Yes, Virginia, You Can Be Sued as a Civil Servant

July 11, 2026
Listed in Administration

Santa Claus may not exist, but personal legal liability for negligence in your duties as a civil servant certainly does. That may sound like a dramatic way to begin an article, but if you have spent any time working in local government, you have probably heard some version of the same comforting myth repeated countless times. "Don't worry. The town will protect you." "You can't be sued personally." "That's what the insurance is for." Maybe. Maybe not. Th…continue

The Little Hazards That Prevent the Big Ones

July 10, 2026
Listed in Daily Tasks

If someone asked a highway employee what the biggest dangers on the job are, the answers would probably be predictable. Working in traffic, operating heavy equipment, tree removal, confined spaces, excavation work, and working around high-voltage electrical lines. These are certainly among the most hazardous tasks performed by highway departments, and they deserve every bit of attention they receive during safety training. But there is another category of hazards that is often overlooked. The li…continue

Safety Is About People, Not Paperwork: Building a Safety Mindset That Lasts

July 8, 2026
Listed in Daily Tasks

For many organizations, safety training is measured by spreadsheets. How many days since the last injury? How many OSHA recordables? How many hours of annual safety training have been completed? These numbers matter. They reduce liability, lower workers' compensation costs, and help ensure regulatory compliance. But if those are the only reasons a department invests in safety, it has missed the point entirely. The real purpose of safety is much simpler. It is about making sure every employee…continue

The Dharma of the Pothole: What Buddha Might Have Taught Highway Departments About Road Repair

July 3, 2026
Listed in Road Maintenance

There is an old saying among highway workers: "The pothole you filled yesterday is the pothole that returns tomorrow." While this saying was almost certainly not uttered by Buddha beneath the Bodhi tree, one suspects he would have understood it immediately. After all, few things illustrate the nature of existence quite like pothole repair. The First Noble Truth: Roads Suffer Buddha taught that suffering is an unavoidable part of life. Highway superintendents might phrase it slightly di…continue

Why Every Highway Department Should Own an Asphalt Hot Box

July 3, 2026
Listed in Road Maintenance

There are very few pieces of equipment that can pay for themselves as quickly as an asphalt hot box. Many small highway departments view hot boxes as equipment reserved for counties, cities, or large paving contractors. In reality, an asphalt hot box may be one of the most valuable and cost-effective pieces of road maintenance equipment a small town can own. Whether your municipality maintains 20 miles of road or 200, potholes do not care about your budget, your staffing levels, or whether the l…continue