This week we start what will become a series of podcasts chronicling the journey of the City of Shakopee, MN through the APWA Accreditation process. Shakopee decided to take this on several months ago and a couple of months into the process at the time of this recording. This is a great conversation about why Shakopee decided to do this, how they f…

In our 32nd episode we are joined by the City of Edina's Master Electrician and Supervisor Noah Silver. Noah guides us through this nerd session on Electric Vehicles and the required infrastructure to support them. Join us for a transformative discussion on how the City of Edina is spearheading the future of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastru…

This week we may have to temporarily rename the podcast "The Parks and Recreations Nerds" as we welcome Matt Johnson, Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Roseville. Along with my guest co-host Bryce Shearan, a colleague of mine at Bolton & Menk and former Parks and Recreation Director at the City of Little Canada. Bryce also hosts anot…

We are back for our 30th episode here at The Public Works Nerds! Here is the AI Generated Description. I have to call it out because I can't take credit for this prose: Unlock the secrets to transforming public perception and securing project funding through masterful communication with our esteemed guest, Sara Renney, Carver County's communication…

Join us for Take 2 of the Nerds Unplugged where I sit down with Deb Heiser, Engineering Director for the City of St. Louis Park, MN, and Richard McCoy, Public Works Director and City Engineer for the City of Robbinsdale, MN. We recap the last four episodes and chat about some random topics like college tours, bridge collapses, and infrastructure fu…

Episode 8 of Season 2 features Chris Evers, a 2023 APWA Top Ten Public Works Leader award winner. That's why I contacted Chris, but I'm so happy I did for many reasons. First of all, I was finally able to nerd out on pavement maintenance. But I was also able to meet a pretty funny, smart, and gracious person in Chris Evers. And since Chris brought …

This episode took some time to get out there! Blame vacations and some tech issues, but I am finally dropping the 7th episode in Season 2 - and its a good one! Super fan and Tree Nerd Hannibal Hayes from the City of Minnetonka, MN joins me to talk about using technology to better manage the urban forest. We go off on some tangents about Emerald Ash…

Tom Service talks to Sir Mark Elder about the legacy that he is leaving behind him after 24 years as Music Director at the Hallé Orchestra. He talks to Tom about Charles Hallé and his mission to set up an orchestra for all the people of Manchester, and how his ethos is still central to the orchestra today. Not only has mark Elder evolved the sound …

This week I'm joined by a Smart Cities team from Raleigh, North Carolina. Jim Alberque is the GIS and Emerging Technology Manager for the City of Raleigh and John Holden is the Smart City Manager for Raleigh. We talk about what does Smart Cities mean for Raleigh and how is the City focusing on different efforts under this umbrella. We cover quite a…

Tom Service talks to pianist and writer, Susan Tomes, about her new book Women and the Piano - a History in 50 Lives. Those lives include well-known names today, from Clara Schumann to Nina Simone, but also many women like Marianne Martinez who have been eclipsed from previous histories of pianists. Tom and Susan discuss how women went from being t…

Presented by Tom Service. This week, Tom talks to the American mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato about her life in music, and her creative mission to challenge the status quo. From her work in refugee camps, to her long relationship with the maximum security prison SingSing in New York State, as well as in concert halls and opera stages, DiDonato confou…

In this episode I sit down with my hometown Public Works Director, Sean Kershaw. As any public works nerd knows, we are at times over critical of those that serve us where we live, and we most likely have experienced that heightened scrutiny from current and retired public works professionals that live in our communities. It can be good, reaffirmin…

Sara Mohr-Pietsch talks to renowned American pianist, Jeremy Denk, ahead of his Wigmore Hall recital of Bach Partitas. He discusses his passion for Bach and the profound impact and connection he has when he plays his music. Sara talks to Grammy-nominated composer Missy Mazzoli ahead of the day-long immersion into her work with the BBC Symphony Orch…

Welcome to the first Nerds Unplugged episode! Deb Heiser, Michael Thompson and Mark Ray join me as a panel of opinionated Public Works professionals talking about random issues related to Public Works. This is planned to be a monthly or so feature where we recap recent podcast episodes, talk about public works issues in the news and give updates to…

Tom Service talks to composer Anna Meredith as her soundtrack to the poetic British film The End We Start From, and starring Jodie Comer, is featuring in cinemas across the UK. She talks in detail about the compositional process; from the very beginning as she hums a tune and records it onto her phone, to the workings required to produce music that…

Kate Molleson talks to pianist Tamara Stefanovich. A champion of 20th and 21st century music, Tamara explains her deep connection with the music of now, how global politics have shaped her life in music, and her insatiable appetite for learning which meant she skipped seven years of school. Kate meets Irish fiddler Martin Hayes who shares his thoug…

Join us for our first of hopefully many conversations with an APWA Top Ten Public Works Leader. In this episode we are joined by a Public Works Nerds Podcast veteran, Russ Matthys. In 2023, Russ was one of 10 professionals named a Top Ten Public Works Leader by APWA. We talk to Russ about the award and what that means to him. We also talk about a n…

