The City Engineers Association of Minnesota held the 2024 Annual Conference, January 31-February 2, 2024, at the DoubleTree Hilton. The conference offered a terrific opportunity for you to stay informed on current topics of interest and to maintain continuing education.

If available, presentations from the CEAM 2024 Annual Conference are posted below.

1. Hand Over Fist: Overcoming the Five Main Challenges to Change
George Hawkins
Session summary: George Hawkins arrived as the General Manager of the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority in 2009 in the middle of a crisis. The utility was voted the worst customer service agency in Washington, DC at the same time the American Society of Civil Engineers rated water and wastewater both D-, the lowest grade given. George felt panicked when he realized the five central obstacles to change – which are common to any public infrastructure. George will describe how he and his team were able to overcome each obstacle, becoming one of the most innovative and highly respected water utilities in the country. He will highlight universal principles that can guide any transformative change, learned from almost unbelievable stories from the front-lines of public service in the nation’s capital.

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2. Smart Cities – The What and Why
Marc Culver, Bolton & Menk; Ross Bintner, City of Edina; Phil Olson, City of Minnetonka
Session summary: Smart Cities is a new catch phrase buzzing around our industry. In this session, we will explore what Smart Cities is today, how other states and cities are implementing new technologies and applications and how this initiative can be scalable for even the smallest community. We will also learn about two local projects that have used sensors and software to become smarter in one area and improve their operations.

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3. LRRB: Your Genius/Your Dollars
Renae Kuehl, SRF Consulting
Session summary: Smart Cities is a new catch phrase buzzing around our industry. In this session, we will explore what Smart Cities is today, how other states and cities are implementing new technologies and applications and how this initiative can be scalable for even the smallest community. We will also learn about two local projects that have used sensors and software to become smarter in one area and improve their operations.

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4. Legal Issues for Cities
Jeffrey Coleman, Coleman and Erickson, LLC
Session summary: Communities and city engineers face many different forms of legal issues in day-to-day work and on public infrastructure projects. Public officials have a duty to manage risk to the community while balancing the protection of health, safety, and welfare of the general public. This topic will include discussion, case studies, and best practices on hot button legal issues including but not limited to personal liability in public duty; public immunity; approaches and best practices with liquidated damages; risk management in construction contracts; prescriptive rights; indemnity; and other legal issues and case studies that many of us as public officials have or will face in a career of public service. Attorney Jeff Coleman focuses his legal practice on construction law, professional liability defense, concrete construction, and general business law, including insurance and coverage. In addition to handling major cases, much of his practice involves advising his clients on contracts, contract negotiations, claims avoidance and early resolution of potential claims. Jeff’s afternoon concurrent session titled “Contracts 101” will cover the nuts and bolts of well written and executed construction contracts revolving around bid law, bonds, insurance and other contract related topics.

5. Ethics
Chad Weinstein, Ethical Leaders In Action
Session summary: Chad Weinstein holds a PhD in ethics and is Founder and President of Ethical Leaders in Action. He is a practical ethicist and consultant who has worked with numerous clients in both the private and public sectors, including several cities. Chad has developed dozens of hours of ethics curriculum, drawing upon a basis of authentic stories. He has presented at the CEAM Conference several times and his sessions consistently rank at or near the top score on conference evaluations. Professional ethics encompasses many aspects – trust, relationship building, collaboration and teamwork, problem solving, and decision making. Chad will provide an engaging, thought provoking and entertaining session on these elements, allowing attendees to employ the information in their work. The content of this session will also count toward the continuing education requirement for ethics in Minnesota PE licensure.

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6. Lead Service Line Inventory
Corey Mathisen, MN Department of Health; Kaitlin Swanson, St. Paul Regional Water Services; Jeff Powell, MSA; Dale Reed, White Bear Township; Dan Nesler, TKDA
Session summary: All Public Water Systems must complete and submit to the state a lead service line inventory by October 16, 2024. We will have a panel discussion to include the following:

  • Minnesota Department of Health with Compliance and Guidance.
  • Community examples using GIS inventory and progress.
  • LSL Inventory and Replacement Programs from St. Paul Regional Water Service ‘Lead Free SPRWS – A 10 Year LSL Replacement Program’

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7. SS4A Funding – Preventing the Worst By Putting Safety First
Kristi Sebastian, FHWA; Tony Kutzke, City of Woodbury; Matt Leonard, City of Monticello
Session summary: Local road safety action plans are gaining attention as a tool for reducing roadway fatalities and serious injuries. In this session you will hear from FHWA Minnesota Division on the importance of a Local Road Safety Action Plan and the funding available through Safe Streets for All (SS4A) to help local agencies develop and implement these plans. You will then hear from city representatives who have applied for and received this federal funding and are at varying stages of developing their Local Road Safety Action Plan. They will share their experiences with the plan development, distribution, and use of the federal funds, and how they plan to use their action plans, once completed.

