The city of Palmdale received the 2018 Project of the Year Award in the Creative and Innovative category for the city’s streetlight acquisition and retrofit project. As well, Lynn Glidden, project manager for capital improvements, received the American Public Works Association’s (APWA) President’s Award from the Southern California chapter at its annual awards banquet in Lakewood.
The streetlight acquisition and retrofit project involved purchasing approximately 18,000 streetlights from Southern California Edison and retrofitting them over to Light Emitting Diode. The goal was to increase energy efficiency, decrease maintenance and improve public safety, and required strong collaboration among departments and SCE, and most importantly active community engagement.
“The project greatly improved the lighting citywide and has been warmly received,” said Ben Lucha, Palmdale Environmental and Technology manager. “This is one of Palmdale’s first steps towards becoming a Smart City, and the new infrastructure will allow the City to integrate future Smart Cities technologies and expand its infrastructure.”
The President’s Award, presented to Glidden, is traditionally given for unique and special dedication and leadership in advancing public works, including being active in supporting APWA, either at the branch or chapter level.
“Lynn Glidden is an exemplary professional who is dedicated to public works,” said APWA Chapter President Tim D’ Zamura. “She has been a member of the High Desert Branch since its inception and has contributed behind the scenes in many ways including assisting with both the scholarship and award committees even though she was not officially a member of those committees.” Glidden, whose career spans nearly 30 years in Palmdale, has served as board secretary of the Southern California branch for four years and has been chair for the communication/membership committee for the past three years.
The Southern California Chapter of the APWA is a professional association of public works trades people, engineers and leaders in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. For 18 years, the annual APWA Best Awards luncheon recognizes individuals, groups and projects that are outstanding in the prior year. Awards are presented to agencies, public works leaders, as well as elected officials. In the 19 years that the So Cal Chapter awards program has existed, the city of Palmdale has received 36 awards for many notable projects and programs implemented by the city.
