Consent Item 4g
STAFF REPORT
City Council Consent Item
DATE: April 7, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and Council Members
FROM: Amy Nilsen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Approve and Appointment of Interim Public Works Director STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
The Fortuna City Council approve the appointment of Bob Natt as the Interim Public Works Director beginning April 8, 2025, and until such time the recruitment and appointment of a permanent Public Works Director occurs.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
On February 21, 2025, the current Public Works Director/City Engineer, Brendan Byrd, provided written notice to the City Manager of his plans to resign by April 7, 2024. In preparation for the vacancy it is recommended that Bob Natt serve as the Interim Public Works Director. The term of the appointment will begin on April 8, 2025, and will end once the City has completed the recruitment and appointment of a permanent Public Works Director.
The City has begun the recruitment process for a Public Works Director. The recruitment is currently set to close at 4:00pm on May 9, 2025.
The Public Works Director performs a wide variety of duties. The Public Works Director must plan, organize, direct and coordinate the Public Works functions and programs, including equipment, facilities, sewer collection, water distribution, storm drainage, streets, water treatment, wastewater treatment, project management and construction projects. Specific long-term projects the Public Works Director is responsible for and are pivotal to the development and functionality of the City, and currently include the City’s Wastewater NPDES Compliances Project, the Kenmar and 12th Street Interchange Improvement Projects, the Ross Hill and Kenmar Road Intersection Improvement Project, and the Strongs Creek/Great Redwood Trail development.
Mr. Natt began his career with the City in February of 1995 and has proven himself to be a valuable, thoughtful, experienced, and productive member of the Public Works team.
Mr. Byrd’s resignation also vacates the City Engineer position within the Public Works department, a role that has several specific responsibilities per the City’s municipal code (Attachment 2). In the near-term, the day-to-day engineering operations will be completed by the City’s Deputy City Engineer, Mat Nyberg, who is a licensed professional engineer in the State of California. For other higher-level engineering tasks and oversight that require the approval of the City Engineer, the City will designate GHD, Inc. and Ontiveros and Associates as the City Engineer. The City currently has open engineering contracts with both firms noted and can issue task orders on an as-needed basis. This operating arrangement is anticipated to continue into the next fiscal year, and once a Consent Item 4g
new Public Works Director is appointed staff anticipate addressing the long-term needs of the City Engineer position.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The anticipated starting pay for the interim Public Works Director is $101,116.76 and the financial impact for the remainder of the fiscal year is $4,900. It is anticipated the Public Works Department will have enough in salary and benefit savings to cover this additional cost.
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
Approve the appointment of Bob Natt as the interim Public Works Director beginning April 8, 2025, and until such time the recruitment and appointment of a permanent Public Works Director occurs. Consent Agenda vote.
ATTACHMENTS:
• Public Works Director Announcement
• Memo Regarding City Engineer Responsibilities