The Village of Spring Grove, Ill., is a small community of less than 6,000 along the Illinois-Wisconsin border in northern McHenry County. The public works department consisting of six full-time and two seasonal employees is responsible for maintaining 78 miles of roads, including hot asphalt patching and crack sealing completed entirely with department staff. Department staff is also responsible maintenaning 152 acres of parks and five acres of municipal property. Other maintenance duties include assisting with operating the wastewater and water systems.
In 2011, department staff played a key role rehabilitating the Fish Hatchery property. The included the construction of an education center inside the lower level of the hatchery building. In winter, the maintenance department has developed its own brine production and blending system, which has lowered the amount of salt needed during operations and improved the level of service it provides residents. Because of the extent of work completed by department staff with a limited budget, the program has gained the attention of local communities that have sought the input and assistance of the department in implementing programs in their communities.
Department of the month
PW is looking for public works departments or crews that have gone above and beyond to complete a job or contribute to the success of their department in a unique way. Do you know one that we should be talking to? Let us know at [email protected].
