July 3, 2025 • 24 mins
Meet a few of the dedicated team members who keep Raymore running smoothly as Public Works Director Trent Salsbury and Assistant Director Justin Paith share insights into their department's critical functions and upcoming projects.
• Engineering and operations teams work together to maintain city infrastructure while balancing reactive and proactive maintenance approaches
• Current projects include street preservation, curb replacement and the design of the upcoming Kurzweil Road reconstruction scheduled to begin next spring
• Safety remains a primary concern with crews working on streets and requesting drivers slow down around work zones
• Winter operations planning begins in summer, with preparation conversations starting in August and the annual snow kickoff meeting in October
• Longtime employee Andy Elliston reflects on his 46-year career with Raymore, witnessing the city grow from 3,000 to 25,000 residents while helping shape its infrastructure
• The Public Works Department takes pride in serving the community and making tangible improvements daily, with a team able to implement more proactive maintenance
If you see our Public Works crews working on streets or other infrastructure, please slow down, move over, and help keep them safe so they can return home to their families each day.
Learn more about the City of Raymore's Communications Department at www.raymore.com/communications
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Threads @CityofRaymoreMO
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Melissa Harmer (00:10):
Welcome to Say More in Raymore, the City of
Raymore's official podcast.
I'm your host, Melissa Harmer,Communications Director for the
City.
Each episode will bring younews, updates and
behind-the-scenes stories fromyour city government covering
projects, events and the peoplewho help make Raymore a great
place to live, work and visit.
Today I have Public WorksDirector Trent Salsbury and
(00:31):
Assistant Public Works DirectorJustin Paith with us.
Welcome.
Trent Salsbury (00:35):
Hello.
Melissa Harmer (00:36):
Hi.
So first let's introduce you toour residents and our listeners
.
So tell me a little bit aboutyou, trent, your background and
how you came to be in Raymore.
Justin Paith (00:46):
I went to the University of Kansas State when
I graduated there.
I didn't want to move back toKansas City, so I decided to
take a job in Dodge City, kansas.
I was out there for about threeyears and decided that was
entirely too far from home.
So I looked for an opportunityback here and about four years
(01:07):
ago I found a job with Raymoreand been here ever since.
Melissa Harmer (01:11):
What about you, Justin?
Trent Salsbury (01:12):
Well, I started with Raymore when I was a
seasonal at 16, when I was inhigh school.
And in this episode we do havean additional guest Raymoor's
longest running employee, andyElliston, who works at Public
Works, has been with the cityfor 27 years, and both of you,
within the last year or less,have been promoting.
Andy Elliston (01:35):
So, trent, you went from assistant director of
Public Works to director.
Melissa Harmer (01:40):
And then, justin
Justin Paith (01:41):
, I actually went from crew leader to crew
supervisor and then assistantPublic Works director.
Melissa Harmer (01:46):
Great.
Anything else you want to shareabout you?
No, no, well, you're going tohave to because I have a couple
quick rapid fire questions.
I'm going to ask you the sameones.
So, justin, let's go with youfirst, so that Trent has a
little time to think.
Okay, what is your favoritething to do in the summer?
Favorite summer pastime whenyou're not here?
Justin Paith (02:04):
your favorite thing to do in the summer,
favorite summer pastime whenyou're not here?
I like to hunt and fish.
So anytime I have a freeopportunity, I'm usually fishing
, spending time with my wife.
In the past there's been withmy son playing competitive
baseball, so nice.
Melissa Harmer (02:20):
Would your 12 year old self think you're cool?
Justin Paith (02:23):
Probably not.
Melissa Harmer (02:24):
But that's okay.
Yeah, what a 12-year-old selfRight.
Would you rather be able to flyor have super strength?
If you had a super ability?
Justin Paith (02:35):
Probably super strength.
Melissa Harmer (02:36):
All right.
If you're going swimming, areyou doing the cannonball into
the pool or are you dipping yourtoe in first?
Justin Paith (02:40):
Oh cannonball,
Melissa Harmer (02:41):
oh nice.
Do you learn by watching or bydoing?
Justin Paith (02:46):
By doing hands-on
Melissa Harmer (02:47):
got it, got it and uh.
What do you like better as faras work goes, work in the summer
or work in the winter?
Justin Paith (02:54):
um I like both actually.
Um, I I see the benefits ofboth.
Um, snow is probably the worstpart of winter, but it's one of
the biggest parts of our job, sosnow is probably more
satisfying, I guess, because youcan see no vehicles on the
(03:14):
roads and then, once you get getthe roads cleared, you start
seeing residents again.
Melissa Harmer (03:19):
Nice, All right, Trent same questions.
What's your favorite thing todo in the summer?
Trent Salsbury (03:23):
My favorite thing to do in the summer is
anything outside.
I hate being inside.
I can stand 100-degree heatoutside, but if it's 75 inside
I'm miserable.
So anything outside.
We have a garden.
This year do a lot of grilling,building whatever it is.
Melissa Harmer (03:41):
Nice.
Would your 12-year-old selfthink you are cool?
Trent Salsbury (03:46):
Absolutely not, but it would be what my 12 year
old self would expect.
Melissa Harmer (03:50):
Okay, Uh, would you have a?
Would you rather be able to flyor have super strength?
Trent Salsbury (03:55):
I think, fly so I can get to work a lot faster
or just get anywhere a lotfaster.
Cannonball or dipping in yourtoe in the pool first I'm a
pansy dipping my toes first.
Learn by watching or learn bydoing?
Probably learn by doing.
Melissa Harmer (04:13):
And summer or winter for your work here.
What do you prefer?
Trent Salsbury (04:16):
I would probably say summer.
We get to see the benefits ofall of our winter work, building
all of our projects, and thenalso build all of our projects
for the next year and do all ofthe budget stuff.
So probably summer.
Melissa Harmer (04:29):
And that leads us into just give us either one
of you a general overview of thePublic Works Department or
Trent.
