Workshops

Through Salt Smart, our partners offer yearly deicing workshops and webinars.

Winter Deicing Workshops

2024 Workshops - Save the Date

The workshops aim to help personnel from municipalities and public works facilities implement Best Management Practices (BMPs) to reduce the amount of salt they use in snow fighting operations and to address NPDES Permit Requirements.
 

2024 Dates

Roads
September 24
October 3
October 8
 
Salt Smart Certified Parking Lots & Sidewalks
September 26
October 1
 
Registration to open in August.
 

Parking Lots & Sidewalks

Tuesday, October 24th

In person - Ringers Landscaping, Crystal Lake, IL

2022 Sponsors

Workshop FAQs

No, the $50 registration fee is for the link to join a particular webinar and can be shared among the staff.  If staff is joining webinars on different dates, then the fee must be paid for each webinar date. 

The login you will be sent can be used in more than one location.

Due to the unprecedented situation posed by COVID-19 the presenting organizations felt it was incredibly important to continue to offer this training even if costs were not covered by registration fees. With the training being virtual this year, we hope to have more participation across our region that will also help to offset costs.

After registering through EventBrite you will receive an email with a link and password to join the webinar. If you cannot register online, contact Nancy Cinatl at 630-428-4500 ext. 120 or [email protected] to process the payment and receive the link.

No, the workshops are being offered on multiple dates to accommodate schedules.

These trainings are good for both your staff that clear snow and ice as well as program managers and administrative staff that interact with residents or customers.

Yes! Participation in the workshops should be included in your annual MS4 report (for entities that have an MS4 permit). Circulating/encouraging private deicing companies that operate in your community can also be included in your MS4 report.

Yes, this is a great way to meet this requirement for your staff as well as encouraging any contractors that you hire to sign up for the trainings.

Yes, the training will be live and participants will be able to ask questions through a Q&A box.

No, due to the proprietary nature of these trainings, they will not be recorded.

Yes, you can request a certificate for 4 PDH’s after the webinar is completed. Requests can be sent to Nancy Cinatl at [email protected]

Northeast Illinois Salt Conference

The Salt Smart Collaborative held the first Northeast Illinois Salt Conference in September 2023. We hope to make this an annual event, so look out for next years conference!

 

The Northeast Illinois Salt Conference showcased local experiences with cutting edge winter road maintenance practices. The conference is geared towards Road Supervisors, Public Works Directors, and other decision makers. Topics included route management, weather forecasting and pavement temperature forecasting, liquids, and more.

Winter Technical Brief Webinars

The Salt Smart Collaborative presents a free series of Winter Technical Briefs in a webinar format. Recordings of the live Technical Briefs are posted below.

2021 Winter Technical Briefs

More About Brine Making

Anti-icing and pre-wetting can make a big difference for snow clearing and reducing salt usage. Here’s a chance to ask all your questions. Presented by Glenn Beck with Henderson Products, Inc.

Snow and Ice Removal Communications with Your Residents

Reduce the complaints from residents and cover your liabilities with good communications about your snow and ice removal plan. Presented by Jennifer Hammer with The Conservation Foundation.

Reducing Chloride Emissions: The Boost & Reduce Method

Learn more about how the use of organics helps to reduce your salt usage. Presented by Denver Preston with K-Tech Specialty Coatings, Inc.

2020 Winter Technical Briefs

Reducing Salt with Organics - The Boost & Reduce Method

Sourcewell & Cooperative Purchasing

The Benefits of Segmented Blades

The Fine Art of Brine Making

Recorded Webinars

Salt Wise Wednesday Webinars

Join Wisconsin Salt Wise for a series of Wednesday Webinars, the first Wednesday of each month at noon. Webinar recordings will be available on their YouTube channel.

Wednesday, August 4: Get Salt Wise with Private Contractors

Owners and managers from private winter maintenance companies in the Madison-area discuss their transitions to Salt Wise practices after attending a Smart Salting workshop. Matt Maier, Envirosealers, Jeremy Johnson, The Bruce Company, and Dan Dean, MAD Plowing & Mowing, will share tips and tricks on application rates that work, brine use for parking lots and sidewalks, and conversations with customers.

Wednesday, September 1: Mayo Clinic says, “Hold the Salt”

From financial savings on salt, to reduced damage to infrastructure, and everything in-between, learn from Matt Donovan, Facilities Manager, how Mayo Clinic’s Rochester campus 50% drop in salt use has been a win-win-win with no impact to their level of service.

Wednesday, October 6: Brine 101

Looking for a primer on how to incorporate salt brine into your winter maintenance toolbelt? Matt Wittum, Town of Linn Highway Superintendent, is your man. Matt helped design and lead the smart salting training program in northern Illinois before jumping across the border. He has published several articles on brine use and is eager to assist others in any way he can.