Marietta's Public Works department receives distinguished awards. Home Posted on August 04, 2026 August 8, 2026 Communications Manager 770-794-5509 MARIETTA, GA - The City of Marietta's Department of Public Works received two distinguished awards given at the Georgia Chapter of American Public Works Association (APWA) Annual Awards Banquet on July 9th. These recognitions include Public Works Manager of the Year and Project of the Year awards for the State of Georgia. The Georgia Chapter APWA's Awards Program honors outstanding public works employees, individuals, groups, and projects, representing the best achievements in the public works profession in Georgia. "These awards reflect the exceptional quality of our Public Works staff and the high level of service they provide," said Mark Rice, the City's Director of Public Works. "This recognition speaks to the professionalism found throughout our department. Our employees take great pride in their work and remain committed to finding effective solutions that benefit the community." The awards received are as follows: * The 2026 Public Works Manager of the Year (Administrative) was awarded to Scott Stokes, Deputy Director of Operations, in recognition of his more than 49 years of local government experience, strong leadership and continued commitment to public service. Since joining the City of Marietta in 2018, he has overseen employees across the Fleet, Sanitation, Streets and Traffic divisions and helped lead major initiatives, including the Fleet building expansion, Sanitation roll cart conversion, improved collection routing, numerous construction and maintenance projects, and the department's achievement of APWA accreditation. He is also recognized for maintaining a high standard of customer service, supporting emergency operations, mentoring public works professionals, and consistently prioritizing the safety of employees. * The 2026 Structures Project of the Year (<$1 Million) was awarded to the City for the Lake Dodd Pipe Crossing Project for the department's innovative rehabilitation of a failing double-barreled stormwater system beneath a heavily traveled roadway. Faced with major utility conflicts that prevented a traditional pipe replacement, Public Works developed an alternative approach that allowed the road to remain open with only minimal lane closures. The project included replacing the most damaged pipe sections, manually clearing approximately 300 feet of debris, stabilizing underground voids, installing cured-in-place pipe lining, constructing a new outlet headwall and improving erosion control and pedestrian accessibility. Managed and inspected by City staff, the $556,837 project was completed in approximately two and a half months, ahead of the 120-day schedule, while maintaining public access and minimizing impacts to nearby businesses, emergency services and motorists.