Wabasha celebrates “Rooted in Service, Powered by Community” for Public Works Week

The City of Wabasha celebrated Public Works week, with the theme of “Rooted in Service, Powered by Community.” This represents the work that Wabasha’s seven Public Works professionals, Tony Johnson, Pat Mueller, Riley Costello, Eric Wagner, Brandon Huth, Steve Henthorn, and Zach McNallan do on a daily basis. Collectively they are responsible for maintaining miles of streets, water and sewer infrastructure, acres of parks, bike paths, as well as processing wastewater and delivering clean water to homes and businesses. For Public Works week, the City sponsored a number of community events, such as the Touch-a-Truck Event and the wastewater treatment plant tours, so that residents could learn more about how public works impacts their every day lives.

The week kicked off with a collaboration with the Wabasha-Kellogg School District and over 170 children and parents were able to get close up and see not only the loader, Bobcat, plow trucks, and vacuum trucks that maintains the streets, but see trucks that build the streets, and the police cars, ambulance, and fire trucks, that protect the people who drive the cars as well. Parents that attended were excited about having their children get early exposure to future jobs in public works, the trades, or a first responder.

Then Pat Mueller and Steve Henthorn provided the public with an insiders view of how the city keeps the water people drink clean and handles solid waste to exceed state standards.

“People were really happy to learn how clean the water is when we return to the river after putting it through a number of processes,” said Pat Mueller, who manages the plant and provided the tour.

People also learned that the City provides 1000 gallons of clean water for about $3 through a system of wells, towers, pumps.

“That’s a pretty good deal, if you think about how much you pay for a bottle of water a Kwik Trip,” said Mueller on the tour.

Another critical piece of infrastructure that the department maintains is the city’s roads. This year in particular, was one of the worst snowstorms, that Wabasha had experienced in a long time, and the Public Works Department worked round the clock, to get the roads ready for cars and trucks to be able to travel on again.

“Knowing I am helping people get to where they need to be on the road during the winter safely, is a satisfying part of my job,” said Brandon Huth, Public Works Technician.

In addition the water and wastewater, Public Works also is an important aspect of keeping Wabasha beauitful for tourists and residents to enjoy. For Zach McNallan, Public Works Technician, he loves helping set up for all the City’s major events, like Riverboat Days, Grump Old Men Festival, and more.

“I love seeing all the visitors come to Wabasha and know that I am playing a role in boosting the local economy,” said McNallan.

The Wabasha Public Works Department would not be successful maintaining all this infrastructure without the high level of teamwork that they exhibit on a daily basis.

“ I am thankful to work with a great Public Works crew who is willing to go the distance to get the job done- whether its being on call, coming in on the weekend to clear a road after a snowstorm, or removing a tree off the road at 3am… When we are needed, we are there,” said Tony Johnson, Public Works Director.

From the moment we wake up and take a shower, flush the toilet, drive on the road, go out and enjoy a park, the Wabasha Public Works Department impacts the lives of Wabasha residents, visitors, and businesses. In recognition of Public Works week, please thank our Public Works team members for keeping Wabasha safe and beautiful.