By definition, a sentinel animal is used as an early warning system for hazards or disease, with a canary in a coal mine being the most famous example. Down in Charlotte County, Florida, it's chickens that are stepping up for the community in what can only be described as the ideal sentinel chicken program.

This program is a vital link between public works and public health, acting as an early warning system for mosquito-borne diseases before they reach the human population (without harming the chickens).

While chickens save the day in Charlotte County, it's the goats in Greenville, South Carolina that are promoting environmental sustainability and safety. Not to mention they've become quite a popular attraction around town and on social media as well. Goats are showing up in Greenville as a true win-win when it comes to promoting sustainability, safety, and cutting down on noise pollution and emissions.

“Goatscaping” is a hit in Greenville, where goats with tons of personality are hired to tackle overgrown areas in difficult spots that would be a safety concern for humans.

We’re joined by three public workers to discuss how animals are being utilized in their communities to benefit just about everyone:

Beth Kovach is a Biological Specialist with Charlotte County, Florida.

Jeff Proffitt serves as Operations Supervisor for the Mosquito and Aquatic Weed Control Division with Charlotte County, Florida.

Staci Schafer is a Parks and Grounds Administrator with the City of Greenville, South Carolina.

Public Works Radio is hosted by Bailey Dickman, Senior Digital Marketing Specialist with APWA. Each episode dives into a wide range of topics designed to educate and inspire, making public works more visible to everyone—from the general public and elected officials to industry peers and the media. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, rate and review the show, forward it to a friend, and drop us a note at podcast@apwa.org so we can hear your feedback directly!

More Show Notes and Resources

Charlotte County Mosquito & Aquatic Weed Control: https://www.charlottecountyfl.gov/departments/public-works/mosquito-aquatic-weed/

“Charlotte County Sentinel Chicken Program” YouTube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cPwHUOuUZA

Greenville Public Works: https://www.greenvillesc.gov/272/Public-Works

“Goat Herds Return to Eat Invasive Plants in Greenville Parks” YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FZbF_g7XwE

“Herd at work: Goats are grazing Greenville park as the city's latest landscapers” article: https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/2024/03/08/goats-are-grazing-greenville-as-the-citys-latest-landscapers/72879011007/

The Emerging Leaders Academy (ELA) is a yearlong experience designed to inspire those who lead at all levels in public works. This program features a popular in-person retreat and monthly check-ins with instructors.

Academy members are divided into groups and work throughout the year to solve a public works-related challenge that they present at our PWX conference the following year.

Proving time and again that leadership happens at every level, ELA helps build a robust peer support network and offers an in-depth introduction to APWA at all levels. ELA isn't a classroom; it's a completely immersive experience and this next class will be the 20th cohort in the program's history.

It offers a chance to make lifelong connections and participate in something much bigger than yourself. Applications are open through July 6, 2026 and you can apply here.

We are excited to welcome three guests to this podcast to discuss their experiences within APWA’s Emerging Leaders Academy:

Aaron Bergeson is a public transit professional in Southern California with extensive public works project management experience. He is a recent ELA graduate (Class of 2025) who is passionate about the impact ELA can have on a professional in this field.

Susan Hann is Deputy Superintendent Facilities Services at Brevard Public Schools, with 45 years of experience in the public works profession. Sue has served as an ELA instructor from the program's beginnings. She has seen its growth in popularity firsthand.

Chad Oxton is a current ELA instructor, past graduate, and a career public works professional specializing in leadership and management based in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia.

Public Works Radio is hosted by Bailey Dickman, Senior Digital Marketing Specialist with APWA. Each episode dives into a wide range of topics designed to educate and inspire, making public works more visible to everyone—from the general public and elected officials to industry peers and the media. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, rate and review the show, forward it to a friend, and drop us a note at podcast@apwa.org so we can hear your feedback directly!

More Show Notes and Resources

About Emerging Leaders Academy: https://www.apwa.org/education-careers/emerging-leaders-academy/

Michael Wodke shares thoughts on the value of applying to ELA: https://youtu.be/75nNtQO23-g?si=bB5qKUH1k2z_nFx6

Aaron Bergeson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-bergeson/

Susan Hann on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sue-hann-0600b2a/

Chad Oxton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chad-oxton-400038120/

Nestled within the upstate region of South Carolina, the City of Greenville rarely considers hurricanes a point of critical concern. That suddenly changed with the arrival of Hurricane Helene in September 2024, leaving Scott McIver, CPFP, CAFS, Greenville's Fleet Manager, with lessons that forever changed his understanding of emergency response.

He joins us to discuss those lessons in this week's episode of Public Works Radio, the official podcast of the American Public Works Association (APWA). With news coverage consistently flooding the airwaves about unpredictable weather patterns and the harsh realities coming in its aftermath, Scott's message is crystal clear: the critical value of FEMA training cannot be overstated.

This week we're talking about fleet preparedness, resilience, dealing with unpredictable weather patterns, and public works agencies as crucial pillars for building resilient communities. As our other guest this week, Vincent Olsen, CPFP, Director of Equipment and Fleet Management for the City of Dallas, Texas, describes it, our old friends, coordination and communication, play a major role in all of this.

This episode was inspired in-part by Scott’s APWA Reporter article from September 2025, entitled, “Lessons Learned as a Fleet Manager During a FEMA-Level Event (Hurricane Helene),” which you can check out here: https://apwa.partica.online/reporter/september-2025/features/lessons-learned-as-a-fleet-manager-during-a-fema-level-event-hurricane-helene

Public Works Radio is hosted by Bailey Dickman, Senior Digital Marketing Specialist with APWA. Each episode dives into a wide range of topics designed to educate and inspire, making public works more visible to everyone—from the general public and elected officials to industry peers and the media. If you haven’t already, please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, rate and review the show, forward it to a friend, and drop us a note at podcast@apwa.org so we can hear your feedback directly!

More Show Notes and Resources

APWA’s Emergency Management Committee:

https://www.apwa.org/group/emergency-management/

APWA’s Sustainability and Resiliency Committee:

https://www.apwa.org/group/sustainability-and-resiliency/

APWA’s Sustainability and Resiliency Online Learning Library:

https://www.apwa.org/connections-networking/groups-committees/sustainability-and-resiliency-online-learning-library/

Emergency Management Resources:

• Emergency Management Assistance Compact
• “National Geodetic Survey’s online viewer to explore aerial images following major natural disasters” – National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
• Hurricane Safety Tips and Resources – National Weather Service
• Hurricanes – Ready.gov
• Hurricane Hazard Info Sheet – Ready.gov
• APWA’s Natural Hazards Checklist: Hurricane
• Hurricane Preparedness and Evacuation Planning – FEMA