technology systems

Grounds management certification now available

The Baltimore-based Professional Grounds Management Society (PGMS) has developed a Certified Grounds Manager (CGM) program that is officially endorsed by the Kansas City, Mo.-based American Public Works Association (APWA). To become a CGM, candidates must display specific levels of expertise in technical aspects, such as turf and ornamentals, as well as management of personnel, budgeting and resources. Candidates must have at least eight years of experience in the grounds maintenance field, with at least four years as a supervisor, and they must pass open- and closed-book tests and a peer review of their grounds. (Educational degrees may substitute for some experience.)

PGMS is offering a $50 discount for those interested in pursuing certification during the group’s 2007 School of Grounds Management & GIE+EXPO in Louisville, Ky., Oct. 24-27, 2007. It also is offering a reduced $100 testing fee for those who are pre-qualified for the CGM exam by Oct. 1 and registered for the PGMS School of Grounds Management. For more information, visit www.pgms.org/cgmcertification.htm.

Tags: Public Works & Utilities

Most Recent


  • last-mile
    How green last-mile infrastructure benefits your community
    Overseeing transportation is one of the most important jobs of municipal leaders as it underpins a wide range of aspects within a municipality, including its economy, community connectedness and the health of the local environment. One of the most deceptively challenging elements of effectively overseeing transportation is the development of last-mile transit infrastructure. That is, […]
  • metal buildings
    Metal buildings: Their versatility and durability suit them for public sector infrastructure
    Some cities and counties are looking at one structure type to help them meet their infrastructure needs, says Phil Skellorn, senior structural engineer at Buro Happold, an engineering and consulting services firm. “Some public owners are looking at metal buildings as an economical option.” Skellorn says metal buildings can offer advantages if the off-the-shelf product […]
  • parking
    The future of parking in the 15-minute city
    At first glance, the 15-minute city spells the end for the parking industry. Designed specifically to cut emissions from private car usage, the city planning model calls for decentralized neighborhoods where residents can live, learn, shop and work without needing to drive. The 15-minute city would enable people to get anywhere they need to go […]
  • Railway safety
    Local leaders, NLC gather on Capital Hill to advocate for railway safety legislation
    Following approval last week of the bipartisan Railway Safety Act by the Senate Commerce Committee—with an added amendment commissioning the National Academy of Sciences to study frequently blocked railway crossings—local leaders continued their push for its full Congressional approval Wednesday at an advocacy briefing on Capitol Hill hosted by the National League of Cities (NLC).  […]

Leave a comment Cancel reply

-or-

Log in with your American City and County account

Alternatively, post a comment by completing the form below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • How local governments can get ahead of the infrastructure wave: Strategies to mitigate risk
  • Prioritizing rapid restore leads to stronger ransomware attack recovery
  • Ultrafast electric vehicle charging will propel local governments into the future
  • The Colonial Pipeline attack: What it means for critical infrastructure, and why businesses need to have a plan in place

White papers


5 reasons why Plan Examiners need Objective Trapeze

30th May 2023

7 Permitting & Licensing Fails Slowing Community Growth

24th May 2023

The Secret Ingredient to Local Government Employee Retention

23rd May 2023
view all

Webinars


How to Centralize and Build a Grants Management Process at your Organization

24th May 2023

Making Permitting Easier: What We’ve Learned Helping America’s Largest Cities Improve Their Permitting Process

16th May 2023

Digital Property Tax Collection: Tales from the Trenches of Modernization

16th May 2023
view all

PODCAST


Young Leaders Episode 4 – Cyril Jefferson – City Councilman, High Point, North Carolina

13th October 2020

Young Leaders Episode 3 – Shannon Hardin – City Council President, Columbus, Ohio

27th July 2020

Young Leaders Episode 2 – Christian Williams – Development Services Planner, Goodyear, Ariz.

1st July 2020
view all

GALLERIES


Gallery: Annual index ranks America’s top performing cities; most are in the West

30th May 2023

Gallery: Top 10 American cities for seasonal and summer jobs

25th May 2023

Gallery: 10 of America’s most affordable cities

9th May 2023
view all

Twitter


AmerCityCounty

Digital government comes with massive benefits — and new considerations, from accessibility to security to customer… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

31st May 2023
AmerCityCounty

5 reasons why Plan Examiners need Objective Trapeze dlvr.it/Sptl5z

30th May 2023
AmerCityCounty

Navigating crises with confidence: Five ways strategic plans support crisis response dlvr.it/SptVKN

30th May 2023
AmerCityCounty

Gallery: Annual index ranks America’s top performing cities; most are in the West dlvr.it/SpszdK

30th May 2023
AmerCityCounty

2022 Crown Communities Award winner: Miami-Dade County Clerk of Courts’ jury selection system dlvr.it/SphCBk

26th May 2023
AmerCityCounty

Gallery: Top 10 American cities for seasonal and summer jobs dlvr.it/SpdFWy

25th May 2023
AmerCityCounty

How to leverage digital tools to drive innovation in government dlvr.it/Spcktb

25th May 2023
AmerCityCounty

With many cities facing a fiscal cliff as ARPA funding ends, debt ceiling debate continues on Capitol Hill dlvr.it/SpZLph

24th May 2023

Newsletters

Sign up for American City & County’s newsletters to receive regular news and information updates about local governments.

Resale Insights Dashboard

The Resale Insights Dashboard provides model-level data for the entire used equipment market to help you save time and money.

Municipal Cost Index

Updated monthly since 1978, our exclusive Municipal Cost Index shows the effects of inflation on the cost of providing municipal services

Media Kit and Advertising

Want to reach our digital audience? Learn more here.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • IWCE’s Urgent Communications
  • IWCE Expo

WORKING WITH US

  • About Us
  • Contact Us

FOLLOW American City and County ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2023 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.