Foley, Ala. — (OBA) —  The City of Foley is shining a spotlight on the men and women who keep the city moving. During National Public Works Week, the city honored its public works employees who repair roads, collect garbage, trim trees, and handle countless other services. The recognition comes at a meaningful time. The department is also moving into a brand-new $17 million campus at the corner of North Poplar Street and East Section Avenue.

National Public Works Week ran from May 17 through 23. The annual observance honors workers who quietly provide the services communities rely on every day. For Foley, it is a chance to pause and acknowledge a team that often works before sunrise.

Darrell Russell, the city's public works director, said the timing could not be better. "They've started moving in, and they're really pleased with all this," Russell said. "It's a lot nicer and has much more room. They deserve this."

The department has about 100 employees, a far cry from its beginnings. When Foley's former public works building opened in 1991, the department had only about 22 employees. The city has grown steadily since then, and so has the demand for services.

Sanitation crews are a major part of that growth. Each week, five trucks collect residential garbage from 23,000 green cans citywide. The routes are completed in just four days. Foley also offers a recycling program, with about 40% of households participating.

The street department is organized into six units. These units handle street, right-of-way, and sidewalk maintenance; signs and markings; road and project construction; and urban forestry. Each unit helps keep Foley's infrastructure safe and functional.

The hours are not always easy. Some workers arrive as early as midnight to start their shifts. The new campus was designed with that in mind. It includes locker rooms and break rooms so employees have what they need while working long hours throughout the day.

The new facility also gives the department room to properly care for Foley's roughly 450-vehicle fleet. That fleet includes public works trucks, police and fire units, and vehicles used by other city departments. For years, mechanics had worked in a garage of only about 800 square feet. The new campus features a modern maintenance facility with 16,000 square feet of working space.

The Foley Engineering Department will also have offices on the new campus. Every building on the site was designed to withstand winds of up to 160 miles per hour. Two natural gas generators are also on-site, ensuring the department can continue operations even when the power goes out during emergencies.

City officials expect the new campus to meet Foley's public works needs for the next 30 to 40 years. It is a long-term investment in the people and systems that keep the city running, one trash pickup and one repaired road at a time.