City of Kingsport hosts Public Works Day celebration with bucket truck rides and more

Kenzie Hagood
·2 min read

KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) — The City of Kingsport hosted its annual Public Works Day at the Farmers Market on Friday. The event was in celebration of National Public Works Week, a week that highlights the importance of public works and its employees.

This year, the week-long celebration theme was “Advancing Quality of Life for All,” which showcased how public works employees enhance the quality of life, both physically through infrastructure and inspirationally through community service.

“I just think it’s good for the community to be involved with public works,” said Sheila Catron, Public Works ADA coordinator. “Get to know your driver, your garbage collection driver. Get to know who provides your water. You know, that’s a main staple in life also. So just get to know these folks.”

  • Photo courtesy of City of Kingsport
    Photo courtesy of City of Kingsport
  • Photo WJHL
    Photo WJHL
  • Photo WJHL
    Photo WJHL
  • Photo courtesy of City of Kingsport
    Photo courtesy of City of Kingsport
  • Photo courtesy of City of Kingsport
    Photo courtesy of City of Kingsport
  • Photo WJHL
    Photo WJHL

The city displayed nearly 50 pieces of equipment with demonstrations and presentations led by professionals from Kingsport’s Public Works Department, which has more than 350 employees. The community, especially kids, learned about or participated in the following:

  • Automated garbage trucks

  • Trash grabber truck

  • Mini street sweeper

  • Leaf collection equipment

  • Sewer camera vans

  • Mini paver

  • Short trips in a bucket truck

  • Operate a grabber truck

  • Operate a Gradall machine

  • Painting

  • Sandbox

  • Sprinkler

  • And more

“A lot of times the public may not know what all we do until they come out and they see for themselves,” Catron said. “They get to have the hands-on experiences. They learn a lot through their role, through the children that come out and get to experience this day as well.”

National Public Works Week was started by the American Public Works Association in 1960. The celebration officially concludes on Saturday.

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