District II – Big Bend Branch

Description

BRANCH HISTORY

On January 26, 1985, the Big Bend Branch was established as the seventh branch to become active within the State of Florida. The first chairman was Tony Parks, PE (former Leon County Public Works Director). Our Big Bend Branch Chapter is an organization of more than 60 national members dedicated to the promotion and understanding of Public Works services and professions in a nine-county area, across the eastern panhandle of Florida (Franklin, Gadsden, Hamilton, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Taylor, and Wakulla Counties). Every day, APWA members work diligently to ensure the safety and convenience we enjoy and take for granted in our daily lives. Now more than ever has Public Works been more important in keeping us moving in the right direction.

BRANCH BUSINESS
The Executive Committee meets virtually on the third Thursday of every month to discuss Branch business.

EDUCATION
Membership meetings are held the first Thursday of the month. Various speakers are invited to provide a “lunch and learn” during each of those meetings which are held at various establishments around Leon County. Occasionally, the lunch and learn will consist of a technical tour of interesting facilities such as the Tallahassee International Airport Solar Farm, the Tallahassee Regional Traffic Management Center and the Thomas P. Smith Water Reclamation Facility.

SCHOLARSHIPS
The Big Bend Branch has continually supported members seeking higher education by providing much needed financial assistance with $500 scholarships to qualified applicants.

BRANCH ANNUAL FUNDRAISERS
Annually, the Branch supports the Second Harvest Food Bank of the Big Bend. Over the years, the Branch has donated thousands of pounds of non-perishable food items to the organization.

ANNUAL PROJECT AWARDS BANQUET
Every year, the Branch recognizes special projects in our community that deserve extra acknowledgement and support for achieving project goals, budgets and/or exceeding public expectations. Several of these projects have gone on to win APWA awards at the State level and one project that won at the National level.

EQUIPMENT RODEO
The Road-E-O started in 1995 and each year in May, the Branch holds an equipment road-e-o in celebration of Public Works Appreciation Week. Public Works crews from each of the counties and cities within the Branch are invited to show off their skills using a variety of heavy machinery and other equipment. We have 16 events at the road-e-o to compete in. Over the past few years, the event has been held at the City of Tallahassee’s Southeast Farm spray field. In 2023, we hosted 18 teams with over 200 in attendance and each year the number continues to increase!