Month: April 2025

3rd Quarter Budget Considerations for City/County Managers & Administrators

By Bart Fischer, Sr. Public Administrator, WSB

Obviously, it can’t be understated how difficult and challenging 2020 has been for our communities. Challenges usually bring opportunities and it is all in how we, as public administrators, are able to weave strategies together with these challenges and opportunities. That is what we are faced with year after year, month after month and week after week. Opportunities to provide solutions to unique challenges.

Budgets are a local government’s blueprint to fund community amenities and programs that are necessary to maintain and improve safe, healthy and thriving communities. They are one of the most important ways public administrators can influence creative solutions to the unique challenges public organizations face. That is why the theme of this piece is budget focused.

The summer months are when the “meat” of the budget process happens. As the September 30th deadline for the adoption of a preliminary levy approaches, elected officials and public administrators work hard to proactively project future revenues, evaluate services provided, identify priorities and needs, and come up with creative solutions and opportunities for these priorities.

During this particular time, it is also important to think about how COVID will affect future revenue, continued service provision and operations. As I have spoken with public administration colleagues, there seems to be a cautious optimism. Yes, there will likely be delinquent property tax payments as well as lower revenue from fees and sales taxes for those that have this revenue stream. However, lessons learned from the 2008 recession including ample reserves, calculated cuts and strategic human resource practices as well as the possibility of various stimulus packages, have many organizations prepared to weather this storm.

Some calculated cuts and strategic human resource practices being considered include not hiring seasonal staff, the cancellation of recreation programming and events, the cancellation of community-wide celebrations, offering early retirement buyouts to employees, not hiring for vacated positions, and closely evaluating health insurance and benefit packages.

This year’s budget process allows elected officials and public administrators to plan and implement equity, inclusion and social justice initiatives for the organization’s future. Providing a platform to truly listen to the needs and challenges of the entire community as well as be willing to adjust systems and service provisions based on listening to that feedback is vitally important now more than ever.

Focusing on the budget process in the 3rd quarter of the year should feel normal. The difference this year is the effects of COVID as well as the need to create and implement a plan that is equitable and inclusive for all now and in the future. A strategic and equitable approach to the budget process can lead to successful economic, equitable and healthy communities.

As you work to identify priorities during the 2020 budget process, know that WSB stands ready to assist you in proactively seeking solutions and opportunities for your challenges and needs.

Five reasons why construction inspection can make (or break) your project

By Eric Breitsprecher, Project Manager, WSB

Construction inspection is essential for successful project delivery. Whether it’s reviewing project specifications on-site or documenting changes to an existing plan, inspection is necessary to meet industry standards for accuracy, quality and to keep construction work on time and within budget.

Here are five reasons to consider construction services on your next project.

Successful delivery is in the details. Reviewing the contract closely and building out the approved project scope ensures each deliverable is accurately executed for the client. Detailed record keeping and photo documentation is important to ensuring a project is delivered to client standards.

Real-time inspections and instant information sharing. Monitoring project information from the field through real-time data collection provides enhanced reporting, faster processing and improved data management. Cutting-edge tools allow for real-time solutions that minimize risk to both clients and the general public. Quick information sharing and communication between the owner and contractor can be critical in addressing urgent problems.

Infrastructure is built to last. Building a strong framework is important for any project. Quality designs support and build safer communities. Throughout the design and constructability review process, quality construction inspection keeps projects on time and on budget.

Avoid future maintenance costs. Construction inspectors oversee the work and are responsible for anticipating risk, communicating with the contractor and documenting progress and possible construction or design issues for the owner.

Streamline inspection processes with GPS Rover. GPS Rover technology can be applied to improve efficiencies and track site coordinates and measurements for any project. By using GPS technology to track quantities, inconsistencies are reduced by transferring recorded field data and displaying on auto-generated plan sheets.

Zweig Group honors WSB with Marketing Excellence Awards and Hot Firm listing

The Zweig Group, the leading research, publishing and advisory services resource for the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry, has honored WSB with four awards in marketing and overall firm growth.

Every year, the organization offers an awards program that specifically recognizes outstanding work within the AEC industry throughout North America.

Zweig recently announced the winners of the 2020 Marketing Excellence Awards for outstanding, results-driven marketing. Zweig awards the top five firms in each possible category. WSB ranked first place in two categories and second in another.

Award entries were judged by a team of marketing professionals and evaluated based upon overall creativity, messaging, results achieved by the campaign, and level of design.

