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All in Adams--Tool Shed & Block Party Trailer
18 Plays1 month ago
Welcome to All In Adams, the Adams County podcast where we connect you with the people, programs, and conversations shaping our community.
In this episode, learn more about the Adams County Tool Shed and Block Party Trailer. Interested in reserving the Tool Shed? Learn more: adcogov.org/tool-shed. Ready to plan your next block party? Reserve the trailer here: adcogov.org/block-party.
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Transcript
Introduction to 'All In Adams'
00:00:04
Speaker
Welcome to All In Adams, the official podcast of Adams County Government, where we're all in for our residents, our employees, and our community. So whether you live here, work here, or you just want to know more about what makes Adams County a great place to be, thanks for tuning in.
00:00:21
Speaker
We're all in, Adams. Welcome into another episode of the All in Adams Adams County podcast.
Meet the Community Safety Team
00:00:27
Speaker
My name is Carson Forsman. I am a communication supervisor with Adams County, and I am joined with two ladies from community safety and well-being. We have Katie and Stacey, and we're here to talk about the Adams County ah block party trailer and the tool shed, which are two very cool, unique tools.
Tool Shed Program Overview
00:00:48
Speaker
Things that Adams County offers for our residents. And I just want to jump in right away with, talk to me a little bit about the tool shed. I know you're both going to hit on the tool shed in the walk party trailer, but let's start there because it is pretty cool, right? Residents can rent this trailer out and I'll let you take it from here, but though, but it's pretty Yeah, the tool shed is a really great opportunity for all Adams County residents to rent any tool that they need for lawn care or anything like that to maintain their properties. So um it's great. We do all the heavy lifting. So if you need a lawnmower or rake or extension cords, our code team will deliver it to you. We'll even show you how to use it.
00:01:24
Speaker
um And then we'll come pick it up when you're done. So residents, whatever they need, if they can't afford to purchase the tools, they can rent them from us um and take care of any needs they have for their home. That's so cool. And I know the the program has expanded. We started out with one trailer and now we have a couple, correct? And we're expanding it.
00:01:41
Speaker
It first started out with just unincorporated residents and now any Adams County resident, even if you're in a municipality, ah you can rent it out, correct? Yes, absolutely. And now that we have the two trailers, you can even rent the entire trailer out. So we've had instances where communities will get together and help their entire neighborhood, clean up their whole neighborhood um together. And it brings the community together and and really...
00:02:03
Speaker
that establishes that unity and that sense of belonging that we're looking for here in Adams County. Let's jump over to the block party trailer to summer is right
The Block Party Trailer
00:02:10
Speaker
around the corner. It's getting hot. um Talk to me, Katie, a little bit about that. Is it kind of the same concept?
00:02:15
Speaker
So the Block Party trailer, this is the third year that it's um been running. And the Block Party trailer is available to unincorporated Adams County residents. You can rent the trailer.
00:02:27
Speaker
We have a system where you can request to block your road off and host events. The Block Party trailer has all sorts of stuff in it. It has tables, chairs, a variety of games, the sound system, really the works um to get your block together and celebrate.
00:02:42
Speaker
I love that. And talk to me about that idea of community, right? We're trying to get neighborhoods together and that's kind of what the block party is is doing, right? And talk to me a little bit about the success of that. So it's it's been really successful, but it's been really cool to see that we didn't kind of anticipate, but love to see is the schools and our community partners have really been interested in using it. So they've been using it for things like ah end of year school celebration, um resource fairs. And so they've been able to take it out in the community for us and get the community connected and talking to each other. And that's really what it's about is creating that connection um in Adams County.
00:03:21
Speaker
And you can do them both at the same time. There you go. Right? So you guys can get the entire trailer and clean up the neighborhood and then throw a big party afterwards. so that is That is so cool. And the Tool Shed, we've had some news coverage with the Tool Shed too in years past. And ah one of the cool stories we featured was residents kind of coming together and helping out a neighbor that maybe didn't have ah the capability of cleaning up their yard. Have you had some more of those success stories? Oh, absolutely. I think even just last year, correct me I'm wrong, there was...
00:03:50
Speaker
One of our community partners that they had a couple and ah neighbors within their congregation, it was a church and they were having some health issues and things like that where they weren't able to get out and take care of their yard. And so the whole congregation and church got together, rented the trailer and helped out anybody they could within that neighborhood. So it was a really beautiful thing to see.
00:04:07
Speaker
And I know you guys have code enforcement officers and of course, you know, people need to follow the law and whatnot, but the idea of the tool shed trailer is to maybe, maybe that's the first step, right? Is we have the tools to maybe help you be in compliance. If somebody is having some issues, have you guys ran into that and had some success there as well? absolutely. So if we respond out to a complaint per se about somebody's yard where weeds are too long and things like that before we even want to even start with the violation process we make sure that they have this resource at their disposal and they know how to access it so we really try to help them come into compliance before it becomes an issue so that not only is their home beautiful and in compliance but they're getting along with their neighbors and their neighbors the whole neighborhood will look just as beautiful so
00:04:49
Speaker
Awesome.
Booking and Reservations
00:04:50
Speaker
Let's talk about how do i how do I rent out the, let's start with block party trailer, for instance, is it, is it a pretty, pretty easy process? It's super easy. Thanks to our great IT system, our IT people here at the County.
00:05:03
Speaker
and They built a a really easy system for both programs. They both operate the same. So you go online to our website and I'm sure we're going to share both of those um links.
00:05:13
Speaker
And um so for the tool shed program, It's five days ahead of time that you need to get your reservation in there for the block party program. It's five days unless you need a road closure and then that's two weeks um to get the system in there, but it's super easy. There's availability calendar. You can select your drop off time.
