Every year between May 18 and May 24, municipalities across the nation continue to take part in National Public Works Week including the City of Levelland.
For the City of Levelland, the Public Works Department consists of the: Water Department, Sewer, Shop and Sanitation Department, Utility Customer Service, Street/Traffic Maintenance, Solid Waste/ Wastewater Services, and Recycling Department.
Other responsibilities include: maintenance of traffic signals and traffic signs, quality infrastructure repair, insures safe and reliable water source for the community, handles maintenance on city vehicles, and administration.
In regard to city staff it begins with Assistant City Manager and Director of Public Works Joe Cavazos, Assistant Director of Public Works Kevin Hurn and Foreman Ken Flowers who deals with the water aspect of the city while Foreman Josh Goforth handles the wastewater aspect of the city.
“These guys deal with the day-to-day operations and I handle the questions or problems that occur,” said Cavazos. “They do a tremendous job and I refer to everyone as a cog in a watch for an example because it takes all of us to get the job done because more often than not we are overlapping. In turn, everyone has to be doing their job.”
Through discussion with Cavazos, Hurn and Flowers, National Public Works Week is an opportunity to raise awareness about the intricacies of what encompasses public works.
When it comes to any aspect of public works, those responsible can ensure there is a litany of rules and regulations that have to be followed that are set by the state. Cavazos explained that the state or Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) sets rules and regulations based off of the United State Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) but also implements their own rules and regulations to make the state on of the most stringent on municipalities in the country.
“One thing I think the public is not aware of is that we all have licenses that we have to stay on top of,” explained Cavazos. “We cannot afford mistakes on our end because that affects the citizens. In turn, we have to go through steps set by TCEQ to make sure we understand what needs to be done correctly. That ranges from water, wastewater, sanitation and even being licensed to spray weeds and know what chemicals can be used.”
Looking forward to the summer, Hurn and his crew are preparing for the seal-coat that is done in various areas of Levelland each year. The crew that handles wastewater and is centered around the wastewater treatment plant are continuing to operate the old plant until the new one can become operational. Crews will continue to work and ensure alleyways are cleared for residents along with another aspect provided to the community being the landfill.
“We want community members to know that if there is a problem we will get to it as soon as possible,” said Cavazos. “There are times that frustrate us because we cannot get to problems as quickly as we would like to. We are all citizens of this wonderful community and as a resident if I see something I know does not look right I will ask what is going on as well. We all care for this community and we hope to provide this community a wonderful experience when it comes to the public works aspect.”