Why don't you give us anoverview of the engineering side
, and then Justin can tell usabout the operations side?
Trent Salsbury (04:40):
So our engineering side is made up of
five people Now.
We have an administrativeassistant, we have a senior
engineering tech who started acouple days ago, and then we
have three engineering techs whokind of oversee all of the
field work.
Melissa Harmer (04:54):
And then what kind of stuff like tell me about
what the engineer.
What do you do with like plans?
What kind of things you have tolook?
Trent Salsbury (05:00):
for.
So the senior engineering techand myself we do a lot of the
plan review.
We're looking for basically tomake sure everything that's in
the plans matches our standards,is something that we would want
built in the city, and then ourengineering techs are the ones
in the field making sure thatwhatever's in the plans is built
as its plan.
Melissa Harmer (05:21):
And tell me about operations, Justin.
Justin Paith (05:23):
So the operations side we have myself
administrative assistant.
We have three crew leadersutility crew leader, concrete
crew leader and a street crewleader, and then we have 13, I
believe 13, maintenance workersthat are umbrellaed under our
crew leads.
Our jobs are you know, when weget service requests called in
(05:46):
for potholes, signs down, youknow anything, we prioritize
what we can and then go out andattack it.
We're always trying to beproactive, but we've got to put
the fires out first before wecan be proactive.
Melissa Harmer (06:03):
And without Public Works we would not have
clean water to drink, ourtoilets wouldn't flush, we
wouldn't have streets, wewouldn't have sidewalks that
were safe.
So a lot of unknown things goon all the time in both areas of
Public Works.
But it is essential to ourquality of life here in Raymoor
and I know we just a couplemonths ago had National Public
(06:24):
Works Week where we kind of giveyou guys some extra shout outs
for the stuff that you do.
If anyone doesn't know, theyshould really appreciate
everything that you all do everyday so that we have a normal,
functioning city.
Justin Paith (06:37):
A lot of people don't understand what Public
Works does Right and what'sinvolved in Public Works.
Melissa Harmer (06:43):
What would you say?
Is there something that's themost surprising thing that
people say I didn't know, youdid that.
Justin Paith (06:49):
I wouldn't say.
There's really one glaringthing.
That's a surprise.
I think a lot of people, justwhen they flush the toilet, it's
just gone.
Melissa Harmer (06:57):
They don't know there are these processes.
There's processes with it.
Justin Paith (07:01):
Yeah, to get it out they don't have water when
they wake up.
And then, all of a sudden, whodo I call?
Well, that's your public worksdepartment, because they're out
fixing the water main right um,so I think that's just a side.
Is you know, the engineeringside?
Nobody understands what'sinvolved in the entire public
(07:22):
works department.
Melissa Harmer (07:24):
And hopefully we'll shed a little bit of light
on that here today.
And you're on call 24 hours aday, seven days a week, doesn't
matter if it's the weekend orChristmas.
Trent Salsbury (07:32):
Someone always has to be ready to go if there's
water main break or any otherkind of infrastructure emergency
Correct and I was kind of goingto say that to your point
earlier that when you go tosleep and wake up and your
water's back on, well, therewere people out there that
worked for the city all nightmaking sure that that happened.
That is the one thing I don'tthink people quite fully wrap
(07:53):
their head around.
Melissa Harmer (07:55):
I agree and I know that there have been a few
overnighters that I know youguys have done in the years that
I've been here, not very fun,but we're very thankful for it.
Justin Paith (08:03):
Thank you.
Melissa Harmer (08:04):
So, trent, let's go over some of the major
projects happening right now,like in street preservation and
curb, and how do we determinewhat streets to to mill and
overlay what curbs?
Trent Salsbury (08:15):
replace.
Yeah, so the streetpreservation project's about
half done right now.
They've left town for their Iguess we call phase one and
they'll be back later this fallto finish up the rest of it.
And the curb project isprobably about half done as well
, so they are over on countrylane, I believe, right now.
Um, as far as how their roadsare rated and selected, each
(08:38):
year there's a a rating systemwe use for curb and then one for
asphalt.
We drive all the roads in townevery two to three years.
We get these numbers, we putthem into a database and then we
try and spread the money forthe projects around town.
So if there's 10 roads in eachzone of town that are needing
(09:00):
replaced, we'll do three fromeach of them, or something like
that.
So we try and pick the worstroads but also spread it around
town so everybody gets a bit ofthe benefit.
Melissa Harmer (09:10):
And I think there were more than two dozen
streets on this year's plan, soit was a pretty big batch of
streets, yes, but of course thework is never-ending.
Trent Salsbury (09:20):
That is correct.
Unfortunately, it isnever-ending.
Melissa Harmer (09:22):
There are some other projects in the design
phase right now Kurzweil Road.
Tell me about that and where weare there.
Trent Salsbury (09:28):
Yeah, so Kurzweil Road.
We awarded the contract about amonth ago.
That went to Wilson and Company.
They have done theirpreliminary survey, they're
doing traffic counts and theyhave started in on the design
work.
That's kind of what they'reworking on.
They're going to be looking atthings like redoing the ditches,
extending the box culverts,intersection improvements,
(09:49):
trying to fix the intersectionat 155th and Kurzweil where it's
misaligned.
There's kind of that weird jogin the road or whatever.
So they're going to be lookingat things like that to try and
fix out there as well asreplacing the road.
Melissa Harmer (10:01):
And then I think this fall we get that design.
Trent Salsbury (10:07):
Yeah, so hopefully we'll have design
October, November this year, wecan go out to bid with it and
then the intention is to startthat project early next spring.
Melissa Harmer (10:13):
Excellent.
Any other upcoming projects?
Trent Salsbury (10:16):
We have a couple in the works, but nothing is
notable- at Kurzweil Road forsure.
Melissa Harmer (10:21):
And really you've just been working a lot
on getting your capitalimprovement projects ready for
the budget for next year andthose are kind of planned five
years out.
Trent Salsbury (10:31):
Yeah, yep, so we have, I think.