External Newsletter | WSB Newsletter | 1^st Place

The WSB Newsletter received a first-place award in the External Newsletter category and is our twice-yearly publication that we send to many of our clients. For nearly 10 years, WSB has mailed a newsletter highlighting projects, innovations, techniques and news. After our rebrand in 2018, we decided it was time to re-evaluate our newsletter strategy. We dedicate many of our resources to digital marketing and communications initiatives, but we still believe in the power of a well-done direct mail piece.

Internal Newsletter | Year In Review | 1^st Place

The Year In Review received a first-place award in the Internal Newsletter category. The annual internal publication’s goal is simple – to tell the story of WSB to our staff. This year, we decided to take a unique approach to the assembly of our publication. We organized our content based on our firm values and wrote about our regional operations based on these values.

Internal Marketing | Intersection (WSB Internal Portal) | 2^nd Place

WSB’s internal portal received a second-place award in the Internal Marketing category. WSB has always believed in creating a company culture that brings people together. As our firm expanded to 500 staff and 14 office locations across four states, we re-evaluated our internal communications to focus more heavily on sharing information and staying connected. The redesigned portal site offers an improved user experience featuring a mobile-friendly design, company directory, easy-to-access resources and enhanced search and navigation.

The Zweig Group announced the 2020 Hot Firm List in early July, honoring the fastest growing firms in the AEC industry. Firms are ranked based on three-year growth revenue, by both percentage and dollar growth. WSB ranked #72 on this year’s list marking our seventh consecutive year on the list.

Winners of the Marketing Excellence Awards and Hot Firm Award will be honored at the 2020 Elevate AEC Conference in Denver, CO, September 30-October 2 and at Zweig Group’s Virtual Elevate AEC Conference on October 16. Winners will also be featured in Zweig Group’s weekly management newsletter, The Zweig Letter, and Zweig Group’s other marketing channels.

The Complete list of Marketing Excellence Award Winners can be accessed here:  https://bit.ly/2W16Nxd. The complete list of Hot Firm winners can be accessed here: https://www.zweiggroup.com/2020-hot-firm-list/.

25 stories for 25 years | Dan Rogers

On October 5, 2020, WSB will celebrate our 25th year in business. Since 1995, we’ve added new service areas, expanded our reach and served our communities.  Throughout our tenure, our dedicated staff has been a constant.

In honor of our 25th year, we’ll be highlighting 25 stories of the people behind the projects.

Story 3 of 25

What do you think is special about celebrating 25 years as a company?

I think it’s very special to work for a company that has survived and prospered for 25 years. Throughout WSB’s entire tenure, it has maintained a high level of passion for providing exceptional services while staying true to the firm’s values. Although services have been added, we’ve remained committed to serving our clients with our expertise. I think this type of approach bodes well for the future of WSB.

What has been the most memorable moment in your career at WSB?

One of the most memorable moments was hearing Bret Weiss, our CEO, speak at the most recent annual dinner in Minneapolis. I felt inspired and energized after the event. Bret brings great passion to his work and I find it infectious.

We believe in building what’s next in infrastructure – how do you live that value in your work?

We’re really on the cutting-edge of embracing what’s next in infrastructure. In Texas, we are very focused on learning, implementing and ultimately excelling at BIM-based design.  Over the next few years, these platforms will help automate construction.  It’s exciting to not only be thinking of future innovations but leaning into the change in our industry.

What WSB value to you connect most with? (Bold, Visionary, Authentic, Passionate, Optimistic)

I connect most with our passionate value. I’m pretty passionate about what I do because at the end of the day, we’re making people’s lives better. We’re facilitating improvements to infrastructure that make the roads and water safer. I appreciate the opportunity to have an impact on the community and the people who live in them.

What is one thing you want to tell the future leaders of WSB?

Maintain leadership’s commitment to our core values.  Keep the ship running and continue to move forward. It’s easy for companies to shift priorities and direction with changes in leadership. WSB has come a long way in 25 years and maintaining those core values will help drive us successfully through the next 25.

25 stories for 25 years | Chuck Kochmann

On October 5, 2020, WSB will celebrate our 25th year in business. Since 1995, we’ve added new service areas, expanded our reach and served our communities.  Throughout our tenure, our dedicated staff has been a constant.

In honor of our 25th year, we’ll be highlighting 25 stories of the people behind the projects.

Story 4 of 25

What do you think is special about celebrating 25 years as a company?

I’ve been lucky to have worked at WSB since the very beginning. I’ve seen many people come and go over the years and maybe it’s just a job to them, but to me it’s more as a commitment to this company. It doesn’t seem like people stay at a company for 25 years anymore.  We started small and we’ve evolved into something much bigger. I really like what I do and the people I work with. I’ve had great opportunities to build my skills and relationships and I think that’s something special you can gain when you’ve worked somewhere for 25 years.

