Madeira Beach, FL

For Public Works Director Megan Wepfer and her team at the City of Madeira Beach, manual workflows - paper records, handwritten notes, and photos buried in scattered folders - no longer matched the city’s vision for the future. While the team was highly dedicated, their analog tools created a level of fragmentation that made reporting feel like a constant "chase."

By partnering with Forerunner, Madeira Beach has successfully transitioned to a centralized system of record, moving Public Works and stormwater data from paper to a map-based digital platform that leverages AI to ensure every drain, pipe, and inspection is accounted for in real-time.

The Challenge: Transitioning from Fragmented Communication to a Professional System of Record

Before the partnership, the city’s Public Works data was functional but siloed. Without a unified platform, the team faced several operational hurdles:

• Fragmented Documentation: Field crews logged data into manual spreadsheets, and site photos were often shared through informal channels like group text messages. This forced administrative staff to "chase down" the crew every month to compile NPDES forms and manually scan records into folders.
• Legacy Software Hurdles: Many cities struggle with the complexity of traditional asset management software. Madeira Beach needed a solution powerful enough to manage their complex GIS data, yet intuitive enough to be adopted immediately by a team with a wide range of technical backgrounds.
• Inter-departmental Silos: Standard surveys often miss existing city drainage. Without a shared communication platform, permits for seawalls or new homes were frequently issued without Public Works’ input. This lack of visibility meant infrastructure encroachment could go undetected until the construction phase had already begun.

The Solution: An AI-Powered Digital Evolution

The transition to Forerunner wasn't about changing the team's workflow, but about automating how that work was captured. By using a digital platform to centralize data, the team now takes field entries and automatically organizes them into the city’s broader system of record.

• AI-powered Reporting: Instead of manual entry into spreadsheets, the platform uses AI-driven tools to compile field data, photos, and inspections into audit-ready reports. This automation eliminates the "chase" for paperwork and ensures the city is always ready for NPDES reporting.
• A Unified Map: By providing a single source of truth, Planning, Zoning, and Public Works now share a unified view of the city’s assets. This ensures that new construction is cross-referenced with city drainage at the beginning of the permitting process, preventing costly infrastructure conflicts.
• Seamless Onboarding: The Forerunner team worked with Madeira Beach to ingest their GIS data and customize forms in days. This allowed the crew to go from training to full field implementation in a single morning.

The ROI: Immediate Clarity and Accountability

Within just two weeks of implementation, the City of Madeira Beach began seeing a return on its investment in digital infrastructure:

• Real-Time Complaint Resolution: When a resident recently reported a flooding drain, Megan was able to instantly check the digital record. "I could go back and say, 'We were there on X date; there were no issues with the pipe.' It’s way easier to track," she notes.
• 100% Infrastructure Accountability: The system ensures that nothing gets lost. Success is now defined by the ability to prove that every storm drain has been touched and cleaned on a monthly rotation, providing a level of accountability that was previously impossible to track on paper.
• Storm Readiness: After Hurricane Helene, the city had to rely on printed maps to mark drains compacted with sand. Now, for future storm seasons, they have a digital system to track asset inspections and recovery efforts instantly, making it much easier to coordinate with contractors.

The Bottom Line: A Partnership for Resilience

Madeira Beach chose a partnership that valued usability over complexity. By choosing a system that is "simple to use and easy to understand," the city has ensured that their digital transformation is sustainable for every member of the team.

"I honestly think that anybody could pick it up and use it - it’s simple to use and easy to understand - and that makes a huge difference.”  - Megan Wepfer, Public Works Director, City of Madeira Beach