I think I told Justin the otherday we have 15 projects planned
for next year.
I'm not entirely sure how manyof those will go, but we have
quite a bit of investment in thecity planned for next year.
Melissa Harmer (10:42):
Awesome and tell me about streets, justin, and
what our residents can do tohelp keep your crew safe when
you're out working on thestreets.
We have striping coming up nextmonth and I've been out with
the crew a few different timesover the years.
(11:03):
Every single time I am out, Ido witness a driver doing
something horribly dangerous andon their phone or texting or
whatever, and just flying byvery closely to our guys out
there.
So what can everyone do to helpthem stay safe when they're out
working on the streets?
Justin Paith (11:21):
Well, our guys are always out pothole patching
when they're out on 58th Highway, which is a major concern of
ours.
As many potholes as we havewe've got a detenuator out,
we've got blocking vehicles.
So we've got five, six guys outthere to fill a potholes as we
have.
We've got a detenuator out,we've got blocking vehicles.
(11:41):
So we've got five, six guys outthere to fill a pothole, trying
to take all safety precautionsthat we can.
We would just ask that when youguys see us out there, if they
could slow down, move over toanother lane, let the other
traffic get in front of you ifthat's what needs to happen.
Just keep in mind that we'rejust like everybody else and our
goal is to get to work, do ajob and go home safe to our
families, just like everybodyelse.
(12:01):
We've decided last year, withpaint striping 58 highway again
is the main priority that we'vedecided.
We're going to paint stripe thearrows on 58, the crosswalk
stop bars at night.
That would eliminate our guysfrom being standing out in the
road with all the traffic.
So we're going to do that again.
(12:22):
This year Eliminated a lot oftime that was spent on the
highway, plus the safety side ofit.
It was a no-brainer for us totry to implement that.
Melissa Harmer (12:31):
Plus, they're not out in the beating down sun
in the heat of the day in Augusttoo, so that I'm sure was much
welcome by them.
Justin Paith (12:39):
Yes.
So our plan is, our guys woulddo all the truck work within
three to four weeks, and thenthey'll spend roughly three
weeks doing night work aroundtown, and then we'll be sure to
have all the school crosswalkspainted before school starts
nice, tell me what you'replanning for winter events it's
(13:02):
not gonna, we're not gonna haveany oh no snow.
Melissa Harmer (13:04):
Okay, you heard it here first on the same one
rain we're podcast.
Don't worry, guys, we'll befine this winter we are always
thinking about snow.
Justin Paith (13:11):
Unfortunately, I think it was two weeks ago I
actually met with the crewleaders and told them you guys
realize we're.
We're three and a half monthsaway from hooking our snow stuff
up to see and we are probablyfeels like you just unhooked.
Yeah, yeah, yeah we still feellike we're playing catch up from
winter and yet we got to startthinking about winter already.
(13:33):
So it's a it's really anever-ending thought in our
minds and plan and preparation.
So I know October we'll haveour annual snow kickoff meeting
and we usually start havingthose conversations in August,
so unfortunately it's not toofar away.
Melissa Harmer (13:52):
Always planning ahead, though, and I know that
we have had overwhelming supportfor you when you, when you guys
, have been out like day afterday after day, we had kind of
like a few snow events right ina row with no break in between.
Our residents are awesome, andmost of them were sharing
messages of support andencouragement with you, so I
(14:14):
think that that's really greatthat we have people who support
you, knowing that you're outthere overnight, holidays and
all that stuff, just so that wecan, you know, so we can drive
to the grocery store and get towork and do all of that stuff
and you know, that's somethingthat people probably don't
realize too is those positivecomments that our guys, guys,
people don't think that they seethem.
Justin Paith (14:34):
They, they do.
Melissa Harmer (14:35):
Oh, I made sure that you saw some of them too
like I posted some of those uparound your public works
building, um, just to make sure,because it was.
I know that was just like anexhausting several days.
So I know that, yeah, lots of,lots of your people do see them
and I mean extra sure they wouldsee that too.
They did, I can tell you that,and there's still some hanging
(14:59):
around.
I know that's nice.
That's nice.
Maybe we'll get some fresh newones this winter, if we get
anything.
But we won't we'll be fine.
We'll be fine.
Correct.
What else do you want to shareabout Public Works?
What?
Why do you do this?
What do you get out of it?
What makes you proud to be withRaymoor Public Works?
Trent Salsbury (15:17):
I think that what I like about public works
in general is just that everyday, even if most people don't
see what we're doing, I can seewhat we're doing.
I get to build something, but Ialso get to work for a
community and be involved withresidents and be hands-on and
have an impact on somebody eachday.
Justin Paith (15:37):
Yeah, I think the same thing, trent.
It's like you're giving back toyour community.
Every day you go out and you dosomething.
There's a little bit ofsatisfaction at the end of the
day, like you made a difference.
I know, when I started, when Iwas younger, our community was a
lot smaller.
Raymoor was very small, but tome Raymore still feels like a
(15:59):
small town.
Melissa Harmer (16:00):
I still feel that small town.
Yeah, you know a lot of thefolks that you see around town.
They know you and yeah, I thinkthat that's really a good thing
that we have here in Raymor.
Justin Paith (16:08):
Yeah, I agree.
You know our department is,we're fully staffed.
So we in the past we've had tojust be reactionary to
everything we did.
We would go put fires outAnything that came up.
That's just what we did.
And we're finally getting backinto the routine of trying to be
proactive.
(16:29):
We've got routine sewer jettingthat is going to be starting
here, hopefully in the next weekor two Again.
Our paint striping, mud jackingwe've got mud jacking back that
we haven't been able to do in acouple years.
Curb patching is going.
Our street repairs we'reramping up as much as we can do.
(16:49):
We've got a crack ceiling onour hopeful plan that we can get
there, trying to figure outwhat we're capable of with the
guys that we have.
And we've got a great crew,great group of guys that all
really seem like they want to behere.