What has been the most memorable moment in your career at WSB?

One of my most memorable moments to-date happened recently. I was able to attend the ribbon cutting for the Rockford Road Bridge in Plymouth, Minn. This was an important and fast-paced project for a longstanding client. Going to the event and listening to people talk about how much this project meant to their community was gratifying. I am proud to have been part of that project.

What about your work gives you energy?

I really enjoy solving challenging problems. When there’s a complicated situation or a tight timeline it makes you dig a bit deeper and be more focused. I feel accomplished when we work together through a challenging project and doesn’t appear to work the way it should. It’s rewarding to find a design solution that fits seamlessly into the community.

How has WSB supported your career goals?

I’ve really enjoyed the opportunity to mentor and teach new staff.  It’s fun to watch our staff evolve and grow. We try to erase the mistakes of the past before they happen. We all learn from the past while incorporating new ideas and our newest staff members get to take full advantage of the lessons we’ve learned while helping to shape the future.

Why do our clients continue to work with us?

I think our ability to consistently deliver solid designs and projects sets us apart. I think our clients depend on us to get the job done well. We are professionals in our project delivery, materials and how we manage things. Our projects reflect that.

10 benefits of having an experienced right of way professional on your project

By Penny Rolf, Director of Right of Way, WSB

​Enlisting the help of a licensed right of way professional to manage planning, design and land acquisition processes can keep project development moving forward. Right of way experts bring the knowledge and understanding to ensure each phase of development remains in compliance with federal and state regulations. Reviewing current regulations and keeping clients informed can prevent costly schedule delays and contractual or legal issues. Identifying opportunities for grant funding, meeting with property owners to review title information and streamlined data management are ways right of way staff can support project deliverables. Through building strong partnerships and communicating important updates throughout development, they ensure a compliant, equitable approach to navigate the complexities of any right of way project.

Here are ten reasons why you should have an experienced right of way professional on your team.

How to leverage technology and streamline environmental compliance inspection

By Zach Kolsum, Environmental Compliance Specialist, WSB

Conducting inspections on infrastructure projects can be daunting, especially when they require extensive reporting and legwork to comply with local, state and federal regulations. Fortunately, there are technological tools available to assist environmental compliance and construction inspection, which streamline the arduous process of data collection and reporting for clients. Using standardized software, WSB provides the necessary equipment and materials to conduct a variety of inspections, enhanced reporting and automated data collection.

Enhanced reporting

Electronic inspections offer an effective way for teams to visualize the work being done onsite. Data is collected and compiledusing a software application to generate a list of report leads. Project partners can share critical information instantly using the visual media tool.

Share project information quickly

Depending on the project, problems that arise during inspection can be costly and take valuable time away from clients and shareholders as they work to find a solution. WSB provides automated reporting and digital photo sharing with the click of a button to the entire project team. Reporting is tracked through an online database and clients can save documents and project findings in the application archive. Sharing project reporting instantly between team members is an easy way to monitor and ensure work is progressing on schedule.

Manage your data

Leveraging the use of mobile devices for inspection improves the effectiveness of field data collection by integrating mapping and field technologies into a single workflow. This methodology also minimizes the possibility of human error which increases the quality of data overall. Collected information is analyzed using a powerful search engine that identifies trends and future forecasting.

Use Datafi for Environmental Compliance inspection

WSB’s Environmental Compliance and GIS groups worked together to develop Datafi, a mobile-friendly mapping and workflow tool to improve the environmental compliance inspection process. Datafi is a field-to-office data management solution that has allowed multiple groups within WSB to actively and efficiently inspect numerous project sites to ensure compliance. Datafi is used on small and large-scale projects including housing and land developments. Our team of inspectors have benefited from Datafi’s enhanced reporting, efficiency and improved data management in the field.

As tedious as documentation management may feel at times, it is an essential part of any program development. Discovering new ways to refine processes is paramount for keeping information as reliable and accessible as possible. We believe utilizing technology allows project teams to focus more heavily on the technical aspects of the work and bringing their client’s vision to life.

Warning: Sharp Curves Ahead

By Andrew Plowman, Director of Transportation Design, WSB

Exploring the why behind the twists and turns of road design.

Throughout the COVID-19 era, many Americans have opted out of air travel and are instead packing up their cars and hitting the road for an old-fashioned road trip. A survey conducted by Farmers Insurance found that more than 60% of people are planning to travel by car or RV over the next few months.  But as we weave and wind our way through the mountains or travel over the hilly plains, our minds can wander into the why behind the infrastructure that’s bringing us to our destination. We ask, why do roads curve?