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8. State Demographic Center Update
Megan Dayton, Minnesota’s State Demographic Center
Session summary: Changing demographics impact industry workforce planning, preparation and recruiting. Senior Demographer Megan Dayton will provide an update on demographic trends and projections. Megan Dayton is a Senior Demographer at Minnesota’s State Demographic Center. Since 2012, she has been responsible for preparing demographic projections for the State of Minnesota, 13 Economic Development Regions, and 87 counties. Serving in this role, Megan is Minnesota’s state representative to the Federal-State Cooperative Program for Population Projections (FSCPP) with the U.S. Census Bureau. Megan’s work involves the creation of school district estimates upon request for intercensal levy cycle funding and providing data analysis for state agencies, councils, and legislators.

9. MnDOT Commissioner of Transportation Update
Jean Wallace, MnDOT State Aid
Session summary: The MnDOT Commissioner will provide an update on MnDOT activities as well as state-wide priorities and initiatives.

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10. Navigating a Hybrid Workplace: Trends in the Industry
Dawn Baker, City of Minneapolis; Joyce Hottinger, League of Minnesota Cities; Celeste Voss, Bolton & Menk
Session summary: The MnDOT Commissioner will provide an update on MnDOT activities as well as state-wide priorities and initiatives.

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11. League of Minnesota Cities Update
Luke Fischer, League of Minnesota Cities
Session summary: Luke Fischer, the LMC new executive director who replaced Dave Unmacht will provide an update from the LMC on topics to be relevant to the municipal public works/engineering fields as well as any other relevant updates/priorities/hot button issues

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12. When Do Ponds Work? How Do You Know? What Should You Do?
John Gulliver, University of Minnesota; Poornima Natarajan, University of Minnesota; Ross Bintner, City of Edina; Ryan Johnson, City of Roseville; Tom Wesolowski, City of Shoreview; Ben Janke, University of Minnesota
Session summary: Stormwater ponds and wetlands across a wide variety of characteristics (e.g., watershed history, age, size, depth, aquatic vegetation) are used to treat stormwater or manage pollutant flux to downstream waters, removing a significant portion of sediment and associated pollutants in runoff (e.g., phosphorus, nitrogen, hydrocarbons, and metals) prior to the runoff being released downstream. There is recent evidence that many wetlands and old stormwater ponds are releasing phosphorus from bottom sediments and likely exporting phosphorus to downstream surface water bodies. The potential for phosphorus re-release from accumulated sediments in wetlands and ponds and factors related to climate, watershed, pond characteristics that regulate phosphorus release or burial are important in controlling phosphorus dynamics in ponds, and returning them to their full water quality treatment function. Retention of phosphorus is critical because phosphate, a dissolved form of phosphorus, sustains algal and cyanobacteria growth and causes a wide range of water quality impairments in the ponds and downstream waters including algal blooms, excess floating plants, taste, and odor problems. After an introduction of the issue, the panel will address pond management examples, describe a Pond Assessment Tool developed to identify and evaluate ponds at risk for poor phosphorus water quality and export of phosphorus to receiving water bodies, and discuss stormwater pond maintenance and wetland management based on project results and data synthesis of construction and maintenance costs.

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13. A Smarter Approach to Intelligent Signs and Pedestrian Crossing Improvements
Nicole Bitzen, SRF Consulting; Chris Brown, SRF Consulting; John Maczko, SRF Consulting
Session summary: This LRRB focused concurrent session will encompass the benefits and key insights from the recently completed LRRB study focused on the best use of active warning devices (like RRFBs- Rapid Rectangular Flashing Beacons) and how to elevate and evaluate intelligent devices to improve pedestrian crossings.