So that helps us out.
Melissa Harmer (17:09):
That is good, and I can tell that when I'm
visiting with you all at yourbuilding.
A lot of them have been here aslong as you have too, or we've
got a couple that have been hereabout around the same time.
Justin Paith (17:23):
Yeah, and quickly, let's talk about andy big a
yeah yeah, so his andy's lastday will be the 11th of july.
Um he's put in 46 years, umthat's longer than I've been
alive, definitely longer thantrent's been alive, true, longer
than I've been alive,definitely longer than Trent's
been alive.
True, longer than I've beenalive, right so I've worked my
(17:45):
whole career in Raymore with him.
Melissa Harmer (17:48):
So what's it gonna?
I mean, I know he's, he's, he'squitting, but he's kind of
probably going to come back on aon a seasonal basis, so we're
not really like saying goodbye,but what's it going to be like
not having him with you everyday?
Justin Paith (18:02):
it's.
It'll be a.
It'll definitely be a changeyeah um, I I like you said.
I think sometimes, when andywill have a day off, he's going
to be at their beat our shopyeah, I feel like he won't be.
He won't be away too much so wewe told him that he will always
have a seat at our lunch table,so he is welcome anytime that's
great.
Melissa Harmer (18:19):
that's great, and I know that he mentioned the
other day that he's essentiallybeen working for Raymore Public
Works for nearly a third of thetime that Raymore has been a
city, since 1877.
Justin Paith (18:32):
Wow, I've never heard that.
Crazy to think about it thatway.
Melissa Harmer (18:36):
Thank you so much for sharing a little bit
about you and what you do andwhat public works means for the
city and
Justin Paith (18:45):
and thank you for posting this and being a good
communications person for us
Melissa Harmer (18:52):
oh, that's nice.
Thank you very much.
Thank you all right guys,thanks, thanks.
And in this episode we do havean additional guest.
Raymore's longest runningemployee, Andy Elliston, who
works in public works, issitting down with us for just a
few minutes to share a littlebit about his experiences here
in Raymore over the years, fromwhen he started, when Raymore's
(19:12):
population was around 3,000people, versus now, as he's
getting ready to retire and saygoodbye, and our population is
more than 25,000.
Andy, how many years have youbeen with the city?
Andy Elliston (19:25):
46.
Melissa Harmer (19:27):
So you started in April of 1979.
Andy Elliston (19:30):
Yes.
Melissa Harmer (19:32):
Tell me a little bit about when you first came
to the city of Raymore, what itwas like and what kind of work
you were doing in public works.
Andy Elliston (19:40):
It was you know street maintenance kind of what
I do today.
You know it's amazing.
You know we were maintainingroads and ditches and dealing
with brush or you know whatevercomes up.
You know we were helping outwith the parks mowing their
memorial park, mowing ourproperties, helping out the
(20:02):
water department if they have anissue with the water system or
whatever.
And another challenge was whenI started here.
Everything we owned was used.
Maintaining the equipment,keeping it running, was huge.
If we plowed snow at night wedidn't have no place to fuel up.
(20:23):
So the truck was always fullwhen we started but we had like
two five-gallon cans about oneo'clock in the morning.
You know you dumped them in thetruck to keep it going until
the gas station opened up in themorning.
Melissa Harmer (20:39):
Stuff.
That's a lot different now.
Oh yeah, what is your favoritepiece of work equipment?
Andy Elliston (20:43):
Probably be the backhoe that gets used the most.
Melissa Harmer (20:46):
At a very young age you had an interest in large
equipment.
Oh yeah, and you told me beforeabout when you were young.
You were riding on the loaderwith your grandpa.
What was he doing here inRaymore?
Andy Elliston (21:00):
He was in Silver Lake digging basements.
Melissa Harmer (21:04):
Yeah right, when Silver Lake was being developed
for the first time.
Andy Elliston (21:08):
Probably back in the mid-'60s, I would say.
Mid-'60s.
Great.
Yeah, it's kind of funny.
I used to kind of telleverybody I'm an
employee-slash-historian becauseI've seen so much
infrastructure go in.
Melissa Harmer (21:22):
So you're getting ready to retire here
next week.
Big change.
So what are you going to dowith your time?
Andy Elliston (21:29):
A few things Probably get some work done to
the house.
I need a new garage door.
Probably some maintenance doneon my roof.
Might take a few day trips herewithin the state.
Melissa Harmer (21:43):
try to find other things to do and then come
back and see us.
Andy Elliston (21:47):
Probably.
Melissa Harmer (21:50):
Is there anything else that you would
like to share?
Andy Elliston (21:54):
Well, it's been quite the adventure To think
back when I started here, whatit was like to see it today.
It's been a big change.
Melissa Harmer (22:05):
And you've been a big part of that.
Andy Elliston (22:13):
Yeah, I've seen a lot of things.
You know everything.
You know the highway,streetlights.
None of that stuff here existedhere, totally different than
the little town that I startedin back in 79.
Melissa Harmer (22:24):
And I mean just how cool that you have shaped
how Raymore looks, that you'vehelped make it a cool place for
people to move to and raisetheir families.
I'm really glad that I got towork with you for eight years
(22:44):
and I know that it's going to bedifferent, but you'll be around
, you're not going to go too far, so we'll we'll continue to see
you.
I just would like to say thanksfor chatting and thanks for all
your, all of your years ofservice 46 to the people of
Raymore
Andy Elliston (22:58):
.
it's very flattering that youknow, for all the things that
people said to me, you know andstuff I don't know, I just,
regardless of where I would havebeen, it's still been 46 years.
It's just I did them all in onespot, one town.
You know I would have beenworking somewhere regardless,
(23:22):
but I stayed within one spot.
It's pretty rare for anybody, Iguess.
Melissa Harmer (23:28):
I think that is rare.
And listen to you.
You're a humble guy.
I think that's why we love you,andy.
Do you have anything to leaveus with before we say goodbye?
