PWPR

Launch Slideshow

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The city of Hollywood, Fla., hosts an open house with equipment displays, information booths, and activities to help educate the community about its public works department. Photo: City of Hollywood
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Does your department promote its services to the community?Of those surveyed, 69% of public works departments were actively promoting their services to their community. Small cities' public works departments are less likely to implement a marketing program—often due to limited resources. Source: PUBLIC WORKS.
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The city of Indianapolis has developed a brochure introducing residents to the many services provided by the Indianapolis Department of Public Works. This brochure has proven to be their most effective marketing tool. Source: City of Indianapolis
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Does your municipality/township/county have a public relations department?As community size increased, the percentage of entities with public relations departments increased. Although having a pubic relations department can help marketing efforts, many cities without communication departments are still finding ways to promote their services. Source: PUBLIC WORKS
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Source: City of North Miami Beach

The city of North Miami Beach, Fla., distributes its annual consumer confidence report in a calendar or datebook format. This calendar, sent out in 2002, won an award from the EPA.

Celebrating National Public Works Week

The American Public Works Association (APWA) has long been an advocate and promoter of the public works profession. Connie Hartline, publications manager with APWA said, “In 1960, APWA started National Public Works Week (NPWW). Back then, a week designated specifically to highlight public works departments was an innovative idea. At the same time, we named the Top 10 Leaders in Public Works. APWA began this effort to help agencies and chapters market themselves. We produced templates for proclamations and gave departments ideas about how to host events like a public picnic, get-together at a public works yard, or an in-school presentation.”

APWA has developed a “How-To Guide” for public works departments considering the implementation of a marketing campaign during NPWW. This guide can be accessed on their Web site at www.apwa.net under the “Outreach/NPWW” link. For those thinking of hosting a public works event during NPWW—designated as the third week in May—APWA suggests these primary steps: