EARTHWORKS POWER JOBS

By Vivian LaMoore, Inaajimowin Editor

Chad Dunkley has a powerfully dirty job, and he loves it. To put it another way, he gets paid to play in the dirt and operate some very very big power machines. Dunkley works for the Earthworks Department for the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe in District III, Hinckley, where the department has recently added another much-needed giant piece of equipment to the fleet of machines to make their jobs safer, faster, and more precise. This new machine will ultimately add to the overall betterment of the entire Mille Lacs Band community.

A new 2023 Caterpillar (CAT) 920 Wheel Loader will now be able to be utilized in District III, and if needed, used in other districts on bigger jobs as well. “I chose this one because I can drive it down the road if I need to, or load it on a trailer if needed without pulling special permits,” Dunkley said. The CAT 920 will top out at 25 MPH, just enough to travel short distances. This is a working power horse with maximum gross power of 121 HP and an operating weight of 21,742 pounds. And that bucket has the capacity to load and move up to 2.5 yards of dirt, sand, salt, snow, debris — you name it, it can (probably) move it.

“This machine will make loading snow plows with sand/ salt in the winter about three times faster. What used to take us at least 12 trips with the skid loader, we can do in four trips with this,” Dunkley said.

As a kid, Dunkley said he remembers playing at the park on a stationary hand-operated excavator digging in the sand. It felt like second nature to him. Probably why now as an adult, his favorite machine to operate is the excavator. “Yeah, I guess I am pretty good at it,” he said humbly.

Also, as a kid, he spent a lot of time customizing bikes, building things with Legos, and playing a few video games, all of which have turned out to be learning tools for him. He learned early on that maintaining the ever-important chain on a bike is crucial in the overall operation of the bike. And playing with Legos and even video games aids in critical thinking skills. Applying those childhood activities to adult life taught him maintenance, learning how to build things that work, and hand-eye coordination critical for operating heavy equipment.

Dunkley has some mad skills operating heavy equipment and has entered state-wide contests. In 2022, he came in first place in the Skid Steer Rodeo at the Minnesota Fall Maintenance Expo. “Our crews have always scored well in the competitions,” Dunkley said.

The District III Earthworks Department is a team of highly trained and skilled individuals including Dunkley, Guy Davis, and Waylon Moose. The three all have up-to-date training in maintenance and operating heavy equipment and work together to provide a variety of services for Band members.

These services include, but are not limited to, winter work such as plowing snow, widening approaches, winging back snow banks, and maintaining roads all year long. In addition, they provide grave digging, black dirt work, demolitions, emergency sewer repairs, final grade and seed for new construction housing homes, along with all other duties in all districts. “We get called out in all major storms in the summer and winter. There have been FEMA type events so we clear trees from roads and from Housing houses with our equipment. A new addition is we have been assisting the Public Works with the mowing of DIII this year on top of the existing duties We are busy all year long,” Dunkley added.

As the saying goes, if you use it, it will break. All Earthworks staff are well-trained in maintenance and repairs of all equipment. Another reason they choose CAT equipment is due to parts availability. “There is always a dealer close,” Dunkley said. Because the Earthworks crews do most of their own maintenance and repairs, parts availability is important to get back on the road as quickly as possible when repairs are necessary.

If you have ever thought of making a living playing in the dirt and snow, pursuing a career in heavy equipment operations is a trained skill that is in high demand. Overall employment of construction equipment operators, heavy equipment, and earthmoving equipment is projected to grow five percent from between now and 2031, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor.

Right now, Earthworks crews are preparing for the winter ahead and making sure all equipment is ready. Although Minnesota has seen record-high temperatures this summer, winter will be here before we know it. “We moved a lot of snow last year,” Dunkley said, humbly shaking his head. “It was crazy.”