Andy Elliston (23:39):
Well, I'd have to say I guess when I do leave
this place it will be, will takeaway, take with me the memories
of you know 46 years ofeverything that happened and you
know you kind of call back onthem for the rest of your life
and remember the good times andgood fortune I've had for being
(24:02):
able to make it through thattime, health and everything else
.
So not everybody made it.
We lost a few.
So I guess, more than anything,it's the people you meet
Probably spend more time workingwith them in the daytime than
you do with your own family whenyou go home in the evening.
(24:22):
Sometimes all experiences
Melissa Harmer (24:26):
Thank you so much, andy.
Welcome to Say More in Raymore, the City of
Raymore's official podcast.
I'm your host, Melissa Harmer,Communications Director for the
City.
Each episode will bring younews, updates and
behind-the-scenes stories fromyour city government covering
projects, events and the peoplewho help make Raymore a great
place to live, work and visit.
Today I have Public WorksDirector Trent Salsbury and
(00:31):
Assistant Public Works DirectorJustin Paith with us.
Welcome.
Trent Salsbury (00:35):
Hello.
Melissa Harmer (00:36):
Hi.
So first let's introduce you toour residents and our listeners
.
So tell me a little bit aboutyou, trent, your background and
how you came to be in Raymore.
Justin Paith (00:46):
I went to the University of Kansas State when
I graduated there.
I didn't want to move back toKansas City, so I decided to
take a job in Dodge City, kansas.
I was out there for about threeyears and decided that was
entirely too far from home.
So I looked for an opportunityback here and about four years
(01:07):
ago I found a job with Raymoreand been here ever since.
Melissa Harmer (01:11):
What about you, Justin?
Trent Salsbury (01:12):
Well, I started with Raymore when I was a
seasonal at 16, when I was inhigh school.
And in this episode we do havean additional guest Raymoor's
longest running employee, andyElliston, who works at Public
Works, has been with the cityfor 27 years, and both of you,
within the last year or less,have been promoting.
Andy Elliston (01:35):
So, trent, you went from assistant director of
Public Works to director.
Melissa Harmer (01:40):
And then, justin
Justin Paith (01:41):
, I actually went from crew leader to crew
supervisor and then assistantPublic Works director.
Melissa Harmer (01:46):
Great.
Anything else you want to shareabout you?
No, no, well, you're going tohave to because I have a couple
quick rapid fire questions.
I'm going to ask you the sameones.
So, justin, let's go with youfirst, so that Trent has a
little time to think.
Okay, what is your favoritething to do in the summer?
Favorite summer pastime whenyou're not here?
Justin Paith (02:04):
your favorite thing to do in the summer,
favorite summer pastime whenyou're not here?
I like to hunt and fish.
So anytime I have a freeopportunity, I'm usually fishing
, spending time with my wife.
In the past there's been withmy son playing competitive
baseball, so nice.
Melissa Harmer (02:20):
Would your 12 year old self think you're cool?
Justin Paith (02:23):
Probably not.
Melissa Harmer (02:24):
But that's okay.
Yeah, what a 12-year-old selfRight.
Would you rather be able to flyor have super strength?
If you had a super ability?
Justin Paith (02:35):
Probably super strength.
Melissa Harmer (02:36):
All right.
If you're going swimming, areyou doing the cannonball into
the pool or are you dipping yourtoe in first?
Justin Paith (02:40):
Oh cannonball,
Melissa Harmer (02:41):
oh nice.
Do you learn by watching or bydoing?
Justin Paith (02:46):
By doing hands-on
Melissa Harmer (02:47):
got it, got it and uh.
What do you like better as faras work goes, work in the summer
or work in the winter?
Justin Paith (02:54):
um I like both actually.
Um, I I see the benefits ofboth.
Um, snow is probably the worstpart of winter, but it's one of
the biggest parts of our job, sosnow is probably more
satisfying, I guess, because youcan see no vehicles on the
(03:14):
roads and then, once you get getthe roads cleared, you start
seeing residents again.
Melissa Harmer (03:19):
Nice, All right, Trent same questions.
What's your favorite thing todo in the summer?
Trent Salsbury (03:23):
My favorite thing to do in the summer is
anything outside.
I hate being inside.
I can stand 100-degree heatoutside, but if it's 75 inside
I'm miserable.
So anything outside.
We have a garden.
This year do a lot of grilling,building whatever it is.
Melissa Harmer (03:41):
Nice.
Would your 12-year-old selfthink you are cool?
Trent Salsbury (03:46):
Absolutely not, but it would be what my 12 year
old self would expect.
Melissa Harmer (03:50):
Okay, Uh, would you have a?
Would you rather be able to flyor have super strength?
Trent Salsbury (03:55):
I think, fly so I can get to work a lot faster
or just get anywhere a lotfaster.
Cannonball or dipping in yourtoe in the pool first I'm a
pansy dipping my toes first.
Learn by watching or learn bydoing?
Probably learn by doing.
Melissa Harmer (04:13):
And summer or winter for your work here.
What do you prefer?
Trent Salsbury (04:16):
I would probably say summer.
We get to see the benefits ofall of our winter work, building
all of our projects, and thenalso build all of our projects
for the next year and do all ofthe budget stuff.
So probably summer.
Melissa Harmer (04:29):
And that leads us into just give us either one
of you a general overview of thePublic Works Department or
Trent.
Why don't you give us anoverview of the engineering side
, and then Justin can tell usabout the operations side?
Trent Salsbury (04:40):
So our engineering side is made up of
five people Now.
We have an administrativeassistant, we have a senior
engineering tech who started acouple days ago, and then we
have three engineering techs whokind of oversee all of the
field work.
Melissa Harmer (04:54):
And then what kind of stuff like tell me about
what the engineer.
What do you do with like plans?
What kind of things you have tolook?
Trent Salsbury (05:00):
for.
So the senior engineering techand myself we do a lot of the
plan review.