There may seem like there is no rhyme or reason to the sharp curves or slight turns along interstates or highways, but there are many reasons roadways curve.

Right of Way

If you’re a rancher, you certainly wouldn’t want a highway slicing down the center of your land. In many cases, Right of Way causes a road to curve around a piece of property rather than through.

Subgrade Conditions

The subgrade is the existing soil located below the pavement and aggregate layer of the roadway.  At times, the existing subgrade is made up of organic material or clays that will continue to settle. As the roadway settles it can crack causing damage over time. Rather than dig very deep to remove this material, a roadway alignment may curve out of the way to miss the bad soil conditions.

Profile Considerations

Profile considerations become increasingly important in states where roads need to climb to different elevations.  To maintain a grade that isn’t too steep, a road will curve from Point A to Point B to gain distance which flattens the slope. 

There are many reasons a road may curve that extend beyond this list. The technical aspects of roadway design are vast. As you make your way to your next destination, see if you can spot the reason a road may curve.

Bret Weiss, WSB president & CEO, appointed to Governor’s Council on Connected and Automated Vehicles

Bret Weiss, WSB president & CEO, was appointed to the Governor’s Council on Connected and Automated Vehicles. Formed in 2019, the Council studies, prepares and assesses the opportunities and challenges associated with the widespread adoption of connected and automated vehicles and other intelligent and emerging transportation technologies.

Weiss joins 13 appointed members, twenty ex-officio members and co-chairs Margaret Anderson Kelliher, Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) commissioner and VSI Labs President, Phil Magney. Each appointed member must have relevant experience in the automotive industry, technology, cybersecurity and data privacy, business and finance, transit, higher education, workforce training, insurance, mobility, freight, labor, public safety, bicycle and pedestrian advocacy, elder care, or tort liability.

“I am thrilled to join such an esteemed group of innovators and trailblazers that will help advance Minnesota’s connected and autonomous vehicle efforts,” said Weiss. “The future of intelligent transportation systems is much closer than we think. As a state, we’re at the forefront of developing strategic solutions that will only help strengthen Minnesota’s infrastructure.”

Weiss’ experience with infrastructure-related engineering and transit systems will assist the Council as they work together to review connected and automated vehicle development and trends, explore partnership opportunities, propose policies to safely test and deploy connected and automated vehicles and consult with communities experiencing transportation barriers.

As a firm, WSB has partnered with MnDOT on several initiatives related to connected and automated vehicles including the current CAV Strategic Communications, Engagement, and Relationship Building Framework Plan, the Minnesota CAV Strategic Plan and the 2017/2018 testing of connected and automated vehicles in winter conditions.

Gov. Tim Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan announced the appointments in a press release earlier this month. The full announcement is available at https://mn.gov/governor/news/?id=1055-442968.

WSB hires Christie Saenz to growing right-of-way team

Saenz will lead the firm’s right-of-way efforts in Texas

Austin, Texas – Engineering and consulting firm WSB announced today that Christie Saenz is joining the organization as a senior right-of-way specialist. Saenz joins the firm’s Austin office where she will lead WSB’s right-of-way efforts throughout Texas.

“I am thrilled to welcome Christie to WSB,” said Jay Kennedy, WSB’s vice president of Texas operations. “In the last year, we’ve been working to expand our expertise in the Texas market and the addition of Christie will continue to drive momentum.”

Saenz joins WSB with over 25 years of experience in the right-of-way industry. Throughout her career, she’s managed the acquisition of over 1,000 parcels for the Texas Department of Transportation and central counties and cities. Most notably, Saenz worked on the SH 99 Grand Parkway, Segments F-2, G-1 & G-2 for Texas Department of Transportation in Harris and Montgomery Counties, SH 36 for Texas Department of Transportation in Brazoria and Fort Bend Counties, the Bell Boulevard Realignment for the city of Cedar Park and Dacy Lane Phase II for Hays County in Kyle, Texas.

“I am really looking forward to joining WSB’s fast-growing Texas team and expanding the firm’s right-of-way services,” said Saenz. “Investment in infrastructure and development is strong throughout the state and I see many opportunities to support our client’s right-of-way needs.”

As part of WSB’s right-of-way team, Saenz will support clients with their right-of-way projects by providing project management, acquisition and relocation services. As a consulting engineering firm, WSB provides transportation planning and design, water/wastewater utility work and community planning services throughout the state of Texas.