It’s hot out! How many times in the past week have you uttered those words, generally right before ducking into someplace air-conditioned? This week I want to draw attention to the folks who work for or with the City getting things done, regardless of how hot it is outside.
It’s Nearly 300 Degrees
Okay, so maybe it was only in the 90’s, but the crews with Boxley Materials and Allegheny Asphalt who were paving 5th Street NW, Shenandoah Avenue, and Jefferson Street over the last couple of weeks were working with asphalt that is as hot as 300 degrees when placed. Can you imagine? As if it wasn’t hot enough! But to work all day, including weekends, to make certain we have beautiful new streets with as little inconvenience as possible to the rest of us. If you haven’t driven down these streets, you need to check them out. Well done!
Trash, Grass and Fires
No matter the heat, every week trash must be collected and disposed of. The folks who work for the City in Solid Waste Management spend their entire day inside and outside of trucks, collecting trash and making certain the Star City remains clean and safe. Did you dread having to mow the lawn this past week? I suspect many of us put it off, waiting for that cooler day that must surely be just around the corner. No such luck for the crews that are responsible for the hundreds of acres of parkland that have to be mowed in the heat, just like any other week. Then there are the fires, the fender benders, and any other number of emergencies that our Fire-EMS crews respond to and— you’ve seen them—they do so in a whole bunch of heavy and hot gear designed to keep them safe while they keep us safe.
A Warm Thanks
Excuse the pun, but I want all of us to send out a warm thanks to the men and women that patch potholes, direct traffic, mow the parks, lay asphalt, fix water main breaks, put out fires, water landscaping, clean storm drains, crawl into attics for inspections, and so much more—whether it’s 10 degrees or 100 degrees outside! I have the luxury of working most days in the relative comfort of an office, but I never want to forget that we are successful as a city due to all of those folks who don’t have that luxury. So if you see one of these folks going about the City’s work thank them or, better yet, offer them a cold drink of water or lemonade!
--Bob Cowell