We're looking for basically tomake sure everything that's in
the plans matches our standards,is something that we would want
built in the city, and then ourengineering techs are the ones
in the field making sure thatwhatever's in the plans is built
as its plan.
Melissa Harmer (05:21):
And tell me about operations, Justin.
Justin Paith (05:23):
So the operations side we have myself
administrative assistant.
We have three crew leadersutility crew leader, concrete
crew leader and a street crewleader, and then we have 13, I
believe 13, maintenance workersthat are umbrellaed under our
crew leads.
Our jobs are you know, when weget service requests called in
(05:46):
for potholes, signs down, youknow anything, we prioritize
what we can and then go out andattack it.
We're always trying to beproactive, but we've got to put
the fires out first before wecan be proactive.
Melissa Harmer (06:03):
And without Public Works we would not have
clean water to drink, ourtoilets wouldn't flush, we
wouldn't have streets, wewouldn't have sidewalks that
were safe.
So a lot of unknown things goon all the time in both areas of
Public Works.
But it is essential to ourquality of life here in Raymoor
and I know we just a couplemonths ago had National Public
(06:24):
Works Week where we kind of giveyou guys some extra shout outs
for the stuff that you do.
If anyone doesn't know, theyshould really appreciate
everything that you all do everyday so that we have a normal,
functioning city.
Justin Paith (06:37):
A lot of people don't understand what Public
Works does Right and what'sinvolved in Public Works.
Melissa Harmer (06:43):
What would you say?
Is there something that's themost surprising thing that
people say I didn't know, youdid that.
Justin Paith (06:49):
I wouldn't say.
There's really one glaringthing.
That's a surprise.
I think a lot of people, justwhen they flush the toilet, it's
just gone.
Melissa Harmer (06:57):
They don't know there are these processes.
There's processes with it.
Justin Paith (07:01):
Yeah, to get it out they don't have water when
they wake up.
And then, all of a sudden, whodo I call?
Well, that's your public worksdepartment, because they're out
fixing the water main right um,so I think that's just a side.
Is you know, the engineeringside?
Nobody understands what'sinvolved in the entire public
(07:22):
works department.
Melissa Harmer (07:24):
And hopefully we'll shed a little bit of light
on that here today.
And you're on call 24 hours aday, seven days a week, doesn't
matter if it's the weekend orChristmas.
Trent Salsbury (07:32):
Someone always has to be ready to go if there's
water main break or any otherkind of infrastructure emergency
Correct and I was kind of goingto say that to your point
earlier that when you go tosleep and wake up and your
water's back on, well, therewere people out there that
worked for the city all nightmaking sure that that happened.
That is the one thing I don'tthink people quite fully wrap
(07:53):
their head around.
Melissa Harmer (07:55):
I agree and I know that there have been a few
overnighters that I know youguys have done in the years that
I've been here, not very fun,but we're very thankful for it.
Justin Paith (08:03):
Thank you.
Melissa Harmer (08:04):
So, trent, let's go over some of the major
projects happening right now,like in street preservation and
curb, and how do we determinewhat streets to to mill and
overlay what curbs?
Trent Salsbury (08:15):
replace.
Yeah, so the streetpreservation project's about
half done right now.
They've left town for their Iguess we call phase one and
they'll be back later this fallto finish up the rest of it.
And the curb project isprobably about half done as well
, so they are over on countrylane, I believe, right now.
Um, as far as how their roadsare rated and selected, each
(08:38):
year there's a a rating systemwe use for curb and then one for
asphalt.
We drive all the roads in townevery two to three years.
We get these numbers, we putthem into a database and then we
try and spread the money forthe projects around town.
So if there's 10 roads in eachzone of town that are needing
(09:00):
replaced, we'll do three fromeach of them, or something like
that.
So we try and pick the worstroads but also spread it around
town so everybody gets a bit ofthe benefit.
Melissa Harmer (09:10):
And I think there were more than two dozen
streets on this year's plan, soit was a pretty big batch of
streets, yes, but of course thework is never-ending.
Trent Salsbury (09:20):
That is correct.
Unfortunately, it isnever-ending.
Melissa Harmer (09:22):
There are some other projects in the design
phase right now Kurzweil Road.
Tell me about that and where weare there.
Trent Salsbury (09:28):
Yeah, so Kurzweil Road.
We awarded the contract about amonth ago.
That went to Wilson and Company.
They have done theirpreliminary survey, they're
doing traffic counts and theyhave started in on the design
work.
That's kind of what they'reworking on.
They're going to be looking atthings like redoing the ditches,
extending the box culverts,intersection improvements,
(09:49):
trying to fix the intersectionat 155th and Kurzweil where it's
misaligned.
There's kind of that weird jogin the road or whatever.
So they're going to be lookingat things like that to try and
fix out there as well asreplacing the road.
Melissa Harmer (10:01):
And then I think this fall we get that design.
Trent Salsbury (10:07):
Yeah, so hopefully we'll have design
October, November this year, wecan go out to bid with it and
then the intention is to startthat project early next spring.
Melissa Harmer (10:13):
Excellent.
Any other upcoming projects?
Trent Salsbury (10:16):
We have a couple in the works, but nothing is
notable- at Kurzweil Road forsure.
Melissa Harmer (10:21):
And really you've just been working a lot
on getting your capitalimprovement projects ready for
the budget for next year andthose are kind of planned five
years out.
Trent Salsbury (10:31):
Yeah, yep, so we have, I think.
I think I told Justin the otherday we have 15 projects planned
for next year.
I'm not entirely sure how manyof those will go, but we have
quite a bit of investment in thecity planned for next year.
Melissa Harmer (10:42):
Awesome and tell me about streets, justin, and
what our residents can do tohelp keep your crew safe when
you're out working on thestreets.
We have striping coming up nextmonth and I've been out with
the crew a few different timesover the years.
(11:03):
Every single time I am out, Ido witness a driver doing
something horribly dangerous andon their phone or texting or
whatever, and just flying byvery closely to our guys out
there.
