Foley is recognizing the employees who build and maintain roads, collect garbage, trim trees and provide the day-to-day services that keep the city operating during National Public Works Week.
The observance comes as the Foley Public Works Department reaches a major milestone with the move into its new $17-million campus at the intersection of North Poplar Street and East Section Avenue.
“They’ve started moving in and they’re really pleased with all this,” Public Works Director Darrell Russell said. “It’s a lot nicer and has a lot more room. They deserve this.”
National Public Works Week is observed May 17-23 and honors the workers who maintain the infrastructure and essential services communities depend on every day.
Russell said the Foley Public Works Department has about 100 employees serving the city.
Sanitation crews collect residential garbage from about 23,000 green cans throughout Foley each week. Five trucks handle collection routes over four days. The city also operates a recycling program, with about 40% of Foley households participating.
The street department includes six divisions covering street maintenance, right-of-way maintenance, sidewalk maintenance, signs and markings, road and project construction, and urban forestry.
Public works employees begin work at all hours of the day, with some crews arriving as early as midnight to start shifts. The new campus includes updated locker rooms and break areas designed to better accommodate employees working around the clock.
The department has expanded significantly as Foley has continued to grow. When the former Public Works Building opened in 1991, the department employed about 22 workers.
In addition to maintaining streets and sanitation services, the Public Works Department also services Foley’s fleet of about 450 vehicles. The fleet includes public works equipment, police and fire vehicles, and cars and trucks used by other city departments.
The former facility included only about 800 square feet of garage space for vehicle maintenance. The new campus features a modern 16,000-square-foot maintenance facility designed to better support the city’s growing fleet.
The new campus will also house offices for the Foley Engineering Department.
All buildings on the campus are rated to withstand winds of up to 160 miles per hour. The site also includes two natural gas generators, allowing the department to continue operating during emergencies and power outages.
City officials said the new campus is expected to meet Foley’s public works needs for the next 30 to 40 years.