Tom Service meets French pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet during his recital tour where he performs both books of Debussy’s Préludes. His 1996 recording of the pieces has just been re-released on vinyl with artwork created by his friend Vivienne Westwood, shortly before she died. Jean-Yves talks to Tom about the need to collaborate, his love of Debussy,…

Tom Service meets Finnish soprano, Karita Mattila as she prepares for her role as Klytämnestra in Strauss’s Elektra at the Royal Opera House in London. She talks to him about the roles her voice now allows her to sing 40 years after winning the Cardiff Singer of the World competition. Tom drops in on rehearsals at Song in Sign, the latest project f…

Discover the transformative power of recycling and how it intertwines with community economics in our latest Public Works Nerds podcast episode. I, Marc Culver, am joined by the insightful Kate Davenport, co-President of Eureka Recycling, who not only shares her personal journey from climate activism to leading a nonprofit recycling enterprise but …

Tom Service speaks to the conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Music Director of the Montreal Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Metropolitan Opera in New York. He is one of the starriest and most sought-after conductors in the world. also one of the most loved by the musicians who work with him. Nézet-Séguin is guest conductor to some of…

Sara Mohr-Pietsch talks to one of the 21st-century's leading creative artists – the American composer and interdisciplinary artist, Meredith Monk. Celebrating her 80th birthday the year before last, Meredith’s creativity spans decades and traverses site-specific works and happenings in the 60s, through films during the 70s and 80s, to an impressive…

Unlock the secrets of how cities are combatting the pernicious issue of lead in our drinking water, as Chelsea Alger and Dave Malm from Bolton & Menk join us to dissect the monumental task of lead service line replacement. With the Flint water crisis still fresh in our memories, we explore the complexities of updating water service inventories, the…

Kate Molleson travels to Budapest to meet Hungary’s greatest living composer, György Kurtág, now 97 years old. Kurtag talks to Kate about the musical homages that he has made to friends, his early focus on the clarity of single notes at the time he wrote his Op.1 String Quartet, the influence of languages on his compositional style, and his new ope…

Tom Service talks to Anthony McGill, Principal Clarinettist with the New York Philharmonic, as he commences his tenure as Artist-in-Residence at Milton Court in London. They discuss his recent performances of Anthony Davis powerful and operatic work for clarinet and orchestra, You Have the Right to Remain Silent, and his Grammy nominated album, Ame…

Ahead of the release of Maestro, Bradley Cooper’s long-awaited film about Leonard Bernstein, Sara Mohr-Pietsch talks to the conductor and composer’s daughters - Jamie and Nina - about their parents' relationship, listening to music with their father as children, and how it feels to see their lives recreated on screen. Sara is joined by critics Jess…

As his new recordings with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra of the complete symphonies of Anton Bruckner - all eleven of them - hit the record stores, Tom Service speaks to the German conductor Christian Thielemann. He tells Tom about what had, for him, been a burning desire to embark on the journey to record all of the composer’s symphonies, as w…

It's our 20th episode! Which is milestone in and of itself. Considering 90% of podcasts don't make it past 3 episodes, we're in pretty good company. I am joined by our first episode guest, Mark Ray, Public Works Director and City Engineer for the City of Crystal, MN. Mark, who is one of the most positive people I know, helps me review the season an…

This week we dive into the intricate world of waste management with Rachel Lindholm, the Sustainability Specialist from the City of Richfield, Minnesota. In this episode we talk about how Richfield implemented organized collection, managed recycling services and started both a drop off and curb side organics collection system. Listen in as we nerd …

Join us and we talk with the Officers of the Minnesota Chapter of APWA. We talk about the history of the chapter, the committees, conferences, and their strategic plan. This is a lively and fun discussion with some very dedicated and devoted public works nerds! Our distinguished guests - President Monica Heil, Vice President Jupe Hale, Secretary/Tr…

Presenter Sara Mohr-Pietsch speaks to one of the most treasured and celebrated British mezzo-sopranos, Dame Janet Baker. Following the recent celebrations of her 90th birthday, she reflects on her life in music, the physical and mental toll of performance, and a singer’s responsibility to always serve both the composer and the musical score. Servin…

In our 17th episode we talk to two GIS Nerds, Adam Carnow from ESRI and John Shain from Bolton & Menk. In the spirit of the AI movement, which we talk about in this episode, specifically GeoAI, I'm going to let the AI generated episode description say the rest - I usually consider this too wordy to use for the actual episode descriptions and end up…

Kate Molleson is joined by South African cellist, singer and composer Abel Selaocoe with his cello in tow, as he prepares to tour this autumn with The Bantu Ensemble. Abel talks about the "swirling cultures" from which he takes his inspiration, whether it's the different church traditions in South Africa or the music of JS Bach, and he treats us to…

