OLDS — Council declared May 16-22 as Public Works Week in the community.
Public works employees look after infrastructure and other services in town.
This is the 60th year that National Public Works Week has been held. This year’s theme is Stronger Together.
“Public Works is an essential service and we’ve seen that so much through this – before COVID and now during COVID, it continues to be an exemplary service provided by our employees,” chief administrative officer Michael Merritt said during a May 10 council meeting.
“They’ve demonstrated so many of their skills and dedication to this town, to our residents.”
Merritt and some town councillors noted that in previous years a “roadeo” has been held each fall in Red Deer, during which public works employees of various communities compete with each other to demonstrate their skills.
Routinely, Olds employees have done very well in those competitions, despite going up against representatives of much larger communities.
A report in council’s agenda package said during the last five years of competition, Olds public works employees have finished in the top six. In two of those years, they took second place.
“They not only perform well here in our town, which is the most important part, but when they’re asked to compete against much larger organizations, they’re second to none and they’re quite capable of showing their pride in this town and behalf of the pride in what they do,” Merritt said.
Unfortunately, a town memo says that due to COVID, last year’s roadeo was cancelled and it’s anticipated that this year’s event won’t run either.
Coun. Mary Anne Overwater said when the next roadeo is scheduled arrangements should be made for councillors to “take a road trip” and see local staff in action.
“I think it would be quite fun to cheer on our smaller community that competes against some of the larger communities,” she said. “Just a job well done to all of our staff.”
Mayor Mike Muzychka said town officials will work to make that happen.
“Just another huge source of pride in our town with the operations staff – all of our staff that’s here in our town. But they get to shine each and every year at that event and hopefully we can get back to normal and get them back up there,” Muzychka said.
