Windham’s new Public Works Director essential to infrastructure maintenance

By Masha Yurkevich

The title “public works director” carries a lot with it. As Google defines it, it is to “manage, plan, direct and review the daily activities and operations of streets and alleys, parks and cemeteries, vehicle and equipment maintenance, stormwater, and the flood protection system.” But there is so much more to it that is all behind the curtain.

Jon Earle is responsible for maintaining 
Windham's highways and town buildings
in his role as Public Works Director.
FILE PHOTO

Jon Earle became Windham’s new Public Works Director in October and has been in the position now for three full months, succeeding the retiring Doug Fortier, who had served as Public Works Director since May 2004.

“I’ve always had a passion and interest in infrastructure and the opportunity to make a difference in the community I live in,” says Earle. “This position allows me to do both of these.”

Earle is originally from Lisbon, Maine and earned a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the University of Maine. He also has a Certificate of Graduate Study in Public Administration from the University of Southern Maine and has completed innovation and leadership development training at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.

“My family lives here in Windham, and we have been here since 2009,” he says.

In his role, Earle oversees the Highway, Fleet, and Buildings and Grounds divisions along with Engineering and Solid Waste.

It’s not an easy role to oversee Highway Maintenance in Windham, which includes winter plowing as well as maintaining all town roads, ditches, shoulders, drainage, and other infrastructures; vehicle maintenance, which includes maintenance of all equipment from excavators and backhoes down to chain saws and hand compactors, as well as the police and town office vehicles.

He also is responsible for the town’s Buildings & Grounds Department, which includes care of the town’s cemeteries, nine municipal buildings, and two intersections.

Those duties are in addition to budgeting, seeking grant money for roads, working on capital equipment replacement plans, getting bids for anything from equipment purchase to buying winter sand and salt. Another part of his job is hiring when there are Public Works Department vacancies.

Prior to joining the town, Earle served as the Supervisor of Engineering Services for the Maine Water Company and was responsible for capital project delivery and oversight in 12 public water systems serving more than 32,000 customers across the state.

His role as Public Works Director is something of a reunion of sorts for Earle. He spent a little more than two years as Windham’s Town engineer in the past.

While we can enjoy a cup of hot chocolate and watch the snow come down, Earle and his team work diligently to make the roads safe for us to drive on.

“Certainly, no two days are the same,” he says, “but right now we are heavily involved with winter operations which involves monitoring upcoming weather, preparing our staff and fleet for upcoming storms, and monitoring the use of winter sand, salt, and calcium.”

For Earle, his favorite part of the job is the variety and that he is learning new things every day. In his position, he says that he hopes to leverage technology to bring more efficiency to the department.

“Some people may not realize that cemeteries are under the responsibility of Public Works,” says Earle. “Through the leadership of Brian Morin, our Building and Grounds manager, we oversee 26 cemeteries in Windham and work with families to coordinate services during difficult times.”

Earle also added that he would like to advocate for Public Works to be viewed as first responders, similar to Windham Police and Fire Department staff members.

“Together, we are the backbone of the community and without safe and passable roads, they are not able to provide the crucial services needed in the community,” he said. <