I hope everyone is having a safe and productive summer. I know you are very busy this time of year, but I want to suggest a couple of worthwhile events that you or others at your agency may consider attending in the next couple of months. The first is an opportunity for your most valuable shop guys. You know, the ones who can fix anything! Sign them up for our new maintenance welding course! I promise you, they will come back with some new tips and tricks and they will have a great time with the instructor. It’s free for your agency and great for employee morale! See the article below for details! My other suggestion is to pick one of the regional local roads conferences to attend, and bring a friend! I know these events are out of state, but that’s what makes them so valuable. Gaining perspectives and being exposed to what others around us are doing can be pretty beneficial. MINK is in St. Joseph Missouri next month, and the Regional Local Roads Conference is in October in Sioux Falls South Dakota. NDOTs workforce development project can pay your expenses for either trip, so please see the articles below for more info!