City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: MAY 13, 2025 FROM: PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WARDS: ALL
SUBJECT: PUBLIC WORKS WEEK 2025
ISSUE:
Recognize the Public Works Department’s employees and their efforts.
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council receive and file this report and presentation.
BACKGROUND:
Each year the American Public Works Association (APWA) promotes National Public Works Week. This year, Public Works Week is May 18th – 24th and the theme is “People, Purpose Presence” to recognize the three cornerstone ideals that motivate public works professional to serve the community. The APWA recognizes that public works employees most often work in the background to advance the quality of life of our community and we are motivated to make a positive difference.
DISCUSSION:
The Public Works Department is responsible for delivering many of the core and essential services that impact residents and businesses. From providing clean, safe, and well-maintained roadways to handling the disposal or reuse of solid waste and wastewater, our staff are dedicated to providing the highest level of service possible, 365 days a year. During this time, we would like to recognize the efforts of our employees who are the backbone of our department providing services in:
Engineering Field services Wastewater
Capital Projects Graffiti Abatement Biosolids Disposal Engineering Design Landscaping and Trees Cogeneration Land Development Public Parking Collection System
Surveying Solid Waste Environmental Compliance
Traffic Management Street Maintenance Treatment Services GIS
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
As a Department, Public Works makes meaningful contributions to all six Strategic Priorities but particularly makes significant contributions towards priorities 5 and 6:
High Performing Government: Provide world class public service that is efficient, accessible and responsive to all.
Infrastructure, Mobility & Connectivity: Ensure safe, reliable infrastructure that benefits the community and facilitates connection between people, place and information.
Further, the department aligns with each of the five Cross-Cutting Threads as follows:
Community Trust – The Public Works Department endeavors to involve the community in its work through inclusive engagement efforts and is responsive to community requests for service.
Equity – The Public Works Department has assisted in bringing millions of dollars in grant revenues to fund infrastructure projects across the City.
Fiscal Responsibility – The Public Works Department relies heavily upon leveraging existing resources towards grant funding opportunities.
Innovation – The Public Works Department has recently installed new bicycle facility types, covered stormwater channels to provide pedestrian walkways, installed an award-winning stormwater diversion facility, and developed unique pedestrian & bicycle master planning documents, amongst other innovations.
Sustainability & Resiliency – The Public Works Department works to ensure newly-installed infrastructure and preventative maintenance practices will help Riverside to remain resilient in the face of rising temperatures and changing weather patterns.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with this report.
Prepared by: Gilbert Hernandez, Public Works Director
Certified as to
availability of funds: Kristie Thomas, Finance Director/Assistant Chief Financial Officer Approved by: Kris Martinez, Assistant City Manager
Approved as to form: Rebecca McKee-Reimbold, Interim City Attorney Attachments:
Presentation
Public Works Week 2024 ● Page 2