Rolling Meadows residents learn how their city works

Ever wonder why city crews dig those deep holes next to the streets? Or what the painted lines and arrows on sidewalks mean?

One of your neighbors now may have the answers. About 20 Rolling Meadows residents just completed the public works department's first Citizens Training Academy and have a pretty good idea about how the city stays in working order.

Over four weeks, the class took tours of facilities, watched presentations by the public works team and tried their hand at some of the department's duties.

"You really gain an appreciation for what they do," class member Deb Austerlade said of the crew.

A lifelong Rolling Meadows resident, she works as a city fire inspector.

"It will help me in my job because we work so closely with them," Austerlade added.

Bob Hartnett, assistant public works director, said the crew was eager to participate.

"If you have a chance to talk about your job, you talk it up," Hartnett said. "Our guys have been excited to show what they do."

The class learned about topics such as water systems, vehicle maintenance, forestry and plow operations. Some of the workers created slide shows, others offered hands-on experience.

I joined the class briefly last weekend for the final session -- a field trip to Fremont and School streets where a sewer pipe had collapsed. The broken pipe was left exposed so class members could see it.

Wearing reflector vests, they exited the bus into the chilly rain. From there, Bill Suchecki, superintendent of street maintenance, showed them how the city determines which sidewalks need replacing. They also learned how to check sewers via camera, then inspected portions of Fremont that needed work. The session was capped off with lunch.

Rudy Balek, a former city official, was fascinated by the operations. One of the highlights for him was learning how trees are trimmed.

"There was a lot of stuff I didn't know, even after 18 years of being an alderman," he said.

Alice Fitzgerald, a resident for about 50 years, was most impressed with details about the water system.

"It's been so interesting," she said. "I wanted to know how the city works."

In the past, she has attended citizen's police and fire academies, but the public works class was new. Communities across the nation have used such programs to educate the public and promote good will.

During the four sessions the class members built a rapport with each other, Hartnett said. He hopes the "graduates" become ambassadors of sorts who will share information with other residents and encourage conservation of resources.

The department plans another session after the summer.

"The response to the program was much larger than we thought," Hartnett said. "We already have a waiting list for fall."