Simsbury Public Works Director Wins National Management Award

SIMSBURY, CT — Tom Roy, Simsbury's director of public works and town engineer, won the 2022 Management Innovation Award from the American Public Works Association, the town has announced.

The award recognizes a person, team or organization for the development, management and implementation of a program/process that "enhances the delivery of public works services to the public," town officials said.

Roy won it for the procedures he implemented during winter 2020 in the Simsbury Public Works Department to mitigate potential staffing shortages caused by 14-day quarantines for COVID-19 exposure.

His system involved drivers quarantining in their plow trucks during snow and ice events, using private camping tents to prevent the spread of COVID-19 during rest breaks, and creating plans with neighboring municipalities in the event of an outbreak within the department, officials said.

Roy shared his approach with other agencies statewide and throughout the northeast, and they became a model for other municipalities grappling with the same issues, members of the APWA's New England chapter said in their letter nominating him.

"I am thrilled that Tom is being recognized for his efforts in protecting our essential workforce and maintaining our critical infrastructure during the pandemic," said Maria Capriola, Simsbury Town Manager. "Tom and the entire Public Works Department have demonstrated resilience and creativity in the face of new challenges brought on by COVID, and we are so grateful for all of their hard work in keeping our community safe."

Roy will be presented with the award on Aug. 29 at the Public Works Expo in Charlotte, North Carolina.