The November 2008 edition of the APWA Reporter, published by the American Public Works Association, noted the outstanding customer service ODOT's Local Program Certification Manager Beth Vargas Duncan provided the city of Eugene. Jenifer Willer, a civil engineer with the city, wrote an article about how beneficial it has been for Eugene to attain ODOT's local agency certification. Here's an excerpt:

"Eugene is excited for the future that this certification brings. Going through the APWA accreditation process ensured that the City's policies and procedures meet nationally recognized standards and were thoroughly documented and allowed the Engineering Division to easily complete the ODOT certification requirements. Going through the ODOT certification process has built a relationship with City and ODOT staff which makes the projects more collaborative. To illustrate this collaboration, Beth Vargas Duncan, the Certification Program manager for the ODOT Local Government section, spent many hours running information down; she consistently looked for solutions when it appeared we were about to hit a 'bump in the road' rather than wait until we found ourselves 'off road.' With certification, the City is already seeing significant time and cost savings . . ."

That's great news for Vargas Duncan, not only personally but also professionally. When she first joined ODOT, she spent several long months shoring up the certification manuals. Ever since, she's been helping local governments understand just how smart it is to get certified by ODOT. Congratulations, Beth!