Public Works Final | Ques ons and answers | Updated
RATED A+ | NEW 2026
What level of educa on should go into being hired as a city manager and being successful in the
role?
-A bachelor's degree in public administra on or a bachelor's in business administra on
-Also recommended to have a Master of Public Administra on or cer fied public manager
creden als
-Most employers require 5 years of municipal government experience and also want applicants
to have a background as an assistant city manager or department head
What is the difference between city manager and mayor?
a. City managers, also referred to as the chief execu ve officer (CEO) or chief administra ve
officer (CAO), are appointed by the city council. Ci es that appoint a manager expect them to
take care of daily administra ve tasks.
i. Basic responsibili es:
1. Supervising day-to-day opera ons of city staff and departments, like fire and police, parks and
recrea on and public works.
2. Overseeing hiring and firing of city employees
3. Preparing and monitoring the city budget
4. Handling public rela ons for the city
5. A5ending, modera ng, and running city council mee ngs (but not vo ng)
ii. Educa onal requirements: Master's Degree in Public Administra on
a. Mayor, the mayor represents both the government and the community as a whole. Unlike city
managers, mayors are directly elected by voters.
i. Basic responsibili es
1. Presiding over city council
2. Signing proclama ons for the city
3. Making ceremonial appearances
4. Vo ng as a council member (without veto power)
5. Implemen ng legisla on passed by the council
6. Appoin ng and removing department heads within city organiza ons
ii. Educa on requirements: Master's Degree in Public Administra on
, What is GRU responsible for and who is one of their top consumers?
It is responsible for the maintenance of the electric, natural gas, water, wastewater,
telecommunica ons services of Gainesville. One of its top consumers is UF Shands Hospital
Name the pros and cons of GRU using drone technology?
Pros include conduc ng emission tes ng on plant stacks, exterior inspec ons on boilers, and
taking inventory of plant supplies. Cons include legal limita ons, safety concerns for the public
and wildlife, and training is needed in order to operate.
What is a "smart city" and what are the results of being a "smart city"?
A smart city is a city that automa cally adjusts their resources to meet the demands of the city.
They use their resources more efficiently than a non-smart city and this results in improvements
to the quality of air, water, transporta on, and communica on efficiency.
Out of the seven Commissioners of Gainesville, FL, how many are officials are elected at-large.
For those that are not elected at-large, how are they elected?
The mayor and two commissioners are selected at-large. The other four commissioners are
selected by their individual district. Ci zens must vote only within their district, except in the at-
large votes.
How does GRU u lize solar energy?
a. According to a July 2017 Orlando Sen nel study, GRU provides 199 wa5s of solar energy per
customer, second in the state to Gulf Power.
b. GRU has recently reached a purchase agreement with Origis Energy, adding 50 megawa5s of
solar energy power to its renewable energy porHolio.
c. GRU has the goal of powering its customers with 100% renewable energy by 2045.
d. Solar energy made up 1.1% of total energy supplied to GRU customers in 2019.
e. Due to the variability of solar energy, fast-response natural gas-powered engines will maintain
a steady supply of energy and fill in solar gaps.
How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected GRU opera ons?
a. GRU has reduced fuel charges for all customers through the month of September, saving
customers 17% on fuel charges over the 6 month span.
RATED A+ | NEW 2026
What level of educa on should go into being hired as a city manager and being successful in the
role?
-A bachelor's degree in public administra on or a bachelor's in business administra on
-Also recommended to have a Master of Public Administra on or cer fied public manager
creden als
-Most employers require 5 years of municipal government experience and also want applicants
to have a background as an assistant city manager or department head
What is the difference between city manager and mayor?
a. City managers, also referred to as the chief execu ve officer (CEO) or chief administra ve
officer (CAO), are appointed by the city council. Ci es that appoint a manager expect them to
take care of daily administra ve tasks.
i. Basic responsibili es:
1. Supervising day-to-day opera ons of city staff and departments, like fire and police, parks and
recrea on and public works.
2. Overseeing hiring and firing of city employees
3. Preparing and monitoring the city budget
4. Handling public rela ons for the city
5. A5ending, modera ng, and running city council mee ngs (but not vo ng)
ii. Educa onal requirements: Master's Degree in Public Administra on
a. Mayor, the mayor represents both the government and the community as a whole. Unlike city
managers, mayors are directly elected by voters.
i. Basic responsibili es
1. Presiding over city council
2. Signing proclama ons for the city
3. Making ceremonial appearances
4. Vo ng as a council member (without veto power)
5. Implemen ng legisla on passed by the council
6. Appoin ng and removing department heads within city organiza ons
ii. Educa on requirements: Master's Degree in Public Administra on
, What is GRU responsible for and who is one of their top consumers?
It is responsible for the maintenance of the electric, natural gas, water, wastewater,
telecommunica ons services of Gainesville. One of its top consumers is UF Shands Hospital
Name the pros and cons of GRU using drone technology?
Pros include conduc ng emission tes ng on plant stacks, exterior inspec ons on boilers, and
taking inventory of plant supplies. Cons include legal limita ons, safety concerns for the public
and wildlife, and training is needed in order to operate.
What is a "smart city" and what are the results of being a "smart city"?
A smart city is a city that automa cally adjusts their resources to meet the demands of the city.
They use their resources more efficiently than a non-smart city and this results in improvements
to the quality of air, water, transporta on, and communica on efficiency.
Out of the seven Commissioners of Gainesville, FL, how many are officials are elected at-large.
For those that are not elected at-large, how are they elected?
The mayor and two commissioners are selected at-large. The other four commissioners are
selected by their individual district. Ci zens must vote only within their district, except in the at-
large votes.
How does GRU u lize solar energy?
a. According to a July 2017 Orlando Sen nel study, GRU provides 199 wa5s of solar energy per
customer, second in the state to Gulf Power.
b. GRU has recently reached a purchase agreement with Origis Energy, adding 50 megawa5s of
solar energy power to its renewable energy porHolio.
c. GRU has the goal of powering its customers with 100% renewable energy by 2045.
d. Solar energy made up 1.1% of total energy supplied to GRU customers in 2019.
e. Due to the variability of solar energy, fast-response natural gas-powered engines will maintain
a steady supply of energy and fill in solar gaps.
How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected GRU opera ons?
a. GRU has reduced fuel charges for all customers through the month of September, saving
customers 17% on fuel charges over the 6 month span.
