Public Works Officers
Appointed by the department president, the Public Works Officers Department has at least one representative on each of Cal Cities' policy committees. Representatives provide technical information to the committee, ensure that the department has a voice in the decision-making process, and help make recommendations to the board of directors on legislative and policy issues.
Subscribe to the Public Works Officers Listserv to receive the latest updates and information.
- Promotes the purposes and goals in the League of California Cities Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws.
- Serves as a technical and advisory department to Cal Cities, including participation on Cal Cities Policy Committees through the analysis and development of position recommendations on pending legislation and proposed regulatory guidelines.
- Fosters the professional and personal development of its members.
- Supports the exchange of ideas with the County Engineers Association of California, California Department of Transportation, and other agency/industry representatives through the promotion and conduct of conferences, seminars, and related training methods.
- Advances the interest of cities by helping to develop, shape, and improve legislation and policies established that regulate the funding, development, construction, and maintenance of public infrastructure.
- Advances the interest of cities through the active participation on federal, state, and local committees and advisory boards.
- President - Julie Lucido, Director of Public Works, Napa
- First Vice President - Scott Smith, Director of Public Works, Fountain Valley
- Second Vice President - Rebecca Neves, City Engineer, Folsom
- Immediate Past President - Ben Fine, Director of Public Works/City Engineer, Pismo Beach
- Department Director* - Rene Guerrero, Director of Public Works, Pomona
*Terms are for one year, ending in September, except the director who serves a two-year term.
Appointed by the department president, each department has at least one representative on each of Cal Cities' standing seven policy committees that can provide technical information to the committee as a whole to ensure that the department has a voice in the decision-making process, and make recommendations to the board of directors on legislative and policy issues.
- Community Services –Vacant
- Environmental Quality – Kelli Pickler, Director of Public Works, Lakewood
- Governance, Transparency, and Labor Relations – Ken Berkman, Public Works Director, Burbank
- Housing, Community, and Economic Development – Ben Fine, Director of Public Works/City Engineer, Pismo Beach
- Public Safety – Scott Smith, Director of Public Works, Fountain Valley
- Revenue and Taxation – Melissa Walker, Director of Public Works/City Engineer, Moreno Valley
- Transportation, Communications, and Public Works – Julie Lucido, Public Works Director, Napa
For more information about the appointment process, please contact Meg Desmond.
Public Works Officers Institute
March 19-21, 2025
Sheraton Universal Hotel
333 Universal Hollywood Dr, Universal City, CA
Designed for public works professionals of all career levels, this conference provides you with the essential information and updates necessary to most effectively run city public works departments. Previous sessions cover a variety of topics such as road safety, bridge programs, legislative updates, and leadership topics.
Save the date for the next institute on March 19-21, 2025 at the Sheraton Universal Hotel in Universal City.
For additional questions, please contact Associate Manager, Event Programming, Erin Wylder.
Please see our event and meeting policies.
Institute Information
View the 2024 Public Works Officers Institute program.
2024 Institute Session Materials
- An Anaylsis of the Brooks Act - 50 Years in Review
- Brief Look at the Evolution of Pubic Sidewalks
- Clean Fleet Deployment
- Fees, You Got Em! How do they Work Today
- Groundwater, Water Resiliency and the Challenges Do they Really Mix - Bucknam
- Groundwater Water Resiliency and the Challenges Do they really Mix - Kau
- Innovative Advancements in Fiber Deployment - Acosta
- Making work suck less healing workplaces through play
- Mulch Made to Order
- My Maintenance - Keeping Neighborhoods Clean
- On the Road to a Smoother Future
- Project Labor Agreements - What’s Good, What’s Bad and What’s Ugly
- Reduce Agency Liability, Prevent Busted Budgets Geotechnical Engineers of Record Policies - Berliner
- Tools to Electrify EnergIIZE Hydrogen Fact Sheet
- Tools to Electrify Your City Funding, EV Charging, and Collaboration
- Tools to Electrify EnergIIZE - Fact Sheet
- Tools to Electrify_Overall Project Factsheet
- Traffic Safety, Now!
- Understanding the Legislative Process
Previous Institute Session Materials
- Becoming Part of the Conversation Increasing Public Works' Public Perception
- Broadband Internet and Smart City Applications for Your City
- Case Study Broadband Internet and Smart City Applications
- Closing Session Leading High Performance
- Don't Throw Paving Dollars Out with the Trash
- Drought and Potable Reuse on California's Central Coast
- Effective Pavement Program Management for Cities and Counties
- Extreme Hazards Planning, Recovery and Resilience - Lancaster
- Extreme Hazards Planning, Recovery and Resilience - Rubin
- Extreme Hazards Planning, Recovery and Resilience - Olson
- Extreme Hazards Planning, Recovery, Resilience - Pratt
- Going to the Well Discussing Municipal Water Issues - Bean
- Going to the Well Discussing Municipal Water Issues -Martin
- Leading Change by Changing the Way we Lead
- Making Public Works an Attractive Option in a Changing Workplace
- Public Construction and Contracting Law Update for California
- Project Labor Agreements for Local Public Works Projects
- Public Input That Works Strategies for Successful Community Engagement
- Public Works Officers Institute floor plan
- SB378 and New Innovations for the Deployment of Fiber Networks
- Speaker Bios
- State of Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
- The Changing Landscape of Recycling Local Market Development and Participation - Goncharoff
- The Changing Landscape of Recycling Local Market Development and Participation
- Becoming Part of the Conversation Increasing Public Works' Public Perception
- Broadband Internet and Smart City Applications for Your City
- Case Study Broadband Internet and Smart City Applications
- Closing Session Leading High Performance
- Don't Throw Paving Dollars Out with the Trash
- Drought and Potable Reuse on California's Central Coast
- Effective Pavement Program Management for Cities and Counties
- Extreme Hazards Planning, Recovery and Resilience - Lancaster
- Extreme Hazards Planning, Recovery and Resilience - Rubin
- Extreme Hazards Planning, Recovery and Resilience - Olson
- Extreme Hazards Planning, Recovery, Resilience - Pratt
- Going to the Well Discussing Municipal Water Issues - Bean
- Going to the Well Discussing Municipal Water Issues -Martin
- Leading Change by Changing the Way we Lead
- Making Public Works an Attractive Option in a Changing Workplace
- Public Construction and Contracting Law Update for California
- Project Labor Agreements for Local Public Works Projects
- Public Input That Works Strategies for Successful Community Engagement
- Public Works Officers Institute floor plan
- SB378 and New Innovations for the Deployment of Fiber Networks
- Speaker Bios
- State of Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
- The Changing Landscape of Recycling Local Market Development and Participation - Goncharoff
- The Changing Landscape of Recycling Local Market Development and Participation
- What Public Works Professionals Need to Know about Finance
Contact Staff
Meghan McKelvey
Department and Member Services Senior Manager
(916) 658-8253
Isaac Black
Administrative Associate, Member Services