In this episode Deb Heiser and I nerd out about the City Engineers Association of Minnesota, a unique organization of municipal engineers. We talk about CEAM's mission, committees and purpose. We also dive into what role CEAM plays in the distribution of Minnesota's gas tax. We would love to hear from others about how your state's gas tax is distri…

Meet Ross Bittner, Engineering Services Manager from Edina, Minnesota, who has an extraordinary passion for water resources and a knack for innovation. Ross and I nerd out in this episode about a new Adaptive Level Control System that the City of Edina is using to create additional storage in a stormwater pond in advance of rain events. Listen in a…

This week we are joined by Nick Egger, Public Works Director for the City of Rosemount, MN. Nick steps back to his time with the City of Hastings, MN and the management of a water contamination event in 2018. Nick talks about how they discovered the contamination, lessons learned about communication, and working with the state Department of Health.…

In this episode Marc and guest co-host Deb Heiser talk to Paul Pasko from Electro Scan, Inc. Paul talks about using new technologies to assess the condition of water and sewer pipes. We also talk about using trenchless techniques to rehabilitate pipes and how the future of pipe replacement will be finding small segments to replace/rehabilitate vers…

Marc and Mike go solo in this episode focusing on Traffic Engineering for Cities. Leveraging Mike's years of compiling data and producing reports and guides for various traffic related issues at the City level, the Public Works Nerds tackle a couple of frequent complaints such as speeding, request for stop signs and crosswalks. We also touch briefl…

What happens when you merge the world of public works with drone technology? Our guest for today's episode, Brian Simmons, a Principal Engineer with Bolton & Menk, and tech enthusiast, shares his insights. A seasoned expert in the field, Brian provides us with an engaging primer on drones and UAVs, distinguishing between the two, and underscores th…

In this episode, Kevin Wright, Communications Manager for the City of Chaska, MN, talks to us about how to use Social Media for public works events and projects. We talk about how Chaska is using Social Media, what platforms they are on and where the public is engaging with the City on social media. We also talk about the recently released "20 Tips…

On Friday, July 21st, 2023 Mark Maloney will end his public works career after almost 29 years at the City of Shoreview, MN, and over 32 total years in the engineering and public works field. We are dropping this bonus episode one day before that official retirement to celebrate his remarkable career. Mark has been a role model for many of us in Mi…

In this episode we talk with Scott Grayson, CEO of the American Public Works Association (APWA). Scott talks about the new strategic directions for APWA, value to public works professionals, and some challenges to the industry such as workforce and DEI initiatives. We also talk about the value of Accreditation, which is offered by APWA for public w…

Pat Shea, General Manager of the St Paul Regional Water Service spends time with us nerds to talk about their mammoth Water Treatment Plant project including the use of Progressive Design Build to deliver the project. Pat also touches on the issue of lead service line replacement and how SPRWS's surface water source is unique in the nation. FURTHER…

In this episode, we talk about transportation systems with Deb Heiser, Engineering Director of St. Louis Park, MN. We discuss handling citizen requests,neighborhood meetings, how the city uses pilot projects to test traffic control changes in advance of street reconstruction projects, and her use of big data. Further Resources https://www.streetlig…

As Radio 3 marks the 400th anniversary of William Byrd’s death, Tom Service visits Lincoln Cathedral, the centre of musical activity where the composer held positions as organist and master of the basilica’s choristers early in his career. He talks to the scholar Magnus Williamson about how the building’s acoustics shaped Byrd’s compositional voice…

Ever wondered how cities manage their assets and infrastructure? Join us as we sit down with John Gorder and Russ Matthys from the City of Egan, two award-winning engineers, who have played an instrumental role in the city's growth and management. Throughout our discussion, we'll learn about the fascinating journey of Eagan's pavement management pr…

In this episode, we share our insights from the Smart Cities Connect conference in Denver, discussing the importance of data management for public agencies and how IoT sensors and video are revolutionizing the way we collect, analyze, and store data. We dive into the role of LiDAR in detecting pedestrians, bikes, and other objects in all light leve…

Presenter Sara Mohr-Pietsch explores the musical legacy of the Windrush generation, as part of the BBC's coverage of the 75th anniversary of HMT Empire Windrush's arrival at Tilbury Docks on 22nd June 1948. The composer Shirley J. Thompson joins Sara to discuss a new piano version of her one-singer opera with film, Women of the Windrush, and we hea…

What if you could reduce your reliance on salt and design better, more environmentally friendly winter maintenance strategies? Join us as we chat with Connie Fortin, the Low Salt Strategist at Bolton Mank, who shares her innovative approach to this challenge by collaborating with civil engineers, landscape architects, and planners. Discover the adv…

As the CBSO prepares for a summer of tours to Aldeburgh, Japan, and the BBC Proms, the orchestra’s new Chief Conductor Kazuki Yamada speaks to presenter Tom Service about the joy of music and the goosebumps he experiences while conducting. Tom travels to the South Downs to speak to Australian director Barrie Kosky about a new production, opening th…