Who We Are And What We Do
The Department of Public Works plans, designs,constructs, operates, and maintains facilities and equipment that are safe and accessible to the clients of County agencies, the general public and County employees. The Department advises the Board of Supervisors on all public works issues, including rates and charges for services that are fair to both the users and service providers. Public Works has a budget of approximately $200 million and is comprised of over 300 employees in five divisions: Administrative Services and Airports, Engineering and Resource Protection, Facility Services, and Road Services. Most of the Public Works budget is funded from sources other than the County’s general fund. The budget includes federal and state funds earmarked for aviation and transportation, landfill franchise fees for waste management programs, gas taxes to maintain 320 miles of County roads, and property taxes and service charges to provide various services to the 46 special districts governed by the Board of Supervisors and administered by the Department.
Engineering and Resource Protection Division
The Engineering and Resource Protection Division consists of five sections, Project Development, Design and Construction Management, Flood Control and Utilities, Transportation Services, and Waste and Environmental Management. This division includes sewer, water, lighting, and drainage districts; cable TV; flood control zones; transportation planning, enhancement, and promotion of alternatives; short and long-range solid waste management planning including source reduction and Recycling; Waste Collection and Disposal; environmental compliance monitoring; and operation and maintenance of two general aviation airports. The Project Development & Design section provides investigation, design, review, development of standards, and computer aided drafting support associated with roadway, utilities, and facility projects. The Construction Management section provides construction project management services, surveying, inspection, drafting, traffic analyses, maintenance of boundaries, and technical analysis of documents and maps for a variety of internal and external customers.
Administrative Services & Airports Division
The Administrative Services & Airports Division consists of six sections: Airports, Accounting, Business Systems, Clerical Support, Payroll/Personnel (includes the Cost Accounting Management System, CAMS), and Safety. Areas of responsibility in this division include business systems, automation, safety, risk management, budget, accounting, personnel/payroll services, training, and clerical support. The Management Services Division Manager, section managers, an executive secretary, and fiscal, information technology and support positions staff the division.
Facilities Division
The Facilities Division consists of four sections: Building Services, Construction Services, Facilities, Maintenance & Operations - Redwood City, Facilities, Maintenance & Engineering - Health & Hospital, The Facilities Deputy Director, section managers, and skilled craft and maintenance personnel including supervisors, leads, and support positions staff the division.
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The Building Services section provides janitorial services and a variety of building services for 73 County facilities, with a total square footage of approximately 1,767,000. This section consists of a Facilities Support Services Manager, two Supervising Custodians, Utility Workers, Custodians, and a Parking Lot Attendant. Core activities include interior office maintenance, exterior office maintenance, receipt and delivery of supplies, room set-up and office configuration, and parking control.
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The Facilities Maintenance & Operations - Redwood City section is responsible for the operation, maintenance, installation and repair of machinery and equipment in County operated buildings. This includes HVAC systems, boilers, lighting systems, refrigeration, generators, water treatment, and emergency power systems. It also includes crafts services such as carpentry, painting, plumbing, and lock smithing services required to maintain County facilities. A Facilities Services Manager; two Supervising Stationary Engineers; a Crafts Supervisor; Stationary Engineers; Carpenters; Painters & Locksmiths; and Utility workers; and an Office Specialist position staff the section. Work activities are varied and range from hanging doors to monitoring and adjusting computerized heating and ventilation systems.
- Construction Services provides competitive professional crafts services beyond the scope of routine maintenance provided by the Facilities Operations and Maintenance section, and contracts with the County and Cities to provide carpentry, graffiti abatement, and lighting district services. Trades represented include electrical, plumbing, carpentry and painting. Construction Services is staffed by the Construction Manager; skilled craft and maintenance workers; utility workers; and office support staff. Work activities are varied and range from remodels to new construction.
Health & Hospital Facilities/Maintenance & Engineering
The Health & Hospital Facilities, Maintenance & Engineering section is responsible for is responsible for the operation, maintenance, installation and repair of machinery and equipment located at the San Mateo County Health Center located on 37th Avenue in San Mateo. This includes HVAC systems, boilers, lighting systems, refrigeration, generators, water treatment, and emergency power systems. A Facilities Services Manager; a Supervising Stationary Engineer; Stationary Engineers; Painters, Utility workers; and an Office Specialist position staff the section. Work activities are varied and range from hanging doors to monitoring and adjusting computerized heating and ventilation systems.
Road Services
The Road Services Division consists of three sections, Road Maintenance (Bayside and Coastside), Road Operations, and Vehicle & Equipment Services.
- The Road Maintenance section is responsible for routine and emergency road maintenance; performing inspections and issuing permits; constructing and installing sidewalks, signs and road markings and landscaping maintenance. The Bayside and Coastside sections have a combined total of 76 employees -- 2 Road Maintenance Managers, 9 Road Supervisors, Road Maintenance Workers II (truck drivers), Road Maintenance Workers I (laborers), a Road Equipment Supervisor, Equipment Operators, a Construction Carpenter-Mason, Lead Gardener, and Utility Workers. Much of the work in the Road Maintenance section is done on a cycle basis throughout the year. In the winter months, primary duties include digging and clearing ditches and trimming and removing vegetation along the roadways; in the spring the focus of the work is on repairing winter damage from slides and slipouts and patching potholes; summer and fall months focus on patching streets, cleaning catch basins and trimming trees. The Landscape Maintenance crew is responsible for maintaining County owned grounds and facilities.
- The Road Operations section is responsible for issuing encroachment permits, reviewing stormwater drainage issues associated with Planning and Building Department development reviews and evaluating traffic related issues.
- The Vehicle & Equipment section is responsible for the purchase, maintenance, repair, and replacement of road equipment and motor vehicles. The section also manages lease agreement with user departments, services and repairs generators and pumps, and provides project management services. The Vehicle & Equipment Manager, two Auto Mechanic Supervisors, a Lead Equipment Mechanic, a Management Analyst, Auto and Equipment Mechanics, Auto Service Workers, Utility Workers, and office support staff staff this section. Core work activities include preventive maintenance, scheduled and unscheduled repairs, regulatory inspections, parts fabrication and modification, heavy equipment training for users, installation of new equipment, and parts management.
