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10 YEARS
by John Calvert 10 YEARS
TPWI Celebrates TEN YEARS

More than ten years have fown by since a long-term strategic plan for the chapter. existing course oferings from other
the frst Tennessee Public Works Institute At that meeting, I presented my concept organizations within the state such as
(TPWI) class was held in November of an Institute, which would provide those ofered by TTAP, MTAS, TAUD
of 2003. Since that time TPWI has educational opportunities for all levels or the state’s Fleming Training Center.
conducted 30 four-day schools that were of public works employees. My years I compiled a list of subjects I felt were
attended by 725 employees from 74 city working with the city of Oak Ridge as well needed but not being ofered elsewhere
and county governments and a dozen or as my APWA membership had alerted and presented the concept to the
so private consulting frms. me to the fact that there were very limited TCAPWA board ofcers for inclusion in
educational opportunities for most public the strategic plan. Te board approved the
Need-Based Beginning works employees below the department concept, and I accepted the challenge of
Te idea of a TCAPWA-sponsored director, supervisor or engineer position making it happen by frst fnding a central
institute came about during a 2002 levels. location for holding the classes and then
TCAPWA Board meeting held to develop Te idea was to not compete with recruiting other chapter ofcers and
members to serve as volunteer instructors.
I believed that if the chapter could
donate $10,000 a year to help ofset
attendee costs, and if we could recruit
enough volunteer instructors, we could
set the attendee registration costs at a
very low rate that any local government
could aford.
Te concept has worked. Including
myself, TPWI now has had a total of 30
volunteer instructors who have donated
their time to travel to Murfreesboro to
teach one or two classes each year. Teir
compensation is simply a hotel room and
meals.

One-Stop Registration
In order to make registering for the
classes easier for the attendees, we
developed an all-inclusive registration
fee and process. All attendees had to do
was register for the course and submit
their payment. Tey did not have to make
lodging reservations or bring expense
money for buying meals. Everything was
included in the fee. Tey simply needed
to show up at the Doubletree Hotel in
Murfreesboro where a room was already
reserved and paid for by TPWI. Attendees
do not need to leave the hotel to fnd a
place to eat as their fee includes breakfast,
lunch, and dinner each day.
During the frst four or fve years,
most all of TPWI’s classes were flled to
the max with 35 attendees within two-
three days of the class advertisement and
registrations being distributed. It was
common to have to turn away several late
registrations. Tis is not the case today
as class sizes have dropped to between 15
16 TPW July/August 2014