Public Works Radio

Accreditation in Public Works: Much More than Meets the Eye

In today’s episode of Public Works Radio, the official podcast of the American Public Works Association, we’re talking all things accreditation with our guest Troy Shaw, PE, the Director of Public Works and City/County Engineer for the Unified Government of Wyandotte County, Kansas City, Kansas. We’re also joined by Jeanette Klamm, the Associate Director of Credentialing with APWA.
A structured documentation framework is essential in public works. It’s the backbone of risk management, capturing institutional knowledge, leadership continuity, community outreach, and much more. Accreditation checks the boxes on compliance with some of the most critical—literally life-sustaining—responsibilities an agency is tasked with, things you might not think about until it’s unfortunately too late.
When it comes to accreditation in public works, you might not be thinking about the cultural impact. As Troy describes, accreditation can make your team feel happier and more confident about what they do and where they work. It also builds credibility and confidence.
While the evaluation and nationally recognized practice review process formally verifies agencies for compliance with the recommended practices set forth in the Public Works Management Practices Manual, it also serves as a means for ensuring continuous self-improvement. For a public works department like Wyandotte County’s, that’s a crucial component of their culture.
Along with the boost in workplace culture, Troy has also noticed significant gains in confidence and credibility. We dive into the stories behind all those rich benefits of accreditation and what they actually mean in practice in this week’s episode of Public Works Radio.
Public Works Radio is hosted by Bailey Dickman, Senior Digital Marketing Specialist with APWA. Each episode dives into a wide range of topics designed to educate and inspire, making public works more visible to everyone—from the general public and elected officials to industry peers and the media. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, rate and review the show, forward it to a friend, and drop us a note at podcast@apwa.org so we can hear your feedback directly!
More Show Notes and Links
APWA Accreditation: https://www.apwa.org/resources/accreditation/
APWA Accreditation questions? Send an email: accreditation@apwa.org
Unified Government of Wyandotte County Public Works Department: https://www.wycokck.org/Departments/Public-Works

Understanding the Safety Risks of Lithium‑Ion Batteries

The world’s growing appetite for energy continues, and lithium‑ion batteries are at the forefront of that wave, especially when it comes to powering the gadgets and products that define modern life in North America.
Lithium‑ion batteries are everywhere: smartphones, laptops, medical devices, power tools, EVs, and the newest culprit—vapes and e‑cigarettes. Yet there is an overwhelming lack of awareness among the general public as to why proper disposal is so important.
The increasing number of resources and time dedicated to addressing these dangers has become a major theme within communities across North America. It is one of the most urgent safety issues facing society today, and frankly not enough people are talking about it.
In this episode, we hear stories from three guests who are on the front lines of these hazards every day and what they’d like to see done by the public to help address the problem. Our guests include:
John Gorney — Public Works Director, City of Grand Rapids (Michigan)
Scott Messier — Operations Manager, Snohomish County Public Works (Washington)
Craig Willis — HAZMAT Captain, Special Operations, South County Fire (Snohomish County, Washington)
Public Works Radio is hosted by Bailey Dickman, the Senior Digital Marketing Specialist with APWA, and each episode dives into a wide range of topics designed to educate and inspire, making public works more visible to everyone.
If you haven’t already done so, please subscribe and follow along wherever you get your favorite podcasts, rate it, review it, forward it to a friend, and don’t be shy about dropping us a note at: podcast@apwa.org - so we can hear your feedback.
More Show Notes and Links
Grand Rapids Public Works Department:  https://www.grandrapidsmi.gov/Government/Departments/Public-Works-Department  
Snohomish County Washington Public Works: https://www.snohomishcountywa.gov/publicworks
Guide for Establishing Lithium-ion Battery Management Practices at Materials Recovery Facilities: https://nwrauat.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Guide-For-Establishing-LIB-Management-Practices-at-MRFs-9-2025.pdf

Leading in Public Works Means Showing Up Every Day

We’re diving straight into what many people are calling the most pressing challenge to the future of public works.
Workforce development is critical, and building pathways for the future leaders of this profession is the answer to these threats. This is a key takeaway from today’s debut episode of Public Works Radio, the official voice of the American Public Works Association (APWA).
In this discussion, APWA President Vic Bianes, PE, shares insights from his nearly four decades of experience in public works administration, management, project management, planning, design, fiscal management, operations-maintenance, and construction.
We’re also joined by Margaret Medellin, PE, MPA, an Associate Vice President with Hazen and Sawyer. Margaret is a strategic executive leader with a proven track record in the utility, water management, and public works sectors. She explores what it will take to ensure a healthy and robust future for public works with us.
Public Works Radio is hosted by Bailey Dickman, the Senior Digital Marketing Specialist with APWA, and each episode dives into a wide range of topics designed to educate and inspire, making public works more visible to everyone.
If you haven’t already done so, please subscribe and follow along wherever you get your favorite podcasts, rate it, review it, forward it to a friend, and don’t be shy about dropping us a note at: podcast@apwa.org - so we can hear your feedback.
More Show Notes and Links
Emerging Leaders Academy: https://www.apwa.org/education-careers/emerging-leaders-academy/
Engineering & Public Works Roadshow: https://www.infrastructureroadshow.org/
About Vic: https://www.apwa.org/person/vic-bianes-pe/
About Margaret: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaret-medellin/