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In this first episode of Season 4 we are talking about culture in Public Works. Culture is one of those words that can make field crews roll their eyes, until you tie it to the things they care about most: going home safe, working with less drama, and trusting the people around them. We unpack what “public works culture” looks like when it is real, measurable, and built on purpose, not just talked about in a meeting.

We’re joined by Tom Esch, who coaches construction firms and public works agencies on culture, communication, empathy, and safety. Tom shares the winding road that brought him here, including a pivotal safety incident from his construction supply days that pushed him toward training thousands of operators and helping organizations prevent the next tragedy. From there, we dig into a powerful case study where a sewer and water group reduced injuries by about 70% over three years, and how that shift improved morale, reduced HR blowups, and made the department a place people wanted to join.

We also get practical about leadership development in public works: why great operators often get promoted without communication tools, how “rank and power” can quietly shut people down, and why that becomes a safety hazard when nobody feels safe speaking up. Tom breaks down his “If You Want Accountability, Start with Empathy” framework and the exact kind of language that helps supervisors hold standards without going full old-school. We close with a simple, repeatable approach to safety culture training that includes surveys, feedback, reinforcement, and mentoring so the message actually sticks on the job site.

If you found value here, subscribe to the podcast, share it with a colleague, and leave a review so more public works leaders can find the show. What part of your culture needs the most attention right now?

Show Notes:

Esch Consulting Website:
https://eschconsulting.com/

Check out Tom's book, Personal Accountability and Power
https://eschconsulting.com/book/

Tom Esch Case Study: How We Reduced Worker Injuries by 70%
https://eschconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/Culture-Eats-Safety-for-Breakfast-How-We-Lowered-Injuries-70.pdf

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In this episode I welcome one of my favorite Public Works Nerds, Brian Simmons from Bolton & Menk. Brian and I look back at our recent presentation on Artificial Intelligence in Public Works - titled AI in the Sky - at the 2025 APWA PWX in Chicago.

We also critique and marvel at an AI generated podcast that was created using just our slide deck from that presentation. In between this and the jokes, we also talk about AI applications in Public Works that will be disruptive in a good way for Public Works professionals.

Below is the AI Generated Episode Description, which I must say I'm a bit disappointed with this time. Thanks for listening!

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AI GENERATED (Buzzsprout) DESCRIPTION

What if your city could turn weeks of fieldwork into decisions in a matter of days? We sat down together at a buzzing conference hall to unpack how AI and uncrewed aerial systems are shifting public works from manual, inconsistent surveys to fast, reliable insights you can act on. Our lens is practical: remove the dull, dirty, dangerous, and repetitive tasks so crews can spend more time fixing the real problems and less time hunting for them.

We start with pavement. Using vehicle-mounted imaging and computer vision, tools like Violytics generate network-wide PCI ratings with surprising speed—plus bonus detections like faded signs and sunken structures. That means fresher data for budget talks, clearer maps for crews, and consistent baselines you can trust. We then jump underground, where hours of CCTV “dirty videos” turn into prioritized worklists with platforms like SewerAI. Let the model find cracks, offsets, and roots; let engineers review, rank, and dispatch. The human stays in charge, and the algorithm never gets tired.

From there, we head to the sky. Drones paired with edge AI are quietly transforming inspections for cell towers, water towers, utilities, and urban forests—spotting defects and tracking disease without sending staff into harm’s way. We talk policy and privacy too: how to balance FOIA, data governance, and model provenance so IT can say yes with confidence. And we lean into what’s next: agentic AI that writes first drafts, cleans up slide decks, suggests dashboards, and eventually orchestrates systems—think stormwater storage decisions guided by sensors, weather forecasts, and smart controls.

If you care about smoother roads, smarter budgets, safer inspections, and stronger asset management, this conversation is your field guide. Subscribe for more Public Works Nerds deep dives, share with a teammate who needs a spark, and leave a review with the first AI workflow you want to try.

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Two Marks trade friendly jabs while making a serious case for APWA: vote, get involved, and mentor the next generation. Join Mark Ray and me, Marc Culver, as we walk through the Minnesota chapter ballot, unpack what the board actually does, and share practical ways to lead well and care for yourself.

• APWA Minnesota election overview and why turnout matters
• Department rebrand from operations and maintenance to public works
• What the APWA board does and why representation matters
• Candidate spotlights across municipal, consultant and regional roles
• Mentorship as legacy, mock interviews and LinkedIn as a living log
• Self‑care as leadership capacity in high‑stakes seasons
• Communicating long‑horizon infrastructure value to communities
• PWX conferences, LTAP and LRRB resources, and how to plug in

Vote for Marc. Vote for Mark. Help us spread the word on the podcast. Drop us a comment on LinkedIn, like our posts, what have you. It really helps us spread the word.