14. Intersection Control 101: What You Need to Know About Intersection Control Evaluations (ICE)
Kenneth Hansen, MnDOT District 3; Zachary Whitley, MnDOT District 3; Jon Hagen, City of Maple Grove
Session summary: The presenters will go through principles of Intersection Control Evaluations (ICE). An ICE is typically performed when a traffic control change is considered. ICE guides an agency through various alternatives to the best preforming intersection type. What is an ICE, why do we need it, and when should we plan this study for a given project are just some of the answers you will receive. The presentation will run through a recent ICE example from the trunk highway system, allowing for your questions. Most importantly MnDOT will provide tips to what MnDOT is looking for when local agencies propose changes on the trunk highway. We will also talk about performing an ICE on a city and/or county intersection, how that might vary from a Trunk Highway evaluation and also present some examples that resulted in a signal or a roundabout and explain why.

15. Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS): What City Engineers Need to Know
Brian Rivers, MN Department of Health; Andri Dahlmeier, MN Pollution Control Agency; Scott Kyser, MN Pollution Control Agency
Session summary: Known as the “forever chemicals” Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) are a group of chemicals that have the strongest carbon-fluorine bonds in organic chemistry. In other words, they don’t break down naturally. Because of their persistence, and the potential health risks to humans and the environment, some PFAS have been, or are being, phased out from use in many parts of the world. There are useful applications for PFAS in consumer and industrial products, but there are also drawbacks when considering their impact on the environment and the health of people, plants, and animals. State agencies in Minnesota are working together to manage the state’s growing problem of PFAS substances. These chemicals have been found in groundwater and surface water throughout Minnesota and have seeped into some drinking water systems. The State of Minnesota considers PFAS hazardous substances and has developed long-term comprehensive strategies to address PFAS contamination. State agency representatives from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) will update city engineers on the PFAS-related topics below as well as participate in a Q & A session.

  • Implementation of the state’s PFAS Blueprint
  • What was learned from the MDH PFAS sampling of public water systems
  • Impacts of new drinking water maximum contaminant levels (MCLs)
  • Considerations for municipal wastewater treatment, including costs of PFAS treatment
  • Monitoring and site-specific surface water quality criteria for PFAS

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16. Electric Vehicle Charging Strategies and Experiences
Erin Kayser, City of St. Paul; Amy Hanson, City of Plymouth; Emily Ziring, City of St. Louis Park; Adam Burr, Xcel Energy
Session summary: Public and private electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure continues to be a growing issue as the nation’s use and demand for electric vehicles continues to grow. This session will share the strategies and experiences of three Minnesota cities working with and implementing EV infrastructure. We will also hear from a representative from Xcel Energy to share information about implementation along with anticipated changes with upcoming legislation.

17. Stormwater BMPs – Innovative Tools to Improve Inspection and Maintenance Prioritization
Jessica Vanderwerff Wilson, City of Edina; Paige Ahlborg, Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District; Kristin Seaman, City of Woodbury
Session summary: Over the past decades, thousands of stormwater best management practices have been constructed across our communities to protect our water resources. Cities and their local government partners, such as watershed districts, are utilizing innovative prioritization approaches and implementing more rigorous and consistent inspection, operations, and maintenance programs to evaluate and address the dozens of types of stormwater practices previously installed. This session will feature the work of several organizations, including:

  1. Development of an inspection program for publicly- and privately-owned stormwater practices using mobile inspection protocols and a GIS-based inspection dashboard to help city staff monitor inspection progress and maintenance resolution.
  2. Using mobile inspection tools with a condition scoring system to prioritize infrastructure maintenance.
  3. Using existing modeling tools to prioritize inspection and maintenance of ponds to maximize water quality benefits.
  4. Using asset management software system(s) to manage stormwater BMP inspection and maintenance.

18. Financing 101
Michael Thompson, City of Plymouth; Deb Heiser, City of St. Louis Park; Julie Long, City of Bloomington; Luke Lortie, MnDOT
Session summary: Cities finance their projects in a variety of different ways, including General Fund, Federal Aid, State Aid, Special Assessments, Tax Increment Financing and Tax Abatement, Franchise Fees, and Utility Enterprise Funds, to name a few. A panel of experts in financing construction projects will expand upon how cities fund projects, giving real world examples of project funding breakdowns, and when you can and cannot use particular funding sources. This session will expand upon the Project Funding session that was presented at the 2023 CEAM Conference.

