It seems like something is always going on around the PC and Projects Division at Brooklyn.

Kenny Alexander and crew are working in Tama with Jeff Upah to uncover sand for next season’s dredging. This has been a mild and muddy winter for moving dirt with dump trucks. When it’s too muddy to move dirt, Kenny and some others are working on track equipment in the shop.

Brett Strong and a small crew are finishing underground work at the Brooklyn Office for the new IT Building. Nate Hopwood and Brett work day to day on schedules for sanitary sewer, water main, communication conduits, gas and storm sewer needs.

The Crushing Division with Brian Novak and crew has been doing plant maintenance on their crushers and loader. The primary crusher is being totally reconstructed in Cedar Rapids with a new impact crusher being installed. Other fabrication and up dates will be added as well, including an engine over haul. Brian’s 980 Cat end-loader is in Cedar Rapids getting a major rebuild, too. Caterpillar has a rebuild plan that totally disassembles a machine, checks for major wear areas, replaces worn parts and then re-assembles the machine. The Crushing Crew has a lot of work ahead of them this season. Ames, Ankeny and a recycle pile for Martin Marietta in Des Moines are on the schedule at this time.

Tim Wall, Cody McDonald and Alfredo Ordaz are mechanics and operators working on PC paving equipment in the Brooklyn Shop. Concrete pavers, belt placers and trimmers require the most attention to repair issues. Nobody understands the equipment functions better than these guys.

The Project Managers and Estimators are always busy during the winter months. To date they have secured a Mega 235 project in Des Moines, the Fairfield Airport and the Rusty Wallace Drive Project in Newton. More work is coming to bid this winter and I’m sure these guys will be staying busy.

Lets watch over each other and make sure we all have a safe work place. It is NEVER OK to think production is more important than safety.