During a string of days with sub-zero temperatures, I had the chance to meet with the folks who keep our city running. East Lansing’s Department of Public Works teams show up before sunrise, stay late into the night, and respond whenever conditions demanded it. They collect trash and recycling despite snowbanks and blocked carts, clear downtown streets, ramps, stairways, and sidewalks before most of the city wakes up, plowed, salt, and brine roads, work shifts well past midnight to repair water main breaks, and field calls from frustrated residents with patience and professionalism. This work is physical, technical, and often invisible, and our city continues to function during extreme weather because these teams plan ahead, adjust in real time, and take pride in getting the job done right.