Although its name, Backhoe Rodeo, implied a healthy dose of rowdy chaos, the Monday gauntlet at the Wasatch County Event Center was really more about gentleness and precision, explained competitor Jacob Anderson.
The competitions included stacking tires using a trackhoe, performing feats like grabbing a basketball off a cone, lowering a chain into a small hole using a backhoe, and weaving through an obstacle course using a garbage truck.
“A lot of times we have to dig around other utility lines, like gas lines, power lines, phone lines, and you have to be gentle. … If you’re not careful, maybe you’re the guy that hits the gas line that you hear about on the news,” Anderson explained. “This shows your skill level and gives us a chance to show off what we can do.”
The Backhoe Rodeo was started by Heber City five years ago and later became a collaboration with all county public works entities. It served as a kickoff to National Public Works Week, a time to appreciate those whose service on public roads, infrastructure, water, utilities, waste and public spaces is often taken for granted.
Anderson is the water master for Jordanelle Special Service District, overseeing the nine reservoirs in the district and ensuring the water is supplied to Wasatch County for a variety of uses. Some water is supplied to Heber Light & Power to generate electricity through its hydropower plant, some is treated to become culinary drinking water and some is funneled into irrigation pipes.
“We get to do recycling at its finest,” Anderson said.
Anderson left the construction industry for public works 18 years ago, during the 2008 financial crisis. He oversaw water, roads and irrigation for Heber City before joining Jordanelle Special Service District.
Anderson referred to his colleagues in public works as the “forgotten first responders.”
“A lot of people don’t realize that when you’re in this industry, we get called out a lot on the weekends,” he said. “It’s a 9 to 5 on top of, you never know when you’re going to get called out on a water main break, Jan. 3 at 2 in the morning, when it’s negative 10 outside.”
And just like firefighters or police officers, public works employees sometimes risk their lives on the job.
That became obvious about four years ago, when one of Anderson’s Heber City public works colleagues, Blake Walton, was fixing a water main in a trench outside the Wasatch County Recreation Center. The trench caved in, burying him up to the waist. Making matters worse was the fact that a saw fell during the cave-in and embedded itself in Walton’s leg.
“Everybody in the rec center was out of water, and they were in there complaining. And meanwhile, that was going on outside,” Anderson said. “If people are out of service or water, please be patient because there are guys working on it, and that guy is putting his life at risk.”
Justin Motley, Heber City’s utility maintenance operator, said public works is a thankless but vital calling.
“A lot of stuff (that) a lot of people probably think is interesting, that’s kind of normal day-to-day stuff for us, like fixing water leaks with it still turned on, getting sprayed in the face, hanging upside down for hours on end,” he said. “You’ve got to fix a leak inside of a meter vault? That’s not a very big hole, and someone will hold on to your ankles, and you’re down there until it’s fixed.”
Motley said the key to thriving in public works is having a sense of humor.
“You can be out all night long, 10, 12 hours after you should have gone home, and everybody leaves still laughing,” he said. “That takes a special person because it can be miserable.”
Wasatch County residents pack the Event Complex for the Backhoe Rodeo on Monday. Credit: Jonathan Herrera/Park Record 
Wasatch County’s public works employees compete in the Backhoe Rodeo on Monday. Credit: Jonathan Herrera/Park Record 
Public works employees pick up basketballs using backhoes during the Backhoe Rodeo on Monday. Credit: Jonathan Herrera/Park Record 
Excavators line the Wasatch County Event Complex at the Backhoe Rodeo on Monday. Credit: Jonathan Herrera/Park Record 
Public works employees compete in the tire-stacking trackhoe competition at the Backhoe Rodeo on Monday. Credit: Jonathan Herrera/Park Record
Motley’s seven-person water crew is tight. He went to high school with four of them; one is his cousin, and the other two are younger kids who “fit right in.”
On top of that, one of Motley’s trackhoe tire-stacking rivals is his girlfriend’s older brother.
“He stole all my tires, which was a problem, but I guess I just wasn’t lucky,” he said.
Anderson wants younger people to pursue careers in public works. That’s what his 21-year-old son, Gage, did. He’s been with Midway Public Works for the past four years, working in the cemetery. His work entails everything from digging out graves to maintaining the grounds and water system.
“I said, ‘If you don’t want to go to college, and you don’t want to go on a mission, I suggest you work for one of our local entities and start your career now. Your career can always change, but at least start somewhere,’” Anderson said. “We need more of the younger generation to do the same.”
For Anderson, Public Works Week represents a chance for citizens to better understand and appreciate public works.
“I’d love to see the community get more involved in why we do what we do. What’s the reason, and how does water get to your tap? What happens when you flush your toilet? Where does that go?” he said. “Someone’s got to deal with it, and the guys in this room, they’re the guys dealing with it.”
National Public Works Week celebrations continue 5 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at Wasatch County South Field Park with a community party featuring food, music and heavy machinery.