Ben Beattie graduated in December from Millersville University earning a B.S. in Geography: Environmental & Spatial Sciences and has worked as our GIS Analysis intern for the past two years. He noted that municipal work allows flexibility to explore solutions and interact with a wide variety of people, ranging from the public to private sector personnel. His internship goal has been to make information more accessible and help streamline operations through smart, spatial solutions.
Ben’s key projects have been developing public-facing applications to keep residents informed, such as the Leaf Request System, the Local Construction Dashboard, and the LPT At Work website. Behind the scenes, he has implemented automating processes, transitioning paper-based workflows to digital systems. One such GIS tool is a mapping app that allows staff to draw an area on a map and instantly generate a mailing address list.
Launching the new Public Works Leaf Request System rates as his proudest accomplishment. He stated it’s one thing to develop and test a system, but seeing it successfully used by thousands of households over the past two years has been incredibly rewarding. For residents, they simply enter their address and submit an online request. On the backend, we have a dashboard that tracks active and past requests, average wait times, and priority sorting, all displayed on a map for better visualization. Field crews then use tablets to update and complete requests in real-time allowing workers to target pickup locations instead of searching each neighborhood.
When he’s not working, Ben likes to step away from the computer and do something hands-on. Woodworking has recently captured his interest, and he’s made cedar planter boxes, a wooden Christmas tree, and a pine shoe rack for his girlfriend. He’s also an outdoorsman who likes trout and bass fishing in Lancaster County, especially kayak fishing at Muddy Run.
In April, Ben will transition from the Township to a full-time position at a private engineering firm. We are pleased and thankful for all that Ben has contributed to Lower Paxton through his internship. There’s even a chance we may see him again since his new firm often serves municipal clients.