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19. STRIPES: Retroreflective Pavement Markings
Jon Jackels, SRF Consulting; Ethan Peterson, MnDOT
Session summary: Cities finance their projects in a variety of different ways, including General Fund, Federal Aid, State Aid, Special Assessments, Tax Increment Financing and Tax Abatement, Franchise Fees, and Utility Enterprise Funds, to name a few. A panel of experts in financing construction projects will expand upon how cities fund projects, giving real world examples of project funding breakdowns, and when you can and cannot use particular funding sources. This session will expand upon the Project Funding session that was presented at the 2023 CEAM Conference.

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20. The Art of Persuasion
George Hawkins
Session summary: In the opening keynote, George highlighted what he and his team was able to accomplish at DC Water.  A key question is how, particularly from a lawyer who arrived with no experience in the utility? In this session, George will focus on the art of persuasion. It is an irony that sometimes the smartest people have challenges persuading an audience.  The first challenge comes from those smarts – because a speaker who comes to an audience with answers without preparation probably loses that audience from the onset.  The second challenge comes from speakers who seem unpracticed, or focus quickly on their knowledge of a subject, before the audience is ready to listen.  The good news is that these challenges, and others associated with persuading an audience – no matter how big or small, friendly or hostile, informed or not – can be overcome.

George Hawkins will present concepts from his “Persuasion Curriculum” which in part breaks his own advice – because he includes pointers and ideas from thousands of public meetings – on how to gain the support of an audience.  George will lace this presentation with entertaining stories designed to illustrate key points, and participants will leave with a copy of the curriculum to practice from on their own time.

21. Navigating MS4 Permitting – Stormwater Management BMP’s for Linear/Urban Projects
Emily Jennings, SEH; Todd Smith, MPCA; Eric Vogel, Hennepin County
Session summary: With the new linear MS4 permit requirements in place for the past few years, join us for a session discussing policy overview and what creative municipalities and counties are doing to meet these regulations.

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22. LRRB Potpourri – Research Implementation for Cities
Mike Marti, SRF Consulting; Katherine Stanley, Center for Transportation Studies
Session summary: This LRRB focused concurrent session will highlight and take a deeper dive into numerous recent LRRB projects that are tailored to the needs of cities. The speakers will share the research, best practices, and implementation of multiple recently completed LRRB studies including Asphalt Crack Treatment, AVL/GPS Telematics to Optimize SnowPlowing, mini roundabouts, boulevard trees, and workforce development.

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23. Contracts 101
Jeffrey Coleman, Coleman and Erickson, LLC
Session summary: Well written and sound contract documents between owners, engineers/architects, and contractors are one of the most important parts of a successful project. On the contrary, poorly written or executed contracts can lead to increased risk on projects and often increases the likelihood of litigation or spendy legal fees, especially when things start to go south. In this introductory contracts 101 session, Attorney Jeff Coleman, PE, FACI will get into the basics of well written contract documents, with focuses on statutory thresholds based on estimated costs, required and optional bonds, insurance requirements, simple form agreements for smaller projects, and a bevy of additional contract related topics.

24. Title VI – Do You Have a Plan?
Don Simmons, MnDOT; Debra Heiser, City of St. Louis Park
Session summary: If your agency receives funds from the federal government, your agency should have a Title VI plan. If you just asked yourself, what is a Title VI plan? This is the session for you! Creating a Title VI plan is not hard if you know what to expect, but there can be challenges and potential pitfalls if you don’t. This session highlights how your agency can achieve Title VI compliance. The presenters will explain the process while interweaving stories and experiences from developing a Title VI plan to help you leave the session with confidence to guide your agency through the process.

25. City of Robbinsdale WTP: Planning, Design, Construction, and Start-Up
Richard McCoy, City of Robbinsdale, Aaron Vollmer, AE2S
Session summary: The City of Robbinsdale recently determined there was a need to construct a new WTP facility in order to better serve their residents. This presentation will encompass the entire duration of the project. Specifically it will discuss the initial planning and feasibility of a new facility, the scoping of the new improvements necessary to service the City, funding for the planned assets, overall communications with the public and City Council, the design of the facility, numerous photographs from the construction of the facility, and initial start-up and operation of the new WTP.

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