00:05:32
Speaker
Both programs we will drop off on um weekdays. So if you wanted to host a block party, um you could have the trailer dropped off on a Friday. We'd pick it up on a Monday morning. Super easy tools. We will deliver individual tools or you can rent the whole tool bullsh shed.
00:05:47
Speaker
You bring it right to the resident. That's pretty slick. Right to the door. Yeah, that's awesome. And back to the block party trailer. if i Do I have to have a whole block party per se? Or can i just what if I have a party at my residence?
00:06:02
Speaker
That's question. allow that? yeah What are things maybe that you don't allow? Just so residents know that are watching this. you can't use it for like your personal you know birthday party. um You do have to have two people um on the application sign up.
00:06:16
Speaker
or up to host a block party. If you are requesting to close your road, you need to get 70% of your res or your block to sign off on that and participate in the event.
00:06:29
Speaker
And then, um and that's really so that your neighbors know you're about to close your road and on the program, um there's a, there's a link where you can check to see if your road would even qualify ahead of time. So it needs to be a local road.
00:06:43
Speaker
And you can check your jurisdiction as well on both programs. Tool shed. Let's brainstorm maybe a project that somebody could tackle with the tool shed. I mean, you got the lawnmowers, got tons of tools in there. I mean, just for some ideas for residents, rakes, right?
00:07:01
Speaker
um Any ideas that you have for residents that they, hey, they could, maybe it's not a lawnmower, but some sort of landscaping project they could do, I'm sure, right?
Tool Shed Features and Future
00:07:08
Speaker
Sure. I mean, yeah. <unk>ve got You can trim your bushes. So anything like that you would think of in your front yard or backyard, right? So cutting down long weeds, trimming bushes.
00:07:18
Speaker
there's We've got trash bags you can pick up any kind of debris or anything that you may have. um and What else? There's tree lobbers in there. They're not industrial. pullers. So if you've got a giant tree, maybe.
00:07:30
Speaker
Um, weed pullers. There are weed pullers. There's a manual aerator. Um, sure. We've got trash pickers, tons of trash pickers. We even have, so most of the tools that are in, um, the tool shed are electric. So we will also provide,
00:07:46
Speaker
the electrical cords to you. There are hoses. If you like my husband broke the hose or run over the electric, you can unscrew it correctly. i don't know.
00:07:57
Speaker
But if anything that you can think of that you would need in your front or backyard, we've, we've got the tool. And if things come up that we see that we've got a gap, um, we are happy to evaluate that in order what we need to meet the needs of, of our community.
00:08:11
Speaker
Curious, how do you measure success with with these two programs? Is it how many rentals you get per year? How are you guys as a department measuring that success? We send out surveys at the end of each use. so we ask for we ask for feedback specifically, you know was the tool working? Did you understand how to use it?
00:08:29
Speaker
um Last year we went through and created um more user manuals that they can access and links to the actual tools that are there. um But also like, what are you looking for?
00:08:39
Speaker
Same thing with the block party trailer, or the things that you'd like to see in the trailer, what worked well, what didn't. And then the other is, yeah, the data on the use. Yeah. And um with the tool shed, will you show residents how to use the tools? I know some of them are probably easy to figure out, but if they need assistance, will staff help out? Absolutely. When our team members will drop it off, they can show you a demonstration, show you how to plug it in, best way to put it back, you know or fold it back up and that kind of stuff. So we make sure that they have the knowledge to use any piece of equipment that we do rent to them um successfully and safely.
00:09:12
Speaker
Any like scenarios that kind of stand out where you have interacted with residents who have used maybe one of these that stick out to you, just how appreciative they've maybe been, or maybe talk a little bit about that. Oh yeah, absolutely. When, so I've been with the County just a little over a year. And so the first few months of my employment, I was really going out with all of our officers um just to see what they did, what their areas were. And there were a couple instances where I got to go on deliveries or pickups.
00:09:36
Speaker
um And there was one where, I mean, I apparently her rose bushes had just overgrown, gone over her lawn. And when we got there, it was just so manicured and beautiful. And she was almost in tears when we went and picked up all of the equipment and, and she was trying to help us load it And we're like, no, we've got this. And just so appreciative and so grateful and made sure that she had it reserved for the next week to do it again. So, um, yeah, just a lot of pride in the work that, that she was able to do on her property and very grateful to our team members that were there to help her.
Closing and Engagement
00:10:07
Speaker
Well, cool. Well, we got a, well, you got it. Residents got it. Plan your next block party or um maybe the next project. And if you want to um get the block party trailer or the tool shed, ah make sure I have this right, ladies. It's adcodegov.org slash tool dash shed. Yes. For the tool shed.
00:10:28
Speaker
i might've said tool trailer. I can't remember. um But tool-shed. And then the other link is atco.gov.org slash block party, all one word, um to fill out the application and have your next block party or get your next tool or the whole shed. We'll bring it right to your door. So appreciate your time. Any other questions?
00:10:47
Speaker
Anything that i missed? Anything else? or No, no. Thank you for having us. Yeah, you bet. Have a great rest of your spring and enjoy the summer. Thank you. Thanks. That's a wrap for this episode of All in Adams. Thank you for joining us as we explore the people, programs, and the policies that make Adams County a great place to live, work, and thrive.
00:11:08
Speaker
If you enjoyed the show, be sure to subscribe and share with your friends, neighbors, and colleagues. Have a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know. We're all in for bringing you the stories that matter most.
00:11:19
Speaker
Until next time, take care of each other and stay connected with us on Facebook, Instagram, Nextdoor, and X. We're all in, Adams, and we're all in for you.