PUBLIC WORKS ORGANIZATION (S) by John Lisenko Definition: A public works organization is any organized system set up for the purpose of managing the physical facilities making communities and societies possible.

INTRODUCTION California’s infrastructure is managed at the State, County and City government level by departments set up for this purpose. In addition, special districts and joint powers agencies manage much of the utility (water and sewer) infrastructure, particularly in urbanized areas.

STATE Maintain highways, water resources, state parks,waterways, etc. Various state regulatory agencies (Fish and Game, Water Quality, State Health, etc.) impact how cities and counties do business. Interaction between local agencies and the state is not always amicable, particularly with regard to finances (competing for a piece of the same pie.)

COUNTY (58) Acts just like a City PW in unincorporated area and may act as a transportation authority if a separate agency does not exist. Also may act as the NPDES coordinating entity for the county and cities. Since counties have significant social welfare responsibilities, PW generally stays below the radar screen.

CITY (478 total) May be full service or limited. Operates under charter(108) or general law (370). General law cities tend to be smaller and not involved in providing water and sewer service. Charter cities are larger, and tend to be “full service,” including utilities.

SPECIAL DISTRICTS (over 3,400) Set up for many purposes – for PW water (890) and sewer (577) utility districts are most significant. Other special districts of interest to PW are those that finance construction and maintenance, such as lighting districts, stormwater utility and street maintenance districts.

JOINT POWERS AUTHORITIES Set up as regional entities combining cities and county for efficiency in managing certain infrastructure e.g. sewer treatment, water supply and solid waste. Also manage transit and sometimes energy supplies and distribution.

OTHER Regional transportation agencies (e.g. RTPA’s, CMA’s, COG’s), while not strictly responsible for PW management, have a good deal of influence over finances, particularly what $$$ goes to streets, roads and bridges. Private Homeowners Associations – manage a significant part of the state’s infrastructure with limited (if any) oversight.

FORMATION AND CHARACTERISTICS Formation of new governing entities (cities, special districts, JPA’s, etc.) can be done by an act of the state legislature or by approval of a county local agency formation commission (LAFCO) and county board of supervisors.

FORMATION AND CHARACTERISTICS (cont’d) Cities can form special maintenance districts in accordance with state law (generally spelled out in Streets and Highways code) Formation of new governing entities is usually wrapped up in two key issues – “local control” and finances. Somebody thinks they can do a better job!

FORMATION AND CHARACTERISTICS (cont’d) Counties – ability to train and develop personnel, more “regionally” aware and tend to perform more construction and maintenance in-house. Cities – wide range between small, primarily “contract” to large which are more like counties. Special Districts – focused, independent, less involved in planning and growth issues, less concerned with lack of revenue.

PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT ORGANIZATION (City and County) Regardless of form or size of governing entity, responsibility for public works is usually vested in a department within the county or city. Traditional PW dept’s have an engineering branch and an operations branch that may (or may not) include utilities under one director of public works. Many “non-traditional” variations exist, for reasons that include history, politics, management style, personalities, etc.

PW DEP’T RESPONSIBILITIES Most city and county PWD’s have responsibility for street maintenance, storm drain maintenance and traffic signals and lighting. Beyond those basic services, there is a long list of PW related services that may or may not be included in the scope of responsibility of the PWD.

PW DEP’T RESPONSIBILITIES These services include: Operations: Airport, buildings and grounds, building inspection, capital improvements, engineering, fleet management, flood control/stormwater, parks, transit operations, water treatment and distribution, sewage collection, sewage treatment, solid waste disposal, street trees and landscaping Engineering: Subdivisions and mapping, surveying, traffic engineering, building inspection, and capital improvements

WHY SO MANY VARIATIONS BETWEEN CITIES WITH REGARD TO WHAT IS AND WHAT ISN’T “PUBLIC WORKS”? Historic development – “traditional” PW got a bad name through the 60’s and 70’s – unresponsive, dogmatic, not “flexible”, inarticulate, etc. Since the early 70’s, erosion of financial resources reduced size and scope of PWD’s Rapid growth put emphasis on planning (including transportation) and community development Politics, personalities and management style Privatization and contract services