So what can everyone do to helpthem stay safe when they're out
working on the streets?
Justin Paith (11:21):
Well, our guys are always out pothole patching
when they're out on 58th Highway, which is a major concern of
ours.
As many potholes as we havewe've got a detenuator out,
we've got blocking vehicles.
So we've got five, six guys outthere to fill a potholes as we
have.
We've got a detenuator out,we've got blocking vehicles.
(11:41):
So we've got five, six guys outthere to fill a pothole, trying
to take all safety precautionsthat we can.
We would just ask that when youguys see us out there, if they
could slow down, move over toanother lane, let the other
traffic get in front of you ifthat's what needs to happen.
Just keep in mind that we'rejust like everybody else and our
goal is to get to work, do ajob and go home safe to our
families, just like everybodyelse.
(12:01):
We've decided last year, withpaint striping 58 highway again
is the main priority that we'vedecided.
We're going to paint stripe thearrows on 58, the crosswalk
stop bars at night.
That would eliminate our guysfrom being standing out in the
road with all the traffic.
So we're going to do that again.
(12:22):
This year Eliminated a lot oftime that was spent on the
highway, plus the safety side ofit.
It was a no-brainer for us totry to implement that.
Melissa Harmer (12:31):
Plus, they're not out in the beating down sun
in the heat of the day in Augusttoo, so that I'm sure was much
welcome by them.
Justin Paith (12:39):
Yes.
So our plan is, our guys woulddo all the truck work within
three to four weeks, and thenthey'll spend roughly three
weeks doing night work aroundtown, and then we'll be sure to
have all the school crosswalkspainted before school starts
nice, tell me what you'replanning for winter events it's
(13:02):
not gonna, we're not gonna haveany oh no snow.
Melissa Harmer (13:04):
Okay, you heard it here first on the same one
rain we're podcast.
Don't worry, guys, we'll befine this winter we are always
thinking about snow.
Justin Paith (13:11):
Unfortunately, I think it was two weeks ago I
actually met with the crewleaders and told them you guys
realize we're.
We're three and a half monthsaway from hooking our snow stuff
up to see and we are probablyfeels like you just unhooked.
Yeah, yeah, yeah we still feellike we're playing catch up from
winter and yet we got to startthinking about winter already.
(13:33):
So it's a it's really anever-ending thought in our
minds and plan and preparation.
So I know October we'll haveour annual snow kickoff meeting
and we usually start havingthose conversations in August,
so unfortunately it's not toofar away.
Melissa Harmer (13:52):
Always planning ahead, though, and I know that
we have had overwhelming supportfor you when you, when you guys
, have been out like day afterday after day, we had kind of
like a few snow events right ina row with no break in between.
Our residents are awesome, andmost of them were sharing
messages of support andencouragement with you, so I
(14:14):
think that that's really greatthat we have people who support
you, knowing that you're outthere overnight, holidays and
all that stuff, just so that wecan, you know, so we can drive
to the grocery store and get towork and do all of that stuff
and you know, that's somethingthat people probably don't
realize too is those positivecomments that our guys, guys,
people don't think that they seethem.
Justin Paith (14:34):
They, they do.
Melissa Harmer (14:35):
Oh, I made sure that you saw some of them too
like I posted some of those uparound your public works
building, um, just to make sure,because it was.
I know that was just like anexhausting several days.
So I know that, yeah, lots of,lots of your people do see them
and I mean extra sure they wouldsee that too.
They did, I can tell you that,and there's still some hanging
(14:59):
around.
I know that's nice.
That's nice.
Maybe we'll get some fresh newones this winter, if we get
anything.
But we won't we'll be fine.
We'll be fine.
Correct.
What else do you want to shareabout Public Works?
What?
Why do you do this?
What do you get out of it?
What makes you proud to be withRaymoor Public Works?
Trent Salsbury (15:17):
I think that what I like about public works
in general is just that everyday, even if most people don't
see what we're doing, I can seewhat we're doing.
I get to build something, but Ialso get to work for a
community and be involved withresidents and be hands-on and
have an impact on somebody eachday.
Justin Paith (15:37):
Yeah, I think the same thing, trent.
It's like you're giving back toyour community.
Every day you go out and you dosomething.
There's a little bit ofsatisfaction at the end of the
day, like you made a difference.
I know, when I started, when Iwas younger, our community was a
lot smaller.
Raymoor was very small, but tome Raymore still feels like a
(15:59):
small town.
Melissa Harmer (16:00):
I still feel that small town.
Yeah, you know a lot of thefolks that you see around town.
They know you and yeah, I thinkthat that's really a good thing
that we have here in Raymor.
Justin Paith (16:08):
Yeah, I agree.
You know our department is,we're fully staffed.
So we in the past we've had tojust be reactionary to
everything we did.
We would go put fires outAnything that came up.
That's just what we did.
And we're finally getting backinto the routine of trying to be
proactive.
(16:29):
We've got routine sewer jettingthat is going to be starting
here, hopefully in the next weekor two Again.
Our paint striping, mud jackingwe've got mud jacking back that
we haven't been able to do in acouple years.
Curb patching is going.
Our street repairs we'reramping up as much as we can do.
(16:49):
We've got a crack ceiling onour hopeful plan that we can get
there, trying to figure outwhat we're capable of with the
guys that we have.
And we've got a great crew,great group of guys that all
really seem like they want to behere.
So that helps us out.
Melissa Harmer (17:09):
That is good, and I can tell that when I'm
visiting with you all at yourbuilding.
A lot of them have been here aslong as you have too, or we've
got a couple that have been hereabout around the same time.
Justin Paith (17:23):
Yeah, and quickly, let's talk about andy big a
yeah yeah, so his andy's lastday will be the 11th of july.
Um he's put in 46 years, umthat's longer than I've been
alive, definitely longer thantrent's been alive, true, longer
than I've been alive,definitely longer than Trent's
been alive.
True, longer than I've beenalive, right so I've worked my
(17:45):
whole career in Raymore with him.
Melissa Harmer (17:48):
So what's it gonna?
I mean, I know he's, he's, he'squitting, but he's kind of
probably going to come back on aon a seasonal basis, so we're
not really like saying goodbye,but what's it going to be like
not having him with you everyday?
Justin Paith (18:02):
it's.
It'll be a.
It'll definitely be a changeyeah um, I I like you said.
I think sometimes, when andywill have a day off, he's going
to be at their beat our shopyeah, I feel like he won't be.
He won't be away too much so wewe told him that he will always
have a seat at our lunch table,so he is welcome anytime that's
great.
Melissa Harmer (18:19):
that's great, and I know that he mentioned the
other day that he's essentiallybeen working for Raymore Public
Works for nearly a third of thetime that Raymore has been a
city, since 1877.
Justin Paith (18:32):
Wow, I've never heard that.
Crazy to think about it thatway.
Melissa Harmer (18:36):
Thank you so much for sharing a little bit
about you and what you do andwhat public works means for the
city and
Justin Paith (18:45):
and thank you for posting this and being a good
communications person for us
Melissa Harmer (18:52):
oh, that's nice.
Thank you very much.
Thank you all right guys,thanks, thanks.
And in this episode we do havean additional guest.
Raymore's longest runningemployee, Andy Elliston, who
works in public works, issitting down with us for just a
few minutes to share a littlebit about his experiences here
in Raymore over the years, fromwhen he started, when Raymore's
(19:12):
population was around 3,000people, versus now, as he's
getting ready to retire and saygoodbye, and our population is
more than 25,000.
Andy, how many years have youbeen with the city?
Andy Elliston (19:25):
46.
Melissa Harmer (19:27):
So you started in April of 1979.
Andy Elliston (19:30):
Yes.
Melissa Harmer (19:32):
Tell me a little bit about when you first came
to the city of Raymore, what itwas like and what kind of work
you were doing in public works.
Andy Elliston (19:40):
It was you know street maintenance kind of what
I do today.
You know it's amazing.
You know we were maintainingroads and ditches and dealing
with brush or you know whatevercomes up.
You know we were helping outwith the parks mowing their
memorial park, mowing ourproperties, helping out the
(20:02):
water department if they have anissue with the water system or
whatever.
And another challenge was whenI started here.
Everything we owned was used.
Maintaining the equipment,keeping it running, was huge.
If we plowed snow at night wedidn't have no place to fuel up.
(20:23):
So the truck was always fullwhen we started but we had like
two five-gallon cans about oneo'clock in the morning.
You know you dumped them in thetruck to keep it going until
the gas station opened up in themorning.
Melissa Harmer (20:39):
Stuff.
That's a lot different now.
Oh yeah, what is your favoritepiece of work equipment?
Andy Elliston (20:43):
Probably be the backhoe that gets used the most.
Melissa Harmer (20:46):
At a very young age you had an interest in large
equipment.
Oh yeah, and you told me beforeabout when you were young.
You were riding on the loaderwith your grandpa.
What was he doing here inRaymore?
Andy Elliston (21:00):
He was in Silver Lake digging basements.
Melissa Harmer (21:04):
Yeah right, when Silver Lake was being developed
for the first time.
Andy Elliston (21:08):
Probably back in the mid-'60s, I would say.
Mid-'60s.
Great.
Yeah, it's kind of funny.
I used to kind of telleverybody I'm an
employee-slash-historian becauseI've seen so much
infrastructure go in.
Melissa Harmer (21:22):
So you're getting ready to retire here
next week.
Big change.
So what are you going to dowith your time?
Andy Elliston (21:29):
A few things Probably get some work done to
the house.
I need a new garage door.
Probably some maintenance doneon my roof.
Might take a few day trips herewithin the state.
Melissa Harmer (21:43):
try to find other things to do and then come
back and see us.
Andy Elliston (21:47):
Probably.
Melissa Harmer (21:50):
Is there anything else that you would
like to share?
Andy Elliston (21:54):
Well, it's been quite the adventure To think
back when I started here, whatit was like to see it today.
It's been a big change.
Melissa Harmer (22:05):
And you've been a big part of that.
Andy Elliston (22:13):
Yeah, I've seen a lot of things.
You know everything.
You know the highway,streetlights.
None of that stuff here existedhere, totally different than
the little town that I startedin back in 79.
Melissa Harmer (22:24):
And I mean just how cool that you have shaped
how Raymore looks, that you'vehelped make it a cool place for
people to move to and raisetheir families.
I'm really glad that I got towork with you for eight years
(22:44):
and I know that it's going to bedifferent, but you'll be around
, you're not going to go too far, so we'll we'll continue to see
you.
I just would like to say thanksfor chatting and thanks for all
your, all of your years ofservice 46 to the people of
Raymore
Andy Elliston (22:58):
.
it's very flattering that youknow, for all the things that
people said to me, you know andstuff I don't know, I just,
regardless of where I would havebeen, it's still been 46 years.
It's just I did them all in onespot, one town.
You know I would have beenworking somewhere regardless,
(23:22):
but I stayed within one spot.
It's pretty rare for anybody, Iguess.
Melissa Harmer (23:28):
I think that is rare.
And listen to you.
You're a humble guy.
I think that's why we love you,andy.
Do you have anything to leaveus with before we say goodbye?
Andy Elliston (23:39):
Well, I'd have to say I guess when I do leave
this place it will be, will takeaway, take with me the memories
of you know 46 years ofeverything that happened and you
know you kind of call back onthem for the rest of your life
and remember the good times andgood fortune I've had for being
(24:02):
able to make it through thattime, health and everything else
.
So not everybody made it.
We lost a few.
So I guess, more than anything,it's the people you meet
Probably spend more time workingwith them in the daytime than
you do with your own family whenyou go home in the evening.
(24:22):
Sometimes all experiences
Melissa Harmer (24:26):
Thank you so much, andy.
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